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?
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
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
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.
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.
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!
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
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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