HOW TO PUT UP A PORTABLE ANTENNA | SOTApole

[@HakanKoseoglu]

Brilliant video! Come back, we need more!

[@Mottersmotters]

Nice video Richard. Just viewing again just to recap and keep the info in 😉 Motters

[@frankwc0o]

Great video. Nice and slow so everyone can understand.

[@PeteSnipe]

I enjoyed this vid. Thank you. I recently 'played radio' in the back garden with a 10 metre telescopic pole and a vertical. Will try a HWDP and less guys. 73 Pete M0WHT

[@kevinnicholls1017]

Richard. This has been the most useful video that I have seen for portable operation. It has been a game changer for me and I've shared your link with many others. Thank you.

[@cappaculla]

Well, that was just fantastic, thanks for the vid.

[@tristan4777]

On they 'Outdoors On The Air' channel video "The Fastest and Easiest Way to Deploy a Fiberglass Mast", there is a alternate way of supporting a mast which I've found quite useful.

[@g3cwi_Radio_Adventures]

Thanks. I will check that out.

[@lawrencethompson465]

@Tristan: Glad you suggested OOTAs mast support idea. It works quite well.

[@edbeckerich3737]

I hope you are using your excellent Sotabeams products

[@kevinnicholls1017]

Thank you for a great video. Lots of great tips. My future activations will be much easier as a result.

[@ssbfmcw]

Richard I've followed your videos since the "What's in the box" days, including perhaps 3 on managing the mast. Always learn something new and useful! I've experienced difficulty with the stuck top section and this video provides a solution that I will add to my toolkit. Also I've been guilty of too much tension on the dipole legs and backstay with the result of a collapsing mast so there's another practical tip. Thank you for sharing your knowledge and expertise.

[@daveys]

Excellent video as I’d expect from a highly experienced chap as yourself! I’ve used this technique since I saw you using it a few years ago. I use poles mostly for 2m (so some slightly different techniques used) and tend to use a “flowerpot” type antenna which is effectively a sleeve dipole. I used to attach the wire to the pole using insulation tape until a friend showed me a product called “Bongo Ties” which are effectively a rubber band with a toggle on the end. Works fabulously. One SOTA strategy I tend to use is to only put the pole up a short distance to start with, so I’ve bagged local contacts first. Depending on conditions, I then put the antenna up higher and work on other contacts - still get a pileup most times but it’s slightly more manageable. BTW, Happy New Year and I hope all the Newsteads are doing well.

[@g3cwi_Radio_Adventures]

Thanks for sharing your tips Dave. Happy New Year!

[@Cave_Dev]

Hi Richard, thank you very much for this very helpful and thorough video. These instructions will be very handy when I put up my Sotabeams 2 band dipole antenna! 73 de Martin, DK2EC

[@forextraderradioman]

Thanks for the interesting video and the valuable tips. We recognize the important things in life by the fact that they don't get less if we share them. In addition to love and attention and consideration, knowledge and wisdom are definitely part of it :) vy73 from Hamburg/Germany, Dietmar, DL4HAO

[@kevinnicholls1017]

It has taken a while to digest so much good advice. Why do you direct the backstay to the leeward side of the antenna? Placing the rope guy on the windward side would reduce the loading on the wire elements. I feel sure that there will be a reason.

[@g3cwi_Radio_Adventures]

Hi Kevin. How would you see your suggestion working?

[@kevinnicholls1017]

I was wondering about erecting the antenna exactly as you have but turned thorough 180 degrees, starting with the pole pointing down wind. My thoughts were based on the vectors on the wires around the wind forces. As the antenna angle gets flatter the tension in the wires gets much greater to support a given wind loading. I suspect it is the Engineer in me trying to resolve a problem that experience shows not to be important.

[@kevinnicholls1017]

I think I have answered my own question. Erect my antenna exactly as you have demonstrated and put an additional guy directly into the wind if the pegs are getting pulled out, or I am feeling anxious. Thanks again. I had thought that I knew how to erect an antenna until I watched your video.

[@theoldhobbit3640]

Hi Richard, thank you for a great instructional video for the lightweight dipole and mast. My main go-to set up for the field is a spiderbeam (12mtr) and fan dipole for 40,20 & 10, usually set at about 7 mtrs, the remainder of the mast is not used and left inside itself. Because of the slight weight difference, I find the need to guy the mast from its bottom section and raise the mast in the vertical therefore hoisting the antenna and feeder up into the air before guying out each leg, I always put a meter of shock cord on the end of my guy lines to take up any unnecessary strain on the guy lines due to mast movement. Anyway, as long as it works then its a good system. Take care.........

[@g3cwi_Radio_Adventures]

Some good tips. Thanks for sharing.

[@PortableRadio]

Thanks for your interesting video Richard! Unfortunately, my comment, explaining alternative and more minimalistic ways of quickly setting up a telescopic mast, was removed. This happened to me already before and I don't know why. They never contain a link that the AI could classify as spam. Well, well...

[@g3cwi_Radio_Adventures]

Odd. I haven't removed it!

[@PortableRadio]

@@g3cwi_Radio_Adventures Of course Richard! It's definitely some AI that doesn't like something in my comments and I just don't know what it could be. Maybe it's my Swinglish 😉

[@nikitak.8464]

Dear Richard, Thanks for the video, it's extremely helpful. I've just ordered the 6m sotabeams tactical mini which I intend to use for my 20m single band dipole with a small balun. What sort of coaxial feedr do you use with your portable masts? Can they support the weight of RG58 for example? Hope to work you someday! VY 73 de SV1SYY

[@g3cwi_Radio_Adventures]

Hi there. I retired from SOTABEAMS some years ago. RG58 will be fine!

[@nikitak.8464]

@@g3cwi_Radio_Adventures thanks anyway!