[ARDF] Collapsible pole verticals

[Kenneth E. Harker]

     I'm looking for something with which to make an 80 meter vertical 
transmitter antenna like that used at the 2003 IARU Region II ARDF 
Championship.  The best description I can find for building one of these 
is a two-sentence description at: http://members.aol.com/joemoell/80intro.html.
Does anyone know of a more complete antenna construction article available 
anywhere?  Something that describes how to physically build the transformer,
what wire guages should be used, how to make tuning adjustments, etc?

     I know I'll need a collapsible, non-conductive mast to put the vertical
wire in the air.  I have found three sources:

* My local sporting goods chain, Academy Sports, sells collapsible fishing 
  poles up to 16' in length that break down to comething like 36" collapsed.
  $22.

* World Radio Magazine sells an "SD-20 Antenna Support."  Basically a 
  carbon fiber collapsible pole that is 20' extended, 47" collapsed.  $25.
  http://www.wr6wr.com/

* Kanga US sells their DK9SQ Fiberglass Antenna Support pole that is 33' 
  extended, 46" collapsed.  $106.
  http://www.bright.net/~kanga/kanga/dk9sq.htm

Since the only description of the antenna construction I have uses a 26'
vertical wire, and I'm sure the transformer winding is dependent on that 
length, I guess I need to look for a 27' to 28' pole.  But I don't want to 
spend $106 per pole.  Can anyone recommend a mail-order source?

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Kenneth E. Harker      "Vox Clamantis in Deserto"      kharker at cs.utexas.edu
University of Texas at Austin                   Amateur Radio Callsign: WM5R
Department of the Computer Sciences          Central Texas DX & Contest Club
Taylor Hall TAY 2.124                         Maintainer of Linux on Laptops
Austin, TX 78712-1188 USA            http://www.cs.utexas.edu/users/kharker/
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