You have my interest. Can you reference a source for these 25 foot, $600 hollow poles that will house the 6BTV vertical?
- - Glenn W9IQ
You can use something like this:
https://www.united-states-flag.com/commercial-grade-sectional-25-ft-flagpole-satin.htmlOr something like this (recommend)
https://www.mcmaster.com/fiberglass-poles/structural-frp-fiberglass-round-tubes/Get 2 10' sections and 1 5' section. 3" diameter (Depending on your antenna trap and resonator diameter) This fiberglass is 3" outside diameter, but only 2" inside diameter. You might have to get something with a larger inside diameter.
You will have to be creative in the mounting part. And you have to be able to plan things out. You can't play it by ear. The one I helped my friend set up in his HOA sort of went like this....
Installed and Tuned the antenna like normal, mounted on a 3"-4" steel pipe (4-5 feet buried in concrete) and a tilt base. (Tilt base makes it easier to go up and down numerous times when tuning the antenna).
Make sure you have all your radials down in place and properly installed.
The tilt base is slightly off center from the mounting pipe. This is good. Because the mounting pipe will also have 2 U-bolts to attach to the fiberglass pole that is slipped over the 6BTV after final tuning. The fiberglass is in 3 sections coupled together to be one piece. When you slide it over the antenna, cushion the bottom where it lays at the base of the antenna. Then, when it's tilted up and locked in place, you take 2 additional U-bolts and bracket the fiberglass to the 3-4" pipe you sunk in the ground. Make it sturdy.
Don't worry about the looks of the base, because you're going to have to decorate it for looks. My friend and I used a HALF of a Wine Barrel. You can usually find these old wooden barrel at flea markets, yard sales, or new. We used the half of barrel and cut it so we could spread it open to wrap around the antenna/flag pole. Cut slats from wood privacy fence wood and put that in place of the top of the half barrel. Put it about 2-3 inches down inside the barrel. Covered it with garden rocks. (This way we could take it out later if we needed to get back to the antenna). You can use anything like lava rocks or whatever is decorative. Then put a couple of potted flowers sitting on top of it. Around the base of the barrel we made a larger circle of stones, gravel, and flowers. His wife was OVERLY impressed.
If done correctly, take your time, be methodical, be patient, and be a perfectionist, you can do this all in one day. It will look great. You'll never have to touch it again. The barrel also adds protection from water, snow, etc. coming in contact with the coax/base of the antenna. This explanation isn't a play by play for you to copy. (Although I don't care if you do). It's designed to have you think outside the box for YOUR setup. Your yard. And what can work for you. For my 6BTV I didn't need to hide it, but I also couldn't use a tilt mount base either because I have tree branches in the way and can't tilt my antenna. I had to lift it on and off. What a PITA (Pain in the A$$). But you work with what you have.
If you don't make a good solid base for the fiberglass to bolt onto, you risk the chance of it falling over. And if it does, it's taking the antenna with it being it's inside of it. Also remember; depending on the type of antenna will determine the size of the fiberglass mast. A 6btv is great, but the resonator is wide. If you get the narrower band resonator (less than 2") then it's easier.
Anyway; if nothing else, I hope I gave you something to think about.
Mike