Using thinwall conduit..

[coax1234]

Hiya, folks..

I need to mount a 15' mast on my roof with a 16dbi Vagi antenna at the top of it.

Another poster stated that they were able to accomplish a 20' mast with 2 pieces of conduit; 1.5" and 1.25" welded together, purchased from home depot. I'd like to attempt this method for my 15', if the general concensus is that this works well.

There are probably lots of factors on this that i'm not mentioning.. I live in Minnesota, USA so there is definitely potential for decent wind speed, stormy weather, adverse temperature conditions, etc.

Thoughts?

Thanks for any help anyone might be able to provide!

-- Chad

[go.fast]

I've used a lot of emt in the past. When I put two of them together It was kinda like hobbling them together.

If you do have to use put two pieces together, you could use an emt set screw coupling, a 4 or 5' piece of angle iron that straddles both pieces and then use 4 or 6 hose clamps that goes around both pieces.

I've done this a few times but used unistrut.

For best results, go to the plumbing supply store and buy a stick of 1 1/2" galvi. In the plumbing world, they come 21'

No coupling, no hobbling. I have a half a dozen of these masts.

I have used 2 - 10' sticks of threaded galvanized steel conduit, but it needs to be guyed otherwise the wind action will eventually make the threads and coupling loose.

[tog]

We use 20' aluminum poles rather than galvanized plumbing stuff. And unistrut, that stuff is great.

The appropriate-strength aluminum poles are used by fencing and awning companies. Find a local company like that who buys aluminum masts by the truckload and get cozy with them so they'll sell off a couple 20' poles to you when you need 'em.

[therealboss]

We use 20' Aluminum scaffold poles, they are cheap and very strong.

[coax1234]

Wow! Thanks for all the input, folks!

go.fast, that actually was entirely what i was looking to find out.. You just answered one of my questions before i even asked it! *lol* (regarding putting the two together..)

You all have given me much to think about.. Thank you!

There's lots to be engineered, thats for sure..

..Gotta be a carpenter, blacksmith, cashier, techie, and visionary(amongst many other things) to be in this field! hehe.

-- Chad

[rbolduc]

Hiya, folks..

I need to mount a 15' mast on my roof with a 16dbi Vagi antenna at the top of it.

Another poster stated that they were able to accomplish a 20' mast with 2 pieces of conduit; 1.5" and 1.25" welded together, purchased from home depot. I'd like to attempt this method for my 15', if the general concensus is that this works well.



Yep I have been doing that for years, 2 10' pieces make about 18'. I mig weld them together then coat the weld with cold galvanize only had 1 bend but this one is on a hilltop with 2-2.4 grids and a 15 omni. I have been taking the grids out and going with much smaller 5.8 FP antennas which have much lower weight and less wind loading.. but if I could find some 20' stout aluminum pipe I would be more than willing to use that ;)

Reed