Slick low cost mast hinge, much safer!

[delta_charlie]

Hi all, just wanted to share a simple mast hinge idea I came up with years ago that makes working on and installing a small outdoor antenna much safer. Instead of climbing a ladder up onto the roof and reaching up high next to the edge of the roof (not safe) go to one of the big box stores and buy a large triangle hinge, some U-bolts, grounding rod and clamp. Attached are pictures showing how it is installed. This allows the mast to be lowered onto a saw horse or other support and the antenna installed from ground level.

The mast came from a fence supply company (available in 20 foot sections and different diameters).

The grounding clamp gets installed above the hinge and the thick ground wire gets pulled out when lowering the mast.

Only requirement is you will need an area that is clear in the direction the mast gets lowered.

Hope the pictures gives ideas on a better way to install an antenna.

 

[TNGuy84]

That looks like a nice setup. I'd been thinking about getting one of these for a while: Easy Up Y-Style Antenna Mast Wall Mount 24-Inch Standoff (EZ 30-24) from Solid Signal. I've got gutters that go out probably 1.5-feet on the sides. I don't want to mount to my roof because the house I live in has had a bad history of roof leaks. I really don't want to drill into my brick, but it looks like any kind of wall mounting will require that. I currently just have a mast concreted into the ground and going up about maybe 9 feet. It's just under the gutters. It's perfectly fine for my local market, but for the next-closest market, it could probably use some height to get more consistent reception day-round.

 

[delta_charlie]

That looks like a nice setup. I'd been thinking about getting one of these for a while: Easy Up Y-Style Antenna Mast Wall Mount 24-Inch Standoff (EZ 30-24) from Solid Signal. I've got gutters that go out probably 1.5-feet on the sides. I don't want to mount to my roof because the house I live in has had a bad history of roof leaks. I really don't want to drill into my brick, but it looks like any kind of wall mounting will require that. I currently just have a mast concreted into the ground and going up about maybe 9 feet. It's just under the gutters. It's perfectly fine for my local market, but for the next-closest market, it could probably use some height to get more consistent reception day-round.

Maybe consider mounting the top bracket under the roof and up into the roof eaves. You likely have 2x6 lumber extending from the center of the house past the sides to almost the outer edge. Likely on 24" centers. A simple triangle can be made out of galvanized angle steel from one of the big box stores. The bracket in the picture way made that way.

 

[raoul5788]

Maybe consider mounting the top bracket under the roof and up into the roof eaves. You likely have 2x6 lumber extending from the center of the house past the sides to almost the outer edge. Likely on 24" centers. A simple triangle can be made out of galvanized angle steel from one of the big box stores. The bracket in the picture way made that way.

They are called rafter tails.