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Old 8th Sep 2018, 3:24 pm   #1
Gi4CZW Cliff
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Default Unknown collapsible rods.

Hope this is in the correct place.
I saw these rods many years ago at a 'Ham rally bring and buy and never knew what they were intended for. They extend to seven foot eight inches and the one, top left in photo, has a rubbery tip, while the other end is just another of the slot-together collars. The rods are of a hard, near ceramic material. While old, the inner cord runs the whole length and shows no sign of wear. When assembled it's unsteady to raise up. Any suggestions as to what it was. TIA. Cliff.
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Old 8th Sep 2018, 3:49 pm   #2
mark_in_manc
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Default Re: Unknown collapsible rods.

Looks a lot like a tent pole for a dome tent, to me...
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Old 8th Sep 2018, 4:27 pm   #3
Nuvistor
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Default Re: Unknown collapsible rods.

I helped my son in law put his dome tent up a couple of weeks ago using poles exactly like those.
Agree with Mark, tent poles.
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Old 8th Sep 2018, 6:11 pm   #4
Lloyd 1985
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Default Re: Unknown collapsible rods.

Definitely tent poles! Might be able to use them for radio, maybe a collapsible mast for an aerial?!

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Old 8th Sep 2018, 9:31 pm   #5
kellys_eye
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Default Re: Unknown collapsible rods.

ISTR antennas for lifeboat radios looking like that.

They were meant for 500kHz, 2182kHz and 8364kHz (distress frequencies). The only thing 'missing' is the rubber boot covered connection for the radio set itself.....

The key would be whether the 'cord' running through the rods was elasticated or not - elasticated = tent poles, flexible wire = antenna.

Looks a lot like WIRE to me.....
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Old 8th Sep 2018, 9:39 pm   #6
crackle
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Default Re: Unknown collapsible rods.

Used for pushing a cable under the floorboards? I have seen similar things used to aid fitting out old cat5 cable under the raised floor in the office.

Mike
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Old 8th Sep 2018, 10:28 pm   #7
Gi4CZW Cliff
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Default Re: Unknown collapsible rods.

Thank you for the insights so far. I thought I had best jump in and say that I had forgotten to add, that the cord is of a nylon weave sort of thing. Quite unusual and non-conducting. Cliff.
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Old 9th Sep 2018, 12:38 am   #8
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Default Re: Unknown collapsible rods.

I have used many of those found in a place where a junkie used to live until he gave up due to park rangers slashing his tent to bits.
They make good electric fence poles as they are non conducting.
They can also be used for propping up soft fruit branches when the fruit gets too heavy so that slugs can't reach the crop.
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Old 9th Sep 2018, 9:45 am   #9
kellys_eye
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Default Re: Unknown collapsible rods.

Cable access tool then - the end looks as if it's been pushed past a few semi-solid objects In its past and the rubber tip for 'safety' and damage prevention?

Although...... I would have thought the pieces would SCREW together to allow a 'pull' motion if they were cable running rods.

Back to the tent pole answer then
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Old 9th Sep 2018, 11:07 am   #10
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Default Re: Unknown collapsible rods.

They look like Tent Poles to me, spent many happy hours with such items.
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Old 9th Sep 2018, 11:54 am   #11
broadgage
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Default Re: Unknown collapsible rods.

Agree, probably tent poles.
If intended for fishing cables through inaccessible spaces then I would expect them to screw or latch together like drain or chimney rods.
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Old 9th Sep 2018, 7:45 pm   #12
michamoo
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Default Re: Unknown collapsible rods.

Tent poles...found some exactly the same on a Norfolk beach which i used to make a long whip antenna
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Old 9th Sep 2018, 9:26 pm   #13
Gi4CZW Cliff
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Default Re: Unknown collapsible rods.

Yes, must be tent poles, I took a look on the internet and can see them. When they appeared at a bring-and-buy, people were thinking of an engineering function. Bit sad really. Thank you everybody. Cliff.
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