small telescoping antenna?

[bill12345]

Hi,
My question isn't specifically ham radio related, but workers at the local hardware store and radio shack were pretty useless and I thought if anyone would be able to help me it might be ham radio users.
I'm inventing something non-electronic and for it I could really use a telescoping antenna (or just a rod the same diameter), but every antenna I've found at a thrift store or elsewhere is too tall when compressed. I'm looking for some place to buy a cheap telescoping antenna that when compressed is from around 1 to 2 inches long and when extended is 12 inches or greater. Doing a google search doesn't provide any relevant results and wandering around home depot I found a telescoping magnetic rod, but it was approximately 4 inches long when compressed which is too long for this top secret application :]
I'd appreciate any suggestions or direction - maybe someone here knows of an electronics wholesaler with a huge selection of telescoping antennas?
Thank you,
Bill

[5B4AJB]

compressed is from around 1 to 2 inches long and when extended is 12 inches or greater

Hi Bill, never seen anything like this, how about a retractable wire instead?

[bill12345]

Thanks for the reply. Unfortunately for this application a retractable wire probably won't work (not completely sure I know what that is), because the antenna/rod, while it could be plastic instead must be able to stay in an extended vertical position on its own. Thanks for your input, though, and ill continue searching :)

[5B4AJB]

not completely sure I know what that is

It's just a wire, on a roller that can be pulled out and wound back in.

I have collected quite a few telescoping rods on my travels, the shortest, collapsed one is about 4" long, extending to about 0.5m.
It was quite "meaty" (large diameter) because of the many sections.

You might be able to modify one, though it's a bit fiddly cutting thin tube. How about a simple socket you can plug a rod into?