[ILQSO] portable mast idea

[Danny Pease]

Just in time for ILQP portable operation!

Paul, K9OT, and Peggy, KB9LIE, have provided some pictures of the tripod and
mast they use for portable operation. They can be seen at:

http://www.ng9r.com/main/page_photo_albums.html

Paul had the tripod made by a local welder, the legs are military surplus
aluminum sections you see at hamfests and can also buy online
http://www.tmastco.com/

The mast itself can be the same aluminum mast material or the lighter
fiberglass type. Paul uses the aluminum mast and a piece of PVC on the top
to keep the metal away from the antenna. A guy ring can be inserted at any
joint as the mast is pushed up and is recommended for anything much over 20
feet. The mast is stacked buy adding sections at the bottom, pushing up the
mast through the tripod and adding another section underneath. If you are
willing to guy it properly, there is no reason this wouldn't work to 50 or
60 feet.

The tripod legs are each two sections of aluminum mast, the fiberglass
probably isn't strong enough to work here. Two sections are needed for each
leg to get the bottom of the tripod far enough above the ground to allow a
44 inch section of mast to fit under the tripod to add more sections to the
mast. Paul's tripod has a jamb bolt added to clamp the mast in place after
raising the mast up when adding another section to the bottom. Fiberglass
mast would work fine for the mast itself, as long as the vertical down force
is not great enough to cause the fiberglass tubes to split and the mast is
guyed properly.

I have used this same mast material numerous times for temporary wire
antenna supports as well as small VHF antennas and it works very well.

The mast can usually be bought at the Peoria Superfest and is pretty
reasonably priced, I think the last purchases I made there was $32 for eight
44 inch aluminum sections, the fiberglass is cheaper. The same guy selling
at Peoria has guy rings as well as other accessories for the mast.

Thanks to Paul and Peggy for sharing their secret with us!

NG9R