Telescoping Flagpole Antenna Tower

[ascott0172]

Thumbing through the Harbor Freight catalog the other day I noticed they had 20 ft aluminum telescoping flagpoles on sale for 40 bucks. Needing an antenna tower or three I wondered if these could be used to mount a VHF/UHF and antenna or used as supports for an HF wire antenna.

I was considering mounting a Alpha Delta DX Ultra HF antenna between three of these and maybe using one for a scantenna and a couple of small VHF/UHF antennas.

Any reason why this wouldn't work? It seems like it would be a fairly economical solution especially when compared with crank up towers or even the tilt over pole mounts.

So is this a stupid idea or would it be practical? Is there a better solution for an economical tower to mount antennas to?

 

[n4yek]

Sounds like a good deal to me...go for it.

 

[gewecke]

Good idea,as long as there isn't a lot of weight involved.
Hope it works out!
N9ZAS

 

[zz0468]

They're probably not designed to carry a huge amount of weight, but a waving flag could be a significant wind load. Is there a spec?

I think they'd do fine for wire antenna support or a single light weight antenna. It would probably hold a scantenna or something of that nature just fine. But find something else for that old Phelps Dodge Super Stormmaster!

 

[ascott0172]

I wouldn't think the wind loads would be any more than for a flag. No real specs as they are cheap chinese imports.

I was thinking of putting the center of the DX Ultra on a center pole and then using one for each end. Seems like it is a better idea that trying to string them between trees. I could place the flagpoles at the exact spot I want them and and right correct distance for the antenna which i can't do with trees. Being telescoping it would be easy to mount and maintain.

Buying 4 of them would be less than what one would pay for a section or two of quality tower sections.

 

[gewecke]

Can you run a piece of steel conduit inside of it?
Just a thought here.
N9ZAS

 

[Thunderknight]

So is this a stupid idea or would it be practical? Is there a better solution for an economical tower to mount antennas to?

Did you end up trying this? Did it work out?