Pivoting Vertical Tiltover Mounts

Vertical Tiltover Mount Pivot
Uses aluminum insert.

Yesterday witnessed the completion of the Saltwater Vertical Tilt Over Project with the installation of the second mount in the Northeast vertical. All went smoothly, the job taking about 30 minutes. When completed, the vertical could be raised with one hand, and then locked into place with a bolt. The contraption is a perfect solution which also simplifies the mounting of the PVC capsules containing the ferrite-bead and static discharge chokes: a sheetrock screw holds the metal bracket to the timber. The contraption also lowers the visual impact of the antenna system by minimizing use of white PVC tubes with the wooden supports blending in with the browns and tans of the Marsh. 

One of the modifications to the Tilt-Over System® is the introduction of an aluminum tube inserted through the lower connection point. I cut one yesterday from aluminum tubes procured from the ScrapYard before heading out to the field. What happens is you insert this short section of aluminum tube through the timber and ground pipe holes, cutting the end off so that it is flush with the ground pipe. Fender washers are sandwiched between the timber and the ground pipe. When a carriage bolt is passed through the aluminum tube and tightened, it compresses the tube rather than the timber to the ground pipe. This creates a strong lower mount which also pivots. Stacking fender washers between the two adjusts how far out the tube emerges from the ground pipe, and thus adjusts the tightness of the pivot.