Whom Can I Hire for a Rooftop VP2 Anemometer Installation?

[NorthNJwx]

I may get the opportunity to mount a weather station on my grandparents’ beach house in coastal NJ, which is in a very exposed location that would provide excellent wind data.

The problem I’d have would be getting an anemometer on the roof. The peak of the roof is roughly 25-30’ above the ground, and I’m absolutely petrified of heights – I don’t think I’ve ever been above 10’ up on a ladder. I was able to work around this problem when installing the VP2 at my house here in Northern NJ because the anemometer was installed for me by someone with a cherrypicker, but the beach house is over 100 miles away and the cherrypicker simply can’t be transported there.

While I prefer to do things myself, the height factor is a huge, huge problem for me. I’m resigned to the fact that I’d need to hire someone to install this station.

So, my questions are:

Who can I hire to install an anemometer on a roof? Is this something a roofer or an antenna installer would do, or is it within another type of contractor’s domain?

-and-

Has anyone here hired a roofer, antenna installer, or other type of contractor to install weather station equipment on your roof? If so, what was your experience (was it done well, how expensive, etc.)?

And just in case it turns out to be impossible to get someone to install it on the roof, is there any kind of wall mount solution I could use that could get a sturdy mast several feet above the peak of the roof without me having to install anything into the wall above, say, a height of 15’ above the ground?

I’d be using a VP2. I’d love to consider the Vue, but the fact that the battery has to be up with the ISS above the roof is a total dealbreaker. With the VP2, I could easily connect the anemometer to either a transmitter kit or the ISS at a reasonable height, so that I wouldn’t have to hire anyone to go up on the roof to replace a battery.

I’ll be at the beach house this weekend, so I can take some pics of the site and post them here to provide a better idea of what I’m trying to do. I’m not sure what kind of mount to use yet, but hopefully I’ll get a better idea after looking at the site more closely.

If this project comes to fruition, the results could be incredible. Thanks in advance for any comments or suggestions.

[SlowModem]

Look at WU, CWOP, etc., and see if there are any other weather enthusists  in that area.  Perhaps someone else with a weather station nearby could/would help you install it.

[wxtech]

I have a vision problem and can't climb.  I installed a mast just outside a dormer.  I used the Ambient Weather EZ-30-12
http://www.ambientweather.com/amweezmopoki.html  I didn't have to climb or go out on to the roof.  I just reached from the dormer window and mounted it on the outside wall of the dormer.  Maybe you have some structure that will work for you without climbing.

[NorthNJwx]

Unfortunately, there aren't many stations in that area - the nearest is miles away. But I think I'd rather have somebody who frequently works on roofs install it, because it's a very difficult roof to get at and I'd be worried about somebody less experienced potentially getting hurt.

I do like the looks of the Ambient mounting kit you have there. There are no dormers on the house, but I think this type of setup could be installed from out a second story window if care is taken. The only problem would be getting the mast high enough above the peak of the roof, which would require a considerably long unsupported portion. It may not be feasible.

Since I had my anemometer at home installed by someone else, I never really thought of this, but I'm wondering: do a lot of people go up on their roofs themselves? I have a very steep/high/hard to access roof here at home, so I never even considered it. The beach house roof, while difficult, is somewhat better. If people are really going up 30' ladders and installing their stations on steep roofs, I'm impressed!

[CNYWeather]

I'm not a fan of heights either. Installed one on my garage roof as I didnt want to climb on the house.

Got a buddy who'd do it? Maybe in exchange for a 30 pack or something?

[WXman]

I mounted my VP2 anemometer to my chimney.   It was my only option for getting any somewhat reliable wind data.  To do it, I bought a TV antenna mounting bracket kit, and two 5' antenna mast sections from my local Lowe's store.  Total cost was somewhere around $15 bucks.  It was cheaper and less ridiculous looking than the around-chimney band clamp setups I've seen advertised.  However, my chimney is plywood and vinyl siding.  If you have a brick chimney, installation with this setup would be more challenging.

My anemometer is connected via Davis extension cable to the ISS, therefore there is zero need to ever go on the roof for battery maintenance.  In 4 years, I only had to go up there one time to diagnose a problem with no wind reading.  After smacking the anemometer around a couple of times it started working again.

Finally, lightning hit the anemometer and literally destroyed it, and wiped out my ISS out in the yard too, almost on the 4-year anniversary of me putting it up there.  I truly believe it saved my house from fire.  However, my wife is convinced that it is the reason our house was struck to begin with.

So that's why I'm browsing the forums right now...  trying to decide if there is any credible evidence that suggests that putting my anemometer back on the chimney the way it was increases my odds of being struck by lightning.  Good luck to you.

[wxtech]

Trust your instincts.  If you aren't sure you can work on a slanted slippery surface in the wind, don't do it.  Also do you have the necessary supplies to seal the roof if you put bolts through the shingles?  My dormer installation is exactly like a second story window install.
I used to climb radar and equipment towers.  Now, I can't climb the ladder to clean my gutters.

[Photoscout]

I believe, in your case, may be is to hire someone who installs TV antennas, or communication antennas. Check with any local HAM operator clubs in the area, and TV and radio shops too. Someone who mounts antennas as a business will have all the necessary equipment; they can place the mast where you want it, install it with proper brackets, and with guide-wires (if applicable). 

As the other posters mentioned, having a buddy do it for you is the cheapest way to go. You could get the mast and hardware ready on the ground and help hoist it up to your helper on the roof. You could stay on the ground as assist from there.

Good luck with your mast project.

[Bushman]

Try a satellite dish installer.

[NorthNJwx]

Thanks to all for the responses; this board is the best for getting good help (and quickly).

I really like the idea of having a friend put it up there for me, but the problem is that I don't think anyone I know would be any less averse to doing it than I would. It would probably be easier for me to go up there and do it myself (as long as at least five people are holding the ladder for me  ).

But I do think an antenna or satellite dish installer would be a better bet than a roofer; good call. They install masts on roofs, even if those masts usually hold up other items besides anemometers.

I probably should have specified this in the original post, but the anemometer will be attached to the mast and the mast will be fully ready to go before installation. The only thing I'll need another person to do is to go up the ladder and secure the mast to whatever I decide to attach it to. It should be a really quick operation, actually.

[Gulfcoast]

My opinion... I'd only install it where I could service it myself.

[wxtech]

My opinion... I'd only install it where I could service it myself.

Best advice yet. 

[NorthNJwx]

My opinion... I'd only install it where I could service it myself.

If there was to be anything more than the anemometer up there, definitely.

I've had VP2s for over 5 and a half years now, with setups similar to what I'm describing here. I've never had to service the anemometers at either of the two locations I've been at over that time period - only the transmitter kits, which have been directly next to windows (which is exactly how I'd configure it at the beach house) and the ISS, at around 7' AGL at both locations. While this track record certainly doesn't mean I can't have a problem with the anemometer at some point, it's encouraging. If something were to happen after several years, I could have it serviced by the person who installed it (or by another person in the same field).

[miraculon]

I own a Dutch Colonial and I too was afraid to go up on the roof of the house. However, I don't have a problem climbing the adjoining garage roof.

What I did was mount a tripod such that I could loosen the bolt and swing the mast down on the two riveted hinge points. It swings towards the rear of the house which is where the attached picture was taken from. The bolt is on the front side, the riveted hinges are on the rear.

I clamp the mast to the house gable area to stabilize it further. While this arrangement is only a few feet above the roof-line, it is much better than when I had it mounted on the garage roof at the other end.

The clamp is near the camera. I positioned everything so that it clears the roof when I swing it down. I recently rebuilt the wind vane bearings and it was simple enough to lower it. I grab an empty cardboard box to support the mast so that the equipments don't touch the roof.

I would imagine that the VP2 bits could be positioned similarly to avoid the roof when it swings down. Of course this can only work if you have a garage situated like mine.

[kray1000]

Whom can I hire to install an anemometer on a roof? Is this something a roofer or an antenna installer would do, or is it within another type of contractor’s domain?

Could also try asking on craigslist.

[dalecoy]

Would it be practical to build/use a tilt-over mast? 

Here's one example:  http://wiki.radioreference.com/index.php/Tilt-Over_Mast

They can be built of pipe, or of wood, etc.

[Bushman]

Would it be practical to build/use a tilt-over mast? 

Here's one example:  http://wiki.radioreference.com/index.php/Tilt-Over_Mast

They can be built of pipe, or of wood, etc.

J-mount will do the same thing.

[dalecoy]

Would it be practical to build/use a tilt-over mast? 

Here's one example:  http://wiki.radioreference.com/index.php/Tilt-Over_Mast

They can be built of pipe, or of wood, etc.

J-mount will do the same thing.

Not exactly.  A J-mount (depending on where it's attached) might not allow easy access to the anemometer, and would have to be bolted high on the house wall or on the roof (which is what he's trying to avoid or solve).

[NorthNJwx]

The flow of ideas into this thread is excellent, and I'm now starting to come up with more options based on the suggestions provided.

I currently have three main mounting ideas. I'll explain them briefly, then attach a rough MS Paint cross-section for each idea.

Option 1: what I originally intended - a rooftop mount that would need to be installed by a third party. It would incorporate either a gable end mount or a tripod attached to the roof itself.
Option 2: a search of the Weather Display forum yielded several interesting setups using telescoping masts. It involves a telescoping mast attached to the wall of the house in two places to maximize stability, but neither attachment being higher than 15'. I could do this on my own, and would be able to provide maintenance to the station by using a ladder to the level of the higher wall attachment and lowering the top portion of the mast to that level.
Option 3: the suggestions of tilting masts and J-mounts inspired this one. There is a two-level, enclosed deck attached to the back of the house, and the upper level is accessible via an outdoor staircase. I could put a J-mount on the side of the deck adjacent to the staircase such that the mount could be tilted backwards by someone on the staircase for maintenance. If my wording is too confusing, I can take a picture this weekend and show it more clearly. The only problem with this installation (a big one, though) is that the roof of the actual house would block winds on the east side of a NNE-SSW line, since the deck roof is below the main roof (see diagram). Thankfully, prevailing winds are westerly.

For option 3, I'd probably use this (possibly with an extension piece for the mast):
http://www.ambientweather.com/amwewewestmo.html

The other factor at play here in addition to ease of installation and ease of maintenance is the choice between a VP2 and Vue. I'd prefer a Vue, since this would be my second station and I'd like to save as much money as possible. Option 1 rules out the Vue due to the battery changes and maintenance necessary for it. Option 2 makes the Vue possible, though would require me to still use a ladder and lower the telescoping mast. Option 3 works perfectly for the Vue.

Here are the MS Paint cross-sections:

Option 1 (third party-install):



Option 2 (self-install):



Option 3 (self-install):

[NorthNJwx]

I've come to a decision today: I will attempt option 3 (see above). Here is my reasoning:

1. It's not my house (the decision still requires my grandparents' approval). Here at my home station, my anemometer is mounted 6' above the peak of my roof - but that's my house, not someone else's. It should be much more reasonable to install it on the deck roof, which, from a homeowner's point of view, is good because 1) the station won't be visible from the front of the house/the street, thus reducing the eyesore factor immensely, 2) any lightning risk is lowered significantly, since there are many higher objects to the NE, E, SE and S (including the roof of the house itself), and 3) avoiding drilling any holes into the roof or house itself.

2. While I'm sure I could find or hire someone to install a station on the high point of the roof eventually, doing so would likely be a major pain (and perhaps a major expense as well). I'd much rather perform a self-install, as in option 3.

3. Maintenance would be extremely difficult to perform, since I'd have to get somebody up there again to do it for me. Again, option 3 eliminates that issue by allowing me to provide maintenance myself.

I considered option 2 for a time, but I'm worried my grandparents will take issue to the eyesore and potential lightning factors (along with attaching the thing directly into the wall in two places).

As it turns out, the beach house is somewhat blocked by houses in the NE, E, SE, and S directions - which are the additional directions I'd be getting with a true rooftop installation instead of a deck roof installation. So, the loss there isn't tremendous. The westerly directions feature a small marina and a massive tidal bay - in other words, incredible exposure. While I'm a wind purist who likes to get the best possible data from all directions, I can compromise here knowing that all the prevailing westerly directions should be very well sampled regardless of whether I choose a rooftop mount or a deck roof mount.

There is no internet at the site (and no power from November through March, as the house is closed). My plan is to use a Vantage Vue, with the console running on battery power during the winter and a datalogger attached. I'd be able to go down to the site a few times each winter to download the contents of the logger and could later post monthly/yearly climate reports and perhaps the tabular data output as an addendum to my home station's website.

Of course, I still have questions!

I'd like to use this mount: http://www.ambientweather.com/amwewewestmo.html
I'm just not sure about its stability. The area typically gets westerly gales several times per winter - sometimes even more - along with additional gales in fall and spring. It's tough to say how much wind exactly I'll measure with option 3 (about 25' AGL), but let's say my max yearly gust is around 45 mph, with sustained winds up to around 30 mph. Will a well-secured version of that mount, with the Vue installed, stand up to that amount of wind without wobbling issues?

If that mount isn't optimal, does anyone have a different J-mount in mind (or some other type of tilt-down mount) that would be more effective? I'm looking for the mount to be roughly 5-8' above the corner of the deck roof on which it will be mounted. Height above the deck roof isn't terribly important, because, if it's mounted on the corner of the roof, westerly winds will pass through the Vue before interacting with the roof.

[C5250]

This may help, although I don't know what the wind loading for a Vue would be (probably about the same as a large TV antenna).

From the sounds of the location, I would expect there is a strong possibility it could see hurricane force winds and an 81" mast could be borderline. Using a "TV" mast with a Vue or VP2 at the top, I would recommend no more than ~5' height for such a location (unless you are going to guy the mast).

[NorthNJwx]

This may help, although I don't know what the wind loading for a Vue would be (probably about the same as a large TV antenna).

From the sounds of the location, I would expect there is a strong possibility it could see hurricane force winds and an 81" mast could be borderline. Using a "TV" mast with a Vue or VP2 at the top, I would recommend no more than ~5' height for such a location (unless you are going to guy the mast).

I was at the beach house all weekend and just saw this - thank you for the information. My plan has been approved, so now it's down to the details (like the mounting solution, which, of course, is very important).

Hurricane force gusts are a possibility, though the return period should be fairly long. The highest measured wind gust I know of in the area recently was 70 mph during a nor'easter on 2/12/06. The site that gust was measured at is about 18 miles from the beach house and is a very well-exposed NOAA-owned station. Winds from westerly directions - which the station will be best exposed to - can rival those seen in nor'easters.

I took a picture of the site this weekend and highlighted the spot where I'll be mounting the pole. It's on a vertical wooden face; you can see the roof of the deck above. One key is that I can mount the pole a couple feet below the deck roof, so that only ~4-5 feet of mast would be fully exposed above the deck roof line.



I'm going to purchase the 81" option because apparently it's just a better deal on a bundled package of their normal 50" mount with a 31" extension piece. I can install the station with the 81" mount (but, as stated earlier, probably further down that wooden face), monitor its stability, and remove the 31" extension if there's any problem at all.