[CQ-Contest] 1/4 inch tubing

[Stan Stockton]

Dave,

You know that I didn’t say it wouldn’t work.  The reason for his post was to try to find a source of 1/4” x .058 wall tubing which apparently is not too easy for him to find.   

We are talking about an element made of aluminum tubing.  Joe’s vertical is aluminum tubing with a solid rod tip, elevated and self supporting.  

Neither DXE, Texas Towers or any other primary supplier of aluminum tubing for hams has ever offered 1/4” x .058” wall tubing to the best of my knowledge.  There is certainly no problem in making a 40m vertical that will survive 100 MPH or more without using materials that are not readily available and without using anything smaller than 3/8” which is readily available.

If someone wanted to make a dipole using #15 wire my reaction would be the same.  Why make it using a size that’s not readily available when a more standard size is easier and less expensive to purchase.

Stan

> On Jan 4, 2026, at 10:23 AM, David Gilbert <ab7echo at gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> 
> Why??  A suspended wire vertical would be a lot smaller than 1/8 inch and would work just fine.
> 
> Dave   AB7E
> 
> 
>> On 1/3/2026 7:04 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
>>>> 
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