[TowerTalk] Wonderpole mast guying

[James C. Hall, MD]

Hello:

 

For our VHF hilltop efforts, we use a 30’ fiberglass (polytube) Wonderpole.
This extends vertically with tighteners every 7-8’. This is really very nice
for portable operation and was described in the June CQ magazine for VHF
Hilltopper action. My question is how to fabricate a rotating guy ring for
the 1 ¼ “ section.  The top section is ¾” and then 1” and so forth.  I want
to guy at the ¾” and 1 ¼” sections.  The problem comes in that you can’t get
a ring to go over the tighteners  - something has to wrap around the pole
section.  I envision something like what is used for an AB-577 military mast
in the center guy ring which wraps around a junction.  So far I have the
idea of a PVC flange for electrical conduit cut in half along its axis and
wrapping it around the tube with a hose clamp holding it together. A piece
of plastic or rubber hose slit along its length and held in place under the
flange with another hose clamp would maintain the guy position on the pole.
The guys can be attached how ? I thought maybe a rudimentary ‘thimble’-like
setup with some heat shrink tubes around some 3/16” Dacron rope tied around
the top of the flange, but that seems clunky.

 

Anybody have any (brilliant) ideas ?

 

73, Jamie

WB4YDL