Author Topic: My Station and Room (Read 15111 times)

JOE · « **on:** January 11, 2009, 02:44:37 PM »

Here's a shot of my Station. Looks a lot like everyone else's VP2, except it's on "my" roof".

And here's my weather room. I straightened it up a bit prior to snapping the picture. Computer on left will be gone as soon as I get the "crap" off of it that I want to keep.

.

Axelvold · « **Reply #1 on:** January 11, 2009, 03:33:20 PM »

nice and neat, that's the way it should be

Bunty · « **Reply #2 on:** April 04, 2009, 04:46:36 PM »

Quote from: Axelvold on January 11, 2009, 03:33:20 PM

nice and neat, that's the way it should be

That's true. But I don't see evidence of any guy wires attached to the setup so it can stand up to high wind gusts, such as during a storm. And how likely is it to stay up even when guy wired? This is why I keep my pro 2 w/FARS together on a post, pictured below, so I wouldn't have to worry about such a thing. Maybe I'm too lazy to get on my roof as well. I try not to care too much that as a result my wind speed indication is often lower than what's indicated at my local airport's weather station, whose anemometer is apparently installed at the standard height.

http://stillwaterweather.com

racenet · « **Reply #3 on:** April 04, 2009, 07:39:16 PM »

That roof install is plenty stable enough without guy wires. It would take a tornado to rip that off of there. Then, at that point, the last thing I would be worried about is my weather station.

Bob

Bunty · « **Reply #4 on:** April 04, 2009, 09:45:53 PM »

OK, I hope you're right.

racenet · « **Reply #5 on:** April 05, 2009, 09:00:56 AM »

Quote from: Bunty on April 04, 2009, 09:45:53 PM

OK, I hope you're right.

I know I am. Mine is mounted the same way and has been there for a long time.

Bob

StormChase Group · « **Reply #6 on:** May 30, 2009, 01:57:28 AM »

Nice setup Joe!!! That is what I hope to have here soon

Mark / Ohio · « **Reply #7 on:** May 30, 2009, 11:18:03 PM »

Those tripods are pretty darn stable really. The weakest link on them is the attachment of the legs to the roof. They really need to be lag bolted either right into a joist or 2x4's cross braces fastened to the joists or even better using long bolts through the legs with washers and nuts inside the attic. On newer homes especially the roof sheeting just won't cut it given the constant prying of the wind. The wind loading of a weather station is much less IMHO then that of average size TV antenna for which they were originally designed and used for.

LFWX · « **Reply #8 on:** October 11, 2009, 12:43:28 AM »

Quote

But I don't see evidence of any guy wires attached to the setup so it can stand up to high wind gusts, such as during a storm. And how likely is it to stay up even when guy wired?

Here is what can happen to a properly mounted tripod when an improperly mounted guy-wire pulls loose in a wind storm. My first indication of this was when I started getting 0 mph wind speeds (guy-wire hitting the wind cups)

The aftermath (zoom in on the roof) - the tripod is fine, the mast is buckled, the FM antenna was not damaged and it protected the disc-cone antenna & the anemometer

That problem has been corrected

New & Old bolts

The FM antenna (catching all the wind) has been lowered to the top of the tripod, I never really used the rotor, so I removed it which allowed me to move the anemometer higher.

DanS · « **Reply #9 on:** October 11, 2009, 01:13:35 AM »

Looks like it may have been a whole lot more expensive to repair if not for the FM antenna. I believe the tensile strength of those guy wires would give out first before those new support beams move. Appears you're covered now. Good job.

LFWX · « **Reply #10 on:** October 11, 2009, 01:46:45 AM »

Quote from: DanS on October 11, 2009, 01:13:35 AM

Looks like it may have been a whole lot more expensive to repair if not for the FM antenna. I believe the tensile strength of those guy wires would give out first before those new support beams move. Appears you're covered now. Good job.

Yea, I don't know what I was thinking about when I installed the original (smaller) hooks through the sheathing into the truss (if they were even long enough to reach the truss)

The tripod is also bolted to 4x4s spanning between trusses, thus it didn't move during the storm.

Mark / Ohio · « **Reply #11 on:** October 13, 2009, 12:52:38 AM »

If that hook pulls out of the roof now, your going to have a lot bigger things to worry about.

port1 · « **Reply #12 on:** October 16, 2009, 08:07:02 AM »

Quote from: Mark / Ohio on October 13, 2009, 12:52:38 AM

If that hook pulls out of the roof now, your going to have a lot bigger things to worry about.

I agree with Mark!
Nice job securing the guy wires, and a very nice rooftop setup.
Plenty of "stuff" there to catch the wind, though.
I can see why you'd need to guy it.

Henry

Stormtracker · « **Reply #13 on:** December 03, 2009, 12:40:05 PM »

Quote from: Bunty on April 04, 2009, 04:46:36 PM

Quote from: Axelvold on January 11, 2009, 03:33:20 PM
nice and neat, that's the way it should be

That's true. But I don't see evidence of any guy wires attached to the setup so it can stand up to high wind gusts, such as during a storm. And how likely is it to stay up even when guy wired? This is why I keep my pro 2 w/FARS together on a post, pictured below, so I wouldn't have to worry about such a thing. Maybe I'm too lazy to get on my roof as well. I try not to care too much that as a result my wind speed indication is often lower than what's indicated at my local airport's weather station, whose anemometer is apparently installed at the standard height.

http://stillwaterweather.com

I too have my station mounted to a 4x4. Like you, my wind readings suffer a little bit, but my temperature and humidity are spot on. Plus, my home is newer and the roof pitch is just too dangerous for an old fart like me to tackle.

ocala · « **Reply #14 on:** December 03, 2009, 12:50:55 PM »

I mentioned this before but there are a lot of unused antenna towers out there now that TV is all digital. I'm sure most home owners would give them away for free. Perfect set up for an anemometer.

sam2004gp · « **Reply #15 on:** December 03, 2009, 01:40:32 PM »

Quote from: ocala on December 03, 2009, 12:50:55 PM

I mentioned this before but there are a lot of unused antenna towers out there now that TV is all digital. I'm sure most home owners would give them away for free. Perfect set up for an anemometer.

I would get one, if somebody would put in a good word for me at my homeowners association. It took a big effort just to get my OS station like this.

lddaly · « **Reply #16 on:** December 03, 2009, 01:46:38 PM »

Quote from: sam2004gp on December 03, 2009, 01:40:32 PM

I would get one, if somebody would put in a good word for me at my homeowners association.

Same here.

Mark / Ohio · « **Reply #17 on:** December 04, 2009, 12:32:11 AM »

Nice thing about a tower is you do not need to get out a ladder to get up there. Bad part is the rungs get a bit slippery during an ice storm when the anemometer is froze up.

Here's mine:

My ISS is still low for easy access:

W3DRM · « **Reply #18 on:** December 04, 2009, 04:07:32 PM »

Mark,

Is that an aluminum or steel tower and what size, manufacturer/model is it? I'm in the market for one to put my anemometer on as well as some of my ham antennas.

I'm jealous, of course...

Mark / Ohio · « **Reply #19 on:** December 04, 2009, 10:55:03 PM »

Quote from: W3DRM on December 04, 2009, 04:07:32 PM

Mark,

Is that an aluminum or steel tower and what size, manufacturer/model is it? I'm in the market for one to put my anemometer on as well as some of my ham antennas.

It's steel tower, installed in 1985. My uncle worked as a route salesman for a distributor of Channel Master brand at the time. I don't think it is available anymore. I like it as the larger diameter rungs are easier on the feet then the small welded rod type cross supports that you see on most tower. It came in the typical 10' bolt together sections.

port1 · « **Reply #20 on:** December 07, 2009, 08:42:07 AM »

I'd like a tower like that myself! I'm sure my neighbors would complain though.

Your setup is nice! Very nice!
Yup...it pays to live "out in the country".

Henry

Stormtracker · « **Reply #21 on:** December 07, 2009, 04:03:23 PM »

How deep do you sink your tower into the ground? Do you pour concrete for the base? Guy wires? I would like to go that route someday.

ocala · « **Reply #22 on:** December 07, 2009, 05:08:32 PM »

This is my setup. You can see the peak of the house in the bottom part of the pic. Right where the tower meets the roof it's secured to the house. No guy wires needed here but if you make it free standing without upper support then guy wires are a must. The tower came with the house but I'm assuming it's several feet in the ground.
You can just barley out my anny about a foot and a half below the antenna. I guess I do need to get up there and take that antenna down although it is pretty high up there.

Stormtracker · « **Reply #23 on:** December 07, 2009, 06:00:38 PM »

Thanks for the reply-- how do you, or do you, ground the tower?

floodcaster · « **Reply #24 on:** December 07, 2009, 06:48:11 PM »

Quote from: ocala on December 07, 2009, 05:08:32 PM

This is my setup. You can see the peak of the house in the bottom part of the pic. Right where the tower meets the roof it's secured to the house. No guy wires needed here but if you make it free standing without upper support then guy wires are a must. The tower came with the house but I'm assuming it's several feet in the ground.
You can just barley out my anny about a foot and a half below the antenna. I guess I do need to get up there and take that antenna down although it is pretty high up there.

Wow, that picture looks familiar.

Here's my setup for the anemometer.

News:

Author Topic: My Station and Room (Read 15111 times)