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Winter 2005 Issue |
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Rover Flagpoles |
The telescoping
flagpole goes up in minutes! |
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A serious VHF/UHF rover may have a tilt-up tower to get the aluminum up in the air. I admire that, and I marvel at the ingenuity that goes into these exotic tower systems permanently welded to the vehicles. Less serious VHF/UHF rovers have an affordable alternative, though, thanks to the RV industry—the telescoping flagpole and trailer-hitch-receiver lay-down mount. The limitation is the amount of aluminum you can manage aloft with the flagpole extended. However, this is an antenna elevation system that doesn’t require any major vehicle modification, which is something your significant other may appreciate. Don’t run right out and buy a flagpole from the local RV store. I have found out that there are some big differences in how telescoping flagpoles work. When you are struggling to push up a couple of long-boom beams, the last thing you want is the wrong kind of flagpole, one which just won’t stay extended easily when the wind begins to blow.
Two of the largest flagpole manufacturers are
Uncommon USA (http://www.uncommonusa.com)
and Sunsetter (http://www.sunsetter.com).
I have a flagpole from each. You can choose from a variety of flagpole
colors: silver, bronze, white, and black. Also, there are some subtle
differences that are important to those of us who place a long-boom
antenna on the top of a flagpole as opposed to Old Glory. Because both
manufacturers are continuously refining their flagpole offerings, here are
the most important things to look for when shopping for flagpoles at an RV
superstore.
How Tall? Sixteen-foot telescoping flagpoles
are available, but why not get an extra 4 feet for a few more bucks and go
for 20 feet? However, going to 25 feet may create the “noodle effect,” as
Chip Margelli, K7JA, calls it. You don’t want the top section to get
“goosey” under the load of a big antenna and begin to sway erratically.
Stay with 20 feet, and a long-boom antenna won’t normally “noodle” the
entire pole. |
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