Antenna Mast Deck-Mount Idea: Opinions Needed

[W6SAE]

First, some background. I'm in the process of setting up my first ham shack in a room above the detached garage at the rear of our house. Access to the room is via an exterior stairwell with a wooden railing. I plan to mount a 2-meter j-pole to the railing at the outside corner of the deck at the top of the stairs. The mast for the antenna is a 10-foot length of 1-inch diameter galvanized electrical pipe. The deck is approximately 9 feet above the ground; with the 10-foot mast on the deck, the base of the antenna will be just shy of 20 feet above the ground (total height will be approximately 25 feet).

While researching my options for mounting the mast to the deck railings I came across the following product on YouTube, manufactured by a company called Railhookz: https://youtu.be/Qla48nBT_4w. My deck rails are similar to the ones in the video. I'd like to ask for input from the antenna builders out there regarding whether this might be a viable option for my situation. It seems to me that stability could be good if I attached the clamp to the upper end of a rail. Another option might be to stack two of them on the rail for added strength and stability. Once again, though, I'd like to know the opinion of those with experience before I make a commitment.

Thanks in advance!

 

[mmckenna]

Seems like it work work. I didn't watch the whole video, so not sure if they said how much they cost.

If you have a good hardware store nearby, check into some UniStrut. A couple of short pieces of that, some suitable size conduit clamps and maybe some all-thread and you could easily make something similar. Just takes a bit of imagination. UniStrut is like "big kid" Legos. You can build dang near anything with it.

 

[TheSpaceMann]

I'm not sure about that mount. A strong wind might rip that baluster right off the deck! I'd prefer secure the antenna mast to the corner post with clamps.

 

[AK9R]

I agree with the above. That mount will only be a strong as the baluster. While I don't advocate destructive testing, if you can grab a baluster and pull it out, then it's not strong enough to hold up an antenna.

 

[NC1]

I have mounted a post off a deck before, and it cost $0 to do it.

I used a 21' piece of Top Rail that I had in the garage, which is used for chain link fence. The great part about it is that one end (about 12") is tapered (called the Swedge end) so it will fit into the next piece. This tapered end just happens to be the exact size for standard antenna mounting hardware.

Now here is where it applies to your situation: I put it straight up and down where the deck railing meets the support post. Not only is it secured by the strongest part of the rail, it is also against the strongest part of the deck. Just simply tie it in that corner where the 2 meet. Tie it at the top of the deck rail where it meets the post, then do the same at the bottom, and it is done!

My post had a small cap that held the post out about 1.5", so I found a small block of 2x4 and wedged it against the bottom of the post and the new antenna mast. Even in 65mph winds it didn't budge an inch, and I had a 17' Tram dual band antenna mounted on top.

If you get a piece of Top Rail, it would put you at roughly 30' above ground. And if your 10ft section fits on the tapered end, then you will be40' up, and that is before you put the antenna on it.

If you are going to spend a few dollars get the top rail so you are gaining height, you will be better secured by using the spot where the railing meets the post, and it won't be coming down unless the deck does - in which case you will have bigger worries than an antenna.

Hope that helps.

 

[W6SAE]

I'm not sure about that mount. A strong wind might rip that baluster right off the deck! I'd prefer secure the antenna mast to the corner post with clamps.

I failed to mention that my balusters are a bit sturdier than the ones in the video. They are mounted between two-by-fours, front and back.

I will look into the Uni-Strut mentioned one of the other replies. Thanks for the feedback so far!

 

[W6SAE]

I have mounted a post off a deck before, and it cost $0 to do it.

I used a 21' piece of Top Rail that I had in the garage, which is used for chain link fence. The great part about it is that one end (about 12") is tapered (called the Swedge end) so it will fit into the next piece. This tapered end just happens to be the exact size for standard antenna mounting hardware.

Now here is where it applies to your situation: I put it straight up and down where the deck railing meets the support post. Not only is it secured by the strongest part of the rail, it is also against the strongest part of the deck. Just simply tie it in that corner where the 2 meet. Tie it at the top of the deck rail where it meets the post, then do the same at the bottom, and it is done!

My post had a small cap that held the post out about 1.5", so I found a small block of 2x4 and wedged it against the bottom of the post and the new antenna mast. Even in 65mph winds it didn't budge an inch, and I had a 17' Tram dual band antenna mounted on top.

If you get a piece of Top Rail, it would put you at roughly 30' above ground. And if your 10ft section fits on the tapered end, then you will be40' up, and that is before you put the antenna on it.

If you are going to spend a few dollars get the top rail so you are gaining height, you will be better secured by using the spot where the railing meets the post, and it won't be coming down unless the deck does - in which case you will have bigger worries than an antenna.

Hope that helps.

Thanks for the suggestion! I'll check that out too.

I should also mention that the house is a rental, so I need something temporary that can be removed fairly easily if/when we move.

 

[NC1]

I failed to mention that my balusters are a bit sturdier than the ones in the video. They are mounted between two-by-fours, front and back.

I will look into the Uni-Strut mentioned one of the other replies. Thanks for the feedback so far!

I don't know why you would spend money on a contraption that relies on using the weakest part of the deck.

Why not have it supported by both the 4x4 support post, and the two 2x4's that hold the balusters?

You are spending money to ultimately have a weaker installation.
This totally confuses me - you want to spend cash to have a weaker mast support, when you could have 25x better for free.

I just don't get that at all.
Is there a reason you can't use the corner where the 4x4 deck support post and 2x4's on the railing meet?

 

[iMONITOR]

Maybe use a couple of these attached to the horizontal boards,

 

[W6SAE]

I don't know why you would spend money on a contraption that relies on using the weakest part of the deck.

Why not have it supported by both the 4x4 support post, and the two 2x4's that hold the balusters?

You are spending money to ultimately have a weaker installation.
This totally confuses me - you want to spend cash to have a weaker mast support, when you could have 25x better for free.

I just don't get that at all.
Is there a reason you can't use the corner where the 4x4 deck support post and 2x4's on the railing meet?

I have not committed to anything yet; I was just asking for opinions.

 

[TheSpaceMann]

I once mounted a vhf/uhf antenna to a 10 foot 2x2 wooden beam secured to my corner deck post with electric tape! It lasted for over 7 years without falling!!

 

[W6SAE]

I once mounted a vhf/uhf antenna to a 10 foot 2x2 wooden beam secured to my corner deck post with electric tape! It lasted for over 7 years without falling!!

Wow! I'm guessing you used a lot of tape.

 

[NC1]

I once mounted a vhf/uhf antenna to a 10 foot 2x2 wooden beam secured to my corner deck post with electric tape! It lasted for over 7 years without falling!!

That's the thinking man's way to do it. lol

Next time my friend rents a bucket truck to trim his trees, I'm borrowing it to put an antenna on a very tall pine next to my house. I'll keep the electrical tape idea in mind if I run into a problem up there.

 

[TheSpaceMann]

Wow! I'm guessing you used a lot of tape.

I believe it was almost an entire roll! Was under a buck at Walmart, so no biggie! PS... It did take me like a half hour to cut through it all when the time came to move the antenna however. It's just amazing how incredibly strong electrical tape can be, especially when you wrap it around something so many times!! The wooden 2x2 was like $3, and the tape was $1, so for under $4 buckaroos I was in business!!

 

[k6cpo]

I once mounted a vhf/uhf antenna to a 10 foot 2x2 wooden beam secured to my corner deck post with electric tape! It lasted for over 7 years without falling!!

What? You didn't use duct tape? Blasphemy!

 

[TheSpaceMann]

What? You didn't use duct tape? Blasphemy!

I'm saving that to mount a big HF beam!!!

 

[Weaksignal]

Use what Red Green uses... ham approved and tested.

http://forums.radioreference.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=56054&stc=1&d=1468539717

 

[TheSpaceMann]

http://forums.radioreference.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=56054&stc=1&d=1468539717

Gorilla tape works for me! Almost impossible to break it!!

 

[kmi8dy]

i would get 2 or 4 conduit clamps, the ones with the screw/lag holes on each end not the single mounting hole. use the upper horizonal ( hand rail ) and the lower horizonal footer to mount the mast to. the spindals or balesters i think would be to flimsy. use 2 clamps on the upper and two clamps on the lower. also you could use lag bolts to attach the clamps to the wood, pre-drilling a pilot hole first to not split the word. you could also attach with carrage bolts and it would be much stronger yet.

 

[Yagi]

A section of slotted angle steel could be cut with a basic hack saw to make two short pieces. One for the top and one for the bottom of the post. Then use either those large square u-bolts or lag bolts to mount to the post. Then smaller u-bolts to attach the mast.

I used something like this to mount a homebrew 11 meter vertical to a small second story apartment balcony.

Example of the metal piece:
Everbilt 1-1/2 in. x 14-Gauge x 48 in. Zinc-Plated Slotted Angle-802417 - The Home Depot