Author Topic: What Mast To Use?  (Read 2912 times)

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Offline Fabius

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What Mast To Use?
« on: May 24, 2018, 12:59:17 PM »
I ordered the Ambient Weather WS-1201-IP OBSERVER. Now I need to see what type of mast to use. My roof is the type that is slopped on all 4 sides. No peaks on the sides of the house to mount on. Just the roof peak in the middle. I believe it's a hip roof.

I could mount one of the tripods but I'm worried about access to the pws. My roof climbing days are far behind me. There is a locally owned TV store on town that sells TV antennas and know how to install a mast correctly.

My other option is a square base that is held in place by concrete blocks. Maybe easier to access the PWS? Difficulty in keep the base level if its sitting on the ground?

Thank you for your support.
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Offline Aardvark

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Re: What Mast To Use?
« Reply #1 on: May 24, 2018, 01:11:13 PM »
I'd mount it on the ground with a long mast pole.   Eventually you are going to need to get the thing down and do some maintenence on it,such as if some bird builds a nest or turds in it.   IF you have someone who is willing to do the roof for you, then the roof.

I have a different station than you, and mine is on the ground with a pole.   you could do the same.  IF you are going for the ground I would skip the tripod and go with the cinder block version.  then if you have to lower the mast to do work, you can take off the blocks and tip the unit down.  yes, the square base is what you want and if I had realized what  I do now, I'd have gone that way 20 years ago.  My top wind unit is giving me fits and I am too dang old to lift the mast up and down and put it back.  :)
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Offline Fabius

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Re: What Mast To Use?
« Reply #2 on: May 24, 2018, 01:26:50 PM »
yes, the square base is what you want and if I had realized what  I do now, I'd have gone that way 20 years ago.  My top wind unit is giving me fits and I am too dang old to lift the mast up and down and put it back.  :)
http://www.desmoinesweather.org/weatherlink/

This is why a good forum is so valuable. Learn for others experiences.
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Offline ValentineWeather

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Re: What Mast To Use?
« Reply #3 on: May 24, 2018, 01:54:41 PM »
I also second the flat mount for ease of maintenance and portability. I've had this up going on 3 years and has survived many high wind events approaching 70 mph.
I have 2 sections of pipe the bottom is heavier gauge steel 10' with the upper light weight aluminum which happen to fit inside the heavy gauge so drilled and bolted the 2 sections together.
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Offline dport

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Re: What Mast To Use?
« Reply #4 on: May 24, 2018, 02:00:42 PM »
I also second the flat mount for ease of maintenance and portability. I've had this up going on 3 years and has survived many high wind events approaching 70 mph.
I have 2 sections of pipe the bottom is heavier gauge steel 10' with the upper light weight aluminum which happen to fit inside the heavy gauge so drilled and bolted the 2 sections together.
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This is great.  Right now I have a 10 foot galvanized steel mount.  I'm going to take it up to 20 feet and will probably get a lightweight EMT pole to sit above the galvanized piece. That way center of gravity is lower on the whole set up.

Offline ValentineWeather

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Re: What Mast To Use?
« Reply #5 on: May 24, 2018, 02:02:37 PM »
That's the way to go, has worked well for me. Heavier gauge on bottom and light on top.
Randy

Offline WeatherHost

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Re: What Mast To Use?
« Reply #6 on: May 24, 2018, 04:08:28 PM »
I use a 20' top rail for chain link fence.  It's lighter weight than conduit, but still strong enough to hold this type of unit. I hoist it up against an 8' 4x4 holding part of the roof for my deck, then guy it three ways.  Probably not sited correctly for the particular bunch, but it works for my uses.

Same thing could be done out in a flat spot away from buildings though.  Set an 8, 10 or even 12' 4x4 in concrete with a pulley at the top to hoist the mast into place.

There a number of threads on self supporting tiltable masts too if you search for them.  They generally use a boat trailer type winch to draw the pivoting portion into place.




Offline ocala

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Re: What Mast To Use?
« Reply #7 on: May 24, 2018, 04:41:01 PM »
Randy how much sway do you get in high winds?
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Offline ValentineWeather

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Re: What Mast To Use?
« Reply #8 on: May 24, 2018, 05:14:05 PM »
Randy how much sway do you get in high winds?

Don't think much but to be honest I've never hung out, its in middle of open field. My 30+ foot telepole in town does some serious swaying however.
« Last Edit: May 24, 2018, 09:50:00 PM by ValentineWeather »
Randy

Offline BKS97

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Re: What Mast To Use?
« Reply #9 on: May 24, 2018, 09:17:53 PM »

There a number of threads on self supporting tiltable masts too if you search for them.  They generally use a boat trailer type winch to draw the pivoting portion into place.


Here is a link in the forum to a tilting mast using 4x4s and an old telescoping TV antenna that I built recently.

https://www.wxforum.net/index.php?topic=34234.msg348930#msg348930



Offline ValentineWeather

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Re: What Mast To Use?
« Reply #10 on: May 24, 2018, 09:49:25 PM »
Very cool.. =D>
Randy

Offline Fabius

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Re: What Mast To Use?
« Reply #11 on: May 26, 2018, 08:28:54 PM »
Would a mast need to be grounded?
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Offline Aardvark

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Re: What Mast To Use?
« Reply #12 on: May 26, 2018, 09:25:39 PM »
Would a mast need to be grounded?

Not necessary, but you could add to it a copper grounding wire and a stake in the ground to be sure.  There has been a lot of discussion into the thousands of comments on this one.   There is no harm in doing it, just do it right.

Offline Keith Myers

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Re: What Mast To Use?
« Reply #13 on: June 02, 2018, 01:25:52 PM »
Randy how much sway do you get in high winds?
I have my station mounted on a chainlink fence top pole.  But I found out in winter in high winds that my rain gauge wasn't recording correctly.  The station vibrated and wobbled too much in the high winds that the tip bucket wasn't moving and tipping correctly. Half the water was getting thrown out before tipping.  So I ended up guying it near the top of the mast and that stopped the movement and I recorded rainfall amount correctly again. :oops:
Thought I'd better join the community since I am getting a PWS tomorrow. The closest ones to my location have been very iffy in providing data to Weather Underground.  I need a WU station to provide my local weather conditions for my PVOutput.org solar generation monitoring.

Offline Aardvark

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Re: What Mast To Use?
« Reply #14 on: June 02, 2018, 01:51:42 PM »
I have mine guyed in two places.  no sway



« Last Edit: June 02, 2018, 01:53:20 PM by Aardvark »

Offline Fabius

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Re: What Mast To Use?
« Reply #15 on: June 09, 2018, 11:33:59 AM »
from the Ambient Weather site:

We recommend properly grounding the tripod to
avoid extensive damage to the weather station
and structure. Consult a licensed electrician or
local lightning detection expert prior to installing
a ground wire.
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Offline Aardvark

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Re: What Mast To Use?
« Reply #16 on: June 09, 2018, 11:42:28 AM »
from the Ambient Weather site:

We recommend properly grounding the tripod to
avoid extensive damage to the weather station
and structure. Consult a licensed electrician or
local lightning detection expert prior to installing
a ground wire.
that statement removes Ambient from liability.    I  would recommend going to a ham radio supplier and purchasing a grounding stake , clip and thick copper wire,  and another clip.  Or you can order it on line.   Pound the grounding stake into the ground.  They are about 4 feet long, so you have to be sure what you are pounding into below the ground, such as cables, pipes,that stuff.  Anyway.   then attach to the tripod the thick grounding wire and run it with the shortest length to the grounding stake .  Be sure to have your mast away from overhead wires.   then you are done.

Sure you can consult an electrician and expert, but this is the easiest and cheapest way.

here is a page where all this stuff is on Amazon, but you surely can find it on the internet as well .  with the local stores going under around here,  it gets hard finding goodies.     https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_3_15?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=grounding+stake+and+wire&sprefix=grounding+stake%2Caps%2C336&crid=1507D6M47XFQ7

With my setup,  I am definitely grounded, but I figure that if a  lightning strike hits my mast,  regardless of the grounding, the whole thing is toast and is a signal from the all mighty to get out of the weather business. 

Offline WeatherHost

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Re: What Mast To Use?
« Reply #17 on: June 09, 2018, 11:48:08 AM »
^^  That's kinda like California's Prop 5 labels or the note on plastic bags that they're not toys.  They'll put that note on most systems because they know they're dealing with amateurs and hobbyists who may not think about those things.

If there is no hardwired connection to the home, there really isn't much of a safety issue.  Any electronics in the array itself may be subject to damage from a direct or nearby strike, but if a strike is that close the home may be damaged as well.

Is it a bad idea to ground the type of mast we're talking about --  away from the home?  No.

Is it necessary?  Not in my opinion.


Offline Aardvark

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Re: What Mast To Use?
« Reply #18 on: June 09, 2018, 11:51:20 AM »
^^  That's kinda like California's Prop 5 labels or the note on plastic bags that they're not toys.  They'll put that note on most systems because they know they're dealing with amateurs and hobbyists who may not think about those things.

If there is no hardwired connection to the home, there really isn't much of a safety issue.  Any electronics in the array itself may be subject to damage from a direct or nearby strike, but if a strike is that close the home may be damaged as well.

Is it a bad idea to ground the type of mast we're talking about --  away from the home?  No.

Is it necessary?  Not in my opinion.

With a lot of things that people ask on this forum,  if it puts your mind at ease or gives you something to look forward to doing, then go for it.

Offline Fabius

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Re: What Mast To Use?
« Reply #19 on: June 09, 2018, 12:00:04 PM »
Thanks for the info and the links.

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Offline Skywatch

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Re: What Mast To Use?
« Reply #20 on: June 27, 2018, 01:04:39 PM »
If I may add my 2 cents, I recently moved and I have my weather station set up on a Rohn H50 telescoping mast at the new location. Works great! It is a bit pricey after shipping and the guying hardware but I was able to get my anemometer and solar sensor above the surrounding trees. It's best if you have some help with the initial installation but it's worth it.
« Last Edit: June 27, 2018, 01:06:13 PM by Skywatch »
I live in an apartment and for the moment am not a home weather watcher.

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Offline Fabius

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Re: What Mast To Use?
« Reply #21 on: July 25, 2018, 11:24:15 PM »
Thanks for the input.
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