Antenna Attachment To Metal Fascia

[JK200SX]

Typically bolting a hockey stick to a wooden fascia involved the use of a couple of coach screws. What is the common practice for metal fascia'S

Thanks,

John

[beeblebrox]

Typically bolting a hockey stick to a wooden fascia involved the use of a couple of coach screws. What is the common practice for metal fascia'S

Thanks,

John

Not attaching anything to the metal fascia... they're usually quite unstable, even though you can get an angle bracket that screws to a rafter then you bolt a hockey through the fascia. I wouldn't recommend it.

If it's a tile roof and I need normal height I use a rafter mount cut a tile and lead flashing.

If it's a Colorbond roof then a standard tripod mount....

anything higher and it depends on how high you need to go... LARM and staybars or ridgemount and guy wires...

[bellotv]

Agree with beeblebrox

However on a tile roof I prefer tile mount tripod coach bolted to batterns or a cement stay kit from DJC which is a pole with staybars that clip up under tiles.

On a tin roof with metal batterns I would use the LARM guy/stay methed as metal batterns have insufficient strength to hold a tin mount tripod as the leverage is too great when the wind blows.

[JK200SX]

Agree with beeblebrox

However on a tile roof I prefer tile mount tripod coach bolted to batterns or a cement stay kit from DJC which is a pole with staybars that clip up under tiles.

On a tin roof with metal batterns I would use the LARM guy/stay methed as metal batterns have insufficient strength to hold a tin mount tripod as the leverage is too great when the wind blows.

Bellotv - can you give more details on the tile mount tripod or cement stay kit as the roof is a tiled one?

thanks.

[I am not a duck]

Mounting through tiles use tile hole cutter and dektite to seal - lead flashing not approved where rainwater collected for potable supplies.

or on fascia use a sheet metal fascia support on rafter and mount curved fascia bracket to this with stay bars if required.

Look at this Hills pdf for some ideas.

The tiled roof tripod mount is not shown here, but is similar to the iron tripod roof mount with an additional lip on the lower edge so that it sits on the tile below to minimise rocking.

[bellotv]

Bellotv - can you give more details on the tile mount tripod or cement stay kit as the roof is a tiled one?

thanks.

1 )

The tile mount tripod is the one referred to by Island Antennas.You basically drill two holes about 16mm dia with a hammerdrill through the tiles (the tops not the valley) then drill a pilot hole into the wooden battern that the tiles sit on .Smear the tripod base with silicon where it contacts the tiles and heaps around the holes.Fit the coach screws and GENTLY tighten wiggling tiles and tripod to ensure all seats down firmly.The final tightnesswill be firm enough that tripod is unable to move but not so tight that tiles crack under pressure.

Trick is to find exact position before drilling so that you are in centre of battern.Remove a tile and measure to be sure.New tiles are very soft and easy to drill but also crack easy.Old tiles can be extremely hard to drill.

2)

Cement stay kit from DJ Coulters consists of a main pole and two approx 650mm stay bars.There are three pressed steel plates with lips that slide up under tiles and hook over.They rely on the weight of the tiles to hold in place but I use silicon to adhere them to the tiles as well.

These kits are very hard to fit on your own unless you're an octopus.I have the technique now after many dozen of them

They are great if you have soft/hard tiles or are dubious about drilling holes in tiles

I am intersted to see how the pressed steel brackets last especially near the beach

[I am not a duck]

Some new concrete tiles I come across are very hard. Maybe on the mainland they use different ingredients in the manufacture.

I use 14g/100mm timber tek screws and washers to mount the tripod to the roof: requires a smaller hole, easier to drill, can use drill torque setting to aid insertion.

Plenty of silicon to seal against leaks.

edit: but then I am only dealing in smaller UHF or combo antennas. So much easier to mount

[JK200SX]

Another question relating to roof safety. Any tips, tricks or safety devices used to prevent you from falling off?

[I am not a duck]

Another question relating to roof safety. Any tips, tricks or safety devices used to prevent you from falling off?

Could be don't ask me that as not qualified to answer, but for Victoria, here.

Otherwise, check personal accident insurance provisions or pay for someone to do it.

[beeblebrox]

Another question relating to roof safety. Any tips, tricks or safety devices used to prevent you from falling off?

good footware is critical... TPU soled boots or a pair of Dunlop Volleys... in extreme emergency .. bare feet are better than anything else but wouldn't do it regularly...

It depends on the pitch of the roof and accessability to where you want to mount it.

In Victoria, and I assume most other states, we have the 2mtr rule, this makes it the law to wear fall protection on any job above 2 mtrs... This means a harness on nearly every job, if you follow the letter of the law. And if you do then it's also a two person job because if you fall off wearing a harness you have about 20 minutes to get back out of it before you can die due to circulation being affected by the harness.. therefore you need someone to be able to rescue you in that situation...

A basic harness setup called a roof workers kit is about $500.

Then you need to make a risk assesment of the roof, as to how you will access it and what will stop you falling off., some roofs the only solution is a cherry picker... others are accessed via a ladder..

If using a ladder always tie it off onto a rafter or whatever you can attach it too when you get up the top. You can get little mounting brackets to stop your ladder slipping sideways too..

Most accidents happen getting on and off ladders so this is when it is most important to be careful... and also not be carrying too much stuff..

There's a whole bunch more stuff but this is a start... work cover or the relevant state authority have a whole raft of info on this stuff..

[bellotv]

Tell me about TPU soles.I use volleys but rubber tends to slide when very hot roof and eventually goes hard resulting in dangerous grip.IE limited life of several months per pair.Good for dunlop but not for nerves

[beeblebrox]

My boots are now Mongrel's, I was using Blundstones but the model they sell with TPU soles have a seam that isn't conducive to a lot of pressure and I was blowing them out in a matter of months.

the TPU soles are very soft rubber so they have good grip, and are pretty safe but do tend to wear quicker than your standard boots..

on very hot tin roofs you do get a bit of slippage now and again but not a lot..

I normally go through 2 pairs a year as I wear the heals out in them...