Fitting aerial on roof - how to get up there!

[David Aldridge]

I need to change the aerial on my roof, and I was hoping for some useful advice before I go up there. The problem is, that the roof is a little unusual - rather than the normal inverted 'v' there are also side angles too which are quite sheer. See picture

my house is also the middle of a terrace, so there's no access from the sides.

So any kind soul feel like giving me some advice? - even if it's 'get a professional'. (in which case how much do you think that might cost?)

Thanks.

Dave

[Roger Mills]

Know anyone with a helicopter?

Seriously, you'll need two ladders. The first one - probably of the extending variety needs to lean against what you call the side angles of the roof, and to reach a little way above the level where the slope changes. The second one - of the roof variety, with wheels and apex hooks one end - needs to lie on the final bit of the roof. [You will have to carry this up the first ladder, slide it up the roof on its wheels, and turn it over when it gets to the top].

The two ladders then need lashing firmly together - whereupon you can confidently climb from the first to the second and hence to the top. [I assume that the aerial mast is fixed to the chimney?].

Roger

[BillR]

Get a professional in. Your life is not worth it. Cost £150. Reminds me of the story of the guy who threw rope over roof to hold onto in such a situation. He tied it to towball of car. Wife did not know and drove car off pulling guy over roof to his death.

[Andrew McKay]

Was that just after she renewed his life insurance? ;)

Andrew

Do you need a handyman service? Check out our web site at

[<Barbara]

"David Aldridge"

Can't help with your problem, David, but do be careful if you get up on the roof.

I have a vivid memory as a child of about 4, watching our first aerial installed in about 1951. The installer was on his own and used a single long ladder with no safety equipment, and managed to kick the top of the ladder once he was on the roof. The ladder fell over, of course.

Our garden was on the side of a hill and we had to climb a number of steps to reach it, so we kids were able to watch on a level with the roof. I remember staring with fascination, wondering what this man was doing, shouting and hanging onto our roof for dear life. We hadn't even realised what was going on, since the TV was meant to be a surprise for us, and we'd just been sent up into the garden to keep us safely out of the way while he was working.

Thankfully, eventually we realised there was a problem and ran to get Mum who managed to reposition the ladder.

Barbara

[BigWallop]

ROFLMAO !!!!! Now that's a memory worth holding on to. :-))

[John Flax]

Have you considered putting an aerial in the loft?

[Brendan DJ Murphy]

have you considered a satellite dish instead?

If you dont want to subscribe to Murdoch's empire, you can still get a dish and digibox without subscription and You can get BBC, ITV and CH4 without subscription.

The cost of dish,digibox + professional installation is similar to that of a TV aerial!

Of course, if you are tempted to subscribe to more channels, then the cost of the dish, digibox and installation is next to nothing! (minimum contract

12 months)

Brendan.

[Wanderer]

Yup, I'd second that. Don't do a Rod Hull.......

[<nightjar>]

That is a Mansard roof, named for a French Renaissance architect (whose name was actually Mansart). I would not consider it unusual, although it is probably more widely used in continental Europe.

...

Personally, I always get aerials fitted by a professional. It is relatively inexpensive and, as I always seem to live in a marginal area, it avoids me having to spend ages on a roof, trying to get the best signal strength.

If you do want to DIY, you need a ladder that will run up to the ridge at the join of the two roof slopes and a roof ladder to take you from there to the top ridge. I have always fitted a row of strong eye bolts, about every four feet or so, under my gutters. I use a rope to a couple of those to secure the top of any ladder I am going to use to access the roof from. You should also lash the access ladder to the roof ladder, when you have it in position. Stepping over the top of the access ladder onto the roof ladder is always the fun bit.

Colin Bignell

[Dave Plowman]

Safety wise, it's one of these things that if you have to ask, you'd be better getting a pro in.

[Essjay001]

Yes you can I have been watching terrestrial tv through a satdish for about six months now

[Tim Mitchell]

Yes, if you already have the FTV card, but for a NEW setup I don't think it's possible because you cannot get the FTV card any more.

There is also some talk of Sky changing the encryption so that even existing FTV cards will not work.

This does not apply to BBC channels as they have gone unencrypted, which is what caused the whole situation.

[David Hearn]

If you have a FTV card (ie. not a Sky subscription), then I'm pretty sure you'll find that you'll lose all non BBC channels shortly.

As of July 11th, BBC moved from FTV (encrypted and need a 'free' card) to FTA (no encryption, no card needed). BBC was the major source of cash for the card issuance, and now that BBC have pulled out of that (no need for cards, so why should the BBC fund it), the FTV market has collapsed (ie. you can no longer get any more FTV cards). This means that you can't get a new card.

There's also some dispute about the future. Some people (even with the 2nd issue Sky cards who have closed their subscription and are now just FTV cards) have found that ITV, C4 and C5 are now no longer viewable without a full Sky subscription. AFAIK, these channels are now pulling out of the FTV market (without a card issuer - there is no future in FTV) and will shortly (if not already) require a full Sky subscription to get ITV, C4 and C5.

Any dispute about this? Don't ask me - go to uk.tech.digital-tv where this has been discussed to death for months.

D

[The Natural Philosopher]

I thiught it was a Dutch Gable actually.

[John Laird]

I've never done it, but I always imagined that the coming back down is even worse. At least going up, you can see what you're doing.

[<nightjar>]

A Dutch gable is a flat wall with curved sides that forms the end of a piece of roof.

To be pedantic, a Mansard roof should have four sides, but the term has been adopted for any double pitched roof. It is also known as a Second Empire roof, from its wide use in France during that period.

Colin Bignell

[David Aldridge]

I could - but its a squeeze getting up there!

I need to get a good strong reception - what would the difference in reception be?

Dave.

[<nightjar>]

In my experience, by the time I am ready to come down, I have become accustomed to working at height and it is no great deal.

Colin Bignell

[Owain]

"David Aldridge" wrote | "John Flax" wrote | > Have you considered putting an aerial in the loft? | I could - but its a squeeze getting up there! | I need to get a good strong reception - what would the difference | in reception be?

Could be as little as 10% of an external rooftop aerial.

Owain