Antenna install help from a newbie.

[WSDE681]

Live in NM mountains and received a Wouxun KG-1000G+ mobile radio and want to install antenna on the edge of our metal roof. How far away from the elec line to the corner of house should I mount the antenna?

Do and dont’s appreciated from this newbie. Thanks

WSDE681

 

[GROW]

I'd mount it to the outside gable.  And not to the roof itself. If you use guy lines,  don't go through your roof.. guy it out to a solid gutter spike. And As long as you feel confident that it won't blow over , or be comprised if the power lines get knocked down,  u should be good..  

 

Mount a 3ft pvc pipe that's slightly wider in Dia. To your antenna pole.. directly into the gable.. then run your antenna pole through the pvc.. put an anchor pin/ bolt through both the pvc and your antenna pole, one near the top of the pvc and another bolt near the bottom..

 

3ft is arbitrary.. if you use a 4 ft pvc then you could get maybe 3 anchors in..  1 ft might not be adequate.. more than 4 might be too unstable

[WSAM454]

I would be sure it is more than the height of the antenna away from power lines, in case it comes down it will be less likely to hit/take down the power line.   I would also mount the antenna so the bottom is at least 3 feet from the metal roof.   Also, the suggestion by GROW to mount it on the gable is a good one.

[WRYZ926]

42 minutes ago, WSAM454 said:

I would be sure it is more than the height of the antenna away from power lines, in case it comes down it will be less likely to hit/take down the power line.   I would also mount the antenna so the bottom is at least 3 feet from the metal roof.

I will agree with what he said.  As long as the mast and antenna cannot come into contact with power lines then you will be fine.

I am using 1 5/8" fence posts coupled together for a total of 22 feet. The bottom has a couple that fits on the old pipe from the TV antenna mast. I have a wall clamp at the peak of the gable along with a couple on the wall. I also ran three guy ropes from the mast right below the antenna. Two go to eye bolts in the gable and the third goes out to an extended fence post at the edge of the yard (15-20 feet from house). I also have a 10m inverted V dipole hung on the same mast a couple of feet under my vertical antenna. I haven't had any problems with snow, ice, or high winds. Yes I over did things with the three wall mounts and guy ropes. But it's better to overdo things than have the mast fall over..

[BoxCar]

The rule-of-thumb on power line separation is twice the height of the antenna.

[WSDE681]

Thanks for all the replies.  Looking at a Comet CA-GMRS antenna, 42 inches tall. The overhang on the roof is 2 ft. and the facia board is a 2 x 6.

Of course will make it strong enough for high winds (have seen 115 mph). I was concerned about RF radiation from the elec power line interfering with

the antenna signal reception and output. Is that an issue if too close to the line?

 

[nokones]

10 hours ago, WSAM454 said:

I would be sure it is more than the height of the antenna away from power lines, in case it comes down it will be less likely to hit/take down the power line.   I would also mount the antenna so the bottom is at least 3 feet from the metal roof.   Also, the suggestion by GROW to mount it on the gable is a good one.

This is my GMRS repeater antenna mount. The antenna is a Laird FG4605 5 dB Omni antenna with no guy-wires.

[WRYZ926]

While I do not have a metal roof to deal with. I do have main power lines on three sides of my 1/2 acre lot along with two transformers. The neighbors power runs above ground on the fourth side. Granted the main power lines are across the streets from my property, but there are the phone and cable lines along my property line on one side.

I do not have any noise/interference issues with my VHF/UHF radios. I occasionally will get some noise from one or both transformers during a heavy rain storm on HF.

[lobo777]

On 12/29/2024 at 6:21 AM, WSDE681 said:

Thanks for all the replies.  Looking at a Comet CA-GMRS antenna, 42 inches tall. The overhang on the roof is 2 ft. and the facia board is a 2 x 6.

Of course will make it strong enough for high winds (have seen 115 mph). I was concerned about RF radiation from the elec power line interfering with

the antenna signal reception and output. Is that an issue if too close to the line?

 

I also live in the mountains in NM (6450 feet near Capitan, NM. What decibel gain antenna did you choose? I'm about to mount and antenna for my base station and after much research, I'm questioning if I should be using a lower gain like 3db (instead of 6) because I have some hilly/mountainous areas and areas with juniper, piñon, and even spots with ponderosa. I've seen that lower gain can be better for obstructions like this (not that it will receive or transmit through a literal mountain though). Curious what you came up with on the subject, neighbor!