Look at these pictures of how I can mount my antenna..

[squale]

Okay here are pictures of my roof overhand where I want the mount the antenna too. I want it on the side of my roof because I didn't want to have to put holes in the shingles at the top of my roof, I don't need any leaks!!!

so here is the pictures, what's the best mounting option for me and how big of a mast should I go with?

 

[safetyobc]

buy a pole. That's what I did (actually mine was given to me). My antenna is up at about 28' and works great. I also had my dad build me a hinge plate for the ground so I can easily let the antenna down before a storm or for maintenance. It has a 2" pipe 18" long in the ground welded to a plate. Then a plate hinged to the ground plate with a pipe that fits inside my antenna pole. Works Great! I could leave the antenna up all the time and risk it, but I live in S. Arkansas and spring and summer afternoon storms occur very often and it takes less than 1 minute to lay it down to protect from high winds and mainly lightening. Anyway, that is how I did mine. I have never mounted to a roof before but if that is what you really want, you might could find an old satelite mount like for Dish network or Direct TV and mount it right at the peak, you can use screws to attach it to the facia at the peak. Just a suggestion.

Dish Wall Mount

Wall Mount with antenna mast

This one is made just for the eave of the house. (the second one)
Eave Mount

you can do a google for antenna wall mount and come up with lots of info and ideas.

 

[safetyobc]

Also you might check out this. It is for an attic but may work for what you need outside.

RS Attic Mount

RS Eaves Mount

RS Universal Mast Mount

Hope these help.

 

[squale]

here is so pretty interesting findings..

I took my radio shack discone antenna, connected to 50 foot of Radio Shack RG-8/U cable and I went up into my attic. Didn't really get good reception at all up there. Then I took it onto my roof, and put the discone sitting up there on the shingles at different locations, from one side of the roof to the other. I found pretty good signal in the middle of my roof, okay signal on the right side, and horrible single on the left side of my roof. My roof is a standard straight bi-level roof which is about 60 foot long... so this was weird I thought. Then I even took the Discone antenna and held it up over my head as high as I could but this didn't do any better for the reception. So I don't think a 10' mast would even make a difference.

Then I got down from the roof and just stood the Discone up on my deck which is connected to the second floor of my house. Surprisingly this is where I get the best signal. I can pick up an airport about 25 miles away, both the tower and planes and I get local police, etc. very strong. It is just weird to me why putting the antenna on my deck which is lower than my roof actually gets me better reception. And also the fact that you have the house blocking the other side of where the signals may be coming from when the antenna is on the deck, but this is just weird I guess.. so it doesn't look like a roof mount is needed, but now the issue is that I need to get longer coax runs, like up to 100feet now to sit the antenna on my deck cause it's at the other side of my house versus where my office is!

 

[kb2vxa]

Hi Squale and all,

The simple answer is a peak roof mount and 10' of mast, no more. Due to the gentle slope the brackets will be very close together greatly increasing leverage and the chances of the mast kinking and buckling in high wind.

The big question is what's under that aluminium siding? If it's an old house with rotted facier boards you'll screw the anchor bolts into thin air. I'd check out what's under the covering, siding hides a lot of structural problems, that's why it's the landlord's favorite cosmetic.

What are you afraid of with a few holes in the roof? Tar plugs holes so the heavy tar paper pads that come with tripods supplimented with a good smear over the mounting ears once in place will prevent any leaks. It worked for me on a flat roof where water doesn't run off so easily as on yours. BTW, use heavy lag screws long enough to completely penetrate the wood, I don't trust those peanuts that come with the tripod.

 

[bonus1331]

Scantenna

I have a Scantenna coming today.
This link is to the RS peak roof mount.
http://www.radioshack.com/product.asp?catalog_name=CTLG&product_id=15-889
Will this hold the weight of the antenna? Would I be better off with a 5 foot mast rather than a 10 foot mast?
And, what exactly should I be doing to ensure no roof leakage?
Thanks

 

[benjaminarthurt]

if you were going with the 10 foot mast id use guy wires.... just a suggestion

 

[bonus1331]

I would like to avoid guy wires. The peak mount looks kind of flimsy. The Scantenna weighs about 6 lbs. I'm wondering if i wonder if I would be safe with the peak mount and a 5 foot mast, or am I better off usinbg a different kind of mount. Would hate to wake up one day and find shingles or pieces of roof on my yard along with a mangles antenna!

 

[tspainiv]

I'm using the Antennacraft ST2 on a 10' pole with a tripod from RS mounted on the peak of the roof. No guy wires and it's very stable. It's lasted through the remains of both hurricane katrina and rita which brought us 50+ mph winds.

 

[bonus1331]

Got the antenna today. It's the same ST2. Took about ten minutes to put together, attach the coax and is now looking like an eyesore in my garage at the moment! But you know how it is when a new toy arrives. Sitting on a box in my garage; I'm already picking up tower communication at Charlotte Douglas Airport that I had never been able to hear before. About 35 miles away. Heck, may move to the attic tomorrow and get another 10 miles reception until the weekend. Surprised how light it is!
After your response and numerous PM's with Pboy today; looks like the tripod mount is the way to go.
Will have to be a Saturday project. Too dark too early these days.
Thanks

 

[Al42]

If you want it to stay up until it rots (I removed a RS tripod mount after about 30 years), use lag bolts in the legs, into the roof beams. (3 bolts are cheap.) Cover them in roof sealer to prevent leakage. USE guy wires. Cover the guy anchors in roof sealer also. (BTW, I had a rotator and 2 antennas with a lot more weight and wind load than you're going to have - and only took things down when I got the roof reshingled.)

 

[dfndr13]

Safetyobc,
Would you happen to have some photo's of your setup. I too live in a Lightning rich state(Kansas) and would like to be able to lay down my antenna with ease. Thanks

Matt

 

[USAPatriot]

Why not just get a galvanized 50' collapsable mast, stick it into the ground and run it up the side of the house? Run it right at the peak. All you'll need is a bit of concrete in the hole in the ground, a block of painted 2x4 as a spacer to get you past the roofing shingles and a mast clamp to hold the mast to the block. Oh, 3 guy wires. You get height, 40-50 years of use, minimum (mine is 40 years old) and no holes in the roof. A scantenna deserves a good mount. I've got some big ears in this city. I'm sitting in a hole with mountains all around and I still pick up the county FD 40 miles away. Scantenna, mast, 150ft of RG6, 796D. -Rod-

 

[bonus1331]

Follow up-Coax into the house?

Got the Scantenna on the roof today. Ended up using a vent pipe mount which saved me from having to put holes in my roof!
Know, how does everyone get the coax into the house?
I'm using the infamous "pop the screen and bring the coax in the window" method.
Nice having the external antenna back since moving into the house almost 3 years ago!

 

[kb2vxa]

Hi again,

Re USAPatriot:
"Why not just get a galvanized 50' collapsable mast, stick it into the ground and run it up the side of the house?"

About 30 years ago I did just that and 50mph winds laid it horizontal into the TV antenna. If not for those strong South River (no longer made) wall brackets and hefty lag bolts I would have lost it all. I wouldn't waste the powder to blow the Rat Shack brackets to hell, I can bend those with my bare hands.

Re bonus1331:
"Ended up using a vent pipe mount which saved me from having to put holes in my roof!"

Last year I took down the remains of another ham's antenna mounted like that after the brackets twisted into metal pretzels and snapped.

So, why didn't you take the good advice given by myself and Al42 and use a tripod with roof sealer over lag bolts? His lasted 30 years as did several I installed and no, we didn't mention leaks because there never were any. OK, I just hope you don't find out the hard way about Archemedes and leverage and decide to guy the mast after the fact, holes. BTW, the tripod has pivoting feet so you can lay it over for maintenence or take-down should a dangerous storm be forcast. The rivet in one can be drilled out and replaced with a stainless nut, bolt and lock washer as to disconnect the foot when you lay it over.

 

[Al42]

Know, how does everyone get the coax into the house?

Two pieces of pine board or plywood about 2" wide and as long as the window is wide, and a LONG bulkhead connector (at least as long as the distance between your screen and windoe plus about 2").

Clamp the pieces of wood together and drill a hole the mounting diameter of your bulkhead connector through both of them. One piece goes under the screen, the other under the window. (You might also want to put an "air conditioner" lock on the window frame.

Connect the two pieces together with the bulkhead connector and 2 extra nuts (they come with 2, usually). Plug the coax into the outside end of the connector and plug a jumper from the inside of the connector to your scanner.

When you put up more antennas, just drill more holes and add bulkhead connectors.

(A bulkhead connector is a female-to-female adapter with a long threaded shaft.)

 

[bonus1331]

KB2VXA,
I appreciate the input; however, I'm in a business where relocation is always an option. Because of this, I have been in three cities in 6 years. Don't want to put a tripod in the roof, in a year have a house inspector up on the roof claiming roof damage when I'm trying to sell. I know in the long run, the tripod is the way to go, but the scantenna is 6 lbs. and $50.00. If it goes down, so be it. The way it's built, I would most likely pick it up off the ground and remount with minimal damage.
Thanks again.