[TowerTalk] Raising TV Mast...

[Red]

Hi, Dan;

I've supported a trapped dipole on 35 feet of Radio Shack mast for many 
years for my base station and for field day.  The antenna supports it in 
the plane of the antenna and guys perpendicular to the antenna  support 
it in the other plane without interacting with the antenna.  The guys 
attach to a ring at about the 25 foot level.

Raising it is a one person job.  With the mast on the ground in the 
plane of the antenna and its bottom at the planned location, secure and 
adjust the guys with a little slack.  Then, back the base of the mast 
toward one antenna support and secure that end of the antenna.  I use a 
pulley and halyard at each end of the antenna and secure both ends with 
slack.

For a base, I use a short 2 X 6 treated lumber with a landscape spike 
through a drilled but tight fitting  hole, with the head protruding 
about 1 inch and the rest stabilizes the base on the ground.

Walk the mast away from one antenna support and raise it as the slack in 
the antenna is taken up.  The guys will support it in their plane.  
Stand it temporarily with it leaning away from the antenna support while 
you remove slack in the antenna.  With most of the antenna slack 
removed, stand the mast on the base and remove all slack.

Make the guys visible where people may walk into them and where persons 
driving lawn mowers or other equipment may drive into them  (voice of 
experience).

I considered using chain link top rail, which has the swaged ends, but 
found it is not as strong as antenna mast even though it is larger diameter.

For the antenna support, I made an arm of 2 X 4 by drilling it to fit 
over the top of the mast (swaged end up).  The antenna hangs from an eye 
bolt in the arm, about 6-8 inches from the mast.

This works fine for the bands 40 meter through 10 and it is a very good 
NVIS 80 meter antenna.  At this height, its end nulls are minimal at its 
effective elevation angles, so it makes a nearly non directional antenna.

Good luck es 73 de WOØW

Dan Levin wrote:

>I'm thinking about using standard "heavy duty" 16 guage 1.25" steel TV mast
>as a temporary support for the middle of my trap dipole.  This is not
>"telescoping" push-up mast, but rather the standard stuff that you see
>on top of everyone's roof - one end swaged down to slip into the next
>section.
>
>Does anyone know if you can walk up a 30 or even 40 foot long hunk
>of this stuff?  I have no idea how they install it on roofs - I have seen
>what
>looks like 30' of it fairly frequently.  I assume they assemble the pieces
>on
>the roof, and then walk it up as one piece - does anyone know if that is
>right?
>
>I know it needs to be guyed at every 10' joint.  It is only going to be up
>for 3 days,
>so I don't need it to be too strong.  I'm just not sure how to get it
>vertical in the
>first place...
>
>Thanks!
>
>                          ***dan, K6IF
>
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