CLARK MASTS - MAST MOUNTING OPTIONS

CLARK MASTS - PORTABLE MASTS
Australian Distributors: Portable Masts Australia Pty Ltd - Contact Details

The following notes are intended to outline the principal ways of mounting a Clark Masts portable mast. For each method Clark Masts produces a full range of accessories and assisting ancillary equipment. Details on the range of these and other accessories which are available from Australian Distributor, Portable Masts Australia Pty Ltd, can be obtained by E-mailing Portable Masts Australia Pty Ltd.

	TRIPOD SUPPORTED CLARK MASTS FIELD MOUNTED PORTABLE MASTS In this case stability is provided by the rigidly attached legs and the weight of the leg/mast assembly. May be used standing on hard surfaces without guys or spikes. Can have top guys added if an antenna with a large side area is to be supported and winds are expected. For details on Tripods see the Mast Accessories web page.
GUY SUPPORTED FIELD MOUNTED PORTABLE CLARK MASTS Here the retracted portable mast is set up and supported in a vertical position by guys fixed to the top of the base tube and to ground pickets. Top guys can be attached and secured to the pickets after extension. This arrangement can only be used on ground into which pickets can be driven. For details on Guys and pickets see the Mast Accessories web page.
	SHORT RETRACTED VEHICLE OR SHELTER MOUNTED CLARK MASTS PORTABLE MASTS When the mast is less than 2.5 metres retracted, it may be mounted vertically, inside (A) or outside (B) the vehicle. In most case guys are needed only occasionally. Although 10 degrees of mast inclination should not be a problem, the arrangement in B may be provided with adjustable mountings which enable the mast to be set vertical on sloping ground. For details on Adjustable Mounts E-Mail Portable Masts Australia Pty Ltd
LONG RETRACTED VEHICLE OR SHELTER MOUNTED PORTABLE CLARK MASTS When the retracted length of the mast is too long for using the above system, the portable mast must be transported horizontally and set vertical for extension. Special easy to swing roof racks and trolleys are part of the Clark Masts mounting accessories range. For details on Roof Trolleys see the Mast Accessories web page.

CLARK MAST PORTABLE MAST GUYING INFORMATION
Guys may be simple wires or ropes connecting levels of a mast to ground attachment points. The use of guys on a Clark Masts portable mast can be twofold. In the first case guys are an indispensable part of the portable mast structure. In the second case the Clark Mast portable mast itself is self supporting and the guys are there only to provide the mast with stability. Most Clark Masts telescopic portable masts are of the second type. Guys can be constructed from a number of different materials. Steel cable is very effective but suffers from the disadvantage of being difficult to reel and handle. Stainless Steel is sometimes specified but can suffer the same damage in use as cheaper galvanised steel. Polyester (Terylene) has the advantage of being easy to reel and handle without damage, but has the disadvantage of high elasticity. Polymide (Kevlar) is straight fibred and much less elastic, but a little more difficult to knot and terminate. Debeglass is a non-conductive continuous filament PVC sheathed guy wire that does not elongate and is lighter than steel for the same strength. Clark Masts, through Australian Distributor Portable Masts Australia Pty Ltd, can supply all four types according to application, steel being to special order and Debeglass normally being a stock item. All of Clark Masts Terylene and Kevlar Guy Assemblies have their ends terminated with easy attachment snap hooks and ball tensioners. They also come with an attached, simple to use guy reel. A number of different Guy Pickets are available to suit a range of ground types. E-mail Portable Masts Australia Pty Ltd for details. Guying can be at 120 or 90 degrees. The advantage of 120 degree guying is the three quarter weight of the guy assemblies and pickets, plus less pickets to drive into the ground. Disadvantage is that picket spacing accuracy is important. Guys at 90 degrees require one extra picket to be driven, but picket position is less critical. While Clark Masts QT portable masts are fitted with collars for 3 way guying at 120 degrees, all other standard Clark Masts portable mast guy collars allow for both 3 way guying at 120 degrees or 4 way guying at 90 degrees.
SHOWN AT RIGHT IS THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN GUY TENSION AND THE HORIZONTAL STABILISING FORCE AT THE TOP OF THE MAST. HANDY CLARK MAST PORTABLE MAST GUYING INFORMATION Breaking Strength of Debeglass 4 mm dia. - 430 Kg Breaking Strength of Debeglass 5 mm dia. - 620 Kg Breaking Strength of Debeglass 6 mm dia. - 970 Kg Breaking Strength of Terylene 5 mm dia. - 600 Kg Breaking Strength of Steel Cable 2 mm dia. (6x7 construction) - 240 Kg Breaking Strength of Steel Cable 3 mm dia. (6x19 construction) - 500 Kg Breaking Strength of Kevlar 6 mm dia. - 1210 Kg, Weight of Kevlar in Kg/100m - 3.08 Kg Guys are necessary to stabilise a mast and increase its resistance to side loads. Tensions used should be minimum necessary to give stability in the winds likely to be encountered. Excessive tensions only increase downloads on the mast itself. The main tensions in the guys will be automatically generated by the attempted movement of the mast in the wind. Low modulus guys (e.g. Terylene) can never stabilise as effectively as high modulus guys (e.g. Debeglass, Kevlar or Steel) except in excessive pre-tensioning. For details on Guying Assemblies see the Mast Accessories web page.

Quick Jump Index to various Clark Masts portable masting Series
QT Series	FT Series	ST Series	DAF Field Mast Series	Air Supply Equipment
PT Series	YT Series	WT Series	XT Series	802 Trailer Mounted Series
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