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IMPORTANT NOTE: This is an experimental tow-ball mount. Under test, I achieved some extreme loading however I can take no responsibility for anything going wrong. Playing with portable antennas inevitable leads to the odd “accident”. So please do your own risk-assessment by calculating what would happen in any failure and that you have considered the risk to life or property is minimised and within your own comfort zone.
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These plates are made from 12mm thick mild steel and the bolts are the highest quality I could find; 10mm high-tensile steel and they come with Barenco 10mm V bolts and stainless washers.
I use mine with a 44.5mm tube and a DX Commander pole for vertical HF operation however I also have visions of using perhaps a 6m tube with this mount (and a lightweight VHF yagi) with the tube resting on the ground, supported at about 45 cms with the tow-ball. You can compensate for uneven ground etc by adjusting the ball mount to achieve true vertical portable operations.Guying may be an option depending on your own limits.
They come in bare-metal (as in some of the photos). You may want to round off the edges very slightly. I notice that one corner has a sharp piece where the laser cutting machine started and stopped. I used a metal file to grind these off. Sandpaper may also work. To finish the component, use 250 grit wet and dry with some washing up liquid. Dry them off and paint with anything lying around your workshop. I happened to have some grey primer left in a can and a quarter can of matt-black lying about. But frankly it’ll take longer than your lifetime to rust anyway – so painting is completely optional.
The mount is designed to fit any tow-ball, both the bolt on type – and the swan neck version as shown in the photos.
I’ve used drive-on plates before and sometimes the uneven ground makes safe erection a bit of a hit-and-miss affair. At least you can compensate with this.
FAQ: Does the mount leave a mark on my towball? Under extreme testing, I managed to put a line in the rust on my swan-neck ball. It was extremely tiny and I could hardly feel it with my fingernail. On a brand-new ball, I couldn’t find the line. It’s your call. The tougher you are with it, the more likely you’ll leave a line, although probably extremely small since the ball is a harder material to the plates, which will give before the ball.Alternatively, take a file and round the inner edge of the hole.
PS – There is almost zero tolerance between the bolts and the holes. You may need to wiggle the V Bolts initially to get them in the hole. I have obviously done this intentionally for a low-flex system.