Amateur Radio Homebrew (Shack Culture)

[PanBiker]

Talking of older stock. I am currently in the process of re-purposing a 10ft length of 1.5" aluminium masting. It has been residing up the side of my kitchen for about 34 years! I want to use it as a more substantial mount for my portable antennas than the fibreglass landing net handle. I dragged it out from it's hiding place and it was quite apparent that it wasn't quite straight. It was bent slightly at the point where it was bracketed to the chimney stack when it was last deployed. Overtightened by the rigger that last put it up no doubt, (not me gov!). Anyway, the bend was only about 2ft in to one end so it was easier just to saw it off and reduce the length a little. I prised off the end cap from the length that I cut off and refitted it to the good section. It's 8ft now so a good 2ft longer than the landing net handle. I will have to make a new mount and U-bolt for the antenna to suite the larger diameter mast and alter the spacings on the HB9CV antenna boom to suit. It will then need a set of guys making unless I can utilise the ones I have. I may have cut them long enough which will be a bonus, I'll check using Mr Pythagoras. I will need some form of guy retention that will allow rotation. I will probably up-scale the same solution I used for the fibreglass mast. I gave it a quick rub down to get most of the muck off it. Just need the other bits and bobs now.

[Stanley]

You know where I am if you need anything....

[PanBiker]

I made a new U bolt and seating bracket for the larger mast and drilled the antenna boom to suit last night. Test set up on the runt end that I sawed off and it's a good grip and holds to the horizontal. Just have to find the guy's now, I know they will be in a safe place but at the moment I don't know where that is!

[Stanley]

If you are short of material for the guys I have some light galvanised steel wire rope Ian that you are welcome to. I'd say it is ideal.....

[PanBiker]

Thanks Stanley but wire rope is a bit over the top for an 8ft mast. I have a 100m reel of Paracord and the guy tighteners to suit. Pythagoras tells me that my existing set will probably do, I will do a test setup to confirm.

[Stanley]