Rolatube Manpack 8m 8-Meter Rollable Mast Portable in Backpack for Field Radio Operator

The Rolatube Manpack 8m is the deployable mast designed specifically for the infantry radio operator who carries the radio in a backpack and needs to elevate their antenna between 6 and 10 meters to overcome forest relief, building profiles in urban environments, or the masking effect of terrain that reduces effective VHF/UHF radio link range to less than half compared to theoretical prediction over flat terrain.

The unidirectional carbon fiber composite tube of the Manpack 8m weighs 1.4 kilograms in its accessory-free version and rolls into a Cordura 1000D nylon cylindrical sleeve of 38 centimeters length and 9 centimeters diameter — dimensions that allow mounting on the side of any 45-liter tactical backpack via the included MOLLE attachment system, without eliminating access to main pockets or increasing the operator's profile width beyond their shoulders. The complete system including ground spike base, coaxial cable retainer, and N-female adapter weighs 2.1 kilograms — approximately the weight of 3 liters of water — representing an acceptable weight penalty relative to the range increase it provides.

The deployment process exploits the composite tube's curvature geometry: the operator extracts the tube end from the sleeve, rests it on the ground spike, and pulls the free end upward for 45 seconds until the tube reaches its maximum rigidity at 8 meters. No tensioners, guy wires, or joining pieces are required: the composite's own curvature generates the lateral rigidity needed to support 200 grams of tip load with less than 15 centimeters of deflection in winds up to 70 km/h. The antenna coaxial cable is guided by the three-point retainer integrated on the tube exterior during deployment.