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Re: [TowerTalk] Telescoping flagpole as home/portable verticalantenna?

To: "towertalk reflector" <towertalk@contesting.com>
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Telescoping flagpole as home/portable verticalantenna?
From: "Richard Thorne" <rmthorne@cox.net>
Date: Sat, 29 Jan 2005 14:37:14 -0600
List-post: <mailto:towertalk@contesting.com>
I went to Lowes today to look at their flag poles. They have a 20' model made of 2" aluminum in 5 4' sections with swagged ends. It comes with everything necessary including the flag.

The interesting part was how they mount it in the ground. They include a section of plastic tubing about 12" to 18" long that is placed in a hole with concrete. This would insulate the aluminum from the ground.

For $128 it looks like a pretty good deal. On the other hand for the same money you can order one from F12 that has a section of fiberglass to insulate the pole from ground, but it would keep the pole above ground v.s. the Lowes model that would have a portion of the pole in the ground. Not sure if this would make any difference or not.

I believe the F12 model is 16' long v.s. the Lowes model of 20' but it does have some of the pole in the ground.

I'm trying to come up with a stealth system for home so I can run my rig here. I have a remote controlled station but I can't use my cw paddles or run the digital modes easily.

Rich - N5ZC

----- Original Message ----- From: "Alan NV8A (ex. AB2OS)" <nv8a@att.net>
To: "towertalk reflector" <towertalk@contesting.com>
Sent: Saturday, January 29, 2005 2:27 PM
Subject: [TowerTalk] Telescoping flagpole as home/portable vertical antenna?



Yesterday I saw a display of telescoping anodized Al flagpoles that I wondered about as possibly being suitable for use as a shunt-fed vertical antenna at home and for Field Day or other portable operations.

These are available in 16', 20' and 25' models and are designed to drop into a mounting socket embedded in the ground. The sections lock into place by means of spring-loaded pins.

The contraindications for using such a device as an antenna are the difficulty of

(a) getting a sufficiently good electrical contact between the sections

and

(b) finding a suitable feed point without having to scrape off the anodizing at many different points in search of a position that works.

Other comments?

Alan NV8A
_______________________________________________

See: http://www.mscomputer.com for "Self Supporting Towers", "Wireless Weather Stations", and lot's more. Call Toll Free, 1-800-333-9041 with any questions and ask for Sherman, W2FLA.

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_______________________________________________


See: http://www.mscomputer.com for "Self Supporting Towers", "Wireless Weather Stations", and lot's more. Call Toll Free, 1-800-333-9041 with any questions and ask for Sherman, W2FLA.

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