When it comes to explaining swedged antenna masts, Stuart Sweet really let you down. He’s said very little about swedged masts. Just wow. Most of the time we can’t get you to shut up about products and devices that strike your fancy! But enough about him. I’d like to grab the reins this week to tell you about swedging and why it’s important to cord-cutters and anyone else who needs an antenna. And I promise to offer more detail than Mr. Sweet, who’s take on this topic lasted about as long as the sugar rush he’s named after.
Swedge: What Is It?
The word “swedge” is defined as the act of “shaping metal using a hammer or other force.” The word “swedged” is the part participle of its root word that’s used to describe a piece of metal that’s been shaped or molded by force. For the purposes of this post, the swedged I’m referring to is specific to antenna masts. A swedged antenna mast is more than just a metal pole that’s been shaped by a hammer. To call it that would be lowering myself to Stuart Sweet levels of simplicity, and I’m not about that life.
Swedged antenna masts are easy to spot and have a specific purpose. First, there’s the swedge itself. It’s a groove that’s pressed into one end of an otherwise round pole. This causes the swedged end to take on the appearance of the number eight. So, what’s the purpose of this dimpled end? It allows you to connect one antenna mast to another in order to add height to your antenna installation. As you probably know, the higher you raise an antenna, the more you lessen the effects of anything that might obstruct signal.
Swedged Antenna Mast
Solid Signal carries a handful of swedged antenna masts. Take this one, for example. It’s five feet long, has a 1.25” outer diameter, and a swedged end. The last part of that is the most critical. That swedged end lets you connect it to another mast to raise your antenna 10 feet in the air. This can help clear your antenna of the things that typically obstruct signal, like trees and buildings. For added durability, this antenna mast is made out of galvanized steel for added durability.
While we recommend stacking this mast with another, there are limits to what you can do with that. We recommend you ONLY use a pair of these antenna masts for your installation. With the weight of the antenna up top, even if it’s a small antenna, there’s only so high you can go with these things. If you connect three or more masts together, you could get some serious sway. Even in the slightest summer breeze could create problems because the mast doesn’t have support. Keep this in mind before installing!
To be fair, we’ve had at least one customer who’s successfully used three of these masts. Here’s the catch: he isn’t your average do-it-yourself installer. The gentleman is an experienced HAM radio enthusiast, and this wasn’t his first installation. So, how did he keep his antenna from swaying? He braced the mast at eight feet with a heavy-duty wall mounting bracket. So, I guess it’s okay to use more than two of these antenna masts IF you really know your stuff. As a general rule, we never recommend using more than a pair of these antenna masts.
“Why Can’t I Get it Locally?”
Want to guess who asked me that? Yup, it was none other than Stuart Sweet. But even when he’s being annoying, he makes a good point. You CAN get a similar product at your local home improvement store for about $8. Why not just do that? My answer to him, and anyone else who’d ask that question, is simple: because you can trust the Solid Signal brand.
Here at Solid Signal, we work with the best vendors and carry the best products. We know our 5’ swedged antenna mast has a 1.25” outer diameter and is made of galvanized steel. We can tell you with confidence that you can use this mast to mount TV, radio, cellular, and even wireless internet antennas. More importantly, we also offer plenty of installation advice for new cord-cutters who have to become first-time DIY installers.
Compare all that to the dude making minimum wage at the local home improvement store. Can he offer you the same level of customer service and product guarantees as us? Let me help you answer that question with a resounding NO. Chances are good that he’s counting the minutes before he can go home and do a six-hour Fortnite binge with his online buddies he calls his “best friends.”
“Dude, it’s a Pole”
That’s what Stuart told me when I said I wanted to write this post. That was his way of trying to discourage me from taking the time to write about what he sees as a piece of metal. Stuart sometimes forgets that everyone isn’t a TV antenna geek from way back like he is. There are more new cord-cutters these days than there are old-school experts like him. As a relatively newcomer to this myself, I understand that there are so many things to learn. I enjoy sharing those things with you.
If you’re reading this, I hope I was able to teach you something new. I also hope you’re someone who’s looking for a swedged antenna because Solid Signal has them. If you want to save on this and other products, you should sign up for our email list. You’ll get notified our daily deals that offer significant savings on this swedged antenna mast and many more great products.
