[TowerTalk] Wire Antenna Supports

[Jack Brindle]

Jim;

It appears that Mike is in North Texas, where lightning is a factor (unlike here in Silicon Valley). Would well-grounded metal supports be a better option to fend off that problem?

My question isn’t just academic - I’ll be having the same problem not too long from now in southwest Louisiana.

73!
Jack, W6FB


> On Feb 16, 2021, at 4:54 PM, Lux, Jim <jim at luxfamily.com> wrote:
> 
> On 2/16/21 4:18 PM, Michael Poteet wrote:
>> This is a request for opinions.  I am thinking about putting up a wire
>> antenna.  At my age (81) I have no interest in climbing towers, trees or the
>> roof.  Nor I am I interested in installing any support that requires a
>> concrete base or that weighs over 100 pounds.
>> 
>> I've noted there are at least a couple of telescoping masts (up to 50 feet)
>> that could be used to support simple wire antennas (when guyed
>> appropriately).  One is carbon fiber, the other is aluminum.  Is there any
>> advantage of one of these over the other for "permanent" antenna support?
>> Initial cost is not a factor.
> 
> 
> 
> I have one of the 40-ish foot carbon fiber collapsible poles. It's fairly sturdy and easy to put up, but the top part *does* bend (it's pretty small, think fishing rod tip).
> 
> The challenge is coming up with a way to support the bottom so it stands vertically.
> 
> You don't want a big concrete base, which makes supporting a challenge, to resist the overturning moment from wind loads and the wire. With a 40 foot lever arm it doesn't take much force at the top to have impressive forces at the bottom.
> 
> I've tried things like driving a 8 foot T-post about 5 feet in, leaving 3 feet sticking up, and lashing a vertical to that.  Aside from the spectacular "trip hazard" of the T post, even with a tennis ball on the top, it *will* bend or shift if the antenna is loaded.  And that's a fair amount of work to drive (my shoulders and back felt it for days).
> 
> What kind of surface are you putting this mast up over? Grass? dirt?
> 
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