My new setup for Carbon6 vertical incorporates a non-conducting extension section that insulates the mast from the ground and raises the feed point, both of which improve the vertical antenna’s performance. The white tube is fiberglass, much thinner and lighter than PVC for plumbing. A screw across it stops the mast. The stake is made from a 25mm aluminum angle (3mm thick), fitting inside the tube. The mast is stored inside the tube during transport. The tube is flush with my backpack’s tripod holder.
EDIT / ADDENDUM: The tube and the stake weigh 285g. Carbon6 weighs 315g. Together, 600g. That is still a bit less than half of SOTAbeams Travel Mast (10m, entirely fiberglass) at 1250g.
Of course, I’ve done the same thing a number of times (first two photos). But on several summits around here, I wanted to set up away from tall trees, or didn’t have any tall tree. Usually, I had waist-height low trees but they are not strong enough to support Carbon6 under wind by themselves. One ground stake and loosely tying to the low tree worked well (last two photos).
The new fiberglass tube + stake support for Carbon6 worked well. The photo shows how I set up and operated with a 5.2m radiator, tapped Ruthroff transformer, coax with common mode choke, and a loop radial for 20-10m. This setup works well on 10, 12, 15, 17, and 20m, acceptably on 30m. This activation was on W1/CR-009. I also hiked W1/CR-001 a couple of hours later. I did not feel the performance penalty like when I put Carbon6 directly on the ground, but it’s hard to tell how much of that is due to conductivity (RF current diverted to the ground) and how much is due to the elevated feed point without doing some detailed simulation. But the convenience of setting up alone is enough to call it a success. It’s a lot faster and easier than tying the mast to a tree.
