A timber antenna mast. Post 2154.

If you can't see the video, please insert this title URL into your browser search box: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tWq4tgLH-yI

While most antenna masts these day seem to be built from various metals, telescoping fiberglass poles, and PVC pipe, a few adventurous radio amateurs are returning to "classic" wooden masts that were common a century ago.

In this post from Peter Parker (VK3YE), we see how simple a wooden antenna mast can be if you are careful in designing and building the structure.

Here are some of Peter's observations:

"Timber mast suitable for supporting lightweight wire antennas. The mast is 6 metres tall plus a 2 metre top extension. It tilts over for easy work on antennas. The antenna supports dipoles for 40, 20 and 10 metres, coming off the one feedpoint. 15 metre operation is provided by the 40m dipole. 80 metres is covered by adding loading coils to the 40 metre dipole. The antenna is similar to VK5AH's dipole except there is a dipole for 10 metres instead of 15 metres. VK5AH: http://users.picknowl.com.au/~wavetel... Being timber the mast is suitable as the centre support for open wire-fed dipoles such as the G5RV. Though it has the disadvantage of requiring an antenna coupler, the single G5RV wire is lighter and cleaner looking as one wire replaces three while covering more bands. Since the video was taken the mast has been extended to 9 metres, with a 38mm timber dowel u-bolted to the top portion. To lower wind resistance and make the higher mast less obtrusive at the top the chopping board pictured has been replaced with a much slimmer PVC T-piece. Main items required (from timber/hardware store): * 45 x 90mm treated pine (6m lengths are good) * pole for top extension (and u-bolts for it) * Paint * A few big bolts with nuts & washers * Cement * Cable clips and mounting hardware"

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Aloha es 73 de Russ (KH6JRM).