[TowerTalk] Hygain pushup masts for 80m verticals?

[jeremy-ca]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Rob Atkinson, K5UJ" <k5uj at hotmail.com>
To: <km1h at jeremy.mv.com>; <towertalk at contesting.com>
Sent: Monday, August 20, 2007 7:24 PM
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Hygain pushup masts for 80m verticals?


>I bought two 50 foot steel pushups from an outfit in Memphis 2 years ago 
>when I was down there--they were the last ones they had.  I got them for 
>$90 each--they took $30 off to get rid of them.   Last year, Burghardt had 
>rohn H50s in stock.  I don't know how many.  I did not pursue it with them 
>because the cost of getting them here made getting them pointless.  If you 
>get them shipped, they usually wind up on a truck loose (even collapsed 
>they are too long for UPS) and they wind up getting too banged up to be 
>useable.  I guess they are getting hard to get because the demand is no 
>longer there.  Folks in fringe TV coverage areas who used to get these 50 
>footers for TV now have cable.
>
> <<If using a steel mast then first calculate the RF resistance at the 
> frequency of operation. The RF integrity at the various junctions is also 
> far from ideal.>>
>
> Correct.  When you put one up as an antenna you have to deal with that.
>
>
> <<<Aluminum is still the best for a radiator>>>
>
> I'll alert the broadcast industry.



Please do the next time you see one using a thin wall steel mast with less 
than perfect plating that may quickly rust in some enviroments.


>
> <<<and with several others helping on the guys that HyGain mast should go 
> up OK. They wouldnt be selling them if they didnt work.>>>
>
> Hygain is owned by MFJ now.  Oh, it will work. For awhile.  I'm trying to 
> help him put up something that lasts.

So is Ameritron and their amps pretty much own the market.


Here's a few others for you:
> Isotron, GAP, EH antenna, Gotham....they work too (sort of).
>
> <<<One way to secure the sections is to drill a small hole thru the 
> louvered part of the hose clamp into the mast and secure with a SS #6 self 
> tapping screw. Dont use a screwdriver to tighten the clamps, a socket on a 
> ratchet wrench gives more torque. Assemble the sections with a small 
> amount of Penetrox or similar to protect against corrosion.>>>



>
> I agree except for the socket wrench part.  Great way to destroy a cheap 
> hose clamp.


Its also a great way to get a secure clamp on the element, a screwdriver is 
only good to quickly get it tight enough to let the wrench finish the job. 
It doesnt take a genius to get the feel for the torue required. If the clamp 
is cheap then get a good Ideal one at an auto parts store; make sure it is 
ALL stainless, not just the band. Ive used clamps on yagis from 40 to 6M and 
never had a quality one fail.

Carl
KM1H


>
> 73,
>
> rob / k5uj
>
>