Author Topic: Your Friendly Neighborhood Radio Shack has a tripod, too  (Read 4112 times)

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Offline jaded

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Your Friendly Neighborhood Radio Shack has a tripod, too
« on: August 06, 2007, 11:46:03 PM »
You can pick up a "heavy duty" tripod designed to hold a 10 foot 1-1/4" steel tube mast for a TV antenna for $34.99, and they sell 10 foot masts for $19.99, too (or you can buy a 10' piece of EMT conduit at Home Depot for far less).  And no shipping costs!
http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2062019

As other people have pointed out, most of us don't want to drill holes in our roofs.  Check out other antenna mounting solutions, they may work for your situation -- perhaps a chimney or eave mount might fit your house better without risking a leaky roof.

One thing to keep in mind is that the station may require periodic maintenance; especially the rain bucket if it's plugged with bird droppings, or leaves or seeds. The recommended height for an anemometer is 33 feet, while the recommended height for your rain bucket and temperature/humidity station is 6' over grass.  The anemometer comes with 40 feet of wire, allowing you to separate them if that works for you.  This is really just a note to say "if you put your rain bucket on your roof, you may have to climb up there frequently to clean it."

In the end, we all have to put the stations wherever they fit best on our land, and that usually means a few compromises in accuracy or convenience.  So you do what you have to in order to get it mounted.

Offline Pinster56

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Re: Your Friendly Neighborhood Radio Shack has a tripod, too
« Reply #1 on: August 07, 2007, 10:54:18 AM »
Thanks! I never thought about the Radio Shack idea.
I want to mount the ISS on the roof of my tool shed, so it's fairly easy to access, since the peak is probably only about 10 feet high. I am picking that location because it is relatively free of overhead trees. I would love to attach it to the house somewhere but the wife would NEVER allow it!
I am not too worried about drilling holes in ithe roof of the shed obviously, but I have never tried mounting a tripod like this before. I read something about using optional "tar pads" when putting in the screws. Do you think they sell those at Radio Shack also?

Offline anvana

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Re: Your Friendly Neighborhood Radio Shack has a tripod, too
« Reply #2 on: August 07, 2007, 06:48:27 PM »
Try Home Depot or Lowe's for roofing materials and solutions you can use for sealing the mounting holes in your roof. Some even have alternate antenna mounting hardware that will give you additional wx station mounting ideas.

Offline jaded

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Re: Your Friendly Neighborhood Radio Shack has a tripod, too
« Reply #3 on: August 08, 2007, 01:00:03 AM »
These are the steps I'd take If I were to mount a tripod to my roof.

1.  Figure out the placement of the tripod, and bend the tripod's feet so they make flat contact with the shingles.
2.  If possible, I'd use an ultrasonic stud finder to locate the rafters and to place at least one (and preferably two) of the tripod's feet directly over a rafter.
3.  I'd fully coat the contact surface of each tripod foot with a good layer of blackjack.
4.  When all three feet were coated, I'd press the tripod firmly in place.
5.  I'd then circle the top of each foot's bolt hole with a complete ring of blackjack (smaller diameter than the fender washers).
6.  I'd put the fender washer on the lag screw, and drive the lag screw home through each foot of the tripod.
7.  I'd be extra careful to not overtighten the lag screws, as they can easily strip out the OSB roofing material.

But that's just what I'd do.  You might want to ask an experienced roofer or professional antenna installer what he or she would do.

Actually, I have this decision coming up for myself.  I recently re-sided and removed the wooden chimney chase I had my anemometer mounted to, and now I have to decide whether to mount the anemometer directly on a tripod on the roof, on a bracket on the side of the eaves, or on a free-standing 4x4 post in the garden.  I like the idea of not having an ersatz lightning rod on my house, but the garden post places the anemometer only 15 feet in the air, and that's downhill from the house itself.  Decisions, decisions.

Offline jaded

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Re: Your Friendly Neighborhood Radio Shack has a tripod, too
« Reply #4 on: August 08, 2007, 01:05:32 AM »
Quote from: "Pinster56"
I would love to attach it to the house somewhere but the wife would NEVER allow it!

That's known as the WAF - Wife Acceptance Factor.  It's usually the single most important consideration in siting your gear.  :-)

However, I never really know the answer until I actually ask her.  Sometimes, I even get a surprising "yes"!

Offline Pinster56

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Re: Your Friendly Neighborhood Radio Shack has a tripod, too
« Reply #5 on: August 08, 2007, 12:49:46 PM »
Quote from: "jaded"
These are the steps I'd take If I were to mount a tripod to my roof.

1.  Figure out the placement of the tripod, and bend the tripod's feet so they make flat contact with the shingles.
2.  If possible, I'd use an ultrasonic stud finder to locate the rafters and to place at least one (and preferably two) of the tripod's feet directly over a rafter.
3.  I'd fully coat the contact surface of each tripod foot with a good layer of blackjack.
4.  When all three feet were coated, I'd press the tripod firmly in place.
5.  I'd then circle the top of each foot's bolt hole with a complete ring of blackjack (smaller diameter than the fender washers).
6.  I'd put the fender washer on the lag screw, and drive the lag screw home through each foot of the tripod.
7.  I'd be extra careful to not overtighten the lag screws, as they can easily strip out the OSB roofing material..

Yikes...this is starting to sound like I am getting over my head with this little project. Maybe I will just use the side mounting hardware and attach it to the side of my shed.

Offline racenet

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Re: Your Friendly Neighborhood Radio Shack has a tripod, too
« Reply #6 on: August 08, 2007, 10:11:00 PM »
Quote from: "Pinster56"

Yikes...this is starting to sound like I am getting over my head with this little project. Maybe I will just use the side mounting hardware and attach it to the side of my shed.


LOL

Don't worry about it. A 10 minute job, tops, if you take your time and have lunch. :)
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Offline NoQuitters

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Re: Your Friendly Neighborhood Radio Shack has a tripod, too
« Reply #7 on: August 08, 2007, 10:39:42 PM »
Quote
However, I never really know the answer until I actually ask her.


Wouldn't the correct response be "Yes Dear" ? :D

 

anything