Portable Telescoping Mast / Vertical Antenna
Jonathan Charles
129,713 views
We are always looking for a simpler way to swing a beam into the air on Field Day. In making this telescoping mast I thought I should use it for a vertical antenna also.
20 Comments
@TOTALLYRELAXED 3 years ago
Great job, Jonathan! I just put up a GMRS antenna at my house…but, I wasn’t financially able to be as fancy as your install was after the expense of buying two HTs, one base radio, SWR meter, power supply, all of the clamps, coax, rebar to reinforce the bottom of the mast, etc, and the mast itself. The top of my antenna is only 21 feet above the ground but is working quite well talking from my house in Houston,Tx to California, Louisiana, and all over Texas with the help of repeaters currently. I have to say that I absolutely LOVE your crank-up operation of each section! Stay safe and 73s! ~Jim WRXY 695~
@kamaledirisinghe 3 years ago
Jonathan, you explain it nicely and do things carefully and safely. Congrats from Sri Lanka (closer to Mauritius) 4S7AB
@tonyfremont 3 years ago
I helped a guy put a hex beam up, several years ago. It is very light and low wind load. It tuned up well and has survived Houston weather since.
@CallMeIshmaelForNow 3 months ago
Wow, very impressive project! I hope this is continuing to serve you well. Take care.
@nigelwright3567 3 years ago
Hi Jonathan,
What a great video - your 'Telescopic' Antenna Mast design is just great !! Here in the UK some of the 'Mast Suppliers' would be charging a few thousand dollars for a somewhat similar Amateur Radio Mast ( .... but not to the same quality, obviously !!). I'm determined to have a go at making something like this one day. Very well done. Best Regards, Nigel W.
What a great video - your 'Telescopic' Antenna Mast design is just great !! Here in the UK some of the 'Mast Suppliers' would be charging a few thousand dollars for a somewhat similar Amateur Radio Mast ( .... but not to the same quality, obviously !!). I'm determined to have a go at making something like this one day. Very well done. Best Regards, Nigel W.
@ajcates9136 5 years ago
My wife said no big antenna off the roof sooo now I have got to get creative and yes I subbed
@earlblackjackmartinjr5750 5 years ago
Wow what a setup. What did you do for a living, build antennas. That's a well planned and executed build. I applaud you sir and my hat is off to you. I wish you were my neighbor so you could help me with reinstalling my antenna that should have never blown over. A small 10 minute jackblaster of a storm took it an guy wires for a whirl. Its a colossal 10,000 watt. No damage at all but I have no one to help me so I put my imax 2000 back on top of the house. To me you put a jigsaw puzzle together. FABULOUS NEIGHBOR.....
👍👍👍👍😊
👍👍👍👍😊
@jimjaeger8968 5 years ago
When I saw the SWR I realized brilliance must go hand in hand with madness.
I guess it's true what they say: Necessity is the mother of invention.
I guess it's true what they say: Necessity is the mother of invention.
@theElderberryFarmer 6 years ago
Very nicely done, sir - I really enjoyed watching your video!
I am new to the amateur radio hobby, and have built a 1/4 wave multi-band vertical antenna based very closely on the DX Commander All Band Vertical antenna. Your results bear out what I have found in studying just a little about antennas - that vertical antennas have a lower take-off angle than horizontal ones, and thereby are better suited for long range DX work. With my antenna and a 20 watt Xiegu G90 radio, I was able to have a conversation with a station in Canada, 1000 miles north of my location, on the 20 meter band.
Having success with my home brew vertical antenna was very satisfying to me - I can only imagine how pleased you must be with the results of your project! 73 to you, KO4AZY.
I am new to the amateur radio hobby, and have built a 1/4 wave multi-band vertical antenna based very closely on the DX Commander All Band Vertical antenna. Your results bear out what I have found in studying just a little about antennas - that vertical antennas have a lower take-off angle than horizontal ones, and thereby are better suited for long range DX work. With my antenna and a 20 watt Xiegu G90 radio, I was able to have a conversation with a station in Canada, 1000 miles north of my location, on the 20 meter band.
Having success with my home brew vertical antenna was very satisfying to me - I can only imagine how pleased you must be with the results of your project! 73 to you, KO4AZY.
@earthenergyhex 5 years ago
Do you have plans that show how you made the telescopic pole? I would like to make one for a windmill
@richardaldom741 5 years ago
Nice, go by a box of wing nuts for the radial plate. Since it’s a “temporary installation, it would likely make the job of installing the radials easier. I have a DX Commander, and he connects 5 or 6 radials in6to a single yellow fork crimp and just slides it over the bolt and tightens it up. Very nice construction of your mast. Years ago, I scratch built a lighting mast that went up 45ft in 3 sections, but when we built ours, it was steel and we used rollers to reduce friction when winching it up. The lights presented a significant wind loading, so steel was better suited for the loads. I think we did 4”, 2” and a round 1.5 pipe at the top but it’s been a long time. Got to love verticals for low angle takeoffs.
Portable Telescoping Mast / Vertical Antenna
Jonathan Charles
129,713 views
We are always looking for a simpler way to swing a beam into the air on Field Day. In making this telescoping mast I thought I should use it for a vertical antenna also.