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Old 12-19-2008, 11:59 AM   #17
WB4VYH
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: East Tennessee
Posts: 15
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During my years in the "dirt" Air Force, HF Radio was used a lot. The tactical HF whip antennas were fiberglass (metal wire inside and metal sections on the end), the sections were about 5 feet or so long and screwed together, for a max length of 32 ft (any length above 15 ft should be guyed. These things were tough and stood up very well. They were lots of add ons, including guying equipment, carry bags, ground mount tripods, clamps for adding wire to make it in an inverted L. However, they came in only one color, Olive Drab!

Additionally, the Camo kits we deployed with uses fiberglass (as I remember there were some medal one also ) poles (to support the cammo netting)about 3 ft long, and about 1.5 IN in dia. and were swaged so that one fit into the next. They were pretty durable and , you guessed it, they were also olive drab!

We also had HF Antenna Support Kits, called "GRA-4!" These things were designed to sopport almost any configuration of a wire antenna for HF use. A compleat GRA-4 had any item you would need to put up a HF Antenna. Wire, center-feed sections, end insulators, coax, guying kits, base plates, masts, et al! The mast sections were aluminum, either 3 or 5 feet long (different kits) swaged ends and were designed to be installed to a 40 ft with proper guying! Very strong mast sections, and in my favorite color.....olive drab!

There was also a NVIS Antenna Kit, but it was a bit real-estate intensive. It worked pretty well for "in-theater" (70-350 mile range) communications.

I have seen parts of all the above "systems" at Ham Fest and also surplus stores. Remember these systems were for Tactical use (but not to be back-packed) and were made to erect quickly and to pack up compactly, if not lightly! I have made great use of parts of these systems during my ham activities! OK, I confess I have been know to paint them a color other than olive drab.

The next time you see a booth with lots of Olive drap stuff sittin' around it at a ham fest.....stop and look...it might give you an idea!

Al
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