FWIW
Probably 15-20 years ago I was thinking of building an LPD HF antenna, I
purchased two 20 foot lengths of 2" x 1/8" wall square fiberglass tubing for the
boom. The antenna never happened and the tubing has been laying on the ground
in the Arizona sun since then. It looks essentially as it did years ago. It's
"Extren" (series 525 if memory serves) by Strongwell. Amazing stuff.
https://www.strongwell.com/products/structural-shapes-and-plate/
Wes N7WS
On 12/27/2020 9:08 AM, Grant Saviers wrote:
I've been using 8' 1.5" dia painted fiberglass top and bottom of my 85ft T as
standoffs from a fir tree. An 18" long bracket is lagged to the tree both
places to make it stable and lower the FG stress. OK after 6 years,
occasional ice and snow.
PVC gets very flabby at 80F and higher and isn't anywhere near as strong.
Grant KZ1W
On 12/27/2020 07:20, Mike Smith VE9AA wrote:
VE9AA:
I don't have a tower supported Inverted L, but I have a slightly different
way of supporting the center of a 20m 4-square array of inverted L's and
wanted something non conductive so I use 1.5" grey electrical PVC conduit
and it's stood up many years in a harsh environment with wild temperature
swings and all winter can throw at it, but the UV up here is on the lower
end of the scale.
Because PVC can get floppy in the heat or with lots of ice buildup, support
it from above (from the far end, back to the tower, some distance above the
PVC arm) with rope. (think triangulation)
If you are located where UV may be an issue, tape it like Jim has said.
===================================================
WW3S:
I lost my fiberglass pole that I use for a standoff for my inv L off my 50'
tower.....second or third time in 12 years or so, victim of the recent
ice/snow storm we just had.....I've been using fiberglass to isolate it from
the tower.....but the wire for the antenna goes thru an insulator attached
to a rope thru a pulley off the fiberglass arm.....should I continue to go
with fiberglass, or would metal be ok, since I have the rope and other
insulator there.... _________________
Mike VE9AA
Mike, Coreen & Corey
Keswick Ridge, NB
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