Mike Broke my ProtoSpike 😲 , So I made a V2.0. - Just an Update.

[@kb8m203]

I appreciate you taking the time to do investigate possible and potential issues reported on the spike. Its good to see engineering updates regarding the product. Thanks for the video. Good job Dude!

[@bendav]

One thought I have regarding putting the spike in the ground - why not leave it attached to the 'top' if pounding is necessary. Then you can unscrew the top and screw on the mast holder. I think that would be less stress on the mast threads - perhaps more on the threads inside the top. Just a thought...

[@jerryKB2GCG]

Lastly, Thank you for taking constructive feedback and evolving the spike.

[@jerryKB2GCG]

sorry you aren’t feeling well. May you have a speedy and complete healing.

[@WeedyCreek]

Thanks for the video and you're spot on, in my experience, relative to learning through tinkering and just gaining experience by trying...it really helps my learning even (maybe especially) when I break thing...when it comes to go time I am in a better position to do it right when it counts.

[@jasonbrown5265]

Nice video!

[@KS0JD]

Keep you eye on the quality and you can't go wrong! Thanks for the video Dude! 73

[@Rotorgeek13]

Thx for sharing your progress on this idea. I like seeing your thought process as you refine the product. 73

[@HAMRADIODUDE]

Thanks for watching!

[@LeeMcc_KI5YPR]

Texas soil varies. Some are like Louisiana "gumbo" soil (clay and mud), some caliche, some are a clay/loam like my area. Anything with clay will turn into rock when it dries out. I recently went to a non-POTA park here and had to hammer pretty hard to get a spike in the ground. And it has been pretty dry in central Texas the last few weeks.

[@don_n5skt]

Same. My ground is concrete right now.

[@K0BJJ]

Hey HRD long time no talk buddy. A few questions. One why do you need the threading on the spike at all? why not just have a slip in connection? that would eliminate the stresses on the threading, and tooling needed on the spike itself. The other have you considered manufacturing your own spikes? once you get the profile that works. the molding of those spikes would be hard all you would need is a foundry that gets up to 1500 F and enough material and lately I've been dumpster diving for mine. Next week ill be melting down an old TV antenna someone took off of their house i just grabbed of the curb. that being said if you need to mass produce those that might be a different story but its a thought.

[@dougdaniels]

Agreed, eliminate the threads and you'll eliminate the vast majority of potential failure points. A more horizontal clamping, like the trucker mirror mounts, should transfer the stress.

[@joshuas390]

Realistically you could use the end that holds the spike inside the tube as the part you hit to insert it into the ground. That way instead of using the entire thing and having all that leverage with every hit to possibly bend and snap the end it’s just spike and mallet pad. And once it’s in the ground you just unscrew the cap and screw on the pipe! If that made any sense.

[@joshuas390]

Also, the cap that holds the spike in the tube could be a slip fit onto the spike to cut down on injection molding cost for the multiple different ID threads and less likely to be damaged during the pounding into the ground stage.

[@haxwithaxe]

Have you thought about making the spike like an old fashioned (really really old fashioned) bayonet? The handle of the bayonet would plug the barrel of the musket. That gave it a lot of lateral support and there was no need to thread it in since it was a friction fit. Also making the PVC pipe a little shorter will make it harder to break the threaded joint.

[@danielrgusa]

Need to design it so that your hitting the metal spike itself then the plastic shaft that’s inserts into the mast is installed on top of it. No, you can’t hit a threaded spike, so, you need a large nail like spike that goes through a cap/sleeve with threads. Hammer the spike in the ground then thread the shaft on and slide the mast over it. Hope that made sense.

[@mikepowell5488]

I liked the video and would love to have the spike eventually even you figure out the best configuration of it.

[@GeorgeAdams]

I know you’re probably trying to avoid doing this but a Cha spike put into the ground first with the mast holder threaded on is likely to work first try. You can make a hole in the top 3D printed section to hold the spike.

[@Scout75PortableRadio]

This video was received well with me!

[@n0vty873]

I just use abt 8 to 10 inches of 1 1/2 dia pvc with a pvc cap with a spike treaded into the end cap (drilled under sized so it is forced to make its own threads). And slip the fishing pole antenna into it to stand it up. so far it has withstood 40mph winds. Simple and low cost and easy to repair or replace. If you have to pound it in, find a different spot.

[@SimbadCA]

Thanks for being so creative and humble. Do you know if a ‘maker’ has created a bracket for mounting the DC power monitors. Mine is usually backward and/or unreadable. Keep up the good work. KD6FOV

[@scottgallagher5344]

Works for me. Ive been using a kite spike for the last 4 years.

[@jerryKB2GCG]

Glad to be a beta tester if you need one.

[@rickbaish7199]

Hope your feeling bbetter Sean.

[@HAMRADIODUDE]

Thank you for the kind words. approaching 2 weeks and still not great, but not as bad. Thank You! Have a great one

[@gsrokmix]

Hi, Great design! Any tips on getting the threaded parts to go together? I have printed w/ PLA and PAHT-CF and can't get the top to thread onto the part attached to the PVC The threads don't want to engage for some reason. 73 de W1GKS

[@HAMRADIODUDE]

I thought I responded, but the more detailed the print, typically the better quality the threads are. Which printer are you using? Thanks

[@gsrokmix]

@@HAMRADIODUDE I am using a Bambu Labs X1C with their PAHT-CF filament and profile. Printing with a 0.4mm nozzle and 0.2 layer height. After "digging" at the threads a bit I was able to get them started, but it wasn't easy and the cap stopped about halfway down the threads. Thanks again for all the great info!

[@jerryKB2GCG]

Steel instead of aluminum? Heavier but sturdier

[@jerryKB2GCG]

sorry you aren’t feeling well. May you have a speedy and complete healing.

[@jerryKB2GCG]

Steel instead of aluminum? Heavier but sturdier