[xdec32]

Hello

I am thinking of getting a 50 foot tv tower for my antenna and rotor. How much gain will I lose if I have the tower situated near a deciduous tree where some of the leaves and light branches may be near or otherwise touch the tower itself?

Also does anyone have a ballpark estimate of how long the
RCA ANT121 rotor lasts? I have got it a year ago. Sometimes when I fine tune it wants to go all the way to zero degrees.

Thanks

 

[Davenlr]

Those rotors have a terrible lifespan. I went through two Channel Masters in two years. Climbing a tower is a PIA, so I highly recommend a Yaesu G-450A. Well worth the investment.
As far as the tree, make sure its placed where the tree will not grow near the antenna on top. It is very hard to hang from a tower on a life strap holding a pole saw. Better to stay away from tree branches or pay a tree trimmer to cut it down before you put the tower up, if its the only location.

 

[xdec32]

Those rotors have a terrible lifespan. I went through two Channel Masters in two years. Climbing a tower is a PIA, so I highly recommend a Yaesu G-450A. Well worth the investment.
As far as the tree, make sure its placed where the tree will not grow near the antenna on top. It is very hard to hang from a tower on a life strap holding a pole saw. Better to stay away from tree branches or pay a tree trimmer to cut it down before you put the tower up, if its the only location.

View attachment 3134100

Do you have an idea of what a used Yaesu G-450A costs and how much it will cost to hire an antenna installer to go up and remove a broken rca rotor?

And am I correct that most rohn tv tower masts are only designed to hold a single antenna?

 

[Davenlr]

Doubtful you will find a used one. New ones are about $225 or twice the cost of the cheap junk TV rotors.
Tower climbers... well, contact your local ham radio club and see if any of them are equipped to do it. They will need a gin pole and climbers belts. You would just have to work out a deal with one. There are no commercial tower climbers that I am aware of, except the ones the TV stations hire, and those companies charge in the thousands.

Rohn towers are designed for one rotor mounted on top, with a mast. The actual number of antennas mounted on the mast depends on the wind load rating of the rotor and the tower. For TV, you can pretty much mount two of the biggest TV antennas on the market on a Yaesu rotor without it even flinching. You can also mount several antennas on the side of the tower in fixed directions, should you desire. Just add the wind load of the rotor + the antennas together until you reach the limit. You can drastically increase the wind load if you install guy wires on the tower. 50' would be 10' higher than I would recommend for an unguyed tower mounted in concrete with a eve support.

Hope that helps.

 

[Calaveras]

Do you have an idea of what a used Yaesu G-450A costs and how much it will cost to hire an antenna installer to go up and remove a broken rca rotor?

And am I correct that most rohn tv tower masts are only designed to hold a single antenna?

The Rohn telescoping mast? Then one antenna is about it and every section needs to be guyed. A new G-450A is $300. You won't save much on a used one if you can even find one. I don't think anyone here can tell the cost to hire an installer for your project.

 

[xdec32]

The Rohn telescoping mast? Then one antenna is about it and every section needs to be guyed. A new G-450A is $300. You won't save much on a used one if you can even find one. I don't think anyone here can tell the cost to hire an installer for your project.

I talked with an individual that installs tv and cell towers in my area. He told me the cost of a 50' tower was $725 IIRC. With labor, concrete and other factors I interpreted through his statements that the total cost of the tower will be about $1,300 or so

 

[xdec32]

Those rotors have a terrible lifespan. I went through two Channel Masters in two years. Climbing a tower is a PIA, so I highly recommend a Yaesu G-450A. Well worth the investment.
As far as the tree, make sure its placed where the tree will not grow near the antenna on top. It is very hard to hang from a tower on a life strap holding a pole saw. Better to stay away from tree branches or pay a tree trimmer to cut it down before you put the tower up, if its the only location.

View attachment 3134100

Am I correct that the Yaesu G-450A is quiet on mediumwave? My correct rotor devices don't emit much RFI.

 

[Primestar31]

With labor, concrete and other factors I interpreted through his statements that the total cost of the tower will be about $1,300 or so

That's only $108.33 a month, for 12 months, then it's paid for. Unlike cable tv, which you NEVER stop paying for...

 

[Davenlr]

Am I correct that the Yaesu G-450A is quiet on mediumwave? My correct rotor devices don't emit much RFI.

I use mine on 160m and AM broadcast to turn a mag loop, and there is no RFI

 

[xdec32]

That's only $108.33 a month, for 12 months, then it's paid for. Unlike cable tv, which you NEVER stop paying for...

With a loan you are absolutely correct. Of course, for people with termagants or multiple waspish neighbors in an area with multiple obscure laws on antennas it's helpful to have at least $5k for attorneys.

 

[xdec32]

That's only $108.33 a month, for 12 months, then it's paid for. Unlike cable tv, which you NEVER stop paying for...

With a loan you are absolutely correct. Of course, for people with termagants or multiple waspish neighbors in an area with multiple obscure laws on antennas it's helpful to have at least $5k for attorneys.

 

[Primestar31]

termagants

Lol, I have NEVER heard that word in my entire life! I looked it up, and it describes those old ladies that stand on their porch shaking a broom, and saying: "You kids get OFF MY LAWN!" I remember those days.

 

[xdec32]

Lol, I have NEVER heard that word in my entire life! I looked it up, and it describes those old ladies that stand on their porch shaking a broom, and saying: "You kids get OFF MY LAWN!" I remember those days.

It's a dying word. I remember it from American literature in 11th grade and I don't think I have seen more than a few times since then. Alas, tis a stereotype I guess, some termagants are rightfully concerned but I do think some do protest too much.

 

[videobruce]

A. the name "RCA" is just a name someone bought rights to.
B. that specific rotor is without a doubt (after reading dozens of reviews in more thn one site) the absolutely worst POS out there. Doomed to failure.

That's only $108.33 a month, for 12 months, then it's paid for. Unlike cable tv, which you NEVER stop paying for...

And they throw in 20 min per hr worth of commercials at no charge.

 

[videobruce]

Davenlr;
Is that a rotor I see at the top of that tower with a 'omnidirectional 'stick' at the top?

 

[xdec32]

A. the name "RCA" is just a name someone bought rights to.
B. that specific rotor is without a doubt (after reading dozens of reviews in more thn one site) the absolutely worst POS out there. Doomed to failure.

And they throw in 20 min per hr worth of commercials at no charge.

I suppose it's a miracle that it has not failed yet for me as of 1 year. I don't like how it seems to hesitate though

 

[xdec32]

I notice there are hotspots of signals on the property. Are these spots going to be the same at 50 feet or are they likely to be different?

 

[Primestar31]

I notice there are hotspots of signals on the property. Are these spots going to be the same at 50 feet or are they likely to be different?

They are likely to be different. The only way to tell, is to put an antenna at the exact spot you propose to use, and see what the signal levels are. Then try it in another spot.

Here's what I do: look up ALL the stations you plan to receive, find the Wikipedia listing. Click on the right-side menu in the Wiki on the coordinates for the tower transmitter location. It'll jump to another page, click on the Google Maps "Satellite" (Terrain, street view) view link. It'll bring it up in the tab. RIGHT-click at the base of the television tower and click "Measure Distance" on the menu that comes up. Zoom the map out, and find the location of your house, where you propose to place your antenna tower on the property. Regular click on that exact site. A line will draw itself from the television tower, to the site of your antenna tower. You can do this for each transmitter tower, for each station. It'll overlay on the map, and you can zoom down over your property, and try to move your proposed tower to places that would help you avoid nearby trees or obstructions. Which can cause dead spots, or excessive multipath.

Yes, it's a bit of work, but, it really gives you a real good way to virtually arrange things to what might be the best spot, before you spend all the money and plant a tower that can't easily be moved afterwards.