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Message |
    
Kid_vicious
Intermediate Member
Username: Kid_vicious
Post Number: 457
Registered: 9-2004
| | Posted on Saturday, August 06, 2005 - 9:41 pm: | 
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i just returned from the lowes near my home and discovered that they carry 30 foot push up poles!!!
they cost about $50 where i live. check with your local store and ask them to order some. if we can get the demand up, they will carry more!!!
with truck shipping rates at about 80.00, this is a MAJOR find. let lowes pay the shipping!!!
hope this helps someone. im buying one tomorrow.
matt |
Patzerozero
Senior Member
Username: Patzerozero
Post Number: 1162
Registered: 7-2004
| | Posted on Sunday, August 07, 2005 - 5:11 pm: |
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i used galvanized plumbing pipe from 'the other place'. 2-2" pieces & a 1-1/2" piece, plus couplings cost about $70. it's mounted to rear of my house with wall brackets, setting on a deck, so it sits about 2' above ground. it extends 17-18' above the roofline, putting feedpoint at 32-33'. NO GUY WIRES. it sways in the breeze, but just a little, & has remained where it is through 60+mph gusts.
with the need for over-the-air antennas & accessories(for tv) nearly extinct here in the metro ny area, even wall mount brackets are hard to find! had to go to 2 different radio shacks to get cheap antenna poles & tripod to put up my 6 meter loop antenna! that stuff is HARD to find around here! |
Karatebutcher
Senior Member
Username: Karatebutcher
Post Number: 2000
Registered: 7-2002
| | Posted on Sunday, August 07, 2005 - 5:54 pm: |
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Yes I am planing on getting one there soon. |
Chad
Intermediate Member
Username: Chad
Post Number: 371
Registered: 11-2004
| | Posted on Sunday, August 07, 2005 - 9:18 pm: |
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Bought mine there a year ago 
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Road_warrior
Advanced Member
Username: Road_warrior
Post Number: 731
Registered: 7-2004
| | Posted on Sunday, August 07, 2005 - 10:03 pm: |
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Our Lowes store here in PA also carry
the push up poles. Most Lowes probably
carry them. |
Chrisdey
Junior Member
Username: Chrisdey
Post Number: 15
Registered: 1-2005
| | Posted on Sunday, August 07, 2005 - 11:04 pm: |
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I found the manufacturer online and deal with them directly for larger than 30' poles. Still about $80.00 minimum with frieght. |
Kid_vicious
Intermediate Member
Username: Kid_vicious
Post Number: 465
Registered: 9-2004
| | Posted on Sunday, August 07, 2005 - 11:46 pm: |
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yeah, its the freight that is the whole problem.
hey pat, i looked into doing exactly what you did, but i went with the rad shak masts instead.
sure cant wait to get a 30' push up pole, and slide in inside a 15' piece of pipe. this will get the feedpoint of my future alpha 5/8 wave at about 42 feet.
gotta save some dough first though.
im glad to know that other states carry them too. they wont run out by the time i buy one. (soon!) |
Patzerozero
Senior Member
Username: Patzerozero
Post Number: 1187
Registered: 7-2004
| | Posted on Monday, August 08, 2005 - 8:30 pm: |
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LOWES here does NOT sell pushup poles!!!!!! they have vhf tv antennas, 5' aluminum mast, 3' tripods & wall brackets in their system-they just have NONE in stock, & NONE on order!
my 6 meter loop flies in the breeze with no guy wires on 15' of radio shack mast. the maco would never last without guy wires. the plumbing pipe has been holding up well & i even added more since the 1st time i put it up. |
Vanillagorilla
Intermediate Member
Username: Vanillagorilla
Post Number: 123
Registered: 4-2005
| | Posted on Tuesday, August 16, 2005 - 9:11 am: |
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..along these same lines and staying on subject.. I thought the idea was to get yer feedpoint into the 36ft zone? 11meter wavelength?
My A99 is up on a homebrew mast that puts the feedpoint at around 32ft. Is it worth going up the 8-10 ft more? Was going out to Rat shack today to add to the top of the mast. I figure with 2ft inside my original and 8ft more out that would give me a feedpoint at roughly 39ft. Worth doing? Hmmmmmm?
Hank '905
CEF559 |
Yankee
Advanced Member
Username: Yankee
Post Number: 836
Registered: 7-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, August 16, 2005 - 12:12 pm: |
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Hey Pat, How about ice loading up there in the cold country, with no guy lines? Aluminum mast I wouldn't trust. I don't know if they are still in business but the best ever telescopic mast was South River, although several other companies have put their names on the very good South River products of the past. Just did a search and it looks like South River is still around and just a little better than Rhone, if you can find a dealer. Another cheaply made telescopic I didn't like the looks of is what Radio shack has. The South River telescopics are real heavy when you get to the 50 footers I have used and of course have to be guyed 4 ways at each 10 foot section. My masts are not all that high because of the wind loading here in Oklahoma, but for what heigths I do have, I do quite well on the CEF nets. I rent the land my mobile home is on so the idea of a tower is out, even though I have a 45 footer laying on the ground. |
Vanillagorilla
Intermediate Member
Username: Vanillagorilla
Post Number: 128
Registered: 4-2005
| | Posted on Tuesday, August 16, 2005 - 4:33 pm: |
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...well to answer my own question...YES..It seems to have been worth it to get above that 36ft mark. I went from a measured 33ft to feedpoint to a hightened 41ft and gained an approx 1-2 S units at buddies base 15 or so miles away. Likewise I get him with at least 1.5 more S and sounding louder. Could have been a change in conditions but we both agree we've never sounded better....thumbs up there!
Funny thing is that my SWR's also climbed a bit to about 1.4 on 27.225 and go FLAT below "1". Great for freebanding I suppose but a little high for my wee 'lil amp to see. Love my antenna tuner. ..next time that mast comes down the wind will be doing it! Darn near compressed my spine trying to hand over hand that monster into position!
Just an "FYI" from your uncle Hank. |
Airplane1
Advanced Member
Username: Airplane1
Post Number: 540
Registered: 5-2004
| | Posted on Friday, August 19, 2005 - 7:07 am: |
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Do the 30 or so ft pushup poles need guying? |
Coyote
Intermediate Member
Username: Coyote
Post Number: 377
Registered: 11-2004
| | Posted on Friday, August 19, 2005 - 8:44 am: |
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Airplane, I would say yes, as I have heard they have a tendency to bend at the top section. Of course it all depends on the wall thickness, but better safe than sorry. Guying is a fairly inexpensive precaution to save an antenna from a 30+ foot fall to the ground. |
Patzerozero
Senior Member
Username: Patzerozero
Post Number: 1258
Registered: 7-2004
| | Posted on Friday, August 19, 2005 - 5:45 pm: |
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yankee-my maco on plumbing pipe has withstood multiple blizzards/noreaster type winter snow & icestorms without a problem-SO FAR! remember, the feedpoint is roughly 31-32' from ground, with 15-16' of pipe flying above the peak of the house.
i'd love to go bigger & higher & beam etc, but here in suburban LI, my neighborhoods properties are extremely NARROW(50'). i try to be as low profile on the base as possible. my 6 meter loop antenna does not draw attention as would ANY other vertical or beam type antenna would, it's only 30" x 30" square & weighs less then 3 lbs, & i doubt any of the neighbors have a clue as to what it is. it has been up for only a few months & only had to battle 50mph winds thus far. we'll just have to wait & see how it takes to ice, snow & HIGH wind. |
