[stampeder]

Metal-Laced Roof Shingles

Here on the Wet Coast the latest technique for preventing roof algae, which can eventually lead to moss, is with copper-infused shingles. You don't see mossy rooftops elsewhere in Canada like what happens here in the rain forest. Moss clumps are like wet sponges sitting on the roof for months and years at a time, hastening rot. Sadly there are derelict homes I see in the Vancouver area that have moss thriving over a foot deep over the entire roof! Another moss solution is to put zinc strips at the peak so that the rain water drips off of it, carrying zinc particles over all the lower shingles to prevent algae. Spray moss repellent on the roof? Been there, done that, doesn't work. You can't defeat West Coast roof moss that way.

Our roof hadn't been redone in about 18 years so little moss clumps were starting to form. So, we re-roofed the house and went with top-of-the-line shingles that incorporate copper into the material. One of the side effects of the new metallic shingles is that my FM Radio dipole antenna on the roof now seems to have a bit higher gain, while my 4-Bay bowtie reflector UHF TV antenna soldiers on with no particular change (it had excellent Mount Seymour signals in the first place).

I'm just adding this info into the mix here as yet another building construction item that may or may not have an effect on OTA reception.

 

[Archerotor]

RE: Moss on Roof

A 50/50 bleach/water solution sprayed with a tank sprayer- the kind you manually pump every few minutes to keep it pressurized- sprayed carefully on the moss covered shingles (not directing the spray under them) will kill the moss and it will shrivel up and disappear, as the rhizoids (moss roots) fail. Bleach is cheap and the pump sprayer can be bought at a hardware store for $10 to $15.
A clean roof preserves the shingles and makes it safer if one has to walk on it for working on any antenna masts, hardware etc.

 

[stampeder]

I tried that, exactly to the letter of what you said. I soaked those moss clots with bleach with a pump sprayer. It didn't do the job, unfortunately... Where we are the green moss goes away quite well but there are types of moss that are bronze-coloured and silver-coloured and they seem to be mutants from an old 1950's SciFi movie!

 

[Archerotor]

Roofs and Mast Coupler

It worked for us, but we did three applications of 50/50 bleach/water in 3 consecutive days. The moss remained on for weeks before it rolled off. There is a purported green product called "Roof Wash." On the west coast roofs, I wouldn't chance walking on them when they're wet.
On a mast hardware point, other that putting two swedged mast poles together, anyone know of where a "mast coupler" can be found like this one in the UK:

http://www.aerialsandtv.com/onlinepolesandbrackets.html#PoleCoupler

 

[Archerotor]

RE: U-Bolts, Mast Clamp and Backup Plate

I recall Stampeder saying that muffler U-Bolts and clamps can be substituted for the factory ones, but what about the way the factory "mast clamp" and "backup plate" fit together on the boom. A pic of what I mean is here:
http://www.antennacraft.net/Manuals/HBU_web_manual.pdf
My antenna, an Antennacraft VU-160XR is rust free but the parts above are very rusty.
I can see if Antennacraft has compatible parts; yet if they don't I could fabricate something, or if there are any suggestions I could try them first. Thanks.

 

[schneedoo]

Top of my completed tower from post #1936 ( http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/showpost.php?p=1762089&postcount=1936 )

I had some 6-ga solid copper wire that use to serve as my overhead power from the house to the barn. I put the power underground so I re-purposed the wire into my third Gray-Hoverman project (top antenna). I also recently built the lower antennas and reused the elements from the two other Gray-Hoverman antennas I've had in service for the last 5 years. I may still build a fourth to have all points of the compass covered.

 

[mrvanwinkles]

Tilt Tower is down - first time ever.

Against my better judgement ...

The Tilt Tower has been successfully lowered down for the first time ever.

For some painting and alterations.

Paint - add some coats of black paint.

Alterations - remove the ugly side mount UFO antenna, and move it to the very top, attach it atop the top of mast.

Alterations - hopefully add the FM foldled dipoles Cross I made, off side of tower tubes near the top.

I have some free time, and it's mid summer, and we should have some good days for painting.

Pulling it up again - I hope all goes well. I think it will. I will need a helper - for sure if doing manually with the two ropes - or carefully drive the car in the yard and use the car as my "power puller" for "UP". [ Tie ropes to trailer hitch and carfully drive car forward ... I think ... or get winch somewhere. ]

I estimated / calculated - approx. 200 lbs of force needed at max. point.

* I hope this does not turn into some sort of Wile E. Coyote cartoon - where the tower comes crashing down and I get catapulted against the side of the Grand Canyon. *

Enjoy the Pics, and keep me in your prayers.

 

[Pete Higgins]

mrvanwinkles,

Wow! An all brick house with a basement no less.

I really like the way you setup your fold over tower –shows a lot of ingenuity. I assume you’re using a double cable with one end stationary to cut the pulling force in half? That’s what I did after I discovered with a single cable my electric winch raised and lowered my tower so fast it would bounce the array when starting or stopping.

Either the base or the pulley anchored in the brick look like the most likely fail points. Can you describe how the pulley is attached to the side of the house and how the base is held in place?

I’d be real worried that lag bolts into the bricks might pull out or pull the bricks out, but growing up in Southern California all I’m familiar with is concrete slabs and 2” X 4” wall studs with sheetrock inside and covered in chicken wire & stucco on the outside. Not much strength unless you tie into headers.

 

[Jase88]

Swing tower setups are safe and easy to maintain. More so than they may seem.

I would have one myself if I had a yard large enough to accommodate the tower on the ground (the DMX tower has a base option which allows for 'swing' configuration).

Lowering a swing tower once in a while is a good idea to inspect for damage, cable/equipment wear, etc.

Why black paint, mvrvanwinkles?

 

[alkizmo]

Swing tower setups are safe and easy to maintain. More so than they may seem.

Until it is 30 years later and trees grew in the way of the tower's downswing path.

Considering mrvanwinkles hasn't posted since 2 days ago, it is possible that he was catapulted across the border and shot down for being an unregistered flight over US territory.

 

[alkizmo]

How much above a roof does an antenna need to be in order to not be affected by the roof (Assuming the roof contains no metal).

My current setup is a CM4228HD installed on my roof by chimney straps.

The bottom of the CM4228HD just BARELY goes over my roof's crest (peak), and the LOS to the transmitters is straight across that crest.

I wonder if gaining some distance from the crest of the roof will help catching that one channel that is juuuuust out of reach in terms of signal level.

Pictures are worth a thousand words:

The red antenna is my current CM4228HD position, installed onto the chimney straps and mast seen in the picture on the right (Of an ancient GH antenna I removed).

The purple antenna is my plan to gain some height over the roof if you guys concur that it would help.
Will those same straps be able to hold such a bigger mast? I wouldn't extend the mast further than maybe 6' above the chimney or the top strap.


Please note that the current antenna location is about 35' off the ground and there are no other benefits in raising the antenna other than the roof clearance.

Since this is a popular request, here is my TVFool page. I target the channels at 143 degree (US channels). My problem channel is channel 43 WFFF (channel 13 ABC is a lost cause).

 

[mrvanwinkles]

Tower was raised successfully (manually), Sunday, with the help of friendly neighbour, ( + neighbour's son and other interested neighbor who joined in - as "brake men" on the ropes behind)

Went pretty smooth - no Wile E. Coyote cartoon episode - I'm glad.

Thankfully - Not catapulted across the Canada / U.S. Border - for the 4th of July - although would have been fun - I think.

Tower was lowered the day after Canada Day, on Wed July 2.

Thursday July 3rd - rained, no tower painting. Did other stuff. Disassembly, removal of some odd parts for painting (rotor bracket) - not done previously.

Friday morning July 4th - nice weather - 1st coat of paint.

Saturday morning July 5th nice weather 2nd coat of paint.

Sunday morning July 6th, assembly, cabling etc.

Sunday evening July 6th - raised and secured.

[ Alterations and other work, parts painting in the garage, and other necessary figuring, thinking, and frigging around + even cut the friggin lawn in between all during these days in "free time". ]

Raising up Again:

Heavy pull, at first for two, while near ground - on the two ropes - but got much easier, very quickly as the tower rose. Manageable - but definitely need two good persons for down pulling power and a third to pull slack behind, as the "brake man" - both ropes looped once around top rail of trailer in yard - as safety "hold" brake - little trailer worked well as dead weight. Weight of trailer with some weight added inside (blocks & stuff) as "Anchor".

Pulleys to lower / raise tilt tower on hinge base. Two pulley blocks twinned / bolted together with a short piece of angle iron (2.) (holes drilled) and strong lifting hook (1.) added to clip to the 1/2" x 6" eye bolt thru bricks in wall / into attic with plate & bolt behind in attic / near peak of house - for lifting point. (3.) is a short piece of 1/4" threaded rod also securing together both pulley blocks.

Tower back up again - after painting and alterations. 21" UFO antenna moved to top, Winegard 9032 UHF corner reflector yagi w/rotor as before, two home made FM folded dipoles (crossed 90 deg. E-W and N-S) approx. 57" made of 1/4" solid AL rod. Separate downleads off each. Not combined.

Earlier Questions:

Pete Higgins:

I assume you’re using a double cable with one end stationary to cut the pulling force in half?

Nope - just two separate ropes in parallel. I had thought of using a multiplier pulley block setup - but then when I calculated the direct force was only approx 200 lbs at max - I decided to "simplify" and not have ropes going back and forth through multiple pulleys on each end. I would have needed wheels near the tower, and wheels near the anchor point on the wall, and the rope would have to go back and forth. That would have been more complex. Also - I would have needed a MUCH longer single rope - which I did not have. I had one 75 ft and one 100 ft rope. Neither rope would have been long enough to do that - and you can't join them with a knot and hope to go through the pulleys like that.

Can you describe how the pulley is attached to the side of the house and how the base is held in place?

There is a 1/2" x 6" galvanized EYE BOLT going right through the bricks near the peak, into the attic of the house. Inside the attic, on the other side of the bricks, is a square steel plate, and the NUT - tightened up.
I installed this much earlier - in just the right spot - to raise or lower this tower.

The EYE BOLT is designed to carry weight - it's stamped "2000 lbs max"
Either she holds - or she breaks - or she pulls the bricks right out of the wall. I don't think so. More than enough strength there.

No lag bolts. It goes right through the masonry near the top and is well secured on the other side.

I did not notice the EYE BOLT or anything move at all up there. Seemed SOLID. Worked well.

The twinned pulley block clips on the EYE BOLT with a big LIFTING HOOK. Picture shows it. I figured that out and cobbled it together.

Jase88:

Why black paint, mvrvanwinkles?

In this case I am re-painting over top, black again - 2 coats this time.
Starting to show early signs of rust just beginning again. Do it now - or it'll get worse and more difficult to do later. Preventative painting. I have the time now in the middle of summer to do it - at the same time as the "alterations".

Tilt it down - and do all that I wanna do - and put it back up.

Originally it was an old galvanized tower and was starting to show real rust.
So a few years ago I had it down, brushed and sanded the rust, and painted it black, got and added the top section again. This tower dates back - maybe to mid 60's ? Not sure. Been there as long as I can remember. I grew up in this house from an infant. I think we moved in here just before I was born.

P.S. I think a manual crank winch with a good steel cable - like on most boat trailers - would do a good job raising and lowering this tower - slowly - manually - and with good control. The force required is probably just around the right range for a manual crank winch. Would work well I think. I've seen manual winches like that for sale at Princess Auto at a very reasonable price.


P.S. Testing the FM Dipole - yields a much better signal than what I have hooked up now. The E-W dipole is proving most useful - pulling in one station of interest much better: 90.9 FM Classic FM from Watertown N.Y. before 30-40%. now near 80-90% and much less hiss and noise. N-S dipole does give 101.1 FM Smith's Falls - although still weak. Testing is still very early. I bet if I hooked up a Digital "HD RADIO" receiver on this ... I'll get Classic FM's digital signal ... not sure - but think so. Signal seems good enough off this antenna now for digital reception.

Testing the UFO TV antenna at the very top now - still in progress - early to say. Signals seem more stable overall - up higher and NOT off the side of the tower.

 

[MapMaker]

Raising up Again:
Heavy pull, at first for two, while near ground - on the two ropes - but got much easier, very quickly as the tower rose.

To ease the initial effort to get the tower off the ground, could you have placed a stepladder (or other portable prop) at about the tower`s halfway mark on the ground and manually lifted the tower to rest on top of the stepladder? Of course this assumes that one can fairly easily lift the tower off the ground. This could possibly reduce the number of bodies needed for the grunt work.

You may have done this but I think it may be an important small detail for others contemplating following your lead.

 

[mrvanwinkles]

Yes, good point MapMaker.

You read my mind. I had thought of doing that. It is possible.

Raising the tower up as much as possible beforehand, while it is still near the ground, and propping it up with something taller like a step ladder.

Every degree higher from the horizontal, at the beginning, helps avoid the heaviest part of the pull. The forces and the angles with the ropes and the tower work that way.

The tower can be grabbed manually when down and lifted up some more initially at ground level.

A little "heavy" like that for one - but "yes" can be done in this case.
I tried to lift it manually to move the support stool a little - and yes - doable in this case.

Might need a second person to help place the step ladder as the first person is occupied lifting the tower higher off the ground - still sort of heavy for one.

 

[Cham]

Nice engineering Mrvanwinkles!

 

[alkizmo]

I went ahead with the mast upgrade last evening.

I only raised the mast to make the antenna be about 4 feet higher than before (I still have about 3' of mast I can pull up). That extra 4' put my antenna clear over my roof's crest.

The problem channel (Fox 44) now comes in perfect. All other local channels that were occasionally stuttering/dropping are also much stronger in signal.

The roof was to blame!

I just hope my wife won't complain that the antenna is now visible from the front of the house (if you stand far enough).

 

[DXer]

I would space the chimney straps further apart if you push the mast up any higher. If they're like the flimsy Channel Master straps I've seen, then 18" is rather close for that much mast above them. If you can move the top of the mast a significant amount now, I would make the adjustment without delay.

 

[alkizmo]

I feel confident in those straps after having dealt with them last evening.

Since I had to put the antenna on the mast BEFORE shoving the mast into the brackets, I removed the top U-Bolt to make the process easier. Once the mast slipped into the bottom U-bolt, it was already holding very steady even without the top U-Bolt. The mast wouldn't budge once it was locked in.

I don't wish to undo any of the straps. They are old aluminum straps, before things were made in Taiwan or China. The original U-bolts were still in perfect condition after spraying a few squirts of Liquid Wrench over them. The straps had zero rust.

I think there are more chances that the chimney crumbles apart before the straps give way.

 

[mrvanwinkles]

Yes, I too would definitely try and move the bottom strap down as far as you can, if trying to go higher up with a 10 ft mast.

Another idea is to go with a little bit larger mast.

If you've gotta buy a new mast anyway - because you want it much longer - you could consider going larger to 1.5 inches diameter.

[ most standard antenna mounts will go on a 1.5 inch mast. ]


Here is another idea for you for a home built mount, something I made and installed at a friend's town house where I was staying in Ottawa.

Might be more sturdy than straps - esp. if you were to cross brace the top and bottom angle irons together.

A home made chimney mount from scrap angle iron - on a similar square chimney:


Earlier in this same thread ...

Post # 1861 on page 125 of this thread:

http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/showpost.php?p=1451325&postcount=1861

[ Salvage an old bed frame for the angle iron. Try to get one of the stronger angle iron frames - for the larger/wider angle iron. Some measuring and drilling and threaded rods required - but can be done at very reasonable costs. ]

Careful ... whatever work you do high up / climbing high up.

Safety.

All the best.

 

[byebye_cable]

Hi everyone. I'm helping a friend cut cable by setting him up with a 4 bay. These are two options I see;

Option1 (brick "structure" hydro wires on left of house out of picture)

Option2 (the chimney, hydro wires on right of house, again out of picture)

Option 2 is higher and I would be able to use a chimney mount with straps. For option2,
- the hydro wires for his house are on the far right of the house
- the hydro wires for the house to the left are on the far left that house (fortunate)
So if the pole fell left or right during installation, in neither case would it hit the hydro wires.

Option 2 is a reasonable choice?