This is a build of a TMF-3 based DXcommander style vertical antenna for portable use because at home I just do not have any space for anything on the lower bands. Also, when I did put up an inverted V once for 40m (hell of a job) it induced so much RF into the house it was not a great plan.
The basics of the DXcommander style verticals are well know, I won’t be going into that. This is focused on making use of my TMF-3 50 foot (15 metres) heavy duty fibreglass push up mast that O bought during lockdown, used for a while to support my lightweight 20m moxon but has been doing nothing since.
This video shows the TMF-3 mast and the guying points I have already made for it (excuse wind noise):
The TMF-3 at 50 foot tall is a beast of a mast and I have not yet fully extended it vertically. The garden was too small to get a decent angle on the guys to push up any higher than about 30 feet. I have added guying points to the mast, one atop the first section to secure it to push the rest up and one just above half way up. But the issue for me using it portable was to be able to anchor the bottom securely to work with the 1st guying point and of course enable connection of radials and radiators. So this is what I came up with:
This video explains the features of the base in more detail (excuse wind noise):
And this video shows a test fitting (excuse wind noise):
This is a push fit top for the very top of the mast that I drew up and 3D printed. Even though the mast is 15m tall it’s still too short for 80m so my plan is to take the wire over the top through this and out to the side at an angle and pegged to the ground via a length of cord.
To be continued…..