Friday, 22 May 2020

Fibreglass pole vertical

I've been playing about with a reasonably heavy duty 10 metre fibreglass pole (squid pole/roach pole).
A problem with these poles is their tendency to collapse, always at the wrong time!
I fully extended mine and drilled a hole near the top of each section and 3D printed some 'C clips' (or is that an E clip?) with a moulded pin to insert into the pole...
(as always, click the pics to go supersized)


Mk 2 clip with an external 'eye' to thread a wire through to stop it flapping about in the breeze!





Now, the pole stays extended and doesn't collapse.  It's a simple matter of prying off the C-clip and collapsing the pole.  Extending it and aligning the pin holes is a little fidgety, but still easy and makes for a snag free, quick to erect pole.
Bends quite a bit in 25+ MPH wind - guys are next on the agenda.  You can see each C-clip up the pole!



I also found a 3D printable 'DX Commander' style base plate allowing operation on/upto 4 bands with a single coax feed...


I'm awaiting delivery of some stainless hardware to finish it off.
To be continued....



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