Ways to get your outside antenna up/mounted
There are lots of ways to mount an outside Antenna
Some are quick and easy and don't even need a ladder and
others are time consuming, difficult and need climbing or a hoist.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
DO NOT put your neighborhood (MURS/FRS) antenna higher than the bottom
of it at or just above roof level, or you could interfere with other neighborhoods
The easy ones - Not very high up
An old camera tripod
on the porch or deck
4 to 5 feet above deck
Advantages: quick, easy, no climbing and inexpensive.
Hopefully this one is just temporary
Most any tripod stand will work: light, speaker, etc.
May heed extra weight to hold it from falling
over, or attach it to the railing or something else.
If you don't have you may be able to buy
one at a thrift store for not much money.
A pipe clamp
clamped to the deck railing
1 to 10 feet above railing
Advantages: quick, easy, no climbing and inexpensive.
This can get you up higher than the tripod.
You can add a piece of conduit to go higher.
You need the pipe clamp and a threaded pipe of
the correct size. They can be purchased at hardware
stores in 2 sizes for not much money.
I am using a 8' piece of electrical conduit.
Wilson Electronics 901117 Pole Mount
with mast screwed to the railing
1 to 15 feet above railing
Advantages: quick, easy, no climbing and inexpensive.
This can go up even higher than the tripod
or pipe clamp. You can use a piece of conduit
to go higher, if you mount it at the bottom.
I am using a 10' piece of electrical conduit.
There are boards screwed to the deck
to secure the bottom.
The moderate ones - somewhat to much higher up
Wilson Electronics 901117 Pole Mount
screwed to the eaves
1 to 10 feet above roof
Advantages: quick, easy, inexpensive,
can be done with a ladder.
This is already higher because it starts at roof level
you can add a piece of conduit to go higher
Rohn Products WM24D Wall Mount
and mast mounted to the wall
10 to 40 feet above roof
Advantages: gets antenna higher, moderate
price, can be done with a ladder.
This is already higher because
it starts near roof level
Height depends on length of mast purchased
May need guy wires depending on mast height
A mast or telescoping mast
mounted to the roof with guy wires
20 to 40 feet above roof
Advantages: gets antenna higher
Disadvantages: Requires going onto roof,
needs guy wires, and more expensive.
This is already higher because it starts at roof
level. The one pictured is not telescoping,
it is made from metal electrical conduit.
Height depends on length of mast purchased
WILL need mandatory guy wires
The difficult ones - can be very high up
A guyed or free standing tower with or without a wall bracket
40 to 100 feet or more
I will post a picture of mine when I get it up
This option can get you to the greatest height
Will handle large directional (beams/yagi) antennas with rotor
Expensive, requires concrete base, most difficult to install
May require hoist or crane, but can be done with climbing and gin pole
Getting your coax cable through the wall
Fill any gap between the cable and the wall with calking or silicone to prevent bugs from getting in.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Another way is to use the correct bulk head adapter installed in a piece of sheet metal, then 1 run of
cable from the antenna to the bulk head adapter and another from the adapter to your radio equipment.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
You can also run it through a window by opening the window a few inches and filling
the gap using plastic or other strip and either of the above methods to get the cable through.