We had a really old galvanized bracket tower - original - still up - at the house in Kingston. The top tower section (above the bracket) had been taken down and discarded long ago.

I think we kept the tower up to the roof peak - as an easy ladder to the roof (2 storey house, it goes to the peak where the bracket is - pretty high up).

The tower was starting to get a little rusty. Not too bad.

So 7 or 8 years ago - I decided to "save it" - anticipating using the tower again in the future (good decision back then!)

So I roped it off, unbolted it at the bracket, lowered the whole tower down - intact - with a long rope (carefully).

Put it up horizontally on blocks in the back yard. At a good working height.
(really - they're not as heavy as you might think, just long)

Over a few weeks, wire brushed the rusty spots, and put a few coats of black rust paint on it.

It took time and effort ... but I did it in my spare time.

Put it back up, still minus the top section.

Then a couple of years ago, I wanted to put up an antenna again. Motivated some by the Forum - and some by the start of DTV from the U.S.

So I got the top section (the pointed section) used from someone at a really good price ( $10 or $15 only ).

Painted that top section w/3 coats black rust paint.

Hauled that top section up and installed it in place (a difficult task - I don't recommend trying that ... But anyway ... I managed to get er' in place.)

So that's how ended up with the tower again - real cheap - but with a fair investment of personal time and effort.


NEAT PERSONAL IDEA:

Right now - I'm dreaming up (designing in my mind) a plan to construct a strong base pin / hinge.

I'd like to be able to attach a steel cable on a pulley up at the bracket, and lower or raise the WHOLE tower with a long steel cable and a hand winch / crank - whenever I feel like it. Similar to the way I lowered the tower originally with the rope - to paint it.

If you can imagine this whacked out idea of mine - I'll gain a few feet height by raising the part of the tower that is now buried in the earth.

Plus - I'll gain the ability to lower the whole tower, easily, and work on it. Work on the antennas, rotor, cabling etc. etc. at ground level - or install and test different antennas.

Then raise the whole thing again and secure it at the bracket.

Right now it's just an idea - and I don't know if or when I'll actually get to build this thing. But I can see this working real well if done correctly.

(yes the bracket is very strong - and attached to the roof really well - with 6 strong LAG bolts - I made sure of that.)

This would be an awsome setup for someone who likes to experiment with OTA at home.

We've got the space in the yard - at one angle - to tilt the whole tower down like that.

Just an idea right now ...

But I see it already, and I've already built it - in my mind.

Wade has the GN3HU 3’ hinge-up base which I was thinking of installing for the same reasons. I want to add a section to my tower anyway.

Do you happen to have a link for it? I may want to do that as well.

Thanks

PS... Found it. HUB 7-8.

In anticipation of my tower-raisin' this weekend, I have put together what I am satisfied will be a fail safe harness system for my thirty foot Delhi GN tower.

There is a body harness that goes around my legs and arms and connects at my lower chest.

I have four carabiners and three straps. One main carabiner that attaches at my chest and holds all three straps.

There are two longer straps that will be used to attach to the tower as I climb and decend. There are large carabiners that can grab onto the antenna cross bars at the end of each strap. Two straps so I can be attached at all times as I go up and down.

The third strap is shorter and it is meant to be attached when I'm at the top. It is shorter so I can let go and be close enough to work with two hands.

Good luck on the install, and post some pics for us if you can! A tower raising is always an exciting event.

By the way, where did you get the safety gear?

I bought my equipment at Moutain Equipment Co-op. I shopped at Acklands-Grainger which is an excellent safety store. There is another store called Bunning Splicing and Rigging in Etobocoke that is excellent, I am told. I know we usually discuss this stuff in the "where to buy" thread, but I figure it's worth at least a mention here since this is the life-and-death matter of climbing safety.

The tower installation will be fully documented in my profile pictures once it is completed. I'll take a photo of my safety gear, too.

The reason why I bought it at MEC (climbing gear vs. "worker" gear) is because even the worker gear would have had to have been modified in some ways to make it appropriate for TV tower climbing. The safety store had really great stuff but it was out of my budget. The safety store also had an in-store brand that was affordable, but again, I would have had to go to MEC or another place to modify it.

With MEC I was able to custom-design my own solution -- everything I need and nothing I didn't need within my budget. And with components that I'm sure are way over-engineered for my needs in terms of strength. Since climbing is their passion, the salespeople really know their stuff and are able to tell you how each item is to be used correctly and they know what the specs are on all of the items. They can't give specific advice about your situtation, however.

Need some guidance. I'm looking to mount my hd-8800 outside and was thinking about using a tripod on the roof but first of all, I'm not too confident going on my roof and secondly not sure I want to drill into a brand new roof (house is two years old). I see mention of the CM9036 mount but from searching on here it seems everyone has it mounted to brick, is it possible to mount it to vinyl siding or is there another option out there?

Thanks

If you google "wall and eaves mounts ottawa" then click on "Pages from Canada". You will find many canadian dealer catalogs with pictures and get a better idea of what's out there for mounts and what they actually look like.

^Thanks for the reply but that Google search doesn't really help me out, I know what the mounts look like (I've been on the website of our local supplier before...I bought my antenna's from him). I just want to know if these mounts are suitable for vinyl siding and what precautions I need to follow as all I see when searching these mounts is them attached to brick.

becks, with vinal siding, you need to line the CM9036 mounting holes with studs in your wall (especially the side ones) and attach it with long lag bolts with pilot holes. You also need to make sure it extends beyond the overhang in your wall.

An alternate mount to consider is the CM9030. Similarly you will want to be sure it is bolted into a rafter and not just the fascia, but there should be one at the edge of the roof.

Thanks roger1818

Now who wants to help with the install? ;)

Here is a diagram of the hinged tower mount. They retail for over $800 with tax! Seems way over priced to me for what it is... Have a look at the bottom of the first page.

http://www.tvantenna.com/products/tvreception/mounting/towers/taco/dmx/DMXinstructions.pdf

Thanks to everyone's advice in this thread, my backyard has Toronto's newest 30-foot OTA tower (Delhi Gold Nugget). It was a do-it-yourelf project completed this past weekend by my friend and me. I have put up an album in my profile with photos of the base plate, the wall brackets, safety climbing gear, and a few extras.

FYI, I now get WNGS from central Toronto (Greenwood & Mortimer) with my Winegard hd7697p combo antenna (channels 7-51/69 antenna).

any photos?

I've posted about ten photos in a photo album in my HWP profile.

Looks good! Did you install a ground wire to the tower itself?

Yep, there is a four-foot copper grounding rod into the earth just to the left of the tower between the stairs and the fence. Photo doesn't show it as it was done after. The RG6 passes through a grounding block just before it enters the house.

Well done! :cool:

Here is a diagram of the hinged tower mount. They retail for over $800 with tax! Seems way over priced to me for what it is... Have a look at the bottom of the first page.

http://www.tvantenna.com/products/tvreception/mounting/towers/taco/dmx/DMXinstructions.pdf
If anyone has any pictures of this hinged mount, can you please post them. Also, does anyone happen to know the diameter of the concrete anchor bolts used?

Thanks.

The base in your attachment of the Taco Tower pdf looks like the same type of base I just used. One could easily use my base as a hinged base. Have a look at my photo of the base plate.