This is my site survey rig. Most of it came from the shelves of our local Ace True Value hardware store. After some trial and error, I came up with the solution that works for me.
The flexible painter's handle was probably the most difficult thing to find - I shopped around for weeks until I found "the perfect" one. I wanted something that was flexible, and wanted to minimize the RF attenuation cause by the metal. So I chose the metal flexible handle and a fiberglass painter's pole.
I wanted to make something that I could use by myself - so I bought a "rare earth magnet" on eBay and taped it to the flexible portion of my survey pole. This allows me to walk up to any metal ceiling grid and have my survey pole stand up by itself while I do my thing. Turns out one magnet was making me uncomfortable, so I taped another on there and both of them side by side definately do the trick. Just enough to hold it there, but not enough to pull down the entire ceiling. Your mileage may very.
