[TenTec] Backyard mast

[Joseph Koppi]

In 1979, after a number of years off the air, I rolled some old radio gear
out of moth balls and set up a station.  Because I had to deal with a
high-voltage power line, I was unable to use a 60-foot maple tree for an
antenna support.  As a temporary fix, I thought (until I could do something
more permanent), I decided to put up the ARRL 40-foot mast on the back of my
garage.  One of the peaks of my house was about 70 feet away, so I put a
10-foot Radio Shack mast on it, providing a height of approximately 35 feet.

The events of parenting, a tumultuous job situation, and home handyman
projects pushed themselves to the top of my priority list, and I found that
an opportunity to improve upon my temporary mast never presented itself.
Meanwhile, my two-by-four servant faithfully supported an 80-meter
center-fed zepp and later, a 40-meter delta loop fed with open wire, both
with the help of the house-mounted mast.  That wooden mast swayed and shook
in Minnesota blizzards, and on more then one occasion I stood in an upstairs
window and watched the north wind attack it, believing that at any moment it
would snap and fly away.  But it never did.  I think my rope guys were tight
enough to hold it up but forgiving enough to let it stretch.  Anyway, 10
years after I raised it, I finally took it down.  I had to build a new
garage.

Still busy with family, work, and school matters, I have not yet erected
another mast.  But, I have it built.  It lies in my back yard awaiting
installation.  I was inspecting the garage and logistics earlier this
evening.  I plan to have it in service for the winter.  It is remarkably
simple. It is the sort of apparatus that I think of when I think of amateur
radio--inexpensive, ugly, but effective.  I'm sure it is so for many of us.

Joe Koppi, W0SU
St. Paul, MN

----- Original Message -----
From: "Mark Erbaugh" <mark@microenh.com>
To: <cyr999@extremezone.com>; <tentec@contesting.com>
Sent: Friday, August 17, 2001 8:37 PM
Subject: Re: [TenTec] Backyard mast


> Tim,
>
> Just a few of thoughts.
>
> 1) the ARRL Antenna hanbook used to (my newest copy is from the 80's) have
> plans for a mast made from 3 - 20' 2 by 4's. Two at the bottom and one at
> the top. With a little overlap that gives you just under 40 feet. It needs
> to be guyed, but you could probably permanently install the guy anchors,
so
> you just raist the mast and attach the guys.
>
> 2) I spoke with Jim at Radio Works about supporting a Carolina Windom 160
(I
> don't have antenna restrictions <g>). I assume that the CW 40 has the same
> feature, but this antenna has an insulator about 16 feet from the vertical
> radiator from which you can hang the antenna. That way the vertical
radiator
> is away from a metallic mast.
>
> 73,
> Mark
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Tim and Nancy Logan" <cyr999@extremezone.com>
> To: <tentec@contesting.com>
> Sent: Friday, August 17, 2001 9:51 AM
> Subject: [TenTec] Backyard mast
>
>
> > Hello again -
> >
> > I live in an antenna restricted area and having been successfully using
> > a horizontal loop on my roof since I started in HAM a year ago. I use
> > primarily CW. I have talked to Australia and New Zealand with it on 5
> > watts so it works well enuff to have fun - but I would like to
> > experiment.
> >
> > I recently bought a Carolina Windom 40 from Radio Works. It has a
> > vertical radiator. I would like to figure out a way to put up a
> > non-metallic mast (in less than 5 minutes) in the late evening so that I
> > can try this and other antennas late at nite when the mast is not
> > bothering the troops. Does anyone have a suggestion for a mast that can
> > be easily erected and taken down each evening? Or any experiences in
> > trying the same? I certainly can figure something out - but why reinvent
> > the wheel if someone else has tried a good idea. Thanks to all. 73, Tim
> > Logan KB7OEX Gilbert, AZ
> > _______________________________________________
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> >
>
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