OTA antenna mount

[GoHabsGo]

I need to mount my new TV antenna on my house. There is no way a tower would go over in my neighborhood, so let's not get into that discussion. I would like to mount the antenna near the peak. I don't have a chimney. The house is quite high being a two storey house plus the basement is only half buried. The peak of the house has a gable end at both sides.

Looking at the construction from the inside, I can't really tell if the eave is sturdy or not since they have boxed it in all the way to the roof.

I kind of want to avoid installing anything that will penetrate the shingles, but have seen the Commdeck mounting device which looks intriguing. Any users out there?

My first thought was to get an eave mount kit which consists of a bracket at the peak and a longer bracket lower down which spans from one eave to the other and the antenna mast attaches to the middle of both brackets. How would I attach that to the eave, and how can I tell if the eave is strong enough to hold it?

I was also considering a J-mount, like one that is used for satellite dishes but don't think that the eave is wide enough to mount it vertically in any spot near the peak. Would it be possible to mount a J-mount to the side of the house - there are 2x8's vertically at intervals in the gable end, but the exterior is finished with vinyl siding.

Any other ideas are welcome but keep in mind that this antenna is about

41" x 33" and I also want to mount a rotor on this mount.

Let me know how you would attack this task!

Thanks,

Larry

[tnom]

You also have the option of using a telescoping mast pipe that could be secured at the ground and at the top.

[FreeTheBirthCert]

that's what I have. 3 piece telescope. works well. mount it on the side facing the transmitters.

[GoHabsGo]

[e-mail] wrote in news: [e-mail]:

Thanks for the suggestion but that's kind of out of the question for my situation. While it may work, I still have the issue of how do I attach it at the top? If that is answered, I think I could use that eave mount kit on that web site you referred to above.

The peak of my gable is way up there. I have a 24' ladder and I'm sure it's at least ten feed short for the peak. I will likely need to go to the adjacent side and put the ladder on the deck so it can reach the low end of the gable, climb on the roof and reach over the side to attach. I just need to be sure there is something solid there to bolt into. Anyone have information on typical roof construction? Will there be a 2x8 facia on the gable, under the siding?

Thanks,

Larry

[Don Phillipson]

1. Advisers cannot help much since the OP did not say how the house is built (masonry, framed timber etc.) or how old.
2. The brace for a telescoping antenna carries no weight (except itself) so can be fairlly light. It needs only sufficient strength to resist maximum winds. The municipal building permits office may have free advice about this.
3. It is notoriously unsafe to work under the eaves from atop a roof, working upside down. When a carpenter put an extra window under my eaves he brought his own scaffold, about 4 x 6 ft. footprint, and took it up to 20 ft. height in less than

10 minutes.

[FreeTheBirthCert]

with the telescoping antenna you can work on it with ease and then raise it up one section at a time till it is fully extended. much easier and safer than trying to do what you envision. good luck,.

[tnom]

Well I have installed a similar sized TV antenna with the eave mount brackets on a 1995 vinyl sided house. Wood was underneath. I used a five foot mast pipe and separated the two brackets by about

12 inches. It is holding up well.

I would try to get as much separation as possible between the brackets.

[Roger Shoaf]

Larry,

First off you may wish to start with this:

Also you may wish to consider that the neighborhood can't prevent you from erecting a tower if that is your desire, federal law trumps local ordinance here unless you do not own your back yard.

Good luck.

[SteveBell]

Round here, fascia construction is a 2x4 nailed to the ends of the rafter tails, with a 3/8x6 piece of decorative trim on top.

You'll hit the 2x4 no matter where you put in a screw (as long as you stay in the upper 3.5 inches), but it's better to hit the rafter tails so you can use really long screws. There'll be a tail on either side of the peak. Look for nails in the decorative fascia for a clue to the exact location.

Some higher-end houses have actual 2x6 or 2x8 boards with no decorative layer. I would still hit the rafter tails.

[aemeijers]

He still needs to attach it to the fly rafter on the gable, which is apparently close to three stories off the ground. (2 story over walkout basement, pretty common around here.)

-- aem sends...

[Tony Hwang]

Hi, Once I had an antenna on top of 2 story house roof. I built a platform to straddle ridge at the center, used a tripod and mast. had to use 3 guy wires of light aircraft steel cable with small turn buckles etc. This set up lasted LONG time(~20 years) until I sold the house. The antenna was two element tri-bander quad for ham radio with a rotor.

[FreeTheBirthCert]

or attach it on the one story side where it will be easy.

[Tom Oska]

Space in the attic? That's where mine is located.

[Tony Hwang]

Hi, With a rotor? OP said he needs rotor.

[Tom Horne]

Roger

That is either wishful thinking or bad information or both. There simply is no federal law that prevents localities from regulating antennas. The FCC rule only requires "reasonable accommodation" and that provides a lot of wiggle room for the locality to limit what you do. Even States like Pennsylvania, that have passed a protective law, still require permits and limit the protection to structures of a particular height or less.

-- Tom Horne, W3TDH

[Ralph Mowery]

Why not ? The antenna is only about 3'x4'. There may be enough room to mount it. That is if the house does not have a conductive roof.

[GoHabsGo]

"Don Phillipson" wrote in news:h0dn8t$mm6$ [e-mail]:

Wood framed house with brick on lower half and vinyl siding on the top half. House was built in 2001 in Southern Ontario (Canada).

I want a minimalistic mount, yet strong enough to support the antenna and rotor. This telescoping antenna would stand out a little too much, in my view (and my wife's also).

I'm considering getting a longer ladder with stand-off braces. How long do ladders come? I think I may reach with a 36' ladder but a little longer would definitely be better.

[GoHabsGo]

"Tom Oska" wrote in news:_TwWl.63257$ [e-mail]:

There is plenty of space to mount it in the attic, however, my location relative to the transmission towers is at the outer fringe, so I think for most consistent reception, I will need to go outside.

[GoHabsGo]

Tony Hwang wrote in news:IZwWl.5915$ [e-mail]:

Yes, I do have space, even with a rotor but want to go outside due to distance factor.

[GoHabsGo]

"Ralph Mowery" wrote in news:hq6dnTRgBqBTNbfXnZ2dnUVZ [e-mail]:

Roof is asphalt shingles.