Sourcing non-metal telescopic pole - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / projects

author: Psi
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 14, 2014, 12:21:31 am
content: Hey guys,i'm trying to find something available to buy that i can mount a tiny 5ghz antenna on the end and easily extend upwards when needed. (telescopic)It needs to be adjustable in length from 20-30cm up to 1+ meters and made of something that is non-metallic.Does anyone have any ideas what i could buy/modify/build-easily and re-purpose for this task?

author: Andy Watson
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 14, 2014, 12:34:19 am
content: Drain pipe. The plastic/PVC/UPVC stuff - seems to be called PEX now a days. Definitely goes down to 22mm diameter in rigid form.

author: Monkeh
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 14, 2014, 12:35:37 am
content: Polyethylene is not Polyvinyl chloride.

author: Psi
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 14, 2014, 12:38:52 am
content: Quote from: Andy Watson on January 14, 2014, 12:34:19 amThanks, how would i make it extend up and down?Is it available in diameters that increment in 1mm steps making it possible to fit many lengths inside others?

author: JackOfVA
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: January 14, 2014, 12:48:53 am
content: Carbon fiber telescoping tubes are readily available. Check E-bay or a good camera store as they are often used for photographic tripods and the like. It's also used for antenna support masts in the ham radio field and for fishing rods.Advantage of carbon fiber is that for its size and weight it's much stronger than plastic plumbing pipe.

author: Andy Watson
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 14, 2014, 01:00:56 am
content: Quote from: Psi on January 14, 2014, 12:38:52 amDoes it have to be telescopic? I was thinking along the lines of a variety of fixed length tubes with straight-through adapters that push together. I don't think you'll find 1`mm steps.The other possibility might be electrical conduit. I was thinking of the "channelling" variety that's made for burying in walls (domestic). You can also get "decorative" conduit with what looks like a sliding lid.Are you looking for a permanent solution or is this a one-off bodge job?

author: don.r
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 14, 2014, 02:02:55 am
content: Loads of telescoping CF fishing rods on ebay up to 2m.

author: calexanian
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 14, 2014, 05:18:13 am
content: I was all ready to proudly recommend a full length fiberglass antenna mast that is long enough for mounting on top of a house. Then I realized what you need in little..... Y

author: C
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 14, 2014, 05:30:27 am
content: Some camping equipment I had years ago had some nice simple telescoping pipe sections.They just used an offset center pivot between a short section of pipe and the same size that was the telescoping part of the inside pipe.This May not be clear, take two washers and re drill the center hole off of center. Put a tight fit bolt through the new hole in the washers. As you rotate one washer with respect to the other they change from a circle to more oval shape. One washer is the long telescoping inside pipe while the second washer is a short section of the same size pipe. You would slide the pipes to the length you want and then give the outside pipe a twist with respect to the inside pipe to lock them.They did this with a simple bushing inside the pipe that had an offset center. The problem is that you need a little friction between between the short section of pipe and the pipe it is sliding inside so you can get the offset to lock. Does not take much, they used an o-ring in a grove on the short section.Many ways to do a friction lock like this.C

author: Psi
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 14, 2014, 06:53:01 am
content: yeah, ive seen tripods that use the twist lock style connection.Thanks i will check out carbon fibre telescopic things.

author: GeoffS
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: January 14, 2014, 07:03:46 am
content: Have a look for a camera monopod.I have one (aluminium though) that is just under 600mm closed and three times that when extended,

author: pickle9000
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 14, 2014, 07:05:21 am
content: Monopods are just about a hundred bucks but probably need little modification. A fishing rod is much cheaper but the line loops are normally metal and integral to the telescoping action.

author: Kremmen
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 14, 2014, 07:05:32 am
content: Quote from: Psi on January 14, 2014, 06:53:01 amWhen you said non-metallic did you in fact mean non-conducting? Because carbon fibre is a conductor.

author: Psi
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 14, 2014, 07:16:08 am
content: Yeah, i mean something that wont screw up the antenna/RF.I may have to mount the antenna/RX on a short PVC pole (or something RF safe) and attach that to a metal/carbon pole to get some separation.But a non-conductive pole would be ideal.I've come across bamboo fishing poles that are telescopic but they are a bit long when retracted.

author: pickle9000
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 14, 2014, 07:27:20 am
content: How about this?http://www.ebay.ca/itm/Traveling-7-Sections-Telescopic-Pole-Fishing-Rod-2-1M-/390700880025?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item5af7965099

author: vk6zgo
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 14, 2014, 07:31:50 am
content: Hams use things known as "Squid poles" in Oz, & "Crappie poles" in the USA (a Crappie is a type of fish).These things are telescopic,made of (I think) fibreglass,& don't seem to have any problems with RF.(they are often used to support vertical HF antennas,where the "antenna" is just some wire taped to the pole.They arehugefor your application however,being 7 -9m long,so you would have to just use part of one,keeping the rest for some other use.

author: Psi
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 14, 2014, 08:41:36 am
content: Quote from: pickle9000 on January 14, 2014, 07:27:20 amPERFECT!ThanksJust bought 3 of themIm building a backpack ground station for FPV and want to get the antennas up high if needed but also have it collapse down into the backpack.2.1m is awesome. I can even duct tape all 3 together in an emergency to create a 6.3 meter pole to poke models out of trees

author: pickle9000
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 14, 2014, 09:22:02 am
content: Or you could go fishing.For stuff in trees try this,http://www.ebay.ca/itm/High-Velocity-Pro-Wrist-Brace-Folding-Slingshot-Powerful-Hunting-Rocket-Catapult-/301031531009?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4616e0a201I have one very fun.

author: Psi
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 14, 2014, 10:15:46 am
content: Quote from: pickle9000 on January 14, 2014, 09:22:02 amna, i'm a vegetarian.

author: peter.mitchell
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 14, 2014, 04:56:14 pm
content: Quote from: Psi on January 14, 2014, 10:15:46 amWhats that got to do with anything?

author: Psi
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 15, 2014, 01:43:22 am
content: Seriously?

author: DavidGoncalv
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: January 15, 2014, 05:45:09 pm
content: I know this isn't the thing you are looking for, but perhaps somebody will get some use out of the recommendation.I had to do some antenna testing and needed a non-conductive pole to loft the radio up about 10 feet. I used this:http://www.parts-express.com/bes-tpf614-telepole-6-15-ft-telescoping-fiberglass-pole--365-556The pole was fairly light and I performed many hours of testing with it in one hand and a laptop in the other.

author: calexanian
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 15, 2014, 06:18:35 pm
content: Quote from: peter.mitchell on January 14, 2014, 04:56:14 pmI am neither a vegetarian, or fisherman. When I was a kid I used to fish, but I don't eat anything that swims around here, and I don't want to hurt the fish, even though I know they don't have the capacity for rational thought, BUT... I have known many vegetarians who fish. Just because you catch it don't mean you have to eat it! They are perfectly happy to go right back into the water. I used to actually grind the barbs off to it was easier to unhook them.