I spent the afternoon putting together a 20m 1/4 wave GP (with 3 legs) in the garden using the 10m pole and some wire that has been hanging around waiting for a project. Although I think it frightened the neighbours initially, it worked very well using the 5W from the PFR-3 during the All Asia contest.
However as I was taking it down, I inspected the pole sections carefully (I’ve never really checked this pole over even though it’s been used many times) and I found one section with a few cracks in the middle running parallel with the length of the pole. This section feels a little “softer” if squeezed gently with my fingers. I assume this is now vunerable to “folding” over.
So what should I do to prolong the life? I was going to strap the section tightly with a single layer of insulating tape as it’s in the middle of the section and it doesn’t foul the join. Any other suggestions?
I frequently reinforce the poles with insulating tape. I have tried grp resin and tissue, but its very difficult to do well. The other thing I have used is epoxy glue, which is not as runny and its quite tough. If you do this rotate the pole as its applied and keep rotating it until it sets.
Just a suggestion for the gp, I have one for static mobile and I put links in it for all bands like a linked dipole, works great.
In reply to G6SFP:
Some chap has got an article in the latest Radcom which covers this very subject. Unfortunately he is also posing next to the poles but don’t let that put you off!
By the way how about this for a “proper” pole?
Just tried Richards idea of chop out the broken bit, shove the thin bit up the thick bit reassemble and ended up with a serviceable pole. After I have done this with my other five broken poles I will have ten usable poles. Now to use some of those poles to make a portable 3 element beam for 10 metres or something.
No chance Steve - they’ve all bougfht a copy of my “Mr Squeaky” video which shows how to minimise costs on kit so you can maximise expenditure on fuel. The Eco-warriors are doing a sit-in outside my house right now as a result of another 400+ SOTAmiles expended on Saturday!
Araldite Rapid with insulating tape applied tightly as a binding just before the Araldite sets made a brilliant repair to my pole. Then again the problem was splitting in the glass fibre caused by the 2m beam repeatedly being mounted on the same part of the pole. I’ve never actually had a pole snap on me… and I’m not exactly a fair weather activator - as those that have been out with me can bear witness!
Incidentally, I have just checked my photographic records and find that I first used my one and only SOTApole on 15th September 2007 and it is still going strong. Anyone else more “squeaky” than I am???
Unfortunately he is also posing next to the poles but
don’t let that put you off!
Same bloke is on the front cover of PW this month. He must have employed Max Clifford as his publicist. Apparently a photo-set of him doing a SOTA activation with Susan Boyle is planned.
Err… Yes. Now that would scare the neighbours and I’m not lugging that up a summit! (never mind the price)
Thanks to all for the suggestions. I may try a combination of insulating and gaffer tape. It hasn’t broken yet but, with cracks visible, hopefully this will be preventative.
So what should I do to prolong the life? I was going to strap the
section tightly with a single layer of insulating tape as it’s in the
middle of the section and it doesn’t foul the join. Any other
suggestions?
Searching for something else pole related, I came across this old thread.
Just thought I’d mention heat shrink sleeving as an option.
I bought a bag of different sized offcuts at a rally years ago, and repaired a split mid section with a few inches of it earlier this year.
Very quick and simple, no mess, pole almost as good as new and survived quite a few windy activations since.
Be gentle with the heat, and only shrink it just as much as necessary…
