Aluminum vs Fiberglass Antenna Poles

[wa373]

There is a seller on Ebay who has listed both aluminum and fiberglass surplus military antenna poles at a very good price and I have some questions I hope someone here can answer for me. My questions are: Which is the stronger of the two materials for a Imax2000 antenna at about 30 feet and would they need to be guyed? They both have an ID of 1.75" and the aluminum poles has a wall thickness of 1/8". I did not see any wall thickness for the fiberglass poles but they look to be about the same thickness as the aluminum ones. They come in 4' lengths. I'm getting up in age and I figured the lighter materials would make it easier to put up.

 

[Tallman]

Aluminum poles for me and at 30 feet it would need to be guyed in two places.

 

[W4KVW]

The Fiberglass poles will splinter after a few years in the direct sunlight & be very hard to handle & very brittle.It's just what fiberglass does & aluminum will be just as it was from day one other than maybe less shine.

SIX-SHOOTER

 

[2NC995]

Virtually every time I see those for sale they are not antenna masts at all, but camo netting support systems.

Same is the case with everything I currently see on eBay now...“military antenna masts” that don’t have a thing to do with military antennas...just FYI.

Being what they are, both are comparable in strength, but I prefer working with fiberglass over the aluminum. Aluminum get stuck together, or won’t go together with the smallest dent or ding. Aluminum will bend, where fiberglass will usually shear off at the tenon. Take your pick. Have seen them for use for a decade in the sun with no sign of splintering - was pretty hot and sunny (Middle East).

Either will be a wet noodle at 30’, and will need guying at multiple places with an IMAX on top.

 

[Unit 75]

Aluminum is lighter than fiberglass.

 

[wa373]

Aluminum is lighter than fiberglass.

That's what I'm thinking.

 

[Mudfoot]

I have tigged the aluminum poles together and they were stout. I've also used the fiberglass poles epoxied together with good luck. If mounting in the clear, they need guyed. If u can bracket them against something, then you can go high. The fiberglass poles we had in the Army were the same ones used as antenna masts and camo nets. They were the exact same thing. The wall thickness is stronger at each end. I wouldn't pass up using fiberglass. It's strong and cheap. They'll last a long time. If they start to degrade, swap them out. You can do that several times before surpassing the price of aluminum.

 

[HomerBB]

For quick, relatively inexpensive mast I purchase three EMT pipes in diminishing sizes, 1-1/2", 1-1/4", & 1". I get 28' of length by inserting the two smaller into the larger ~ one foot. I drill through the top end of the two larger pipe at 12" from ends and use a 1/4 - 20 bolts secured with nuts. Makes a decent push pole that will support a small beam like a Moxon, or a vertical monopole secured against 6' high privacy fence post.
With an even larger fourth pipe I use this arrangement to support various wire antennas at around 37' height.

 

[BJ radionut]

Couple ideas also. Shadetree Mechanic (a member here) made a GREAT tilt-up mast he Fabed up.
So just a few thoughts on making things easier and changeable.
All the Best
Gary


Another example: http://www.wb0smx.net/?p=458

 

[Shadetree Mechanic]

I screwed together sections of galvanized water pipe. Still up after almost 2 years and no guy wires.

https://www.worldwidedx.com/threads/sirio-new-vector-4000-install.226677/

 

[wa373]

I have two antennas supported by I.25" electrical pipe(not emt). Both are 25' high and supported by mast brackets on the sides of my house. The problem with where I want to raise my Imax2000 is it will be between two structures that are only six feet apart so I cannot build any type of tilting mast and putting up another mast made from electrical pipe would be too heavy for me to raise with a 25' antenna on it.

My plan is to mount the antenna on one of the 4' sections of mast I'm considering going through two antenna mast brackets to keep them in place. My son and I will then lift that up so there is 4' of clearance between that section and then adding another 4' piece, etc. until I reach the 30" height.

 

[HomerBB]

One I made (and still use) a few years ago.

 

[2NC995]

I have tigged the aluminum poles together and they were stout. I've also used the fiberglass poles epoxied together with good luck. If mounting in the clear, they need guyed. If u can bracket them against something, then you can go high. The fiberglass poles we had in the Army were the same ones used as antenna masts and camo nets. They were the exact same thing. The wall thickness is stronger at each end. I wouldn't pass up using fiberglass. It's strong and cheap. They'll last a long time. If they start to degrade, swap them out. You can do that several times before surpassing the price of aluminum.

Mudfoot, all the ones I came into contact with looked the same as camo poles, but were not compatible. More than once a camo pole snuck into a GRC antenna kit and you wouldn’t know it until you tried to put it together...and it didn’t fit. Nonetheless, the military does use the same items for multiple purposes, so you’re probably right on some of mast sharing the same part. The source of most of the kits I see is clear, as antenna masts don’t come with camo net spreaders, which advertisers like to call “bases”.

I’d like to find a real mast kit, with the 3 different size poles, guy rings, and swivel base...but I probably wouldn’t want to pay for it.

I screwed together sections of galvanized water pipe. Still up after almost 2 years and no guy wires.

https://www.worldwidedx.com/threads/sirio-new-vector-4000-install.226677/

Shade, I would never guess the threads would hold up. Good to know!

 

[HomerBB]

I tried galvanized pipe threaded together once. I tried to stand it up and the thread broke off at a coupler. That was annoying.

 

[Shadetree Mechanic]

I made some sleeves to go in the joints to help take some load off of the threads.