[Gentleman]

Ultra:

I've used some heavy duty "all around" that my father kept from a hot water home heating installation. This material is similar to the flexible stuff sold in the retail big box hardware stores. This difference is, this strapping is very difficult to bend by hand.

You might try one of the plumbing wholesalers that supply both the residential plumbers and the industrial trades. They may be able to supply what you are looking for.

 

[rabbit73]

Save and Replay is out of stock of Channel Master 9067 Y Chimney Antenna Mount with 18 ft stainless steel straps,
http://overtheair.saveandreplay.com/ota_mounts.asp

maybe here:
Chimney Mounts

3 Star Inc.
9487 King Air Court Suite C
Ashland, VA 23005 USA
Telephone-(804)550-7202

Note: I've installed this Chimney Mount a couple of Decades ago and it still stands. It has been supplemented with a DirecTV installation and 3 HDTV Antennas. Fire Bricks used in Chimneys can be quite strong, yet any Brick may crumble Slightly on the edges under pressure, so glue some small rounded metal angle stock cut about 2 inches long, placed at each corner to facilitate installation. Avoid Strapping over Mortar Joints.
Availability: Usually ships in 24 Hrs
Shipping: Can ship anywhere

Solid Signal: Ronard 1218 Chimney Mount 18 ft. Stainless Steel
http://www.solidsignal.com/pview.asp?p=ron1218

You could mount two 12 ft mounts at diag opposite corners, giving you 24 ft.:smile

 

[Ultra]

Ok, great! Looks like there's more availability than I thought.
Sure is a lot to choose from. I see I can spend anywhere from 12$ to 30$ (plus shipping, of course) What do I risk by paying less money?

 

[rabbit73]

galvanized straps will rust
stainless steel straps will not

 

[dchabby]

New tower/antenna install - couple of questions

Hi all - previously had a 20' tower/antenna and just added another 20' onto the tower and have a couple of questions.

Tower is in a 2' deep hole and then attached to the roof just below the 20 foot mark (around 17 feet) which puts it about 23 feet about the roof.

Should I bury the tower with concrete or just fill it up with the dirt I dug up ? The tower has a plate on the bottom if that makes any difference.

I assume I am okay to climb the tower to adjust the antenna and bring up the wiring ? It is an older tower but it is pretty good shape.

If the tower in in the ground is that considering grounded ? I guess it wont hurt to further ground the mast and cable so how long of a grounding rod do I need, 4 feet ?

TIA

 

[Jase88]

You've "over-engineered" your base install. Typically all that is necessary is driving long stakes through the base plate to secure the braketed tower's base from lateral movement.

Since you've buried it, just replace the dirt. No concrete is necessary.

2' is not a proper ground. In my opinion, you want a minimum 4' copper clad rod.

Use proper climbing gear to ascend the tower. By using the proper gear which I've discussed earlier in this thread (I moved your post to the existing tower thread), not only are you safer but the gear frees up both hands for easier work at the tower top.

Also note that some tubular bracketed tower manufacturers recommend only one section above the bracket. I see that you have at least two sections. You're probably okay, as it seems you're using a low wind load antenna. If your property has a high wind exposure, you may wish to consider guy wires.

 

[dchabby]

Thanks Jase88 - I had to dig out the old tower anyway so I figured I would make it a little deeper to help keep it secure.

I started to climb the tower the other day to hook up the coax but I started to get a little nervous climbing that high.

So I decided to wait until I got my ground wire so I only have to go up once !

 

[Jase88]

^^^ You don't need to bring a ground wire up the tower. As long as the antenna mast is metal--which it should be--just ground out the tower at it's base. Then use a grounding block, or preferably a lightning arrestor, on the coax before it enters your home.

Climbing a tower isn't so bad. Just make sure that you're prepared with all of the necessary tools and parts, and keep your attention on the task at hand. Keep pets and children away from the tower area while you're working, or anything else that may distract you.

 

[dchabby]

Thanks Jase - that's good to know, one less thing to haul up there !

My tower is painted, will that make a difference when connecting the ground to it ?

And do you have a suggestion for a lighting arrestor ? Im located in Waterdown, ON if that makes a difference.

 

[Jase88]

^^^ I'm certain that we've discussed lightning arrestors in the grounding thread. Try the search tool. If you can't find any hits, please ask about them in the grounding thread.

And please keep us posted in this thread on your tower project's progress! Once it's up and running, don't forget to post a reception report in the reception thread for your locale.

 

[Gentleman]

dchabby:

If your tower is well painted, there is a possibility electrical continuity between the sections might be poor. I had a self supporting tower once installed where I painted all the sections prior to installation not thinking about continuity from top to bottom of the tower. Being a HAM radio operator, I also used the entire tower as my vertical antenna. I discovered much to my chagrin that there was very poor continuity between the sections of the tower which necessitated a tower climb and installation of tinned copper braid across each section of tower where they joined together.

In your case, you will likely be fine for lightning protection as the bolts securing your tower sections together should provide sufficient continuity for static discharge. Just be sure to install a substantial ground rod at the base of your tower and connect it to the tower legs with 6 gauge copper wire.

 

[xebbmw]

Removing rust from galvanized tower

Hi all,

I was given an antenna tower that I will install in my backyard. There are three sections one short and two others that are longer. I might get another long section next week. I plan to dig a hole and bury the short section into ground (poured concrete).

But before I do this I need your advice on cleaning and painting the tower as there is rust on it.

I was thinking to wire-brush it first and then paint it with a zinc rich primer. I saw products like rustoleum cold galvanizing compound although I am not sure if a top coat is not required on this one.

Do you have any experience in recovering galvanized steel? Would phosphoric acid (something like Surf-Pro Rust Buster Primer) would be recommended on galvanized steel to remove the rust?

I attached some pictures showing the tower sections. Could someone recognize which is the tower manufacturer? Wade antenna?

BR

 

[Jase88]

^^^^^ As mentioned several times in this thread, the base of bracketed towers need not be buried in concrete. You simply use a base plate , and drive long metal stakes through it at opposing angles. This approach is faster and less hassle. Concrete is corrosive, and will further shorten the life of an already heavily corroded tower at it's base. Make sure you get locates for the installation location. Locates are free in Ontario (also likely free in your province) and always necessary.

This tower does appear heavily rusted. If you need to remove significant rust, it may not be viable.

 

[xebbmw]

Thanks, Jase88.

I already contacted the locators and this issue has been clarified.

My antenna is a DBGH and because of the location I need a tower at least 30 feet long. Also I cannot attach it to the house with an eave mount. I have a wooden deck and I will attach the tower to it at aprox 2.5-3 meters above ground.

But DBGH is quit heavy so I want to make sure the base is strong enough. The base buried in concrete I could build it from different pipes (for example from galvanized pipes from HomeDepot).

BR

 

[stampeder]

xebbmw, that is an old guy-wired tower (not self-supporting) and unfortunately with only 18ga wall thickness. I'm pretty sure from your photos that it is an old Delhi, and years later Delhi went to 17ga minimum (the higher the number, the thinner the wall, so 16ga and 17ga are stronger/thicker than 18ga.). The grime you see on it is mostly galvanic corrosion from many years of rain and snow that could mean trouble if near or upon any welds.

I have a wooden deck and I will attach the tower to it at aprox 2.5-3 meters above ground.

Supporting it at 3 meters from the ground will not be safe. You must guy-wire the upper parts. The part of the tower with the most straining forces will not be at the bottom but rather near the top, so the decision of where and how to guy-wire the top part is the most important after you've got the base done properly, as Jase88 described. An 18ga wall thickness with years of corrosion is nothing to be confident about.

See Post #675 and #679 earlier in this thread to understand the physics involved.

 

[xebbmw]

Stampeder: I got your point. This kind of tower has to be guyed/bracketed. I will try to move it on the other side of the house and attach it to the house with a bracket at about 7-8 meters above ground.

The tower I showed is rusty. I was thinking of removing the rust and then paint it but is a lot of work. Today I got a similar tower which looks better (see my album here). I will install this one.

BR

 

[badget]

I am going to be moving my ANT751 antenna out of the attic and into the "wild" with some CM chimney straps. The chimney is on the gable side of the house, and gives me about 15 - 18 inches to space my straps, rather than the recommended 24 inches. I know I don't need the antenna any higher, because it's been giving me good signal from where it has been living in the attic.

Does anybody see any potential problems if the antenna is mounted below the top of the chimney, between the top and bottom chimney mount hardware? All the transmitters I am interested in are all in one direction at one corner of the house.

 

[Jase88]

^^^^ The only potential issue that I could see is snow/ice accumulation in that area impacting the antenna, if indeed it tends to accumulate there.

 

[badget]

I'll have to take a second look about snow there. It may or it may not be s problem.

 

[hoosierdxer]

horizontal stack issue

I had a new mast mount made up using horizontal 1-1/2" AL tubing for mounting some XG91 type antennas with the cradle mount that puts the antenna booms around six inches above the mounting booms.I thought this would work ok but now I'm seeing some weird anomalies like erratic signal fluctuations on the upper channels and the antennas are picking up highband channels at a higher level than normal.I thought it was the phasing lines at first but,now it looks like the metal is causing problems.Any thoughts?