Simple Ham Radio Antennas

If you can't see the video, please insert this title URL into your browser search box: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vbUQQm0UDQ0 VK5STU and his daughters Emma and Charlotte show us several ways to mount, secure, and protect the telescoping fiberglass poles many of us use to support our portable and home station antennas.  All of these helpful suggestions make our operating life a bit easier when we use fiberglass masts for field or emergency operations.  VK5STU urges us to protect the telescoping sections and their joints from weather and wind.  Those of us living in the tropics (including myself who calls Hawaii Island home) are familiar with just how much damage the sun, salt air, and volcanic fumes can do to support structures such as these fiberglass poles. I found the steps taken to prevent the thinnest part of the pole from collapsing into the interior section of the mast most helpful.  A simple cored loop will keep the tip of the mast from "getting lost.'