Colin:

Well, I don't know if I can afford a neumatic mast, but the fiber glass ones 
you suggest might be a possibility.

However, I think John does bring up a good point about the need for 
something conductive, to couple with the vehicle ground.

Will keep reading this thread with interest.

73 from Tom Behler:  KB8TYJ

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "colin McDonald" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Monday, August 15, 2011 1:55 PM
Subject: Re: Need suggestions for better mast arrangement to safely raise HF 
screw-driver antenna on RV


> if you want to spend the doe, get a numatic telescoping mast.  Push a 
> button
> inside, the mast goes up, push a button again, and the mast goes down.
> Otherwise, there are linemans telescoping fiberglass polls that work quite
> well.
> A friend just bought a 33FT telescoping linemans poll on ebay for $200. 
> The
> sections pull out and there is a spring loaded ppin that pops out to hold
> the section in place.  The bass is about 3 inches I think.
> Probably way too much for your needs though.
> that sounds like an absolutely monsterous RV...12 feet to the roof line?
>
> 73
> Colin, V A6BS
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "John Miller" <[log in to unmask]>
> To: <[log in to unmask]>
> Sent: Monday, August 15, 2011 11:48 AM
> Subject: Re: Need suggestions for better mast arrangement to safely raise 
> HF
> screw-driver antenna on RV
>
>
>> telescopic would be best I'd say though also you need something 
>> conductive
>> because it needs the vehicle ground. If you have something  nonconductive
>> right now, that's your problem.
>> ----- Original Message ----- 
>> From: "Tom Behler" <[log in to unmask]>
>> To: <[log in to unmask]>
>> Sent: Monday, August 15, 2011 10:00 AM
>> Subject: Need suggestions for better mast arrangement to safely raise HF
>> screw-driver antenna on RV
>>
>>
>>> Hi, all.
>>>
>>> Well, I attempted to check into yesterday's 20-meter Cross-Country blind
>>> ops
>>> net from the RV, but was not successful.
>>>
>>> I believe my screw-driver antenna simply is not high enough on the back
>>> of
>>> the RV to allow me to get out well.
>>>
>>> The antenna is mounted with u-bolts on the back bumpber on a piece of
>>> pipe
>>> that is probably about thre or four feet high.  This gets part of the
>>> screwdriver antenna and whip above the roof line of the RV, but it does
>>> not
>>> get it completely above the roof line by any means.  The RV is
>>> approximately
>>> 12 feet high.
>>>
>>> Originally, I had used an arrangement with a longer piece of mounting
>>> pipe,
>>> but it turns out that the pipe was de-tuning the antenna, especially on
>>> 10
>>> and 15 meters.
>>>
>>> So, my question is this:  Does anyone know of a fiber-glass or other 
>>> type
>>> of
>>> non-conductive mast that I might try to get the screw-driver up higher?
>>> Obviously, I want to be safe here, and don't want to have to mess with
>>> guys.
>>>
>>> Something telescopic might be the best, but again, I would think it 
>>> would
>>> have to be of fairly high quality.
>>>
>>> If anyone has any suggestions, I'll save them for future reference.
>>>
>>> Due to a number of other things going on right now that will put a crimp
>>> in
>>> the budget, I probably won't be able to do anything until next year's
>>> camping season, but it's always good to start thinking and planning in
>>> advance.
>>>
>>> 73 from Tom Behler:  KB8TYJ
>>
>