Mounting antenna to roof

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TangoNZ

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Master Geek
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#141272 6-Mar-2014 22:44

Hi guys,

We've just moved into a new house and I need to mount a UHF aerial on the roof. I have the aerial and it comes with a J shaped pole with bracket for mounting on a flat surface (wall or eve etc), but I want to be able to mount it on the peak of our coloursteel roof. Does anyone have any suggestions on what to use to mount it to the roof over the round bit on the peak, and / or where to get what I need?

Here's an image of our roof. I'm wanting to mount along the ridge towards the left of the pic.

Thanks,

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3344 posts

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#1000418 6-Mar-2014 22:49

Hmm. Why don't you want to mount it at the end of the house? It's going to muss up your nice roof :/

mattwnz

20515 posts

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#1000420 6-Mar-2014 22:51

You may need a roof mount kit , something like this http://www.freeviewshop.co.nz/roof-mount-p-488.html

mattwnz

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Uber Geek
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#1000421 6-Mar-2014 22:52

ubergeeknz: Hmm. Why don't you want to mount it at the end of the house? It's going to muss up your nice roof :/

I possibly would too, as there is also far less risk of it causing a leak on the roof, and they look ugly on a roof.

TangoNZ

117 posts

Master Geek
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#1000425 6-Mar-2014 23:03

To mount it on the end of the house it would have to be at gutter level as the roof slopes down to that level everywhere around the house. Only one end of the house is going to work because of the neighbour's hedge which goes halfway down the boundary of our property. I think it would be even uglier to have it there at gutter level as it would be right in your face when walking down the side of the house :-/

That roof mounting kit might do the job though. Anyone know where I could pick one up in Christchurch? Mrs needs TV asap :-)

timmmay

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#1000477 7-Mar-2014 07:36

Not sure if this helps, but my roofers pointed out all screws go into the top ridge of the corrugation, not the bottom ridge, as you have less chance of a leak there. I wouldn't be keen on putting holes in my roof.

scuwp

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Uber Geek
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#1000480 7-Mar-2014 07:47

Assuming you have sufficient coverage, personally I would drop it slightly down from the ridge on the opposite side from the street so it doesn't look so obvious. There are a range of flat and shaped mounting plates available in the market, any old Bunnings or M10Mega should have something to suit. Yes drill on the top of the ridges, and don't be thrifty with the silicone.

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timmmay

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#1000492 7-Mar-2014 08:07

Silicone wears out eventually too.

resurrect

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Master Geek
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#1000642 7-Mar-2014 11:23

timmmay: Silicone wears out eventually too.

could try like a litre of epoxy resin???? lol that should hold tight for quite a long time.

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Oblivian

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#1000651 7-Mar-2014 11:34

You can often tuck cables under the capping following the corrugation runs directly into the roof space if you stick close to the edge of them. They aren't always completely sealed, but are made weather tight with overlap and building paper.

Go see the lads at lincrad in sockburn with the pic.

17 Washbournes Road

Always been good and have most the kit onsite

Aredwood

3885 posts

Uber Geek
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#1000997 7-Mar-2014 20:45

That mounting kit from the Freeview shop link will work fine. If you want the aerial at the top of the roof there is unlikely to be any timber directly underneath the rounded bit on the ridge flashing. Instead line up the base plate with the top row of screws on the ridge flashing. Squirt silicone onto the area where the base plate will go then place the base plate onto the silicone so the silicone is in the gap between the 2. Make sure you use Paintable silicone. Most kinds are NOT paintable. Line the screws up with the tops of the corrugations even though they are underneath the ridge flashing. After the silicone has dried give the galvanising of the mounting kit a light sand and then paint it with a good roof paint. If your roof is Zincalume or Colorsteel this is important as the water that will run from the galvinised mounting kit onto the roof will slowly damage the roof. No need to paint the aerial itself as it will most likely be made of aluminium.

Done right it won't cause any leaks. But if you your roof for collecting rainwater. Then recommend installing the aerial somewhere that it won't overhang the roof as birds will perch on it and then poo on your roof.

lapimate

353 posts

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#1001015 7-Mar-2014 21:37

TangoNZ: To mount it on the end of the house it would have to be at gutter level ...

No, no, no, not the roof. Mount a suitable height pipe-mast properly on the side of the house. Don't forget the >10x10mm lightning conductor to earth stake.

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Athlonite

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#1001101 8-Mar-2014 05:21

timmmay: Silicone wears out eventually too.

Really who told you that non of the stuff I've used when I was installing Sky 15 years ago has gone bad or allowing water in and I did plenty of roof mounts and ridge mounts on new and old roofs

gregmcc

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#1001102 8-Mar-2014 06:30

Places like JA Russell and ideal have the peak roof mounting plates, to secure them use tek screws with some silicon applied to the screw so that the hole thru the metal peak is sealed up good.

Depending on the height of the pole you mount the aerial on you may also need 1 or 2 stays, if you do use the stays, take out a couple of the existing screws holding the roof down and mount the roof end of the stay under them, sealing with silicon when you re-fix them. this way you know you are in to some wood and just not the steel roof.

ubernoob

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#1001163 8-Mar-2014 10:27

I bought a ridge mount aerial mast from Hills in Auckland.http://signalmaster.co.nz/Products/Product_subcat?cat=12
(They also do clotheslines) I use it for my weather station got one with the side brackets as there is quite a bit of wind resistance. All fixing screws supplied ,followed the instructions, no leaks, no movement

webwat

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#1001248 8-Mar-2014 13:10

TangoNZ: To mount it on the end of the house it would have to be at gutter level as the roof slopes down to that level everywhere around the house. Only one end of the house is going to work because of the neighbour's hedge which goes halfway down the boundary of our property. I think it would be even uglier to have it there at gutter level as it would be right in your face when walking down the side of the house :-/

That roof mounting kit might do the job though. Anyone know where I could pick one up in Christchurch? Mrs needs TV asap :-)

That roof mount kit says its "for tiles". Wouldn't want to be putting holes in the roof unless you can put some kind of permanent seal around the joins and use really tough screws that won't flex during a storm. Silicone will degade in thet UV light pretty quickly so I would tend to look for a bracket that can be screwed down in a way that prevents movement of the pole from causing stresses/movement at the screwdown point. The roofer might have the best suggestion.

Time to find a new industry!

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