Mounting elements to a boom

Written by dl5dbm, Anwar von Sroka

Here is an easy methode to mount elements to a boom, this can be realised at home, without the need of special tools. The material you use can be alluminum or brass, dosn`t matter about the weight because you only need a little bit of it.

But it should be strong enough to do this job and withstand corrosion.

Usually the mounting-brackets are made commercially preformed out of alluminium (contackt to the boom), or plastic (isolated from the boom). And you might have to buy them, because you hardly can manufacture them yourself.

Make the boom out of a square tube, the mounting is much easier!!

 

Here is a solution to this problem, think about it!

 

 

Before you drill the hole take the skrew off, leaving the nut in place,

When you tighten the skrew you will move the U-bracket upwords, because the skrew pushes against the boom, and the element is tightend between them.

 

This is how it looks like from the front, and you can cut drill and bend the material at home.

If you use brass you can solder the nut to the bracket, and if you use alluminium you should think about glueing the nut to the bracket !!

I have used this method several times and the biggest advantage is that you can take the whole construktion appart again.

If you want to mount the elements isolated from the boom, just sleave a plastic tubing over the element in the area were the bracket is, drill a larger hole and do it in the same way. The only thing you have to pay attention to is that the edges of the holes in the bracket and boom are dull, so that they won`t damage the isolating material on the element.

Use locktight (or instant glue) to fix the skrews, otherwise you might have to climb up the tower after a few jears to tighten all the skrews again.

Good luck and have a lot of fun with your expertly homebrew antenna!!

 

PS.: It is not a shame to be DUMM when you have good IDEAS!!

 

73 from dl5dbm, Anwar von Sroka

 

PDF-FILE DOWNLOAD

Back to the Homebrew Page