[CQ-Contest] 1/4 inch tubing

[Gary K9GS]

https://www.perplexity.ai/search/why-should-vertical-antennas-n-Gnv77InSRwOMJZ3jdQk8MgNot a good idea to have a very small diameter tip on a vertical antenna 73,Gary K9GS
-------- Original message --------From: Joe <nss at mwt.net> Date: 1/3/26  10:20 PM  (GMT-05:00) To: Stan Stockton <wa5rtg at gmail.com> Cc: cq-contest at contesting.com Subject: Re: [CQ-Contest] 1/4 inch tubing Self supporting full sized elevated 40 meter vertical. tip starts as a 1/8" solid rod,Joe WB9SBDOn 1/3/2026 8:04 PM, Stan Stockton wrote:> Is the need for 1/4” tubing for 40 meter verticals?>> I cannot imagine making a 40m vertical or any other HF vertical or half wavelength element that would have anything smaller than 3/8” tubing at the tip.>> Stan, K5GO>> Sent from my iPhone>>> On Jan 3, 2026, at 8:02 PM, Joe<nss at mwt.net> wrote:>>>> I wasn't worried about stiffness.>> It is the telescoping to the 1/8" rod. the 0.049, it was pretty tough to get a good grip to lock the rod in place too much slop.>>>> Joe WB9SBD>>>>> On 1/2/2026 11:54 PM, K9MA wrote:>>>> On 1/2/2026 7:30 PM, Zack Widup wrote:>>>> That's where I have been buying aluminum tubing. They don't have 0.058">>>> wall thickness in 1/4" diameter tubing, but the closest they have for that>>>> diameter is 0.049", which I suspect will work.>>> You don't get a whole lot of extra stiffness by going from a .049 to .058 inch wall thickness in tubing this small.>>>>>> 73,>>> Scott K9MA>>>>> _______________________________________________>> CQ-Contest mailing list>> CQ-Contest at contesting.com>> http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/cq-contest_______________________________________________CQ-Contest mailing listCQ-Contest at contesting.comhttp://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/cq-contest