5 Years With My Homemade Antenna Tower. How has it held up?

A lot of people said it would never last, but....

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[tankman]

I like your ability to ' adapt and overcome' ! If it works, it works!

The main reason I never joined a club, when I first got in the hobby back in the mid 1980's was the local club members looked down a person if they didn't have the ' High End' equipment. They wouldn't help with questions either, so I learned on my own and like the Hams of old I built what I needed with what I had or could scrounge up! I learned a lot doing it that way!

[roberthoffman]

I went to my local well driller and I was able to go through a huge pile of used galvanized well pipes and pull out the best of them for $5 each I used them to make an antenna pole. I only have a PT-99 and a long wire antenna on the one at my shed, and the one at the house I have the largest winegard TV antenna. They have been up for many years now with no issues. There's been a few storms that have had really strong winds, and they are still standing. Hopefully for a long time because at this point I don't think I could do it again.

[rod]

"necessity is the mother of invention" as the old timers say.

[cmmnuld]

Still looks good Erik great budget build. Have a great day to you and Jen

[audiodaze]

Always enjoy seeing your radio hobby related videos!

[HouseOfTheStrings]

I modeled one of my towers off of this. I scaled mine down just a bit because I don't have a tractor to stand it up, though! So far its survived 3 severe thunder storms. Currently thinking about building a second tower. Thanks for the great ideas!

[Maxid]

Side note on your power wash comment: I had a place in San Francisco about a mile from the ocean. The house used to get that funk on it and power washing isn't great for shiplap wood boards so I hand washed it. I painted that house 3 times in the time I had it. And the mold, lichen and general particle crap that sticks to a surface that's bathed continually in salt air had to be washed off every 6 months. Well, it got washed off every 6 months but it was back within 3 months. The 3rd time I painted it I got this additive that was supposed to stop anything from growing on it. You mix the packet into 5 gallons of the topcoat paint. This is California so nothing that works is usually allowed. I didn't have high hopes. I can't even get real brake cleaner in this backwards state! So Imagine my surprise when a year later I finally notice, the house looks as clean as the day I painted it! The house still looked freshly painted the day I put it on the market. I went back a few times to visit the new owner to get mail and to see the work she'd done. She finished the back yard and the removal of carpet to expose the hardwood floors under it. Only one mistake was made, her contractor tried to stain match the floors I'd done. Only problem was, I didn't stain them, I sanded and clear coated them. Anyway, the paint still looked crisp. I looked at the house recently (I think she sold it, the market is nuts!), they painted it another color. Their loss. I don't think that stuff is going to work through another color.

[mcdeadsquirrel]

Super vid!!! Super tower!!!! Super super everything!!! Thanks for taking the time of make this great vid....from Upstate NY

[josephdurnal]

I've been working on my tower for over a year, mostly affording it. I've been trying not to spend on interim solutions, but I've missed being on the radio regularly

[robertmeyer]

Great update ! just shows more than 1 way to get antenna up and keep them up. 2 meter antenna is close enough for MURS VHF radios. Free to use and can have external antenna. Just 2 watts but with a good antenna like a J pole up high it goes quite far. need better coax for UHF/VHF . GMRS works great as well. NOAA weather VHF near 2 meter ham as well. Some police and fire use VHF some UHF and a few still use low band VHF that the 30 to 50 MHZ band. not common but still in use in a few places. Marane radio is VHF so if buy water, lots to listen to. I find a FM antenna can receive AM aircraft good. That 108 to 136 MHZ . just above FM band. When just listing . receive only. SWR not important. I find 75 ohm coax works great for recieving. You use what works with what you have and can afford. The so called "EXPERTS" not always right.

[DellFargus]

If it's stupid and it works, then it isn't stupid.
I use a 25' telescoping Harbor Freight flagpole with a piece of 10' galvanized conduit held to the top section of the flagpole by 4 hose clamps. Spent maybe $100 on it 4 years ago. I've talked all over the world on antennas connected to it.

[Maxid]

What did they base their 6 month limit on? People that just sit and watch others do never cease astound me.

[hatchetjackphillips]

Don’t knock it, if it works! What’s your antenna setup at the new studio?

[CrazyMike²]

It looks like you could jumpstart Frankenstein with that thing

[CBPunisher]

I use gods tower aka tall tree 😂 and its free and 200 ft lol

[donalfinn]

That’s not a tower. It’s cobbled together homebrew shed leftovers, but if it works for you…….. Not a tower.

[jimmywells]

talked with you on ssb today for a tiny bit, 998 oklahoma