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@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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