Telescopic Masts: What Are They and How Do They Work?

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Do you own a small business? If so, then you understand the importance of reliable communication.

This is especially true when you have employees working outside the office or you operate a business that deals with remote services such as emergency medical services.

When your business relies on long-distance radio communication or WiFi hotspots, staying in contact with the home office from remote locations is often easier said than done. Fortunately, you’ve come to the right place for help.

This article takes a look at the benefits of using telescopic masts for long-distance communication. Keep reading to get the inside scoop.

What Is a Telescopic Mast?

Let’s start by discussing the definition of a telescopic mast. After all, this is a product that not everyone will be familiar with.

Basically, when you hear someone use the term “telescopic mast”, they are referring to an upright pole or tower consisting of a series of tubular sections. These tubular sections slide inside one another in order to extend or extract the length of the pole.

This type of structure can be extremely useful for providing a structure for supporting a radio or video antenna for increasing broadcasting range. This is especially useful for broadcasting or receiving digital signals from very remote areas.

You will most commonly see a telescopic mast attached to the top or rear of a vehicle or trailer. Once the vehicle arrives at its destination, the mast can then be raised to its full height.

What Is a Telescopic Mast Made of?

Now let’s talk about the type of materials generally used to build a telescopic mast.

A variety of materials can be used in the manufacture of a telescoping mast. They include steel and aluminum. When choosing the type of material for their mast, a customer will first need to determine how it will be used.

After all, different applications will require greater strength. This is especially true if the mast will be used in severe weather conditions or heavy winds. Whereas if the mast will be installed at a fixed, permanent location, aluminum should be plenty strong enough.

Understanding How They Work

This type of product is actually simple to operate. The key is understanding how a telescoping mast is assembled and then being mindful of carefully extending it to its full length.

Again, keep in mind that the anatomy of this type of mast consists of a series of tubular sections that fit neatly together into a single unit. Therefore, operating is fairly straightforward.

Pneumatic masts use air pressure to extend and retract the structure quickly and efficiently. The mechanism for doing this consists of hand pumps or electric pumps, depending on the model you purchased. Regardless of the type of mechanism fitted on the mast, the process of extending or retracting takes less than 2 minutes.

Once the mast is fully extended, the structure will be securely locked in place until you are ready to retract it.

Common Uses For Telescopic Towers

Now let’s take a moment to discuss the most common uses for telescoping masts throughout a variety of industries or for personal use at home.

For starters, there’s a nearly endless number of commercial or personal uses for this type of product. For example, a telescopic tower is extremely useful for tactical long-range surveillance, mobile surveillance, and a wide range of law enforcement investigations.

They are also popular with organizations that perform video analytics and search operations. Not to mention the need for such a device for firefighting, locating hotspots, the use of thermal cameras, and monitoring large crowds at public events.

Telescopic towers can also be incredibly useful for monitoring construction sites, monitoring and detecting drones, and for commercial security video monitoring to prevent theft.

One of the great benefits of this type of telescopic structure is the fact that they are light and mobile, making them ideal for transport into remote areas without needing to worry about permanently anchoring them in the ground. In other words, you can easily move a mast around as needed and then remove it from the area when the task is complete.

How High Do They Extend?

Everyone has a different height requirement when purchasing a telescopic mast. The average mast will extend from 10-50 feet.

Once you’ve extended your mast to the desired height, you can then simply lock it in place with what’s called a “lockable collar. This simple feature will keep it from sliding out of position.

When you’re ready to retract the structure, loosen the lockable collar and retract the mast using the hand pump or electric pump.

It’s important to be mindful of the area where the extendable mast will be used. After all, there could be height restrictions for safety reasons. Thus it’s crucial to do a little research to make certain the use of the mast won’t create any type of problem or result in a potential fine.

Learn more about telescopic towers on this homepage.

Where Can They Be Placed?

When it comes to mounting your telescopic mast, you have several choices.

For use on mobile units, a mast is typically mounted to the side of a trailer or on a trailer hitch. This provides for a solid mounting surface while also enabling easy removal for storage.

The key is to mount the mast on a surface where it won’t be a safety issue during transport.

Using Guy Wire With a Telescopic Mast

You might be wondering whether or not it’s necessary to secure your mast with a guy wire. While most masts are adequately stable when securely mounted, it’s impossible to predict how one might be impacted in various conditions. Thus it’s best to carefully read the manufacturer’s specific guidelines for the product you’ve purchased.

A Guide to the Benefits of Using Telescopic Masts for Small Business

There’s nothing easy about operating a mobile small business. Fortunately, telescopic masts are a great way to keep your business communications as effective as possible.

Keep scrolling to discover more great small business and lifestyle advice on this blog.

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