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CLARK
MASTS
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| Page 6 of 18 - Clark Masts, over 67 Years Old in 2023 - SCAM Field Mounted Military Mast Series |
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In the early 1970's Clark Masts published their first catalogue in 16 years. Alec Clark, the company's founder had been designing and building portable air-operated telescopic masts since 1957. During this time Alec Clark's unique lightweight portable masts had found their way into applications throughout the world with government Departments Of Defence, Police Departments, Fire Departments and Emergency Services. Commercial and industrial applications included for Radio Field Strength Surveying, TV Field Strength Surveying and portable radio communications. Alec Clark's company, Clark Masts Limited, performed practically ever manufacturing operation itself in-house. Fabrication, casting, precision machining, canvas sewing, plastic and rubber mouldings, anodising and plating, painting, printing, publishing and even the manufacture of packing cases were all in-house operations. Australian users first saw these unique portable masts in the early 1960's courtesy of a antenna manufacturing company called Belling-Lee and the foresight of a gentleman working for them at the time, Frank Welsh. Frank went on, with others, to form his own company, Scalar Industries, in the late 1960's and brought the Clark Masts agency with him. Following Frank Welsh's retirement from Scalar in the mid 1980's GFS Electronics took on the Australian distributorship and continued to market Clark Masts in the Australia Asia-Pacific region until the company was closed in 2011. In 2012 a new company, started by Greg Whiter, who was previously Managing Director of GFS Electronics took over the Australian distributorship of Clark Masts. That new company is Portable Masts Australia Pty Ltd. Illustrated in this web page, for historical purposes, are the SCAM Series Field mountable Masts pages from Clark Masts early 1970's catalogue. |
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The Clark Masts SCAM military mast series of the late 1960's - early 1970's was designed to take heavy loads with an integral tripod for direct field mounting. It consisted of 4 different models. All SCAM masts have a heavy duty square section base and keyed mast sections to prevent inter-section rotation, making SCAM mast kits suitable for use with directional headloads. This early SCAM Series of military mast kits was available in heights of 9.6 to 21 metres with headload capabilities from 18 to 36 Kg. Each SCAM mast was usually supplied as complete kit including Guy Assemblies, Guy Stakes, Hammer and accessory Carrying Bag, however they were also available a single masts for vehicle mounting. Today's SCAM Series of masts includes a total of 4 models with heights from 7.4 to 21 metres and a headload capability from 18 to 70 Kg. |
 
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As can be seen from above, SCAM Series of military mast kits were particularly designed to be field mounted where medium to heavy loads were required to be lifted up to 21 metres. An integral handpump provided mast extension/retraction control. The SCAM kit consisted of mast with tripod legs attached, Guy Assemblies, Guy Pickets, Picket Hammer and an Accessory Bag. Erection could be handled by two personnel. |
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