With a view to keeping out of the way of anyone who might object to a guyed antenna I diverged from the main path. Much fun ensued…
In reply to G4TJC:
“The pole collapsed itself, knocking off the nut at the bottom”
That’s normally what I am referred to as too.
" … the result being that the pole telescoped itself out over the bog in front of me. … The pole collapsed itself, knocking off the nut at the bottom. This time the result was pole sections scattered over the bog behind!"
That’s the exact way such a situation has to end. I know this from own experience. On sandy ground it’s even more fun: the segments take up a considerable amount of sand at the rough ends, especially at the inner side. Despite all efforts to clean them on site the remaining grains of sand scratch each segment while you are errecting the mast.
73 de Michael, DB7MM
In reply to DB7MM:
At least peat is not so bad for abrasion, but it doesn’t go well with sandwiches!
In reply to G4TJC:
Simon, as you’re Glossop based, I recommend the route up kinder starting from the Chunal laybye, much better than the slog from the snake.
G1INK currently having a pint in the Smithy Fold (Glossops shiney new Wetherspoons).
In reply to G1INK:
My favourite was December 1st last year up Cadair Berwyn. I managed to get snow in the telescopic pole. The damn thing won’t go up then. As the sections taper together, you compress the snow into the most amazingly hard rings of ice inside and the ground parts then don’t quite mesh.
Might be interesting to start a dedicated “Telescopic and other pole bloopers” thread. Seems to me like most folk have had issue one way or the other - and the telescopic poles (whilst AMAZING) seem to take on a life of their own sometimes.
Don’t get me started about the time I caught it in a fence and it was on the back of my pack!
R
In reply to G7LAS:
Don’t get me started about the time…
Indeed, I’m sure many activators have tales to tell. The two main pole incidents I’ve experienced are getting it stuck beneath overhanging rock on a scramble ascent (not pleasant as there was a large drop by the side of me) and the ubiquitous pole collapse, the impact of which on more than one occasion has been heightened when the 2m 5 element beam it was supporting descended rapidly and struck me fair and square on the top of my head.
73, Gerald G4OIG
In reply to G4OIG:
I bought a 10 metre pole and made a 20 metre EFD - the first time I tried to put it up (on a campsite in Pembroke) the dam’ pole broke about two joints up! My usual pole has a nice rubber bung in the end - liberated from a laboratory - after I watched the original end cap roll down a deep crack in the summit rocks of MW-033 the same weekend, and to cap it all (ouch!) I failed to qualify the activation. Nice hill, though!
73
Brian G8ADD
In reply to G1INK:
Thanks Steve.
I might try that some time. Not only is the Pennine Way route longer, but also slippery over the flagstones. Wouldn’t like it on a frosty day!
73, Simon