The N1OLO PPS (Painter Pole Special)
Special to The ARS Sojourner
The criteria included that it be easy to set up, cover 20 through 10 meters, sturdy enough to use as a mast, not annoy my wife or other campers needlessly, and be easy to store and transport.
To this end I created the Painter Pole Special (PPS), consisting of a commercially available telescoping 24-foot (7.5m) painter's pole.
The base section is fiberglass-reinforced resin and the top two sections are aluminum. This gives you a vertical radiating element of approximately 16-feet.
Two plastic locking collars separate the three sections. When used as a vertical, the collar between the two aluminum sections is bridged by a piece of braid scrounged from a piece of RG-8 coaxial cable.
Radials are attached to a hose clamp placed just below the lower locking collar on the resin base. The center conductor of the coax is attached to another hose clamp attached similarly just above the lower locking collar.
The resonance of the antenna may be adjusted by extending the upper two aluminum sections to the desired length for the band in use. Once you find a resonant length you can mark it with permanent marker for future reference.
Of course, radials of an appropriate length should be used. The antenna may also be "force fed" by using it fully extended with 3 radials equal in length to the aluminum sections.
Feed it as described above. By using a tuner I have successfully used it in this manner on 12, 15, 17, & 20 meters. As you'' see, electrical tape was used liberally at THE EARLY FEED POINT.
The antenna may be guyed by using 3/16" Dacron line attached at the level of the lower locking collar. I have also had success using the metal chassis of my camper as a ground plane, AS SHOWN IN THE ACCOMPANYING PHOTOGRAPH. I use bungee cord or long plastic cable ties to attach it to the vertical support on my pop-up.
This eliminates radials to trip my kids, wife and other campers. The top two aluminum sections can be fed as a vertical dipole for 10-meters. This is accomplished by attaching the coax to hose clamps placed above and below the upper locking collar. Either a tuner must be used or small pieces of stiff wire need to be added to the two sections to get the system into resonance.
The PPS can also act as the mast for a half-sized G5RV in an inverted-V configuration. An L-shaped bracket with a pulley is attached at the top of the PPS. The center insulator for the antenna can then be raised and the ends separated and secured.
When used in this configuration the PPS will need to be guyed at the level of the upper locking collar by attaching 3/16-inch Dacron line. I have also used the pulley to hoist a small flag while on IOTA DXpeditions. THE ACCOMPANYING PHOTOGRAPH shows the PPS on Sheffield Island, NA-136CT-008s, where it was put into service on 17- and 15-meters.
To make its deployment as easy as possible, I've assembled these items into a kit. The PPS kit contains:
-- one 24-foot painter's pole (Home Depot, Lowes, hardware stores, painter's supply: $24-$50 US depending on source)
-- 50-feet of RG8X coax with large battery clips on the center conductor and braid. (attaching to feed points)
-- six 2-inch hose clamps (making needed feed points, bridging locking collars, etc.)
-- one L-bracket made from a 12x6-inch piece of 1x.25-inch aluminum stock
-- one stainless steel pulley
-- 200 feet of 3/16-inch Dacron line
-- Guys, halyard rope for G5RV/flag (never hurts to have extra)
-- 50 feet or more wire for ground radials -- whatever you can scrounge
-- six 12-inch stakes
-- Hammer
-- screwdriver ( I use a multi bit screwdriver that gives me No. 1 & No. 2 Philips and No. 1 & No. 2 flat.)
-- roll of plastic electricians tape
-- miscellaneous cable ties, bungee cords -- to suit your individual needs
Have fun and play safely. Beware of electrical lines overhead and electrical storms. Place coax, guys and ground wires where others won't trip on them, and mark them when possible.
Enjoy the N1OLO Painter Pole Special. Gee, I've always wanted an antenna named after me!
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John Kalotai, N1OLO, is a seasoned camper and radio amateur living in Bridgeport, CT.