Over my several years of SOTA, where I routinely run a simple 3-el Yagi, I always wanted to try ‘a bigger boat’. A technical difficulty was to work around boom lenghts bigger than 1m, that must be easily collapsible and quickly assembled in a field, in any weather, preferably with no tools.
As no easily workable DIY options were coming to mind, I’ve abandoned the idea for a time. However, just recently I’ve came across an unused aluminium support for a portable banner stand. Having lenght of just over 2m and being 16mm in diameter it looked to be sturdy enough to hold some 4-5 elements no problem in a portable setup. The main advantage is that it is fully collapsible down to 0.8m and not falling apart.
I’ve tried the ‘boom to be’ candidate at home, randomly fitting with 4x 1 meter elements and it looks to be holding well.
Not sure if those 4-5 elements makes noticeable difference from a 3-el beam though (1-3db perhaps?). I guess I’ll try it out anyway 
I’ve always used a 5el yagi since I started in SOTA back in 2006. My mantra is the same as a well known supermarket…every little helps.
Since 2007 I’ve used a SOTAbeams SB5 antenna which has a plastic boom. I did consider using plumbing couplers to split the boom into sections, but the elements are conveniently stored and transported in the boom. I have designed a beam which has the elements split into two and the boom into three, but I’ve yet to complete the project.
That is an interesting solution, Gerald. Thanks for sharing. In case my ‘boom’ won’t work as I expect, I might start thinking about something similar. Although I tend not to split elements (my carrying bag allows 1m no probs)
I like it. It reminds me of the poles I use for ultras. I use Black Diamond Distance Carbon Z and Leki Ultratrail FX.One poles. Both have a similar fold system.
Could you could further develop this so the whole thing fits in to a quivver? That would be fantastic for trail running or hiking portable 2m/70cm operations. Just carry the lot on your running vest or on your hiking pack!
That is what I have. Inside are my old and ‘candidate’ booms, 3x VHF and 5x UHF elements, 6m of coax and a 2m/70cm diplexer for LEO satellite work (although not doing sats for a good while as terrestrial QSOs works out fairly well on the East Coast)
Ah but… beware overhanging trees and bushes. 
I actually started the antenna project for rocky summits (specifically to tackle GM/SS-010 after activating GM/SS-008) where having things hanging off the backpack can be a pain (experience on GM/SS-003). I must get it sorted before the weather goes down the pan. The boom joints are a bit rough because the smaller tube sections are not quite a snug fit with the inside of the larger tubes. They sit nice and tight with a bit of tape wrapped over, but as you can see if you zoom in to the photo, the tape wears and will need regularly maintaining.
I store the elements for my 70cm beam inside the boom (PVC conduit).
I built a DK7ZB 6-element OWA Yagi back in 2014, using the top 2 sections of a fibreglass squid pole as the boom. I used a poly pipe T piece as a boom to mast connector. The lower sections of the squidpole become the mast.
The elements and the squidpole are carried in a fishing pole bag, with directors inside the pole, but the driven element and reflector outside the pole, but inside the bag.
Anyone interested can look at my blog page:
My VHF field day antenna is a 6 el, bottom fed zigzag made from 4mm x 1m AL welding rods joined with 50mm lengths of 1.5mm2wire joined by chocolate block.
3D printed clips hold the elements at 45° alignment to the vertical fibreglass pole.
The elements just fold up without any disconnections or farting about.
Advantages: Only one vertical pole, gain is in vertical plane - wide beamwidth, no plugs or disconnects or loose elements.
Disadvantage: Horizontal polarisation, elements fold up to 1m long, no use if you want to reduce strong stations off the back with f-b ratio.
There’s this design for a 100g yagi where the elements fit inside the boom.
Fraser, @MM0EFI, has several videos on it.
It is fun to experiment with 2m antennas.
There are masses of great ideas to extend booms, share and attach elements, … or get the antenna on the mast.
… and many ideas on how to deal with the problem areas “transport” and “susceptibility to wind”.
I always find all the report exciting. Here is one of my ideas:
73 Armin
An interestin Option might also be an Arrow2 Antenna… Initially for LEO Sats can be used also for SOTA… You dont have to assemble both bands 2m and 70cm … Just select whatever suits… Furthermore the Antenna is light weight.
https://www.arrowantennas.com/arrowii/alaskanarrow.html
Fixing it on a tripod is no problem…
73
Ingo
I looked in to getting one of these a while back. They look pretty good but I don’t see any in stock in Europe.
There’s also this which looks alright and is a bit cheaper. No idea if it is any good though.
€139 for 7dBi gain… waste of money. They quote in dBi = alarm bells. Don’t quote which band gain is for = alarm bells.
Looks to be an old design too. Give me €139 and I’ll make you something better. Or buy some aluminium tube and PVC water pipe from a DIY Shed and make your own.
So many great ideas here, thanks for sharing folks!
@DL6GCA Armin, my current beam is also by DK7ZB design, but I’ve opted for 3-el back then: 3-El-12.5Ohm-2m-Yagi
While I’ve built it three years ago it is still running well. I’ve made a quick SWR sweep today and it is pretty much spot on. Got a short video of a 143-145 MHz sweep uploaded with a marker move across the band for SWR detail 145 MHz 3 element Yagi SWR check
Being lightweight, it can also be literally be held taped to a fishing pole mast with electrical tape for extra height. I did an hour of a 70cm FM activity evening with an arrow 2 (70cm elements only) taped to a fishing pole. Low wind conditions though, but it worked.
Ian
Not a yagi, but a folding 2m moxon. It has worked great for me. I like it because it is light and packs small when I go on multi day backpacking trips. Sure beats a stock antenna on an HT. There have been several cases where this antenna saved my butt by being able to get an APRS spot out.
Can be used vertical or horizontal as well.
Did you seen the @EA7GV solution with only one walking sticks !
Close to an Arrow2 performance 
!
Please José give us the link and this will avoid making this thread too long 
73, Éric F5JKK