[TowerTalk] Portable Mast Guy Rings?

[Bill MacLane]

If you have a steady hand or a drill press you can make your own from large stainless steel washers available from McMaster-Carr. P/N 92141-A040, Stainless Steel flat Washer 1-1/4" screw Size, 1-5/16" ID, 2-3/4"OD .156Thk.  A box of 10 runs about 13 dollars plus shipping.
If you have a CAD package on your PC it is easy to lay out the guy spacing for 4 guys plus one hole for a halyard or 3 holes spaced 120 degrees apart.  

I have several sets of the fiberglass and aluminum camo support system masts (UCLAN 1080- ...) I use and made several sets of washers.  I use 5/16" holes and 1/4" hardware with 3/16" dacron rope for guys.  

Here's a link to the guy ring design.
http://virtual1.powersrvcs.com/~www.capcod.org/image/GuyRing.html

One caution or two, do not use the fiberglass rings available with some mast kits.  These break when used for antenna masts.  Be careful with whose rope you buy.  Some of it is of questionable safety.

73,
Bill
AI4WM
N7KA at comcast.net wrote: This is where a creative imaginaion rules.  Go to the local home improvement store (with your tubing) and look thru the PVC plumbing for reducers and other items.  It very possible to find some way of making the rings. Also just walk down the isles and look of any likely item(s) that would work.  They are out there just waiting to be used.

A lot will depend on how long you intend to use this setup.  Permanent requires a better material being used.  For a weekend one can get by with less quality.  I used a PVC pipe reducer and some micarta ( I had a scrap piece) that guyed a 35 ft mast on top of a rental unit so I could put up a 40M inv vee.  It was up 3 years with not a single problem.

What ever you do eliminte ANY sharp edges that might cut a guy.

Arne N7KA

-------------- Original message -------------- 
From: "Brad Pioveson W9FX"  

> Hi, Guys... 
> 
> Sorry if this is a stretch of the topic, but, it is an antenna support, so, 
> with apologies, here goes: 
> 
> I now have 3 of the surplus military masts - tubular, aluminum or 
> fiberglas sections that stack and were intended for use as supports for mil 
> portable antenna systems. None of the three units I have came with any guy 
> rings. Yep, I know that there are vendors that sell guy rings. 
> www.tmastco.com is one such vendor. He wants $7.50 a pop for his guy rings. 
> If I can't find a local vendor, I suppose I'll cough up the $$ for the 
> tmastco parts, but I think they can be had for less - the operative word in 
> that sentence being 'think.' 
> 
> The thing is, I remember seeing, somewhere, mentioned on a reflector 
> that the items being sold as military mast guy rings are actually tractor 
> parts...but, for the life of me, I can't remember what they were called at 
> the tractor supply store. 
> 
> So...can anybody tell me what to ask for at Rural King or Tractor 
> Supply? 
> 
> 73, Brad, W9FX 
> 
> _______________________________________________ 
> 
> 
> 
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73,
Bill
AI4WM
       
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