[TowerTalk] Mounting a 4x4 in concrete

Derek Cohn/WB0TUA vibroplex at mindspring.com
Wed Oct 27 00:45:02 EDT 2004


Dear All,

I'm trying to elevate my very low dipole that is fed with balanced line.  I'm trying to go with a non-metallic support so the balanced line does not interact.  My dipole is currently 18' in the air.

I recently purchased a 22' fiberglass mast from The Mast Co.  This is their heavy duty windsock pole.  I'm planning on mounting it to a 20' redwood 4x4 with the Kwik-Block mounting blocks they also sold me.  I plan to set the 4 x4 in concrete.

I checked around and one of the local deck builders says I need to put about 4' of the redwood 4x4 into the concrete.  That would reduce my effective height of the 4x4 to 16'.  If I overlap the fiberglass mast a foot or two, I have 16' + 20' = 36' which is roughly double the height I have now.

What do you guys think about the 4' of 4x4 into the ground.  Too much, too little, just right?  I noticed that you can put l-bolts into the concrete footer and mount a u-shaped bracket on top of the footer that will accept the 4x4.  This is advertised for deck applications and I think it wouldn't support 20 feet of 4x4.  However, it would give me four more feet of height if it could be made to work.  Has anyone tried this?

73,
 
Derek Cohn
Morse Telegraph Club - Alton Chapter
Telegraph Office UD, sine DJ
Amateur Radio Station - WB0TUA
1969 M274A5 Mechanical Mule


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