Up here ten foot of gray electrical 1-1/2-inch PVC runs about $9.95 and ten foot of 1-1/4 ID schedule-40 aluminum about $15. When I am going to mount several hundreds of dollars of antennas on a mast am I going to risk losing them by saving $5?
My nearly $3K 2m eme array (four antennas+H-frame+144-foot of coax+ elevation bracket) are supported by 3-1/2 feet of 2-inch sched-80 steel pipe! The 16 sq-foot wind area array has withstood >65mph winds sustained over a 30-hour period that stripped the ring gear on the Ham-III rotator (azimuth drive). I now use Ham-IV with steel ring gears. That array and mast have been up 11-years. You would not do that with PVC.
The H-frame has combined aluminum and fiberglass on the vertical masts which support the 21-foot long 2m x-yagis. PVC would not be suitable even with wood. The fiberglass has wooden dowels inserted in the ends to prevent crushing the fiberglass with antenna clamps. I added short split lengthwise aluminum tubing to sheath the fiberglass at the clamp locations.
You probably are not looking at a project this big but steel and aluminum are not that expensive. So is there another reason to want PVC?
Ed
At 11:32 AM 2/24/2011, Matt Patterson wrote:
Hmmm... how about not being cheap and buy a steel or aluminum mast? That's my solution....
Matt W5LL
On 2/24/2011 1:31 PM, Dave Webb KB1PVH wrote:
It would be great if all the Negative Nancys would offer a
positive solution
instead of just shooting it down that way we can all benefit.
Dave - KB1PVH
Sent from my Verizon Wireless DROID X On Feb 24, 2011 2:22 PM, "Matt Patterson"mattpatt@1starnet.com wrote:
I can't even believe that some people recommend doing this!
Matt W5LL
On 2/24/2011 11:21 AM, Ng, Peter wrote:
I'm looking to put up a mast and am curious, why PVC? Is it better than
steel?
73's Peter VE7NGP
-----Original Message----- From: amsat-bb-bounces@amsat.org [mailto:amsat-bb-bounces@amsat.org] On
Behalf Of Bruce Semple
Sent: Thursday, February 24, 2011 6:41 AM To: AMSAT-BB@amsat.org Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: PVC
And I forgot to mention -- I spray paint it all a flat black --- to help it blend in a little
better!
At 09:34 AM 2/24/2011, Bruce Semple wrote:
Hello Mike - I use schedule 40 PVC with an OAK closet pole down the center for added stiffness for a horizontal boom. For vertical mast I use two PVC schedule 40 - one inside the other - along with a wood pole. I use PVC end caps on the ends to keep water/ moisture out.
73, Bruce WA3SWJ
At 07:59 AM 2/24/2011, Mike1234 wrote:
Has anyone ever experimented with PVC pipe to use for a mast in place
of
steel ? I have used it for vertical antennas and stands up excellent to
the
winds and weather here in Toledo, Ohio .
Mike N8GBU
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73, Ed - KL7UW, WD2XSH/45 ====================================== BP40IQ 500 KHz - 10-GHz www.kl7uw.com EME: 144-1.4kw*, 432-100w, 1296-testing*, 3400-winter? DUBUS Magazine USA Rep dubususa@hotmail.com ====================================== *temp not in service