# scratch built a radio antenna pole photo



## bishop (Oct 4, 2012)

I was out train watching a few days ago and caught something in one of my pics by accident. I snapped a pic that had one of the high, two way radio phone poles in it. I noticed it when I imported the pics, and wanted to build one. I decided to build it in HO for my sons layout, he loves the homemade details better than the manufactured. I went through my hardware stockpile and found just the right scrap parts. It was a fun evening project, the only actual model piece I used was, a cheap HO signal cabinet from a box of train show parts. I stabbed my finger pretty good with a piano wire, and put iodine on it. I touched the wooden pole while the iodine was still wet and noticed it stained the wood really nice. So, I used iodine tincture to stain the entire pole. I used wire for the coax down the side of the pole and into the box. I didn't try to get it perfect to scale, but it came out close, 45' scale from bottom to tip of antenna - climbing stirrups are around 10" scale out from the pole - antenna itself is about 5' scale. It looks really close to the prototype, I love the way it looks. Wanted to post it and see what you all thought about it. It's not in a scene yet, it's sitting on my bench.

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sorry for not posting in structures forum, I forgot there was one, move it there maybe?


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## raleets (Jan 2, 2011)

Bishop,
My working days included a 14-year stint with Motorola Communications so I spent quite a bit of time around towers very similar to your creation.
You did a GREAT job and, frankly, I just may steal your idea and attempt to create one just like it for my layout.
That particular type of antenna would have been used for a VHF (very high frequency) system, which is pretty much what most railroads used from the 1950's thru 1990's.
Very impressive! Nice work!! :appl::appl:
Bob


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## maddmax (Apr 22, 2013)

Looks Great!!!! I cant wait till i get at that point where i can start Building some stuff from scratch


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## tjcruiser (Jan 10, 2010)

Looks great! Nice real-world inspired build!


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## bishop (Oct 4, 2012)

thanx, glad you all like it, this one is for my sons HO, but I have started on some for my N scale layout, I love the rough look
I'm a radio hobbyist too and amateur ham, so that kind of pursuaded me to build it also. Yeah this is the local, they're on the line about every 5 miles, they've just started replacing them with aluminum poles and antennas with radials. If anyone would like I could make some more.


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

Very cool, not your usual scratch build.


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## Carl (Feb 19, 2012)

Very nice scratch. Great work on the stirrups. I have found it difficult when having make more than one. The first one looks ok, the second gets a little out of whack and about the 5 one, forget. You did an excellent job.


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## bishop (Oct 4, 2012)

*materials I had on hand*



raleets said:


> Bishop,
> My working days included a 14-year stint with Motorola Communications so I spent quite a bit of time around towers very similar to your creation.
> You did a GREAT job and, frankly, I just may steal your idea and attempt to create one just like it for my layout.
> That particular type of antenna would have been used for a VHF (very high frequency) system, which is pretty much what most railroads used from the 1950's thru 1990's.
> ...


I used the smallest dia dow rod I had, I think 3/16" maybe. I used leftover music wire for the stirrups and the antenna. Used 32 gauge magnet wire for the coax. Used piece of clipboard wood for the mounting base, I will imbed it into the foam layout bed. Tools were, dremel with course sanding drum, 2 needle nose pliars/cutters, Loc Tite professional strength ca (it's awesome), fine thread screw to rub on the length of the pole to give it a rough splintered look, medical iodine for the staining, black paint pen, white paint pen, HO scale signal box, very thin craft wire for securing the antenna, then touched with ca
I used the dremel and ran it along the pole to give it a taper toward the top, I bent the music wire and then cut it (wear safety glasses), dipped in ca and pushed into the pole, staggering the stirrups, painted the magnet wire/coax black, slid up under the antenna and added a touch of ca, held coax tight and added a few spots of ca down the length of it to hold it to the pole, heated music wire and melted hole in side of signal cabinet for coax


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## broox (Apr 13, 2012)

Petty cool!

I gotta build something like that to hide a couple of seams/joins in the backboard/divider where my modules meet. 
I'm thinking that (atleast) one of these will fit the bill quite nicely 

Edit:
Hey, ya reckon you can upload the original pic that inspired it too? for some comparison. cheers!


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## kix662003 (Mar 8, 2013)

Great idea and use for Iodine! Looks like you may have started a new trend, too. We can see why your son likes your scratch built structures. We do too!


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## bishop (Oct 4, 2012)

*I think*



broox said:


> Petty cool!
> 
> I gotta build something like that to hide a couple of seams/joins in the backboard/divider where my modules meet.
> I'm thinking that (atleast) one of these will fit the bill quite nicely
> ...


I'll see if it's still on the sd card. After I use pics, I delete them from my hard drive, I've kinda got ocd when it comes to my computers being clean...lol


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