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Setting up a base station antenna.

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IdleMonitor

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Im in the process of getting an antron 99 up on the roof attached to the chimney. What size of mast should I use? 5 ft or 10 ft? Or is it dependent of the size of the chimney?

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LtDoc

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It does depend on the size of the chimney, and also on if that chimney is in use or not. If it's in use then a longer mast would keep the antenna out of the smoke/etc. It depends a lot on how strong that chimney is though, will it hold something like 25 - 30 feet of mast/antenna? There's more 'wind load' than you might think.
- 'Doc
 

IdleMonitor

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The mast I'm looking at getting is either 5 or 10 feet. Just not sure what I should go with. The chimney is not a wood stove chimney. We have gas here for a furnace so. But up to that point it's already a high roof I'm guessing atleast 20 ft to the chimney itself. I'll see if I can get a pic tomorrow.


It does depend on the size of the chimney, and also on if that chimney is in use or not. If it's in use then a longer mast would keep the antenna out of the smoke/etc. It depends a lot on how strong that chimney is though, will it hold something like 25 - 30 feet of mast/antenna? There's more 'wind load' than you might think.
- 'Doc



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LtDoc

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To some absolutely ridiculous extent, higher is better. So, all other considerations being 'equal', a taller mast is a nice thing to have. The 'catch' to that is that chimney and what it can support. I won't hazard a guess about that part! Lord knows I'm not familiar with a huge number of chimney types and capabilities, so my opinion isn't going to be the 'best' by any means. (I'll certainly look at the picture thought. :))
- 'Doc
 

IdleMonitor

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Its the first chimney. The second one in behind is in the house next to us. The top of the roof that its on is also flat. I guess after looking at this. I guess you could say a 5ft mast would be sufficient.uploadfromtaptalk1365718369594.jpguploadfromtaptalk1365718369594.jpg
 

LtDoc

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I would guess that chimney is 'robust' enough to hold up a 5 or 10 foot mast and antenna. I think a typical 'chimney' mount should work. I'd use two of those 'chimney' mounts or at least one that has two 'straps' a couple of feet apart. I've no idea if you have a 'Radio Shack' where you live but they usually have those kind of mounts. Or after you've seen one, or if you know what I'm talking about, make your own?
- 'Doc
 

IdleMonitor

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I would guess that chimney is 'robust' enough to hold up a 5 or 10 foot mast and antenna. I think a typical 'chimney' mount should work. I'd use two of those 'chimney' mounts or at least one that has two 'straps' a couple of feet apart. I've no idea if you have a 'Radio Shack' where you live but they usually have those kind of mounts. Or after you've seen one, or if you know what I'm talking about, make your own?
- 'Doc

This is what im gonna use for the chimney mount and brackets http://mobile.homehardware.ca/en/detail?R=I3688003
 

LtDoc

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I've never seen that particular mount before, so no idea how it works exactly. Only with a quick look, but if those larger bolts/screws are supposed to screw into the chimney, I don't think I would do that. I wouldn't doubt that I'm misconstruing how it works though.
- 'Doc
 

IdleMonitor

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I've never seen that particular mount before, so no idea how it works exactly. Only with a quick look, but if those larger bolts/screws are supposed to screw into the chimneys, I don't think I would do that. I wouldn't doubt that I'm misconstruing how it works though.
- 'Doc

Yeah. I dont know how it works either. But I have no doubt it'll work. Because well thats what it's for. Just got talking with the landlord. We agreed. 5ft mast will do just fine. It'll be enough to clear yhe chimney. Its not that tall anyways. About 3-4 ft actually.
 

jim202

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You boys are headed for trouble down the road. As much as everyone keeps pointing to the chimney to mount antennas on, it is a very bad idea. The longer the mast you mount and the larger the antenna you put up there, the faster your going to see your chimney need to be repaired.

The mast and antenna put a constant pressure on the chimney when the wind blows. Any vibration on that mast gets transferred right into the chimney. Over time, that constant vibration will crack the mortar holding the bricks together. Years ago, I thought the same as most of you that the chimney was a fine place to mount the TV antenna.

Ran into a brick layer and he filled me in on just what was going on. He made his living repairing all the cracked chimneys he ran across. He would drive around and look for any antenna that looked like it had been up on the chimney for a number of years. Once he found one, he would take out his high powered binoculars and take a gander at the chimney. Just about all the time he could find cracks. A knock on the owners door and he would introduce himself to the owner of the house. Explain why he stopped by. Those owners that thought he was yanking their chain were shortly corrected when he would hand them the binoculars. Told them where to look on the chimney.

Reason the bricklayer was so good at what he was doing, is that he knew once the home owner was informed of the problem, their home owner's insurance would not pay for any damage the chimney might cause if it lost any bricks onto the roof. He most of the time could talk the home owner into the job of repairing the chimney. He would also tell them that the antenna mounted on the chimney caused the damage.

So now that you have heard a true story about chimney damage caused by antennas, you can go do what you want.
 
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IdleMonitor

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The chimney was just recently fixed up actually. I've done a chimney mount before. With even less of a chimney mount and not nearly as secure as the mount I had posted. Im not too worried about it. Im sure If the landlord was concerned he wouldn't have let me do it.

You do however make some valid points though.
 

jaspence

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Chimney mount

I have used several different antenna mounts. The best is a tower with the base in concrete, but this is not always possible and cost is much higher. My suggestion is a tripod mount if the condition of the roof is good. It will get the antenna away from the corrosive fumes of the chimney and give you the highest mounting point possible on the roof. Just be sure to seal the lag screws properly and use guy wires for a taller or heavy antenna.
 

LtDoc

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I'm not disagreeing about the possibility of damage to that chimney. But I have to wonder how long this antenna would be up there. If I planned to live there for some time, then I think I would consider other options. Such as it being a flat roof, how about a plate as the base of a mount held firmly by weights of some kind. I have an aversion about putting holes in a roof, a flat one especially. It does work well if done properly though, the 'hole' thingy is just my 'thing'.
Good luck on whatever you decide.
- 'Doc
 

JayMojave

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Hello All: I am a real fan for NOT using the chimney, as I know its big dollars to fix or replace.

Many years ago I mounted a light weight mast to the chimney with a light weight scanner antenna, and felt much better when I moved it to the garage. I have seen chimneys damaged with masts having larger antennas.

Good Luck

Jay in the Mojave


I'm not disagreeing about the possibility of damage to that chimney. But I have to wonder how long this antenna would be up there. If I planned to live there for some time, then I think I would consider other options. Such as it being a flat roof, how about a plate as the base of a mount held firmly by weights of some kind. I have an aversion about putting holes in a roof, a flat one especially. It does work well if done properly though, the 'hole' thingy is just my 'thing'.
Good luck on whatever you decide.
- 'Doc
 

Rt169Radio

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Using a chimney as a place to put a antenna is not the first place I would pick, but if you can't put it anywhere else then you have to deal with what you can do. But with that being said its best to make sure everything is safe and tight.
 

IdleMonitor

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Using a chimney as a place to put a antenna is not the first place I would pick, but if you can't put it anywhere else then you have to deal with what you can do. But with that being said its best to make sure everything is safe and tight.

The only other solution which I dont want to do. Is grab the 30 ft tv mast from my moms place and bring it here. Atleast with that I could attach it to the side of the house. Which would be ok too because its positioned in an area where theres like 2-3 ft. between houses as you can tell by the pic. So no wind there for the bottom portion. That is last resort. I think the way we will do it will still be ok though. Thanks for the posts fellas.
 
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robertmac

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suggest you hurry up as solar cycle 24 might be on its downturn. You might be in luck if it is a double peak this year and next. But is not a big cycle so not sure how "shooting skip" on crappy band will be. Don't listen and don't care to listen to the junken air waves.
 

LtDoc

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In no particular order.
Between buildings to reduce the 'wind load' isn't a good idea. It doesn't really reduce anything, just changes how that 'load' is applied. Sometimes, spreading that 'load' over the whole mast/antenna is better than concentrating it in one place.
The difference between the antenna being 5 feet high and 10 feet high con be marginally 'better' because of the additional height, but there won't be a huge difference by any means. If 5 feet of mast is more practical (for whatever reason) then it's certainly better than nothing.
I don't have a chimney to mount anything to so I'm not an expert by any means. That wouldn't be my first choice, but it would certainly be -a- choice. If it was the 'best' that I could manage then I would certainly give it a try. I like to think that I would pay attention to the condition of that setup, keep an eye on it for any changes, especially any detrimental ones. If there were problems, I also like to think that I'd stop using that chimney. Back to the drawing board. Basically, a try it and see what happens sort of thingy.
The larger the antenna the more stress is placed on it's support. I would keep that in mind no matter how/where the thing is mounted. That doesn't mean that a 'smaller' antenna would be a 'better' choice! Reducing size only goes so far before it just isn't very practical anymore.
Give it a shot. Pay attention.
- 'Doc
 

IdleMonitor

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Well I finally got around to taking some pics of the antenna. Antenna is on a 5ft mast attached to a chimney mount with 2 steel straps. To the bottom of the antenna its about 27-30 ft.

I have my ground attached at the ubolts at the bottom of the antenna running down the side of the house to a pipe in the ground about 2 ft between my house and the one beside me. Got it all set up with a 1.1-1.2 swr.

Waiting on some ferrite rf tvi filters to arrive and attach them to the coax. Where do I put those at? One at the radio on the coax and another at the bottom of the antenna on the coax there?

Get it all setup and noooo conditions lately for skip. Booooo hope they pick up again soon though.
 

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