Glad to be of help, I need to do a follow up video maybe this coming summer. Thanks for your comment, please subscribe, like and share the video it really does help.
I have two Harbor Freight flag poles mounted in concrete. One for my scanner antenna and the other for my Diamond 2 meter/70 cm antenna. However, I did install small bolts through the pole at the bottom (and largest) sections because those have a tendency to collapse. I read several reviews about that, so I installed the bolts right away to avoid that problem. Obviously, these are permanent installations.
Geez guys, thanks so much. This video has some great ideas, we are a family of 4 Generals, Dad, mom, and 11 and 14 yr daughters so we are doing more HF stuff. Really brilliant ideas.
I can’t thank you guys enough for this video. I am a ham tech and have nearby repeaters so I don’t need a mast for that but my GMRS endeavors do require one. Looks like a spider beam and a proper jpole for gmrs will be an excellent option. Thanks again!!
Hey, you guys have some great ideas. I really loved the portable homebrew tripods for field work. Thankyou for a great set of tools to out in my toolbox!
Just a thought, at 09:20, flip the ratchet straps so the spools are at the top, that way you can see and adjust the level with the fence post level without going in and out of the straps
I consistently do it both ways Plus and minuses to both setups but that definitely helps with visibility. Thanks for the comment and suggestion don't forget to like And subscribe I appreciate the support.
This is a very informative video. Thanks for posting it!! I have the 40' Spiderbeam mast as well, and it's been a really great mast. I sometimes attach a N9TAX roll up j pole antenna to the top (my mast came with the eyelet) and right where it drops down at the bottom of the second section, I attach a LDG 1:1 current balun. My 40/30/20 meter linked inverted V antenna attaches to the balun. I've used ABR-240 coax for both antennas, and the setup seems to work just fine. I do have to zip tie the coax a couple of times to keep from having so much weight pulling on the mast. One idea I got from another video is to use a 3" diameter PVC pipe at 3.5 to 4 foot length, and then attach toilet flanges to either end. This combo works really well as a mast base, and the toilet flanges have the holes already for connecting guy straps. The straps I use are made by Wrap It Storage and are actually trunk straps. Also I use part of a pool noodle to take up the extra space inside the PVC pipe. Another mast I use is a Max Gains Systems 28.5' mast which is a very sturdy fiberglass mast. I mount a Larsen 2/70 NMO onto the top and then attach a similar inverted V antenna mentioned before to a point just below the Larsen. I also have a Sotabeams Tactical 7000HDS which is good, but not as sturdy as the other masts. I've had the Spiderbeams mast come crashing down several times but luckily no sections have broken. When the mast get hot in the sun, the sections get really hard to break free. Tapping with a hammer gently can sometimes help. I've also used the polycarbonate ground anchors from Ace Hardware but I found them too time consuming to drive into the ground vs just hammering large tent stakes. One last thing... I've been racking my brain trying to figure out how to anchor a mast in a parking lot without hauling a bunch of weights in my car. 73 KD5YOU
Great video! I live in the western Texas hill country and I have fashion anchors out of pieces of rebar with large split chain links welded to the top. Then I have to drill holes with my Bosch hammer drill and then hammer in. I inevitably have to go through rock when drilling. This is at my QTH. Going portable with this mountain soil everywhere is a challenge.
Living in the foothills of the Alabama piedmont, I face the same problem. Rocks, rocks and more rocks. One trick is to dig a foot-deep hole and fill it with water. That softens the soil and lets you wiggle the rebar (or grounding rod) enough slip around most rocks. If that fails, pull it up and try a few inches away.
Glad you enjoyed the video We do the best we can. Still trying to figure this whole thing out don't forget to like And subscribe I appreciate the support.
I have a DX Commander antenna in my back yard thats mounted at ground level. Its a great antenna with great performance but the problem in the summer is grass cutting and the guys with lawn mowers moving around my antenna and the radials laid on the ground. So I’m planning to get a Comet CHA-250HD HF vertical antenna and I want to mount it at the side of my house on a aluminium telescopic mast. When I started loking up the mast prices I was shocked. A Spiderbeam 12m aluminum mast is $600! Other HD aluminum masts are also super expensive. The Cha-Porta 25ft mast is cheaper at $438, still expensive but I like the locking mechanism does not use any clamps that are difficult to tighten when you have all that weight above you. So I might go with that one. Also besides the Comet vertical antenna I want to mount a Diamond VHF/UHF vertical as well on the top of the Cha-Porta mast. Do you think there will be variations in SWR on both antennas being so close to each other even tho I wont be running both at the same time? Thanks for all the great ground mount ideas with the PVC pipes! I will definitely use those tips as I dont plan to make a concrete base for the aluminum mast.
Sounds like it is going to be a fun setup, I would so some testing to see if the antennas interact. Thanks for your comment, please subscribe, like and share the video it really does help.
Instead of plastic screws, I've been using steel, screw in pet chain anchors for 20 years or so. Much stronger. Will not break. Also, much heavier. They also don't go into rock/gravel Worth a hoot either.
For those of us who are mathematically challenged... At what lengths are the red heat shrink markers on the rope jig, and how are you holding the mast up before you install the guy straps? Any rule of thumb for the length of the PVC pipe? Thanks for some great ideas! 73, Larry, N2HBX
Those on tight budgets might check out the lighting tripods used by photographers. They're mass produced for discriminating customers, so they're priced relatively low and made well. They typically only go up to about ten feet, but that's enough to get a vertical antenna out of the ground clutter. One good source is B&N Photo. In my case I picked up two excellent ones for $10 each at a thrift store. Thick plastic tubing of the right diameter can lift them higher and provide a wider base on windy days.
The venerable military mast is actually a kit to support the camouflage system. Yes, hams have repurposed the system by adding the tripod assy and guy rings. If you get one that is made from metal you wupill be able to support much weight. However, if you get one that has fiberglass poles, either mixed with metal or fiberglass alone, BEWARE. The poles are NOT UV protected and will shatter, not break, under a load. We used to have them shatter when working at 12 feet and under the netting.
Very interesting but still a lot of kit to carry up a hill. I am just getting my DIY portable kit ready for my adventure. It could be a long walk uphill soon. Possibly 5 miles. Your kits too heavy for one person. Cheers from old George in the UK. 🤠
Great video. Learned new tips. Question abt taping the locked sections of the telescoping masts? Won;t the tape leave a gummy residue that will interfere with extending & collapsing the sections ? Thanks
I have been doing this for a while now And I have not had any issues. I also only use wide electrical tape and I do occasionally wipe down my masts with a microfiber cloth and some type of light detergent this helps keep the dirt dust and grime off the poles and might remove any tape residue. There are also plastic hose clamps that could be used and other Solutions I've seen guys do but so far the tape has been successful for me. Thanks for the comment don't forget to like And subscribe I really appreciate the support.
A ham friend who is a photographer recommended Gaffer's tape for the telescoping vertical. He said it will not leave a residue. My old MFJ telescoping whip got destroyed by wind and just ordered the Spiderbeam.
I want to use a mounting pole for a (no radial) multiband vertical, no more than 8' in length, to mount the vertical that height above the ground to get a lower take-off angle due to nearby obstructions. The pole will be sunk a few feet into the dirt. Should I avoid using a metal pole? I plan to use four guy lines about 2/3 the distance up from the ground, with the top of the vertical at around 32 feet.
Yes you should avoid using a metal pole unless you're going to use the pole as your antenna. Also carbon fiber tends to interact with wires running next to it. Good luck with your antenna project sounds interesting elevated ground radials is the way to go if you can get away with it. Don't forget to like And subscribe I appreciate the support.
Looking for the yellow tripod adapter/center you use for the military poles to make the tripod for pushing up the mast. Can you give a link to it? Thanks....
it is no longer made by that company sorry thanks for the Comment! Please like the video and subscribe to the channel it really helps and we appreciate it.
Or you could simply buy the new SPIDERBEAM 12m XHD pole which got the tip segment at a diameter of 0.7inch and will keep up all the small antennas at the very tip in the height of 40ft (12m) without bending at all. Vibroplex told me they will be available in september...
Only time will tell can't wait to see some testing of the new pole. Thanks for your comment, please subscribe, like and share the video it really does help.
Nothing is under the pipe just the ground, some of the poles already have a rubber cover on the bottom! Please like the video and subscribe to the channel it really helps and we appreciate it.
This is truly the definitive graduate thesis on ham radio portable antennas. Thank you for sharing with us
Glad to be of help, I need to do a follow up video maybe this coming summer. Thanks for your comment, please subscribe, like and share the video it really does help.
Thanks for sharing these masts and mounting solutions. VK6ADA
That drill attachment for the earth anchors is genius. Big time saver for sure.
Great stuff! The post level tip was worth the price of admission! Thanks guys!
I'm glad the video was help, don't forget to like And subscribe I appreciate the support.
I have two Harbor Freight flag poles mounted in concrete. One for my scanner antenna and the other for my Diamond 2 meter/70 cm antenna. However, I did install small bolts through the pole at the bottom (and largest) sections because those have a tendency to collapse. I read several reviews about that, so I installed the bolts right away to avoid that problem. Obviously, these are permanent installations.
Geez guys, thanks so much. This video has some great ideas, we are a family of 4 Generals, Dad, mom, and 11 and 14 yr daughters so we are doing more HF stuff. Really brilliant ideas.
I picked up a Spiderbeam 60' at a ham gathering. I was wondering how to hold it up, now I have lots of options to think of. Thanks
thank-you guys Great video. I like your thoughts and ideas. thank-you for taking the time to go through the process and demo for each of them.
I can’t thank you guys enough for this video. I am a ham tech and have nearby repeaters so I don’t need a mast for that but my GMRS endeavors do require one. Looks like a spider beam and a proper jpole for gmrs will be an excellent option. Thanks again!!
Loved you video. Just a couple of good ol boys doing good ol boy stuff.
I really enjoyed watching this video. I am a HAM operator. KE5BGV is my call sign. I have a J-pole, That would work for a weekend setup no problem.
Thanks for the comment And good luck with your deployment. These poles can be very effective, don't forget to like And subscribe.
Great video chaps gud DX de John G4YDM
Thanks for showing so many options. I can use these at home or in the field as I’m planning.
Hey, you guys have some great ideas. I really loved the portable homebrew tripods for field work. Thankyou for a great set of tools to out in my toolbox!
Well done great information. Gave me motivation to work on different ideas for my mast 👍😁😀
Thanks!!
Glad it was helpful! Please don't forget to like and subscribe.
fantastic video guys wow I'm glad I came across this before going ahead!
Just a thought, at 09:20, flip the ratchet straps so the spools are at the top, that way you can see and adjust the level with the fence post level without going in and out of the straps
I consistently do it both ways Plus and minuses to both setups but that definitely helps with visibility. Thanks for the comment and suggestion don't forget to like And subscribe I appreciate the support.
Hey Erich. Great video with lots of tips! :). We make an awesome duo.
This is a very informative video. Thanks for posting it!! I have the 40' Spiderbeam mast as well, and it's been a really great mast. I sometimes attach a N9TAX roll up j pole antenna to the top (my mast came with the eyelet) and right where it drops down at the bottom of the second section, I attach a LDG 1:1 current balun. My 40/30/20 meter linked inverted V antenna attaches to the balun. I've used ABR-240 coax for both antennas, and the setup seems to work just fine. I do have to zip tie the coax a couple of times to keep from having so much weight pulling on the mast. One idea I got from another video is to use a 3" diameter PVC pipe at 3.5 to 4 foot length, and then attach toilet flanges to either end. This combo works really well as a mast base, and the toilet flanges have the holes already for connecting guy straps. The straps I use are made by Wrap It Storage and are actually trunk straps. Also I use part of a pool noodle to take up the extra space inside the PVC pipe. Another mast I use is a Max Gains Systems 28.5' mast which is a very sturdy fiberglass mast. I mount a Larsen 2/70 NMO onto the top and then attach a similar inverted V antenna mentioned before to a point just below the Larsen. I also have a Sotabeams Tactical 7000HDS which is good, but not as sturdy as the other masts. I've had the Spiderbeams mast come crashing down several times but luckily no sections have broken. When the mast get hot in the sun, the sections get really hard to break free. Tapping with a hammer gently can sometimes help. I've also used the polycarbonate ground anchors from Ace Hardware but I found them too time consuming to drive into the ground vs just hammering large tent stakes. One last thing... I've been racking my brain trying to figure out how to anchor a mast in a parking lot without hauling a bunch of weights in my car. 73 KD5YOU
Do a search on "drive on mast mount"... perfect for parking lots.
Great video! I live in the western Texas hill country and I have fashion anchors out of pieces of rebar with large split chain links welded to the top. Then I have to drill holes with my Bosch hammer drill and then hammer in. I inevitably have to go through rock when drilling. This is at my QTH. Going portable with this mountain soil everywhere is a challenge.
Living in the foothills of the Alabama piedmont, I face the same problem. Rocks, rocks and more rocks. One trick is to dig a foot-deep hole and fill it with water. That softens the soil and lets you wiggle the rebar (or grounding rod) enough slip around most rocks. If that fails, pull it up and try a few inches away.
Concrete anchors might work! Thanks for the Comment! Please like the video and subscribe to the channel it really helps and we appreciate it.
Concrete anchors might work! Thanks for the Comment! Please like the video and subscribe to the channel it really helps and we appreciate it.
This is an awesome video love it, such a beautiful and intelligent mind!!!!!
You guys are very creative. Learned a lot.
Glad you enjoyed the video We do the best we can. Still trying to figure this whole thing out don't forget to like And subscribe I appreciate the support.
Excellent video, some really good ideas that I had not thought of.
I'm glad it was helpful, don't forget to like And subscribe I appreciate the support.
I have a DX Commander antenna in my back yard thats mounted at ground level. Its a great antenna with great performance but the problem in the summer is grass cutting and the guys with lawn mowers moving around my antenna and the radials laid on the ground. So I’m planning to get a Comet CHA-250HD HF vertical antenna and I want to mount it at the side of my house on a aluminium telescopic mast. When I started loking up the mast prices I was shocked. A Spiderbeam 12m aluminum mast is $600! Other HD aluminum masts are also super expensive. The Cha-Porta 25ft mast is cheaper at $438, still expensive but I like the locking mechanism does not use any clamps that are difficult to tighten when you have all that weight above you. So I might go with that one. Also besides the Comet vertical antenna I want to mount a Diamond VHF/UHF vertical as well on the top of the Cha-Porta mast. Do you think there will be variations in SWR on both antennas being so close to each other even tho I wont be running both at the same time?
Thanks for all the great ground mount ideas with the PVC pipes! I will definitely use those tips as I dont plan to make a concrete base for the aluminum mast.
Sounds like it is going to be a fun setup, I would so some testing to see if the antennas interact. Thanks for your comment, please subscribe, like and share the video it really does help.
Instead of plastic screws, I've been using steel, screw in pet chain anchors for 20 years or so. Much stronger. Will not break. Also, much heavier. They also don't go into rock/gravel Worth a hoot either.
Absolutely a great video! Thank you guys very much! KI5KGT
Thanks gentlemen--good info for this new ham.
Great ideas, great presentation. I learned something. Never a bad thing when old dog learns new tricks. N7OMI - Charlie
Thanks for the video.
thanks for watching! Please don't forget to like and subscribe.
Good stuff. My kinda hams. That homestead is perfect for field day. 73, K0STH
Thanks Christian the support
Great video, lotsa' good info, thanx & 73 de WA4ELW in TN 🇺🇸😃
we did use those antenna masts in 1985 through 1991 in commo
Great video guys!!! New subscriber from uk 🇬🇧
Awesome! Thank you!
Great video guys, well done! K9YR
Thanks, Jeff! Please don't forget to like and subscribe.
For those of us who are mathematically challenged...
At what lengths are the red heat shrink markers on the rope jig, and how are you holding the mast up before you install the guy straps? Any rule of thumb for the length of the PVC pipe?
Thanks for some great ideas!
73, Larry, N2HBX
I will have to dig it out and get you the measurements. Thanks for your comment, please subscribe, like and share the video it really does help.
Those on tight budgets might check out the lighting tripods used by photographers. They're mass produced for discriminating customers, so they're priced relatively low and made well. They typically only go up to about ten feet, but that's enough to get a vertical antenna out of the ground clutter. One good source is B&N Photo. In my case I picked up two excellent ones for $10 each at a thrift store. Thick plastic tubing of the right diameter can lift them higher and provide a wider base on windy days.
The venerable military mast is actually a kit to support the camouflage system. Yes, hams have repurposed the system by adding the tripod assy and guy rings. If you get one that is made from metal you wupill be able to support much weight. However, if you get one that has fiberglass poles, either mixed with metal or fiberglass alone, BEWARE. The poles are NOT UV protected and will shatter, not break, under a load. We used to have them shatter when working at 12 feet and under the netting.
great video!!! very cool!
very helpful to a new ham like me. thanks!
Our pleasure! Please like the video and subscribe to the channel it really helps and we appreciate it.
Very interesting but still a lot of kit to carry up a hill. I am just getting my DIY portable kit ready for my adventure. It could be a long walk uphill soon. Possibly 5 miles. Your kits too heavy for one person. Cheers from old George in the UK. 🤠
Very informative. Great job, sirs! AC5MF
Great video. Learned new tips. Question abt taping the locked sections of the telescoping masts? Won;t the tape leave a gummy residue that will interfere with extending & collapsing the sections ? Thanks
I have been doing this for a while now And I have not had any issues. I also only use wide electrical tape and I do occasionally wipe down my masts with a microfiber cloth and some type of light detergent this helps keep the dirt dust and grime off the poles and might remove any tape residue. There are also plastic hose clamps that could be used and other Solutions I've seen guys do but so far the tape has been successful for me. Thanks for the comment don't forget to like And subscribe I really appreciate the support.
A ham friend who is a photographer recommended Gaffer's tape for the telescoping vertical. He said it will not leave a residue. My old MFJ telescoping whip got destroyed by wind and just ordered the Spiderbeam.
I just came from a big patch of bamboo and put together a killer 25ft portable mast for free.
I want to use a mounting pole for a (no radial) multiband vertical, no more than 8' in length, to mount the vertical that height above the ground to get a lower take-off angle due to nearby obstructions. The pole will be sunk a few feet into the dirt. Should I avoid using a metal pole? I plan to use four guy lines about 2/3 the distance up from the ground, with the top of the vertical at around 32 feet.
Yes you should avoid using a metal pole unless you're going to use the pole as your antenna. Also carbon fiber tends to interact with wires running next to it. Good luck with your antenna project sounds interesting elevated ground radials is the way to go if you can get away with it. Don't forget to like And subscribe I appreciate the support.
Looking for the yellow tripod adapter/center you use for the military poles to make the tripod for pushing up the mast. Can you give a link to it? Thanks....
it is no longer made by that company sorry thanks for the Comment! Please like the video and subscribe to the channel it really helps and we appreciate it.
Or you could simply buy the new SPIDERBEAM 12m XHD pole which got the tip segment at a diameter of 0.7inch and will keep up all the small antennas at the very tip in the height of 40ft (12m) without bending at all. Vibroplex told me they will be available in september...
Only time will tell can't wait to see some testing of the new pole. Thanks for your comment, please subscribe, like and share the video it really does help.
Did you by chance live in woodstock il over off of pleasant street?, with an antena ontop of a tall pine tree?
Mabey ! Please like the video and subscribe to the channel it really helps and we appreciate it.
@@kc9cuk it's dirt rag nicks old friend I recently got into ham radio stumbled upon this, small world I guess
Eric, what is under the PCV pipe itself? 73 DE W8LV BILL
Nothing is under the pipe just the ground, some of the poles already have a rubber cover on the bottom! Please like the video and subscribe to the channel it really helps and we appreciate it.
They’re called “guy” wires, not ‘guide” wires.
Something to think about kg6mn
Thanks for your comment !
Cheap flat mounts for flat roofs?
Thanks for your comment !
Things that vertical are not "level". That is for horizontal things. "Plumb" is the word you want.
Chameleon links ?
In the video description
Chipmunks are lol
Interesting and informative. Some very good ideas too. de KQ1K
Glad you enjoyed it!