MAST MATERIAL OPTIONS – LOCAL PURCHASE BY YOU
1.9” OD GALVANIZED FENCE RAIL: This is a common material used by fence companies for railings and posts. The 1.9” OD is the actual size though the industry nominal size is 1-7/8”. It can come in several different wall thicknesses which can add extra strength and rigidity to your mast. Some of the wall thicknesses are 0.065”, 0.090”, 0.109”, and 0.120”. I’m using the 0.090” thickness. Of these, the 0.065” is the lightest duty and is the thinnest wall that should be used. The 1.9” comes in lengths usually over 20′ long, so cutting or delivery arrangements have to be planned ahead. Five foot lengths are the best for our install because they are the optimal length to be used with the DIY ‘Winch-It-Up’ Mast Support described in another link here. Other sources of 1.9” galvanized tubing besides fence companies could be local steel companies, internet metal suppliers and local salvage yards. This website DOES NOT supply 1.9” mast material.
OR
1.740” OD EMT (ELECTRICAL METAL TUBING-INDUSTRY SIZE 1-1/2”): This is a 16 gauge wall (0.065”) that is galvanized on the outside and coated on the inside. It is the same or heavier gauge than the common telescopic mast. It provides excellent results when installed properly. It is readily available from local home supply stores in 10 foot lengths
NOTE: Due to both steel manufacturers’ allowable ID and OD tolerances for these products and any lengthwise runout, the fit with the Coupler/Reinforcer will be close but not perfect. There can be a small amount of free play, say 0.005-.010” +/-. That’s not much and as you raise your mast and put weight on it, it won’t be noticeable nor affect your install.
COUPLERS
Couplers are made from thick walled DOM steel (yield point around 70,000 psi) then cut into 8” lengths, machined, then zinc spray painted for corrosion protection. Their purpose is to couple together and reinforce the 5′ pieces of mast material being used for the antenna mast system. You need one for each joint. See Figure 1.
REINFORCERS
Reinforcers are 5” pieces of HD DOM steel that are machined and zinc rich spray painted. They are placed at the mid-point of the 5 footers and add extra strength and rigidity to the mast. They are only placed on 5 footers that are above the top standoff bracket. See Figure 1.
GUY RING RETAINER (GRR)
The Guy Ring Retainer is 1”(+/-) wide with one hole drilled and tapped. It is then zinc spray painted. It acts as the stop for the mast’s top guy ring. Couplers act as the GRR for lower level guys, so only one is needed per install. This includes the telescopic mast. See Figure 1.
GUY RINGS
FOR the 1.9″ OD and the 1-1/2″ EMT (1.740″ OD) mast materials:
You can purchase them through this website though they are marketed by Max-Gain Systems, Inc. You will use only one part number for your mast size-either GR-175 for the EMT mast or GR-2 for the 1.9” mast. You will need several of these depending on the mast height and where sections are to be guyed. Our price is the same as posted by Max-Gain Systems and we can include them in your Coupler, Reinforcer order without adding to your shipping costs. We carry only one color. NOTE: These guy rings are designed to be used with ROPE GUYS ONLY. Do not use with metal guy wire or any abrasive material. See Figure 1.
FOR the Telescopic Masts: factory guy rings are used.
SWIVEL BASE
I used a swivel base of my design. It keeps the mast in place when raising or lowering. It is described later on. See Figure 3.
GUY ROPES & TIGHTENERS
See the NOTES link under Guy System for types used. Availability is as noted. See Figure 4.
STANDOFF BRACKETS
Commercially made standoffs are available online or maybe locally. Make sure what you purchase can handle at least a 2-1/2” mast, and has a 4″ standoff. Even then you will have to remove the front bracket strap for the guy rings to clear. See the NOTES link under STANDOFF BRACKETS for detailed and helpful information.
‘WINCH-IT-UP’ ANTENNA MAST SUPPORT
This is a DIY mast support made from a 4×4 pressure treated beam. It uses two standoff brackets and a strap winch and is designed for use with 5′ sections of 1.9″ Fence Rail or 1-1/2″ EMT or a telescopic mast with an 8′ top section like a Rohn 9H50 type. See DIY MAST SUPPORT link for instructions.