[TowerTalk] re: stiffening masts

[Rob Atkinson, K5UJ]

Pat,

where do you get Al masts 2.5 od and .5 wall 24 feet long?  how much are 
they?

This is not on-site advice so take it as such -- you are the final decision 
maker.  having said that, if it flexed and sprung back, maybe that was a 
desirable thing.

next time you go somewhere on an airplane look out at the wing when you hit 
a little turbulence.  you will see it waggling up and down.  it is made to 
do that.  if it were made to stay stiff, the plane would crack apart.

every antenna system has something that will fail if stressed enough (some 
of course take a lot more than others).  I'm told that costs start really 
going up when the design is for > 100 mph wind.  If something has to go in 
your system first, think what you would like it to be (the thing that will 
cause the least cost and damage).  My only point is that if you stiffen the 
mast you may only expose another part to failure and it may cause even worse 
damage and money loss.

Rob/K5UJ

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