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Posted: 4/19/2022 2:01:17 AM EDT
[#1]
Thanks for posting! I looked for these before, but couldn't find any.
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Posted: 4/19/2022 11:26:32 AM EDT
[#2]
Good stuff, I've seen K6ARK's stuff on these cheaper poles before.
I ended up springing for the SOTA Beams Tactical Mini mast, it's about 3-4 times the price of these cheaper fishing poles, but a little more rugged and packs down to under 2 feet long. I felt I needed the strength since all my wire antennas are usually made with heavier 18ga. wire and I'm otherwise just prone to breaking this kind of stuff. Another thing to look for on Ebay and such is fiberglass masts sold as wind sock or tailgating flagpoles. These usually have a thicker tube wall than the fishing poles and might be a little more ridgid, but will be closer in pricing to the "ham radio" market poles as well. |
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Posted: 4/19/2022 9:27:54 PM EDT
[#3]
I got one of the Jackite poles several years ago. It worked well using an EARCHI end fed antenna as the vertical element.
But, I didn't like that the pole sections use nothing but a friction fit to keep them extended. When setting it up, if you pull the sections out nice and tight, you can hear a faint "crispy" sound as the fibers separate. It's disconcerting. I never tried it in a high wind. Also you need some kind of sturdy post driven into the ground to lash the bottom to, to support it. |
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Posted: 4/19/2022 9:38:28 PM EDT
[#4]
Quote HistoryQuoted: I got one of the Jackite poles several years ago. It worked well using an EARCHI end fed antenna as the vertical element. But, I didn't like that the pole sections use nothing but a friction fit to keep them extended. When setting it up, if you pull the sections out nice and tight, you can hear a faint "crispy" sound as the fibers separate. It's disconcerting. I never tried it in a high wind. Also you need some kind of sturdy post driven into the ground to lash the bottom to, to support it. The "Miracle Grow heavy duty super steel stake" 6ft, works well for these. They are hollow, and cut easily with a tubing cutter. There is thick plastic on the outside that protects the pole. Extend the pole, unscrew the bottom cap and slide over the stake. You can also tape or epoxy some guy points at the top of the first section. On a summit, pile rocks around it. |
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Posted: 5/2/2022 8:51:27 PM EDT
[#5]
Showed up, and is exactly like the one in the article. It is funny, one advertised as carbon looks identical to one advertised as fiberglass.
Should work fine for portable use to get a wire 17' up. |
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Posted: 5/11/2022 12:35:01 PM EDT
[#6]
I have a sickness, and this is the last one, I promise. I bought a 13m pole off ebay, and it appears that it will hold up a thin wire up about 30 feet or so. Trying to post a link, but not having success.
Looks like this:  I got mine for 51.00, but they are up to around 60.00 now. |
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Posted: 5/11/2022 12:54:09 PM EDT
[#7]
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Posted: 5/11/2022 12:56:32 PM EDT
[#8]
That would be it.
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Posted: 5/12/2022 12:52:29 PM EDT
[#9]
I ordered one and I’m impressed. I’m going to order a couple more and play around with making a rotatable dipole.
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Posted: 5/15/2022 4:16:35 PM EDT
[#10]
I hope these pictures show up the poles. The coax is 25 feet long and is about 4 feet up from the ground. It is supporting a 20/40m trap dipole, and the shorter poles have the ends up about 15 feet.
 Attached File Attached File Attached File |
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Posted: 5/27/2022 3:41:45 PM EDT
[#11]
I ordered one of the Goture ones from Amazon. Do a search for "tenkara fishing rod".
It looks to be very well made. There is this warning label, presumably to inform you that the graphite is conductive and to keep it away from power lines. It makes me wonder if the graphite would interfere with the tuning of a wire versus fiberglass. Still, it's crazy lightweight and came with a spare set of the top 3 sections.  Attached FileIt also came with a nylon carrying pouch, which might be a good way to prevent the bottom section from scratches. I am looking forward to testing it with that 22ga silicone wire from the other thread. Hopefully I can find a good length that will work well on 40 and 20m, but for this application if I only get 20m it will still be fun. ETA just had another thought. What if you could attach some copper foil tape in a thin strip along the side of each section, folding the last half inch inside the top of the tube, so that it can be aligned to make contact with the bottom of the next section and complete the circuit. Maybe attach a tiny magnet wire to the last 3 thinnest sections. This way you could use the mast itself as a vertical element. |
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Posted: 5/27/2022 6:25:50 PM EDT
[#12]
I use the lid from some Hills Brothers cappuccino that my wife uses as a standoff from the pole.
Nestle quick lids work as well. They are light and stiff enough to hold the wire a few inches away from the pole. You can wind the antenna up on it as well. This is a 40m efhw wire with one of each lid. The gold one is terminal end and the other for support on a second pole. I am experimenting with the best configuration. The swr can go from 1.3 to 3.2 just by changing the wire height and toroid height.  Attached File |
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Posted: 5/27/2022 6:41:38 PM EDT
[#13]
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Posted: 5/27/2022 7:24:04 PM EDT
[#14]
Carbon fiber and graphite type poles are technically conductive but not very. It could be an issue for high voltage like overhead power lines or lightning, but insulated antenna wire with a bit of standoff shouldn't have much of an effect at all, especially at QRP power levels where these things are usually applied.
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Posted: 5/27/2022 8:15:17 PM EDT
[#15]
I have been thinking about winding the 40m wire on my long (13m) pole and making a vertical out of it. I need to get off my lazy ass and see how it works. Kind of like a giant hamstick.
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Posted: 5/27/2022 10:16:57 PM EDT
[#16]
I want to use it as a support for a vertical. I cut the wire to 36 feet and have a 9:1 UNUN transformer at the feed end and just plan to use a travel tuner to match it. The pole I got is 24 feet, so probably get 21 feet or so of useful length out of it. Maybe more if I bring a tripod and mount the pole to the tripod a few feet off the ground and weight down the tripod well.
Actually that give me an idea! I could make a 3D printed adapter that would clamp around the base of the pole and has an Arca-Swiss dovetail on it. This would allow you to tilt the tripod ball head over in the portrait orientation and clamp the pole into the ball head. The only concern is whether the ball head has enough locking power to fight a stiff breeze with the pole fully extended. |
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Posted: 5/27/2022 10:23:50 PM EDT
[#17]
Quote HistoryQuoted: I want to use it as a support for a vertical. I cut the wire to 36 feet and have a 9:1 UNUN transformer at the feed end and just plan to use a travel tuner to match it. The pole I got is 24 feet, so probably get 21 feet or so of useful length out of it. Maybe more if I bring a tripod and mount the pole to the tripod a few feet off the ground and weight down the tripod well. Actually that give me an idea! I could make a 3D printed adapter that would clamp around the base of the pole and has an Arca-Swiss dovetail on it. This would allow you to tilt the tripod ball head over in the portrait orientation and clamp the pole into the ball head. The only concern is whether the ball head has enough locking power to fight a stiff breeze with the pole fully extended. You don't want to crush your pole. I would rig a piece of pvc on the tripod to slide the pole into. |
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Posted: 5/27/2022 10:48:54 PM EDT
[#18]
Quote HistoryQuoted: You don't want to crush your pole. I would rig a piece of pvc on the tripod to slide the pole into. That's not a bad idea. Maybe rig the arca rail to the side of the PVC pipe instead of the pole. I also considered tapping the end cap on the pole for 1/4"-20 threads and screwing it directly to the tripod, but it might make more sense to fashion an adapter that distributes the strain over a larger portion of the bottom section. Even fully extended though, its hardly any weight to hold it horizontal. Oriented vertically, it should be even less strain until the wind blows. |
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Posted: 5/28/2022 1:02:52 AM EDT
[#19]
I drive a stake into the ground, and after I extend the pole, I take the bottom cap off and slide it over. I use pieces of 11/16" fiberglass rod. It was a 5' stake I got at the farm store.
Edit: I think the pole will break if you try threading the end cap and screwing it on. |
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Posted: 5/28/2022 11:25:11 AM EDT
[#20]
Quote HistoryQuoted: I have been thinking about winding the 40m wire on my long (13m) pole and making a vertical out of it. I need to get off my lazy ass and see how it works. Kind of like a giant hamstick.  40 Meter Fishing Pole Antenna |
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Posted: 5/28/2022 1:29:04 PM EDT
[#21]
This is a method I use for putting up a telescoping fishing pole. Seems to work ok so far. I need a longer pole, though.
 I went to the hardware store and bought a few garden staples, some 'tent stakes", a 1" PVC coupler, and some paracord. Cut pieces from the garden staples and bent them into useful hooks...  Drilled four holes into the PVC coupler and tied on some lengths of paracord...  Put the coupler over the fishing pole and slide it down as I extend the pole (after attaching the antenna wire, of course) ...  Put out the tent stakes, loop the cord around, double it back and wrap the cord around the hooks to hold things in place...  And it's up.  No antenna in this picture. I just set up the pole for some quick photos. |
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Posted: 5/28/2022 3:22:00 PM EDT
[#22]
Quote HistoryThat is a bingo. I have not seen that video, it gives me hope it will work good enough. 
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Posted: 5/29/2022 3:58:15 PM EDT
[#23]
Trying this tripod adapter I designed in tinkercad. I used someone else's Arca plate as a starter. Sad thing is it's a 5 hour print. The tripod has the ability to fold the legs out almost horizontal, so fully extended the base width will be around 1/3 the length of the pole. It should hold up well in a mild breeze even without guy lines. With guy lines I could fold the legs down more on the tripod and get the tip of the pole up to 5 feet higher.
It's windy today so I might get a chance to test this.  Attached File |
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Posted: 5/29/2022 4:41:42 PM EDT
[#24]
Also we have 10-12 mph gusts today. Fully extended, when a gust hits you can definitely feel it and at the bottom end of the pole there is maybe 30 to 40 pounds of effort needed to keep it upright.
That might exceed the abilities of my tripod but I will give it a shot when the clamp is finished. I've also thought about using a pool noodle around the handle and just lashing it to the tripod column with velcro straps. |
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Posted: 5/30/2022 12:05:42 AM EDT
[#25]
So the first edition works but it took a long time to print so I made a few refinements.
Mounted on tripod.  Attached FileBetter view.  Attached FileVersion 2 modeled.  Attached File |
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Posted: 5/30/2022 12:11:50 AM EDT
[#26]
That is very cool! Is it threaded 1/4 20, or did you print a spot for a nut?
Edit: This pole is good for 10m as long as you aren't trying to do a 67' sloper, it gets kind of bendy. I am considering a 1/4 wave 40m vertical if the hamstick idea flops. It would be nice to have 40 and 20m that fit in my mag case go bag, and carry one pole. Have 20 come off at one angle and 40 at another. A portable 40/20/17 DX Commander style would be awesome. A fella with a 3d printer could probably whip one up.
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Posted: 5/30/2022 3:01:41 AM EDT
[#27]
Quote HistoryQuoted: That is very cool! Is it threaded 1/4 20, or did you print a spot for a nut? Edit: This pole is good for 10m as long as you aren't trying to do a 67' sloper, it gets kind of bendy. I am considering a 1/4 wave 40m vertical if the hamstick idea flops. It would be nice to have 40 and 20m that fit in my mag case go bag, and carry one pole. Have 20 come off at one angle and 40 at another. A portable 40/20/17 DX Commander style would be awesome. A fella with a 3d printer could probably whip one up. Yeah I think for anything much longer than this 24 foot rod, I will probably stick with the jackite pole. It's a lot bulkier and heavier, but still "portable" if not really "packable". As for the mount, there's no need for threads. The Arca rail is integral to the adapter. You just install it on the fishing pole and clamp it into the tripod where the camera mounting plate goes. I am going to try to get it outside and test it tomorrow. |
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Posted: 5/30/2022 3:02:24 PM EDT
[#28]
I got it outside and set up. I think it's probably best to use the tripod legs fully splayed out, just in case. It could conceivably tip over in a strong gust of wind, but on a mostly calm day I think it would be pretty stable. You could sandbag the legs for more stability.
The tripod ball head can slip a little under a lot of pressure. The obvious solution is a heavy L bracket to mount the clamp to the tripod center column and skip the ball head altogether. Now I just need to decide what's the best antenna to support with this.  Attached File Attached File Attached File |
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Posted: 5/30/2022 3:20:27 PM EDT
[#29]
that is awesome!
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Posted: 5/30/2022 3:52:50 PM EDT
[#30]
That turned out great! We have had sustained winds of 20mph gusting over 40 the last couple of days. I could have wind tested it for you.
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Posted: 5/30/2022 4:07:45 PM EDT
[#31]
Yesterday we had some pretty strong gusts but the adapter took so long to print it was dark by the time it finished. Today I got tired of standing there waiting for a gust.
I need to make a space in the garage so I can print ABS without having the fumes because this PLA stuff is okay but it's not really a long term outdoor material. I need to dig out a new spool of filament before I try printing an improved version of the clamp. |
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Posted: 5/30/2022 11:09:13 PM EDT
[#32]
Well I got the wire wound around the pole, and I was going to even it up a bit but the wife comes home with the drivers window in the down position and won't go back up. So I looked for a schematic for that instead of playing antenna.
Parts ordered, and antenna experiment will resume tomorrow. |
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Posted: 5/31/2022 5:29:01 PM EDT
[#33]
After messing with this for a while, It is just as easy to put up a half wave wire and not screw with wrapping the pole every time. Once again, depending on how it is wrapped, the SWR changes a lot.
If I want 40m, I will just haul the wolf river coil around. Edit/update: I screwed up the ground solder connection in the box when I added the capacitor.  I went back over it because of the inconsistent swr readings I was getting. Someone in a different thread inspired me to check my work again. I also tried 24awg wire instead of the 22 I used previously. Using the 13m pole, I bypass the top 5 sections including the tip and it still gets me up around 30' without bending so much. I am under 1.4 on 40, 20, 15, and 10. My tuner will handle the 2.4 on 17m, and 2.2 on 12. Not sure if I want to try wrapping it around the pole again. getting it evenly spaced sucked. |
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Posted: 6/10/2022 1:23:50 PM EDT
[#34]
Quote HistoryQuoted: ETA just had another thought. What if you could attach some copper foil tape in a thin strip along the side of each section, folding the last half inch inside the top of the tube, so that it can be aligned to make contact with the bottom of the next section and complete the circuit. Maybe attach a tiny magnet wire to the last 3 thinnest sections. This way you could use the mast itself as a vertical element. I remember reading an article where someone tried doing that and couldn't make it work well enough to bother with. IIRC, the main problem was the SWR going nuts when the pole flexed in the wind, but there were other issues as well. |
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Posted: 6/12/2022 8:21:26 PM EDT
[#35]
I had a bit of a fail with mine the other day. One of the sections wasn't tightened enough and it fell and the force knocked the end cap ferrule right off. I couldn't get it to seat right and hit it with a dead blow hammer. This split the end of the largest outer tube.
I got it all glued together again with super glue and might consider redesigning my mounting clamp with a closed bottom to support the end cap. |
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Posted: 6/12/2022 8:23:11 PM EDT
[#36]
Quote HistoryQuoted: I remember reading an article where someone tried doing that and couldn't make it work well enough to bother with. IIRC, the main problem was the SWR going nuts when the pole flexed in the wind, but there were other issues as well. That makes sense about it having an intermittent connection in the wind. |
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Posted: 6/12/2022 9:22:21 PM EDT
[#37]
Quote HistoryQuoted: I had a bit of a fail with mine the other day. One of the sections wasn't tightened enough and it fell and the force knocked the end cap ferrule right off. I couldn't get it to seat right and hit it with a dead blow hammer. This split the end of the largest outer tube. I got it all glued together again with super glue and might consider redesigning my mounting clamp with a closed bottom to support the end cap. Would putting some shrink tube on the bottom section screw up your tripod mount? |
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Posted: 6/12/2022 11:02:27 PM EDT
[#38]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Would putting some shrink tube on the bottom section screw up your tripod mount? Might need to print one with a different I.D. The funny thing is how it was constructed. The bare carbon fiber pole has the aluminum ferrule slip over the outside. Then there are several layers of brown paper wrapped around the tube, and over that is the rubber grip. I did not expect paper to be a material used to make these. |
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Posted: 6/12/2022 11:41:29 PM EDT
[#39]
That is weird. Mine has a gel clearcoat on the outside, and near the bottom, it has whipping under the clear, like on a regular fishing pole. The cheapies have clear coat too. Their bottom plug is plastic, not metal.
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Posted: 6/18/2022 9:05:03 PM EDT
[#40]
Just ordered the DX commander expedition 10m pole.
I want the 6 m sotabeams, but since its not in stock, it made sense to me to get the longer pole than 1 of the 7m ones. Time frame is important too - the fishing poles that were cheap were a couple weeks to a month out - I want something in the next 2 weeks, and expect the DXC to be here middle of the week. Now I just need to figure out what to do for an antenna - I have a EFHW I built, but not sure how well it works yet. Going on a trip to PA July 15, and want to be operating portable then! |
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Posted: 6/18/2022 9:14:36 PM EDT
[#41]
I hope it shows up in time for your trip.
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Posted: 6/20/2022 1:48:39 AM EDT
[#42]
Finally got around to printing the redesigned fishing pole-tripod adapter. This one looks much cooler and less strictly utilitarian.
 Attached File |
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Posted: 7/5/2022 6:59:52 PM EDT
[#43]
Bought a dx commander 10m collapsible pole. Made it from England in 4 days! Saved a little $ by going with a "second" with scratched up base. I bet I will add to the scratches soon!
Going to do some portable ops weather permitting in Sunday!  Attached File Attached File |
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Posted: 7/5/2022 7:39:57 PM EDT
[#44]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Bought a dx commander 10m collapsible pole. Made it from England in 4 days! Saved a little $ by going with a "second" with scratched up base. I bet I will add to the scratches soon! Going to do some portable ops weather permitting in Sunday! https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/33704/IMG_20220624_174719979_jpg-2442846.JPGhttps://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/33704/IMG_20220624_174902522_jpg-2442847.JPG I would like one of those, but mine work for now. Those are much stronger, and barely move with light wire. |
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Posted: 7/5/2022 8:53:53 PM EDT
[#45]
I bought one of the Goture versions but it's too flexy for my application. I'm trying to stick a EFHW off my balcony railing at my apartment. Right now as Tech I'm only trying 10m, so it doesn't need to be terribly long.
Plan is to attach the balun to the rail, and attach the wire end out on the pole. 30 something degree angle so the pole doesn't interfere much if any. Just too much droop. I need to find something stiffer but as light. I'm tossing around the purchase of a Sotabeams stick in the hopes it'll be stiff enough. The balcony end is held with a flag pole mount. Just an idea, trying to get on air in the apartment is tough. Otherwise I'll just plan on doing everything field day like out of the back of my Jeep. But that requires good weather and planning, that and I haven't found a suitable place here in Indy. Need to search for a good park on the northside (Carmel). |
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Posted: 7/5/2022 9:42:26 PM EDT
[#46]
Quote HistoryQuoted: I bought one of the Goture versions but it's too flexy for my application. I'm trying to stick a EFHW off my balcony railing at my apartment. Right now as Tech I'm only trying 10m, so it doesn't need to be terribly long. Plan is to attach the balun to the rail, and attach the wire end out on the pole. 30 something degree angle so the pole doesn't interfere much if any. Just too much droop. I need to find something stiffer but as light. I'm tossing around the purchase of a Sotabeams stick in the hopes it'll be stiff enough. The balcony end is held with a flag pole mount. Just an idea, trying to get on air in the apartment is tough. Otherwise I'll just plan on doing everything field day like out of the back of my Jeep. But that requires good weather and planning, that and I haven't found a suitable place here in Indy. Need to search for a good park on the northside (Carmel). If you are in an apartment on at least the second floor, I'd try a loop tuner. You could make a loop along the outline of one wall and get 40m, and 20m should be do-able with a 9 foot long wire or copper tubing. You'd have a serious advantage being up just one floor over someone using a loop on the ground. For ten meters, the loop can be like 20 inches in diameter, essentially nothing, and the technician band segment is narrow enough that you won't need to re-tune much. |
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Posted: 7/5/2022 9:57:16 PM EDT
[#47]
Quote HistoryQuoted: If you are in an apartment on at least the second floor, I'd try a loop tuner. You could make a loop along the outline of one wall and get 40m, and 20m should be do-able with a 9 foot long wire or copper tubing. You'd have a serious advantage being up just one floor over someone using a loop on the ground. For ten meters, the loop can be like 20 inches in diameter, essentially nothing, and the technician band segment is narrow enough that you won't need to re-tune much. |
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Posted: 7/5/2022 10:04:36 PM EDT
[#48]
Quote HistoryQuoted: I bought one of the Goture versions but it's too flexy for my application. I'm trying to stick a EFHW off my balcony railing at my apartment. Right now as Tech I'm only trying 10m, so it doesn't need to be terribly long. Plan is to attach the balun to the rail, and attach the wire end out on the pole. 30 something degree angle so the pole doesn't interfere much if any. Just too much droop. I need to find something stiffer but as light. I'm tossing around the purchase of a Sotabeams stick in the hopes it'll be stiff enough. The balcony end is held with a flag pole mount. Just an idea, trying to get on air in the apartment is tough. Otherwise I'll just plan on doing everything field day like out of the back of my Jeep. But that requires good weather and planning, that and I haven't found a suitable place here in Indy. Need to search for a good park on the northside (Carmel). I go to the base of the third section on my goture pole. the top sections are too whippy. I use it for a "sloper" 20m end fed from a qrpguys kit. Go find some cornfields with no power lines and set up on a farm field turn off. There are roads here where I won't see a car for a couple of hours. |
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Posted: 7/8/2022 2:34:17 AM EDT
[#49]
I’ve used goture quite a bit. Broke some upper sections but they come with one spare set of I think the top three sections. It’s a really nice option that doesn’t break the bank, as long as your antenna wire isn’t too thick/heavy.
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Posted: 7/16/2022 2:30:23 PM EDT
[#50]
Found a fiberglas antenna mast store on alibaba. The fittings look very much like the ones sold by the big names. These are not like the cheap fishing poles. More like spiderpoles, and that line.
Link |
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