[TowerTalk] masts with steps

[Mark Beckwith]

Masts with steps are sometimes the right solution for the situation.  Here are photos of three installations I put in back when I did this sort of thing, and frankly if you can get past "that odd feeling" of climbing the actual stick, it works really well!  It IS an odd feeling, though.

http://www.n5ot.com/mastwithsteps/

Yes, those are some large yagis.  All of these installations have been up for well over 10 years.

All of these masts are 2.0" OD .25" wall Chrome Molly from the local steel tubing supplier.  Two of these bad boys are 24' masts and one is a 16' mast.  I would not climb an aluminum mast, I just wouldn't.  That would be TOO funny a feeling when it fell over.

The steps are all made from 2" angle aluminum that is .25" thick.  The steps are 12" long and mounted with two "HD" muffler clamps.  I use 2" muffler clamps but I have known purists to use 1.875" muffler clamps because they still fit around a 2" mast and have less play.  2" ones have more play, but mine don't slip because I tighten the #$%^ out of them.  2" muffler clamps are easier to find over the counter.

Mark, N5OT