"John N9JG" wrote in message
...
A wooden utility pole with a length of 40 feet above ground would do the
job for me. It's just that I am not sure how the neighbors would react. A
search of the web did show that there are fiber glass flag poles available
that have sufficient height, but I don't know if they can support the
weight of 100 feet of 3/4 in copper pipe and a 10-15 lb remotely tuned
capacitor inside a weather-proof box.

"Edward A. Feustel" wrote in message
...

"John N9JG" wrote in message
...
I am in the planning stage for a 160 meters compact loop antenna. A loop
antenna may not have metal nearby, so I am planning to use a wooden pole
to support the top of the loop. In the ARRL Antenna handbook, it states
that "W5QJR made a pole of 2 x 4-inch lumber with 1 x 4-inch boards on
either side to form an I section. He held the boards together with
1/4-inch bolts, 2 feet apart and tied rope guys to the top. This made an
excellent mast up to 50 feet high."

Does anyone have any comments on the feasibility of an unguyed pole
using this same type of construction? Naturally, a portion of the pole
would have to be underground, and perhaps set in concrete. What about a
50 feet pole, with 10 feet underground ,which would give you a 40 foot
mast?

An alternative would be to have a contractor install a 40 feet utility
pole, but I assume the wooden pole described above would be less of an
eyesore (to the neighbors) than a utility pole.

Any comments and advice will be appreciated.
John, N9JG

If you really want to have the "mast" unsupported, consider a 50-60'
telephone pole
properly installed (for your type of soil) with one end buried deeply.
Perhaps you could
use a fiberglass extension from its top to support the antenna.

It would be worth your while to have a mechanical engineer calculate your
design's survival
characteristics in high wind and compare it with 100 year records for
high wind speed. Also you
might consider the prospect of icing if you live in a northern climb -- I
assume that the mast
is at a corner of the loop.
Regards,
Ed, N5EI



John,
Would you be able to provide additional support from the bottom of the loop
to ground?
That might relieve the situation. Could you have the feed at the bottom
rather than at the top and
could the box be supported?

If you could support from the bottom and use a heavy walled copper pipe
which would provide
substantial rigidity, the fiberglass might work.

I suspect that the neighbors are not going to be enthusiastic about the
loop.
Regards,
Ed, N5EI