[ADXA] The Wide Wide Structural World of Verticals and Vertical Supports

Fri Mar 21 17:36:13 EDT 2025

ADXA Folks,

Since my little buddy Jon UCZ mentioned my verticals, and verticals have become a part of our “windy” discussion, I thought I would share a bit about the verticals incorporated in my station.

First, what I have:

There are a total of 43 verticals here on my “antenna plantation”. 33 that are used for phased low band receiving applications and 10 that are used for phased transmitting. Fortunately I did not experience any wind damage on any of my antennas/towers. My EME arrays, especially the large 6 meter array that can look like Froghorn Leghorn in a tornado during high wind events, are all tied down when not in use and structurally secured.

The 33 receive verticals are all 25 ft tall. 16 are used in a Broad Side-End Fire (BSEF) 8 vertical arrangement for 160 and 80 meters and have top loading wires that also act as guy supports. The other 17 are used in the HiZ-8 and YCCC-9 arrays and have no top loading or guy support. They are all “stand alone” and can flex a good bit during high wind events but are supported at the base by angle iron that is in the ground 18 inches then insulated at the base by a heavy, solid, fiberglass insulator.

Four of the transmit verticals are used for my 80 meter 4-square. The elements are 67.5 feet tall made from 3 inch diameter aluminum irrigation pipe. They are supported by two sets of 1/8” Kevlar guy rope in two places. The base is supported by a 4x4 18” deep in concrete and two 2x6 that is hinged at the bottom, as Jon noted, so I can raise or lower them as needed although they’ve been up since 2009 and I have never lowered them (nor has high wind lowered them !!!!). See attached photo. This, of course, is a very large vertical and requires a structural base and guying.

5 of the verticals are the 160 meter transmit array. The center vertical is the driven element of 128 ft. Rohn 25 tower guyed with Phyllistran. The four parasitic elements are made from 16 gauge wire supported by catenary ropes running from the top of the Rohn 25.

The 60 meter vertical is a lone, single 43 ft vertical made from 12 ft sections of aluminum tubing beginning with 2” OD at the base and three other tapered sections extending up. It is supported at the base in a similar fashion as the 80 meter 4-square.

When I begin laying out a vertical or vertical array I’m not very mechanically inclined so I have a tendency to over-engineer structures. If you’re going to support a short vertical and the base insulator is fiberglass tubing, use a SOLID piece. Do NOT use PVC (including heavy wall PVC) as it is not designed for structural support. If you have tapered joints, or an insert to join two same-size pieces of tubing, make sure you have sufficient overlap. One to two inches overlap is a design for failure. The very minimum should be 6 inches. If you purchase a commercially made vertical that only provides for 1 to 2 inches of joint overlap, well, GL OM !!!

73 Joel W5ZN

www.w5zn.org

From: adxa-bounces at mailman.qth.net <adxa-bounces at mailman.qth.net> On Behalf Of Jon W. Reynolds via ADXA
Sent: Friday, March 21, 2025 10:02 AM
To: ADXA Reflector <adxa at mailman.qth.net>
Subject: Re: [ADXA] Compromised hex

Joel W5ZN has some vertical arrangements that utilize 2 posts, with one vertical in-between themed a bolt put through them to facilitate laying it over for repair. There is probably a more technical term. You might inquire further...and then get in there and work 'em!!

Jon
KI5UCZ

Sent from Proton Mail Android

-------- Original Message --------
On 3/21/25 09:54, wrote:

Cut the damaged pole and put the hexbeam back up. 45 min job. :-)

Made barefoot FT8 contacts in VE3, KA9, EB3, RC1, SP6 on 20m, 12m and 10m. VE was reporting me at +20 db. 

I was receiving a strong A71 portable station but did not get any response. No one else seemed to be either. 

Will make plans to get it back up higher. Need a fold down mast. Will probably make one out of 4x4 posts ???

Just finished DXCC on Phone. Main goal is to finish up DXCC on CW (8 to go). This will get me there. 

73,

Scott/W5AAJ

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