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| Reviews Summary for Jackite fiberglass telescoping poles/masts |
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Reviews: 14
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Average rating: 4.4/5
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MSRP: $55
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Description: The Jackite Fiberglass poles were designed with quality and price in mind. Jackite changed the standard for fiberglass poles in three ways: 1) reinforced the butt section so it would not split 2) increased the wall thickness for less breakage, and most important 3) began to provide poles with a thicker tip. The Jackite Fiberglass poles are telescoping like an antenna. You extend the fiberglass pole out and twist the sections together to the desired length. For a shorter length pole, do not extend all the pole’s sections. All fiberglass poles collapse to 46 inches.
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More info: http://www.jackite.com
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write your own review of the Jackite fiberglass telescoping poles/masts.
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KE4NU
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Rating: 5/5
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Nov 6, 2009 10:33
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Up and On the Air quicky
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Time owned: 3 to 6 months
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I needed a mast for portable deployment and this works good. I got mine off ebay for a good price. First, I tried my Par end fed antennas. Wow I was up and working dx in less than 3 min. I next put a homebrew slimjim for 2 mtrs on it. Fed with RG8X I was up in a minute or two hitting repeaters way out there. These poles are great for quick portable setups. You have to remember they will not hold much weight so keep it to a minimum. No heavy coax, baluns, I'd even use light wire if possible instead of 14 or 12 ga. The manufacturer recommends taking it down if the wind gets over 25mph. If I was to use it in a windy setting I'd reinforce it and guy it to prevent breakage...I'll be using mine next field day...just my 2 cents..
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VE1VOX
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Rating: 5/5
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Aug 24, 2009 10:07
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Excellent!
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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I wanted a lightweight vertical for IOTA trips. Decided on the Jackite pole and bought one from the "biggest seller on ebay". Received it quick with no issues. Assembled the antenna winding 33' of wire on the 31' pole hooked to a 4:1 Unun with 6 counterpoises and VC1W was on 10m-80m with a tuner. (80m was a surprise) The pole is lightweight, quick to assemble, and has very little wind load. Although we used guys on the mast they would not have been needed, but we were flying a Jolly Roger and another flag. The plastic collar on the end is now cracked but is really of no concern as it is on the very bottom. The mast was beat around a bit on the voyage out to the island and over the rocks on the beach. I'll make a tube out of ABS pipe for the next trip. Be careful not to lose the top tip if you have a green mast. We nearly did when it slipped out into long grass when we were assembling the antenna. Overall an excellent product at a great price if you want a lightweight mast for a vertical.
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W8LM
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Rating: 3/5
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Apr 20, 2009 06:36
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Bought on E-bay
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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I thought I could get a deal on E-bay... The E-bay seller "Sisters Home and Garden" were selling them. I bought and immediate payment was required. A week later I got an e-mail saying, "Family emergency" will ship shortly. A week after that I got an E-mail stating they were shipping directly from the factory (Apparently they do not stock) I waited 20 days and Friday at 3pm filed a complaint with ebay-paypal. They got nasty in e-mail replies. Demanding that I wait because of their personal problems. Yet during all this time they are advertising new auctions on e-bay. Fast shipping from stock is not their forte. Little did I suspect that UPS at 5:30pm that date would pull up and deliver product. They never deliver that late. Anyhow it took 20 days and numerous e-mails to get it. I'm in center USA. I immediately opened the box, and found it to be satisfactory for my use. Just to let you know, the 31 foot will not fit a Radio Shack 3 foot TV type tripod. So fabricating a mount is required. If you're looking for them for field day, you better order in May.
Prior to buying them on E-bay, I had called the factory and requested dealer info. In quantities 10 they wanted to give me an 8% discount. Yet they were selling on e-bay for less. Go figure? The salesman told me they were designed for kites not ham radio. I got the feeling he wanted to stay out of the Ham Radio business. At this point a TV ribbon J pole for 2 meters is safe a G5RV is not from reading reviews. I will re-review after FD. Obviously failure occurs if there is any lateral pressure occurring.
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KY6R
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Rating: 5/5
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Feb 20, 2009 04:58
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Excellent - with a caveat
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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I bought 4 of these for antenna projects, but knowing that they will only take so much stress. With my projects, these are perfect. I take out the top element - so the poles are about 24' tall - and the tip is more "stout" when the last section is removed.
The first use was to hold up a K9AY set of loops. There was basically no real stress on the pole - since the wires just hang "lazily" down from the top. I made my own little plastic channels at the top at right angles to loop the wires through.
The second use is to use 4 of these for a 4 element Bruce Array. The 24' poles keep the bottom of the array 6' off the ground and the top of the array up at the 24' point. There will be some side stress - but not much, as I won't use really heavy wire - since I only run 200 watts.
These poles have a semi gloss or matte black finish - and they are unobtrusive and hide in my backyard between the trees. I set them on aluminum poles that go into the ground 2 feet and above ground about 18". I wrapped electrical tape at the top and bottom - so I don't expect any end splitting.
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WA6L
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Rating: 3/5
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Oct 6, 2008 15:12
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Light duty is the key phrase
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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I enjoy remote operation, and have tried a number of different options for antenna support. The Jackite sure appears to be a great solution. It is lightweight, easy to put up, and relatively inexpensive.
The problem is that the Jackite is just too flimsy for anything but the most serene weather conditions. This last weekend, during the California QSO Party, my second Jackite snapped in half after just two QSOs. Yes, there was wind blowing, but nothing extraordinary. It was a major disappointment after planning a county expedition for months.
My first Jackite suffered a similar fate. The only good news is that different sections broke on each pole, so I will be able to salvage one good Jackite out of the two I own.
I am sure that there are applications where this pole will work effectively and reliably. But if you are planning to use it for remote operation, you may want to look for something that holds up better in difficult conditions.
73,
John, WA6L
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K5RIX
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Rating: 5/5
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Sep 23, 2008 09:53
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Excellent light-duty support
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Time owned: 6 to 12 months
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I own a 28' Jackite pole. Its application is suspending the apex of a lower-corner-fed 30M equilateral delta loop made from 26 Ga Flexweave wire. The base is inserted in a socket of 2" PVC pipe sunk into the ground. The loop plane slopes at approximately 45 degrees down to the corners which are tied to 5' PVC masts, one of which supports the 300-ohm feedline.
The Jackite mast's flexible nature is very useful; moderate tension on the antenna wire keeps the mast slightly flexed which eliminates the need for any other wind-compensation devices and keeps the wire just taut enough. Each joint is secured with vinyl electrical tape, with a stainless steel hose clamp on each smaller diameter over the tape. The mast's flex also makes it easy to lift the extended mast out of the socket, so it can be laid down out of sight when I'm away.
Used within its limits, the mast has performed very well. The small diameter and black color make it very stealthy. For my delta loop, this product is almost perfect. I highly recommend it for similar applications.
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KB0PTV
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Rating: 1/5
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Sep 14, 2008 14:14
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Stinks!
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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What a piece of crap! Very flimsy. I tried to support a G5RV with it and it split during installation. I collapsed the top 3 sections as I knew they were not sturdy enough to support the G5RV but it snapped like a pretzel anyways!
I'm tired of wire antennas and junk accessories like this "mast".
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KG9HV
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Rating: 5/5
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Aug 21, 2008 06:13
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2 Years FB
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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I bought the 28 ft black Jackite pole a couple years ago. I have been using it to support a
40M inverted vee for portable QRP work. I have
had great luck with this pole and it always goes
with me on my outings. Good value for the money.
Very durable.
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AA9OC
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Rating: 5/5
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Aug 5, 2008 12:06
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Best for the price
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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I agree that the 31' fiberglass pole is a great product for the price. After looking at an MFJ pole at a hamfest I find the Jackite to be of greater quality and strength. The difference between the 31ft pole and others is the base section, about 2" at the base.
As far as the ability to support wire antennas, it will hold the end of a 18 AWG wire at the very top reasonably well. For a center support you can run ladderline up to about 25 ft. However, this will not replace your tower.
If the pole is to be a permanent fixture, stick a piece of PVC inside the pole to add some extra support to the first three or four sections and reinforce each joint with aluminum foil tape.
Using them for a rotatable dipole is also possible. I used two poles, each extended about 20ft and they survived the Wisconsin winter (snow didn't adhere to the smooth finish very well).
They are a great compliment to the military surplus mast sections the are readily available. I have gotten the best use of the Jackite pole by putting about 20' of guyed military mast and sticking the Jackite on top for a 50' wire support.
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W3JJM
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Rating: 5/5
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May 21, 2008 13:21
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Top value
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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I use mine (31' in black) off my upper deck at home and picnic table portable up in the mountains. This pole is easy to put up/down and is light enough than one can pick it up by the base and move it to the upright position even when fully extended. Great for inverted L antennas and the like. Just bungee it to a support or get the ground stake that Jackite offers.
Sturdy construction but should one happen to break a section Jackite will replace it for a
small charge. Flat black color so it is really
quite stealthy with trees in the background.
Collapses down to 48" so I'll probably get another one to keep in the trunk of the car.
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