Hi,
Minor mishap today on my 1st SOTA activation for 10 years and a practice run for
an upcoming Snowdon trip. My new fishing pole will not retract completely due to
a stuck section, perhaps I tightened it too much! Short of putting it into a vice I do
not know how to loosen it, any ideas please.
Many thanks,
Ian
G4WTF
In reply to G4WTF:
Ian,
DO NOT put it in a vice unless you can extract the two stuck sections and insert a piece of solid material inside . This needs to be a firm (but not tight) fit somewhere inside the tube and you then might get away with clamping that bit in a vice. Even then I would expect damage to occur.
My suggestion would be to use a pair of domestic jam-jar lid removers (Baby-boa constrictor appears to be what mine is called. See:- http://www.amazon.co.uk/Miscellaneous-Baby-Constrictor-Strap-Wrench/dp/B0001J0456) to grip each section firmly but evenly so that you can twist with more leverage , possibly with another pair of hands to do the pushing to get the inner section to release. (Also, preferably with a filler of some sort to reinforce the tube.)
I have not tried this with a fishing pole but it has worked with other stuck items such as an overtightened walking pole. However this is more robust material.
I am sure other suggestions will be made and you can then take your pick.
Good luck,
73,
Rod
In reply to G4WTF:
This is simply Resistentialism in action. It is important not to lose patience with the offending pole, as that will merely reinforce its belief that it has the upper hand.
Twisting usually works eventually, especially if you turn your back on it for a while and catch it when it’s not expecting it. It’s important to have dry hands and get a good grip - of course the problem nearly always happens in the pouring rain… Failing that, holding the pole vertically on a firm surface and dropping the stuck section down sharply will usually free it.
I wouldn’t recommend a vice as the fibreglass will crack very easily.
In reply to G4WTF:
My bet would be the very top section is wedged between one of the other sections. Unscrew the bottom and shake…
73 Mike
2E0YYY
In reply to G4WTF:
You might try differential thermal expansion: direct the missus’s hair dryer at the outer part of the stuck section until it is quite warm, then taking each part in a hand fantasise that you are wringing its neck. This should cow it into submission!
73
Brian G8ADD
In reply to G4WTF:
I am sure other suggestions will be made and you can then take your pick.
You could try pouring very hot water over the join. That might cause the outer tube to expand just enough to free it.
Unfortunately I recently succeeded in breaking one when the two thinnest sections dropped down inside the remaining sections whilst it was fully extended, then got jammed between the sides of two of the intermediate sections. The result was to fracture the two intermediate sections … beyond repair. Bah!
73,
Walt (G3NYY)
In reply to G4WTF:
When you say “will not retract completely” do you mean that two of the sections are stuck fully extended or that it’s mostly collapsed but wont go all the way down?
In the first case you can unscrew the bottom cap - remove all the other sections and then stand it up on a block of wood - put another block on the top and tap gently.
If it’s the latter then it’s usually caused by the top very thin section having got between two of the others rather than being up the middle. Again, take off the caps and then have a look up inside, sometimes extending it will unjam it
Colin G8TMV
In reply to G8TMV:
If it’s the latter then it’s usually caused by the top very thin
section having got between two of the others rather than being up the
middle. Again, take off the caps and then have a look up inside,
sometimes extending it will unjam it
If this is what has happened, you are sure to break it if you try to force it downwards.
As Mike has said, the solution in such a situation is to remove the bottom cap and try to extract the tubes through the bottom of the outer sleeve. Then you can reassemble it in the correct order.
73,
Walt (G3NYY)
In reply to G3NYY:
If this is what has happened, you are sure to break it if you try to
force it downwards.
Yes - accurate diagnosis is the first step.
This brings me to a related matter. I have found that the weakest part of these poles tends to be the screw cap. I’ve had more than one crack on me. In an attempt to avoid the problem, I now reinforce the bottom end with several layers of PVC tape, and I’ve found that this does help. Unfortunately it makes it a real pain to dismantle the pole when you need to. Anybody got any better ideas?
In reply to G4WTF:
You could try wrapping some strip emery cloth around both pieces to help you to get a better grip. 73 Geoff G6MZX
Thank you everyone for your ideas, isn’t this reflector marvellous!
I shall attempt to free the offending section using one or a mixture of your suggestions.
73’s
Ian G4WTF
In reply to G4WTF:
Dear Ian,
many tnx for the fb QSO and a new “FISTS”-number to me.
Best wishes and GL on your next activations.
Vy73 de Fritz DL4FDM (HB9CSA) FISTS#2225
In reply to DL4FDM:
Thank you Fritz. It was such a pleasure to be doing SOTA again with a K1 at 3 watts
to a 33’ sloping wire in the sunshine - back to basics. Good to work you and look forward to next time.
73 de G4WTF FISTS 14892
In reply to G4WTF:
Hi Ian
I had a similar problem when I first used a roach pole in strong winds. I thought I was going to have to struggle back down the fells with an extended pole !
I found that if my hands / pole were cold and wet it made life very difficult so invested in some non-slip gripper gloves.
These did pretty well. However, I still had a few occasions where I struggled as one of my wrists is not very strong.
A couple of weeks ago in Aldi they were doing some DIY gripper gloves in a pack of three for £2-99. They are black and grey. These gloves are absolutley brilliant. The whole palm area is realy sticky. So far I have not failed once to retract the pole using these so now keep a pair in my rucksack specifically for this task.
Hope that helps.
Liz
In reply to G8TMV et al:
If it’s the latter then it’s usually caused by the top very thin
section having got between two of the others rather than being up the
middle.
IMHO the only use for the top section is for fishing. I remove it from my poles before using them. My HF antennas are set up with the apex at just below 5m and I doubt there would be much advantage in having it higher. No doubt someone will tell me I’m wrong. 
The smaller diameter sections can of course jam against and sometimes gouge sharp strips out of the larger sections, usually on their inside - this produces a very nasty thin strip of glass fibre which is a pain to handle and dispose of… certainly not something to be left on a hill.
73, Gerald G4OIG
In reply to G4WTF:
look on the bright side - it’s not frozen together whilst on a summit. I’m glad there’s no-one about when I’m trying to thaw a pole joint out by licking it and breathing on it. I shudder at the memory ;¬D
David M0YDH
In reply to M0YDH:
Was it a bit like this?
Carolyn
In reply to G6WRW:
Good one Carolyn. Thanks for the QSO on Tuesday.
73,
Rod
Just a note to tell you that I fixed the problem, with your help. I did try sneaking up on the fishing pole when it was not looking wearing yellow marigolds with the intention of catching it out unawares. Unfortunately these fishing poles have quick reactions! What finally did it was a hefty piece of hardwood and a few sharp taps. This cleared the blockage and all is well without any damage. Thank you for your support with this one.
73’s
Ian
G4WTF
In reply to G4WTF:
I got the one from Sourcingmap recommended by M0YDH, with a spare for experimentation…but mine are the five meter, ten section variety. On the very first use, the top section stuck. It was easily returned to normal by examining things from the bottom. Now I collapse it from the horizontal. The spare has been shortened by cutting about 3.5 cm off the screw cap end and installing an automotive snap-pin through two holes in lieu of the cap. The end is protected by medical finger cots. The new collapsed length is 61 cm and the extended length is shorter by only 3.5 cm.
Elliott, K6ILM
Chaser Clown