User Panel
User Panel
User Panel
|
Posted: 6/24/2024 2:59:13 PM EDT
[#1]
Heavy Duty Fiberglass Push-Up Mast Kit
If I had the money I'd buy from these guys.  3 Masts Everyone Needs for Ham Radio |
|
|
|
Posted: 6/24/2024 4:42:08 PM EDT
[#2]
I have a 50' and a drive on base. I've never used it once. Just too bulky. I'd sell it but can't imagine the shipping. I may just donate it to one of the local clubs
The DX commanders are just guyed off and they work great. |
|
|
|
Posted: 6/24/2024 7:23:48 PM EDT
[#3]
Depends on how tall you want.
I have a 20ft "crappie" rod (fishing pole) and a tripod from one of those halogen work lights. A 16ft vertical wire and some radials work pretty well down to 40m.    A few sandbags on the tripod legs and Bob's your uncle! |
|
|
|
Posted: 6/24/2024 9:37:25 PM EDT
[#4]
I have the MK-6-HD from Max gain systems. It is guy'd at 2 levels and will stay up in a 50+mph wind with a HF wire and a 6 meter beam on it.
https://mgs4u.com/fiberglass-push-up-masts/ |
|
|
|
Posted: 6/24/2024 10:48:28 PM EDT
[#5]
I have a 10m mfj mast, it is identical to the DX commander 10m classic pole. DX commander also has a compact 10m pole that is easier to pack. I have a 13m carbon fiber pole that will hold up a sloper, but it would probably mess with any wire antenna taped to it. Spiderbeam is probably the buy once pole. They make many sizes and are very popular. You can get a 7.2m fiberglass pole for 20 bucks on amazon. I will get some pics of how I put them up in the daylight.
Check out some coastal waves and wires videos for portable mast antenna ideas. |
|
|
|
Posted: 6/24/2024 10:57:29 PM EDT
[#6]
I use this for POTA and back-back activation. Works great with my X6100 from 6 - 40 meters. You need a coil if you want to do 40-60 with low SWR. I have made contacts at 5Watts from Texas to Russia SSB and the normal BS to China/Australia on Ft8 but I don't think digital is fooling anyone. you can get away with just the mast if you measure the pull outs on the mast, I'm lazy and let the the antenna tuner do all the work.
https://chameleonantenna.com/shop-here/ols/products/mpas-lite For hiking and local messing around, I use this: https://elecraft.com/collections/antennas/products/ax1-antenna with the 40m extension, it will also do 60 with a little SWR. If you're doing ft8 you don't need to be too concerned with radials just drag something. I can get Houston to Maine SSB (a record) while having it attached directly to the 6100 like a giant retarded walki-talki. On its little Amazon tripod and a TRUSDX I can get Texas - NE or WA, with the 6100 and tripod I can get slightly better (2 extra watts helps.) The elocraft with the trusdx, plus my 3D printed battery case is a very small package for lightweight backpacking. My only advice would be to do some SWR sweeps and mark on the antenna the correct positions as the TRUSDX does not autotoon. The 6100 is also a small package with it, but not if you're trail running. EDIT: I see you are all talking about mast for wire antennas...... |
|
|
|
Posted: 6/25/2024 2:01:46 AM EDT
[#7]
Jackite poles were all the rage 6 or 7 years ago.
Jackite Green Fiberglass Pole 31 Foot for Bird Kite, Wind Sock https://a.co/d/0eJ71X1P I bought one and it's plenty good enough for a temporary setup, but if I were buying a new pole I'd probably get one of the ones from DX Engineering with the plastic cam clamps at each junction. |
|
|
|
Posted: 6/25/2024 2:35:56 AM EDT
[#8]
Vehicle portable or man portable? And what are you trying to put up. I probably have a dozen fiberglass masts for various uses.
This weekend I used MFJ-1906HD 31’ mast with drive on mast mount for the feed point of my 80-10 OCF Dipole.  Attached File Attached File Attached File |
|
|
|
Posted: 6/25/2024 2:43:46 AM EDT
[#9]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Jackite poles were all the rage 6 or 7 years ago. Jackite Green Fiberglass Pole 31 Foot for Bird Kite, Wind Sock https://a.co/d/0eJ71X1P I bought one and it's plenty good enough for a temporary setup, but if I were buying a new pole I'd probably get one of the ones from DX Engineering with the plastic cam clamps at each junction. I have a number of Jack Kite poles. They are too light to support anything but a wire vertical or the end support of a wire antenna. They are ok for an inverted L with very light wire. They’re also too long for man portable. |
|
|
|
Posted: 6/25/2024 8:46:35 AM EDT
[#10]
I have 3 bags of military masts. Each can put a 36 footer into the air.
Two setups are aluminum and the other, fiberglass, and there are a few spares of both type of sections. Built a couple tilt bases for them and have a tripod base I got at an area hamfest years ago. The two aluminum masts make a nice phased array for 40M when 32 feet are used for each. Go much wider, put all three up in a triangle and you've supports for a delta loop. When I use them to support wire antennas I attach pulleys to the top sections and pull the ends up after the masts are securely guyed. Spent a number of Field Days at the late in-laws old place with the masts doing support duty. Lots of experiments were performed prior to and during. Got my nephew interested in radio/electronics because of it. |
|
|
|
Posted: 6/25/2024 11:17:40 AM EDT
[#11]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Vehicle portable or man portable? And what are you trying to put up. I probably have a dozen fiberglass masts for various uses. This weekend I used MFJ-1906HD 31' mast with drive on mast mount for the feed point of my 80-10 OCF Dipole. https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/83116/IMG_2996_jpeg-3250100.JPG https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/83116/IMG_2995_jpeg-3250102.JPG https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/83116/IMG_2998_jpeg-3250103. Probably Vehicle Portable. I'm thinking a man portable (one that you would back pack somewhere) would be to lite/flimsy up about 25'+. Well at 1st I was thinking either an EFHW/Sloper, inverted V dipole or regular dipole, depending on the situation. But It'd be cool to be able to slap a 2m vertical or a 6/10m Moxon or Squalo on there in addition to the wire line one hanging just for gits and shiggles... |
|
|
|
Posted: 6/25/2024 12:07:51 PM EDT
[#12]
I have this one from SotaBeams: https://www.sotabeams.co.uk/compact-light-weight-10-m-32-ft-travel-mast/
Light enough to carry in a backpack and rugged enough to be used semi-permanently. I accidentally broke the top couple of sections, so it's probably only about 25 feet tall now, but it's strong enough to hold up a 75m dipole. I like it enough I'd buy it again. Also check out the masts from DX Commander - they are reasonably priced and pretty beefy https://dxcommander.com/product-category/products/telescopic-poles/  |
|
|
|
Posted: 6/25/2024 10:53:34 PM EDT
[#13]
I use a Jackite pole and a cheap flagpole hitch. Wire antenna is a home brew Rybakov 806. Just a 4:1 Balun and 57' of wire but you can use shorter. Single wire counterpoise runs around the vehicle and I clip it to the tailpipe. That day some lady stopped by and asked me if I was tracking whales.
 |
|
|
|
Posted: 6/26/2024 5:08:31 PM EDT
[#14]
|
|
|
|
Posted: 6/26/2024 10:10:48 PM EDT
[#15]
I have a 40 foot Spiderbeam pole and it works well for getting antennas up in the air. But it sure isn't light or easily packable if you have to hike any distance.
|
|
|
|
Posted: 6/26/2024 11:42:33 PM EDT
[#16]
Quote HistoryThis is what you seek. Also get at least 2 levels of guy's so it stays up in a breeze. |
|
|
|
Posted: 6/27/2024 12:12:11 AM EDT
[#17]
Quote HistoryQuoted: I have a number of Jack Kite poles. They are too light to support anything but a wire vertical or the end support of a wire antenna. They are ok for an inverted L with very light wire. They're also too long for man portable. All this is true. I bought one and it worked okay for a vertical, but it mostly gathers dust. 
|
|
|
|
Posted: 7/12/2024 7:28:57 PM EDT
[#18]
Quote HistoryQuoted: I have a 40 foot Spiderbeam pole and it works well for getting antennas up in the air. But it sure isn't light or easily packable if you have to hike any distance. Yep, they're around 7#, and 3'-10" in length. Easily vehicle portable, not so much for backpacking I would think. They're very good, very strong. |
|
|
|
Posted: 7/12/2024 8:09:31 PM EDT
[#19]
My experience with 40’ spider beam was less satisfactory. Basic problem is the top 3 or 4 sections are very floppy and won’t support any weight at all.
But maybe I was just using wrong tool for the job. I was trying to put one end of a 40m EFHW in the air to make a sloper. Unfortunately I wanted the pole next to me and the balun box and some thick coax was way too much weight and would maybe make it 25-30’ up. If your setup allows you to put the pole away from you and only put the antenna in the air and keep the balun and coax on the ground then it would prob work better. |
|
|
|
Posted: 7/12/2024 9:18:17 PM EDT
[#20]
|
|
|
|
Posted: 7/12/2024 10:19:46 PM EDT
[#21]
I have a spider beams 10m mast, with eyelet. Got it at Xenia Hamvention this year. Have had it out maybe 20 times. I like it.
It is very much at the bleeding edge of “portable”. If you are carrying it somewhere, you dont want to go bigger…… if you are sitting up next to your vehicle…….. doesnt really matter. I made my own mast stands, so I cant help you there too much. |
|
|
|
Posted: 7/14/2024 9:09:11 PM EDT
[#22]
Quote HistoryQuoted: I usually throw a rope up a tree. But if there aren't any, I do this. https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/429939/mast_JPG-3264804.JPG What is the Cantilever bar on the top with a pulley? I need somethin like that to pull up my wire antennas... Also, what tripod is that? I have a pvc/conduit "mast" that I fashioned out of spare conduit and it's 2.5" or a hair over. Most tripods unless you get up in the $650.00 or more range. That's just outta my budget for awhile.... |
|
|
|
Posted: 7/15/2024 7:21:41 AM EDT
[#23]
Quote HistoryQuoted: What is the Cantilever bar on the top with a pulley? I need somethin like that to pull up my wire antennas... Also, what tripod is that? I have a pvc/conduit "mast" that I fashioned out of spare conduit and it's 2.5" or a hair over. Most tripods unless you get up in the $650.00 or more range. That's just outta my budget for awhile.... It's from a company called Go Vertical USA. They make the top piece and the tripod piece. The pole sections they sell are actually military poles from tents or something. Was just talking to them yesterday actually. They've been out of inventory for a while but have more stock coming in next month. They do visit hamfests, so if they end up at one near you save shipping. That's how I got mine. Go Vertical USA |
|
|
|
Posted: 7/15/2024 8:02:48 AM EDT
[#24]
Quote HistoryQuoted: It's from a company called Go Vertical USA. They make the top piece and the tripod piece. The pole sections they sell are actually military poles from tents or something. Was just talking to them yesterday actually. They've been out of inventory for a while but have more stock coming in next month. They do visit hamfests, so if they end up at one near you save shipping. That's how I got mine. Go Vertical USA It’s a an army surplus camouflage spreader. There are three blades that fold out in a “flower” to support the camo net. The surplus ham radio fiberglass poles? They’re the poles for the camo net system. The aluminum poles are what were used on the military antenna systems. The repurposed spreader is kept folded and they drill a hole through all three blades and add stainless hardware for the pulley. I regret not getting the tripod adapter for the USGI poles, they have not been available in a long time. I haven’t used my pole set in almost two years.  . I used more 4” sections than one person should try to erect alone. Even with two guying levels it was a nuisance.I can remember setting up 292 antennas all by myself when I was in the mortar section. Stake out two of the guy ropes a little slack and the third not fixed but laid out on the ground. Walk the pole up between the two slack guys to just beyond vertical so those two guys hold it alone with a bit of gravity. Tie off third guy. Go back and adjust all guys to set it vertical. |
|
|
|
Posted: 7/15/2024 10:12:52 AM EDT
[#25]
Quote HistoryQuoted: I regret not getting the tripod adapter for the USGI poles, they have not been available in a long time. I spoke to Scott from HamStop at the Cowtown Hamfest and he suggested that there's going to be a competitor to that coming along soon, as the military camo masts are still quite popular for antenna masting. |
|
|
|
Posted: 7/15/2024 10:55:15 AM EDT
[#26]
Quote HistoryQuoted: I spoke to Scott from HamStop at the Cowtown Hamfest and he suggested that there's going to be a competitor to that coming along soon, as the military camo masts are still quite popular for antenna masting. Very cool! |
|
|
|
Posted: 7/15/2024 4:24:58 PM EDT
[#28]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Maybe good, maybe not, never used them. Adapters on ebay. The issue with those adapters is you have to be careful with what poles you use. Fiberglass ones work no issues but they're notorious for splintering and dusting off. If you have any of the steel or aluminium ones, they work, with one caveat: any poles that have the "cuff" at the end have to be cut off, as you're feeding them up through the bottom of the adapter, and the "cuff" will not let them be fed all the way through. Which is a shame, as that "cuff" adds some extra rigidity and stability to the poles. |
|
|
|
Posted: 7/15/2024 4:31:06 PM EDT
[#29]
If i had some detailed photos and measurements of “good” ones, i could check my scrap metal source and make some for next to nothing. Were the sought after versions of the tripod adapter made of steel or aluminum?
|
|
|
|
Posted: 7/16/2024 6:35:45 AM EDT
[#30]
|
|
|
|
Posted: 7/17/2024 10:37:38 AM EDT
[#31]
Quote HistoryQuoted: I can remember setting up 292 antennas all by myself when I was in the mortar section. Stake out two of the guy ropes a little slack and the third not fixed but laid out on the ground. Walk the pole up between the two slack guys to just beyond vertical so those two guys hold it alone with a bit of gravity. Tie off third guy. Go back and adjust all guys to set it vertical. I do similar with mine. Built two bases from 1/4" plate, 4x12". Center has a 3" pipe flange bolted to it and a cutaway nipple allows a smaller nipple/stub to pivot on a clevis pin. Base is secured to the ground by four spikes driven in through holes at the corners. First section of aluminum mast slips over the stub. Subsequent ones stack up over each other. Guy rings are placed at the 12 and 24ft joints (if using as a dipole support) or 16 and 28ft (if used as a loop support). Topmost section is drilled for a pulley attachment. Two of the guy sets are pre-cut for the type of antenna being supported and the third is a pair of off-the-shelf ropes of the same type. I stake the pre-cuts, pull and secure the others then straighten everything out. Easier to stand up with one person pulling and another pushing but I can do it myself if needed. Also built insulated sections to allow for series feeding (phased array use) and there's at least one tripod adapter in the pile for use with the fiberglass stuff. |
|
|
|
Posted: 7/18/2024 11:01:48 AM EDT
[#32]
Mine was a bitch but it was the layout that really screwed it up.
I was erecting the mast behind the house on a high point. The mast has to come up from a lower point as it’s the only area not trees and house there. Trying to walk it up from the low side, having a few extra 4’ sections increased weight, wet ground and my stake pivot wanted to pull out, and being 25 years older than the last time all made it a pain in the butt. I ended up using some longer rope and a cheap block and tackle to pull it up with the help of a pear tree. |
|
|
Win a FREE Membership!
Sign up for the ARFCOM weekly newsletter and be entered to win a free ARFCOM membership. One new winner* is announced every week!
You will receive an email every Friday morning featuring the latest chatter from the hottest topics, breaking news surrounding legislation, as well as exclusive deals only available to ARFCOM email subscribers.
AR15.COM is the world's largest firearm community and is a gathering place for firearm enthusiasts of all types.
From hunters and military members, to competition shooters and general firearm enthusiasts, we welcome anyone who values and respects the way of the firearm.
Subscribe to our monthly Newsletter to receive firearm news, product discounts from your favorite Industry Partners, and more.
Copyright © 1996-2024 AR15.COM LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Any use of this content without express written consent is prohibited.
AR15.Com reserves the right to overwrite or replace any affiliate, commercial, or monetizable links, posted by users, with our own.
Attached File
Attached File