20' above the roof, guy wire or no guy wire

[ljones135]

Hey,

I'm wanting to put up a GMRS base station antenna by stacking 2 9' swaged end antenna masts together. The antenna I'm using is a DPD GMRS Verticle Outdoor Base Antenna, that weighs only 1lb. The mast and antenna will be attached to the side of my house. Should I guy wire the mast since the antenna only weighs 1lb? Should I use something else for the mast, if so, what?

Thanks in advance.

 

[prcguy]

How much of the mast will be above the highest attachment point?

Hey,

I'm wanting to put up a GMRS base station antenna by stacking 2 9' swaged end antenna masts together. The antenna I'm using is a DPD GMRS Verticle Outdoor Base Antenna, that weighs only 1lb. The mast and antenna will be attached to the side of my house. Should I guy wire the mast since the antenna only weighs 1lb? Should I use something else for the mast, if so, what?

Thanks in advance.

 

[devicelab]

Well you didn't say what you're using for masts, such as EMC conduit, fiberglass or wood. However, the question is whether your mast/antenna combo can do property damage to your neighbor's house and/or worse case -- cause personal injury. Adding a simple guy wire to prevent the mast/antenna from flying around in high winds -- seems like a rather easy decision to make. Also, consider using Gorilla Glue Epoxy to bond the mast pieces together.

 

[Hit_Factor]

I have a 10 foot antenna on two 6 foot swaged poles, very similar.

Guy wires are easy, it does not have to be exactly 120 degrees spread. Look at what you have, be creative for anchors.

I'm using a blue spruce and two soil vents as anchors. Dacron rope 3/16.

I can tell if it's windy out, the wires sing when it is.

 

[ljones135]

How much of the mast will be above the highest attachment point?

20' above the highest attachment point. Using either fence top rail, regular steel tubed antenna mast or EMC conduit.

 

[ljones135]

Well you didn't say what you're using for masts, such as EMC conduit, fiberglass or wood. However, the question is whether your mast/antenna combo can do property damage to your neighbor's house and/or worse case -- cause personal injury. Adding a simple guy wire to prevent the mast/antenna from flying around in high winds -- seems like a rather easy decision to make. Also, consider using Gorilla Glue Epoxy to bond the mast pieces together.

Either EMC conduit, fence top rail or regular antenna mast 1 1/4" steel tube.

 

[prcguy]

So you really have 20ft of mast hanging in the breeze with antenna on top and it may have a joint in the middle. I've done things like that for a temporary mast in the past but not a good idea for a permanent install. Even with a lightweight antenna on top I would not go higher that one 10ft section above the highest anchor point and that would be if the joint is below the anchor point.

You can also guy it about 5ft below the very top which will put a little less stress on the joint. When you guy 20ft of mast at the very top the middle can oscillate in the wind and put stress on the joint and picking a lower guy spot will change the oscillation frequency probably making it go away with less stress on the joint. The best guying advice is to put guy wires at every 10ft interval but that most people don't do it.

20' above the highest attachment point. Using either fence top rail, regular steel tubed antenna mast or EMC conduit.

 

[vu2nan]

Two sets of guy wires, one at the top and one midway, would make the mast quite rigid.

Regards,

Nandu.