Antenna Pole Clamp Set - Renovation.

About four years ago, I bought a set of hose ('Jubilee') clamps from Spiderbeam, to prevent the occasional slip of sections in my delta loop-supporting fishing pole.

The price for the clamp set, which is good quality, was then about £25.  By now, they are a bit cheaper at £18 and sold at a cost where getting your own clamps, rubber padding and shrink-tubing to make your own kit up is not worthwhile.

Recently, though, the rubber padding that prevents the clamps damaging the pole has reached the end of its life in the strong sunshine, salt-laden air and rain.  The rubber splits at the points where it makes contact with the top of the section below it.

5m of replacement rubber!

The life of the rubber can be extended somewhat by simply turning the clamp upside down and refixing it with the split rubber uppermost, and the undamaged part doing its work by facing into the section below it, preventing slippage.

The great thing about the Spiderbeam clamps is that they are made entirely of stainless steel.  This is not true of all 'stainless' clamps.  Many feature screw worms that are coated mild steel, which eventually rust.

When the rubber fails completely, I have no need to spend £18 on a complete new set, thanks to the all-stainless clamps.  I have just bought 5 metres of compressed neoprene band (3mm thick by 15mm wide) from E-bay, which cost me just £5.95, delivered.  That should keep me in antenna clamp padding for the rest of my life!