Telescopic Mast

thejuggler

Good to see a forum on this topic.

I'm keen to install a telescopic mast on the roof of my house so I can elevate it when I want to work the bands and take it down when not in use. I would be thinking of using it from the attic through a Velux window. I assume this would get around any restrictions with planning permission as it would not be a permannet structure.

Has anyone purchased a telescopic mast of this sort? Clarke Masts do some very nice models but they are fairly pricy.

What do you use?

Slippin Jimmy

thejuggler wrote:

Good to see a forum on this topic.

I'm keen to install a telescopic mast on the roof of my house so I can elevate it when I want to work the bands and take it down when not in use. I would be thinking of using it from the attic through a Velux window. I assume this would get around any restrictions with planning permission as it would not be a permannet structure.

Has anyone purchased a telescopic mast of this sort? Clarke Masts do some very nice models but they are fairly pricy.

What do you use?

I have this small portable one, that is able to be used out-doors aswell. I got it in CQ Communications, but if your house is in sort of a dip, it will not make any difference. The less obstructions in the way the better it is to pick up more transmissions.

gyppo

I remember "Horizon" mmds TV (I think the name changed since though) in Athlone had a few Renault Extra vans (the small boxy little ones) and they had a pnuematic telescopic mast attached. They used to use it to gauge how high they would have to go to get a signal when installing the microwave dish. At a guess, I'd say it was good for about 10/12m.

I'd kill to get me hands on one of those

RoundyMooney

ISTR the Gardai bought two Jeep Cherokees some years ago and kitted them out with a similiar set up, (I can't remember if it were for comms but I'm fairly sure it was).

All went well during the trials until an unexpected gust of wind caught one of the extended masts, and caused irreperable chassis damage to the hapless Jeep...

Obviously a bigger set up than that fitted to the Extras, which were Cork Multichannel issue as well back in the early nineties.

PauloMN

thejuggler wrote:

Good to see a forum on this topic.

I'm keen to install a telescopic mast on the roof of my house so I can elevate it when I want to work the bands and take it down when not in use. I would be thinking of using it from the attic through a Velux window. I assume this would get around any restrictions with planning permission as it would not be a permannet structure.

Has anyone purchased a telescopic mast of this sort? Clarke Masts do some very nice models but they are fairly pricy.

What do you use?

Tennamast seem to be popular among amateur radio enthusiasts. I'd love one but they are pretty dear. Probably will invest in one as I currently have a 15' pole stuck onto the back of the house but the masts have a number of advantages, especially the tilting ones that allow you access to service the antennas (and put more up )!!

http://www.tennamast.com/

The website is pretty poor but I believe the products are great! This is the sort of thing I'd be after:

http://www.tennamast.com/amast.html#35

thejuggler

Yeah they look god but probably pricy including transport cost. Money being no object I'd go for a Clarke pump up mast - they are well respected for durability and reliability.

Are there any Irish online retailsers for this type of gear?

Capt'n Midnight

thejuggler wrote:

I assume this would get around any restrictions with planning permission as it would not be a permannet structure.

what frequency range - higher frequencies need line of sight, so if you are on a hill you won't need much height.

IIRC you can go 6 meters above the roof height for a TV mast without PP, depends on your local council. Also if you live within a certain distance of an airfield then obviously you can't have 6m. You can't put a mast on a shared chimney of a semi-detached unless the neighbour agrees same with guys to their side of the roof.

Check the wind loadage of the mast you want compared to what the mast can take, at whatever speed you would use it at. don't forget to take into account that at higher frequencies you need thicker and heavier cable with greater wind loading

Capt'n Midnight

Capt'n Midnight wrote:

IIRC you can go 6 meters above the roof height for a TV mast without PP, depends on your local council. Also if you live within a certain distance of an airfield then obviously you can't have 6m. You can't put a mast on a shared chimney of a semi-detached unless the neighbour agrees same with guys to their side of the roof.

We've a 60 foot high mast on this house,its been there since 1987 and looks out over the Irish sea.
Tv aerial masts are common.

RoundyMooney

Tristrame wrote:

We've a 60 foot high mast on this house,its been there since 1987 and looks out over the Irish sea.
Tv aerial masts are common.

A lot of those masts (complete with hi-gain UHF antennas on top) were commonplace along the East Coast in the days before MMDS and Sky. I think the biggest saving grace with them was that everybody had them, and so the neighbours were unlikely to complain! The guy wires for that thing must be a pain in the neck when cutting the grass