Screwing Antenna into Brick Chinmey - OK idea?
- Thread starter captouch
- Start date
hunter00
Super Member
I'm a bricklayer and have built more chimneys than I care to remember since 1975.
I feel I'm qualified to answer your question so I will.U shaped clamps will do to adhear it to one side of your chimney stack..use a couple spaced a few ft apart to provide stability.
You can go to a hardware store and buy a box of 3/8 screws and lead masonry inserts that you will slip into the holes you drill into the masonry.Try to hit the masonry joints as long as the masonry is strong and doesn't crumble.If no good go right into the brick staying away from the edges.
Once holes are drilled slip in the lead inserts and mount you mast and clamps and screw into the inserts.
no problem
hunter
I feel I'm qualified to answer your question so I will.U shaped clamps will do to adhear it to one side of your chimney stack..use a couple spaced a few ft apart to provide stability.
You can go to a hardware store and buy a box of 3/8 screws and lead masonry inserts that you will slip into the holes you drill into the masonry.Try to hit the masonry joints as long as the masonry is strong and doesn't crumble.If no good go right into the brick staying away from the edges.
Once holes are drilled slip in the lead inserts and mount you mast and clamps and screw into the inserts.
no problem
hunter
r_brumett61
Well-Known Member
Tripod, thick aluminum pole, rotor, 75 ohm cable(rg59?) rotor power cable, yagi antenna
I have never regretted my antenna attachment, 23+ years of storms and such and still holding up quite well:
It used to have heavier antennas on it. Way back when, as I watched the mast flex in various storms, I was almost
dislocating my elbow patting myself on the back. The chimney looks rough now, and I expect it would be would be
far rougher had I secured an antenna to it in any way.
These stand offs are held in by 5/16-18 lead anchors in the mortar between the bricks.
None have ever worked their way loose. But then I DID use split ring lock washers. EVERYTHING up there is either
split ring lockwashered, or nylocked.
It used to have heavier antennas on it. Way back when, as I watched the mast flex in various storms, I was almost
dislocating my elbow patting myself on the back. The chimney looks rough now, and I expect it would be would be
far rougher had I secured an antenna to it in any way.
These stand offs are held in by 5/16-18 lead anchors in the mortar between the bricks.
None have ever worked their way loose. But then I DID use split ring lock washers. EVERYTHING up there is either
split ring lockwashered, or nylocked.
steerpike2
Super Member
I believe it depends very much on what the ground is like at the foot of the chimney.
If there is no adequate way to get a real earth spike into the ground there (if it's rock, or paving) then an unearthed or poorly earthed antenna is a VERY bad idea.
If there is no adequate way to get a real earth spike into the ground there (if it's rock, or paving) then an unearthed or poorly earthed antenna is a VERY bad idea.
captouch
Addicted Member
Well, the antenna is up, attached using straps to the chimney. It went on very securely and I'll keep an eye on the straps and chimney for signs of rusting.
The antenna itself is light - 5-7lbs maybe, the mast is 10ft and adds more mass to it, but the whole thing is probably still 15-20lbs ma. Reception is better than the larger (and heavier) antenna that was on there before, but I attribute that as much to proper pointing at towers vs the antenna itself. It's probably 5' lower overall than the old antenna was.
We still have trouble, at times, with a couple of stations, but we can live with that as we aren't heavy TV watchers.
The antenna itself is light - 5-7lbs maybe, the mast is 10ft and adds more mass to it, but the whole thing is probably still 15-20lbs ma. Reception is better than the larger (and heavier) antenna that was on there before, but I attribute that as much to proper pointing at towers vs the antenna itself. It's probably 5' lower overall than the old antenna was.
We still have trouble, at times, with a couple of stations, but we can live with that as we aren't heavy TV watchers.
roger2
.
+1
...metal up above the house makes a good place for lightening to strike. Absence of a substantial, low resistance ground path makes the house itself into the ground path.
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