Sectional torsionally rigid mast

Claim 1

A SECTIONAL TORSIONALLY RIGID MAST FOR SUPPORTING A DIRECTIONAL ANTENNA WHICH CAN BE STORED COMPACTLY AND CARRIED IN A MANPACK AND WHICH CAN BE EASILY AND QUICKLY ASSEMBLED WITHOUT TOOLS UNDER DIFFICULT CONDITIONS WHICH COMPRISES A PLURALITY OF ELONGATED SECTIONS THAT CAN BE ASSEMBLED END-TO-END TO FORM THE MAST WITH ABUTTING ENDS OF THE ASSEMBLED SECTIONS TELESCOPING WITH ONE ANOTHER, EACH INNER TELESCOPING END BEING SLOTTED FROM ITS TERMINUS IN A LENGTHWISE DIRECTION, EACH SLOT BEING GRADUALLY TAPERED TOWARD ITS INNER END FOR A SUBSTANTIAL DISTANCE, MEANS WITHIN EACH OUTER TELESCOPING END OF A SIZE TO ENTER THE SLOT IN THE COOPERATING TELESCOPING END AND TO SPREAD THE INNER END AS THE TELESCOPING PROCEEDS INTO FIRM CONTACT WITH THE INNER PERIPHERAL WALL OF THE OUTER TELESCOPING END, THE OUTER SURFACE OF EACH INNER TELESCOPING END BEING TAPERED FOR AT LEAST PART OF ITS LENGTH TO A REDUCED DIAMETER AT ITS FREE END TO RENDER TELESCOPING ASSEMBLY EASIER EVEN WHEN SAID INNER TELESCOPING END IS SLIGHTLY DEFORMED IN FIELD USE AND FOR INCREASED SURFACE CONTACT BETWEEN TELESCOPING ASSEMBLED ENDS, MEANS FOR CONNECTING THE END SECTIONS OF THE ASSEMBLED MAST AND