Mountaineering and 3D-Photography

[P3D Dan Keen <70731.722@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Franz,

Regarding a 3D walking stick... Ham-radio hobyists who are hikers sometimes 
use round aluminum stock hiking-stick telescoping vertical antennas. Only 
mailorder place I know with large supplies at low prices for some strange 
reason didn't list their 800 number with the operator: finally found it as 
Texas Towers 800-272-3467. They publish small free catalogue. 

Their .058" thick 6063-T832 tubing comes in 15 diameters ranging from .375" 
to 2.125" diameter, each size telescopes silky-smooth tight with the next 
size. Tubes up to six feet long will ship UPS. 

We use the adjacent sizes of 5/8" (.625"), 3/4" (.750), 7/8" (.875), and 1"
for telescoping walking stick antenna. A large chainstore drugstore had many 
sizes of rubber crutch tips, one size fitted tight on the end which touches 
rocky trail. Tennis racket tape made good grip.

Two 1/4 inch long hacksawed slots on the end of each tube, and hoseclamps to 
tighten. Then to prevent twisting, a few holes are drilled through each two 
adjoining tubes for number 10 size machine screws, lockwashers, nuts. Using 
thumbscrews and wingnuts make wrenches unecessary.  

 1/2" diameter alum tube weighs 1/10 pound per foot, 
 1" dia. 2/10 lbs per foot, 
 2" dia. 4/10 lbs. per foot (too heavy in my opinion).

For radio antenna, fine business. But for a long camera bracket maybe there's 
more practical ideas then the walking stick approach, who knows <g>.

Dan


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