Mini Tilt Over Mast
I was looking for a mast that met same requirements as my full tilt over.
1. could hold antennas
2. would not have to climb to work on them
3. would not have to be guyed (limited space)
So I talked to a lot of folks and all pretty much had same idea, yep another tilt over.
Now I am still haunted by being right on property line so guying is pretty much out of the question because in my opinion guying to 1 direction and not 2 or 4 is not worth much.
In addition now since I have a larger tilt over withing 10' of this one with a 6M yagi with rotor and 2/440 dual band antenna I am really limited where I can tilt it down.
I looked at a different spot in the yard and nothing worked because of trees, and the dreaded power lines. So talked to Henry WD0DMO and he said have you thought of C channel,
I said no but will look into it. Well this has been a couple years now and finally got to the point of looking. I found 1 place that had it online and not in store but could
get it special order and for $20 I said what the heck. The C channel is 45" tall and my corner fence post (the big post) it is 2" wide and 2" deep so for antenna mast it
as good as I could get. I have a couple boxes of metal strap hose clamps that you wrap around run through the screw head and tighten it down and it is solid, after I rotated
it around so it tilted down in the area I wanted and not across neighbors drive. I did have to dill 4 holes to run straps through but no big problem and it is strapped to the
post the post is 2+ ft down and in concrete so it is solid support. Then I drilled a hole about 3/4" up from bottom of mast and the same place with C channel and that is the
pivot point. Now my only concern is how do I secure it so I tied rope around it and it was ok but had a little give. So I looked at U bolts and they did not play right with
square C channel so went down and got some of the squared off U bolts and put that on and did not really like the nuts on the back side so though and said well if I can turn it
around and have U bolt welded on the come out the front just like my big one so Mark N0VUB gave a hand and it was done. Then I though gee instead of a wrench to take it on/off
how about pair of pliers and wing nuts and that was finished today. I think that wingnuts will be changed on the big tilt over too works great. I ended up with a 20' mast and 27'
vertical for 6M that I can tilt over and work on as required (or change) I do need to make a stand to hold it up enough that the radials don't get bent if I lower it without help.
So I think that covers what I went through now the pictures are below.
If you click on the picture it will give you full size view Enjoy and feel free to comment.
I hope this helps if your looking for a small space tilt over that is sturdy and cheap.