How to erect a 50 foot mast for 2.4Ghz 802.11b wireless.
(15 meter sounds so much smaller)

Volunteer a couple of mates who will work for pizza and scotch & coke.  If you are lucky, at least one of them already knows how to get a "bloody big mast" to stay on your roof.  Visit a reputable TV antenna supplier that sells the "Hills Antenna Kits".  Academy TV in Geelong was good and if you were really smart you would ask them to install it too!

If you are a little stubborn (or silly) like us you will want to have the fun of installing it yourself.  I have a mostly flat roof house (about 10 degrees pitch) which makes life easier but you still need someone who knows what they are doing or you will end-up with a mess of wire, roof and limbs.

In fact forget that I ever mentioned doing this yourself... Get a REAL installer to install it.  I was lucky that a mate of mine has a lot of experience in installing these.

Most of the below parts are included in the "Hills Rigging Kit", the 15 meter pole is a "Hills Telo-mast".

The below parts will give you an idea of part costs and what to buy.

 

Telomast

Telescopic 50 foot mast

$229.00
[ only needed one of these! $229.00]

Coach Screws
Coach Screw 75mm x 10 mm

$0.40ea  
[need 16 total ($6.40)]

1/4" Turnbuckle

$2.95 ea

[need 20 total ($59.00)]
Guy Anchor plate
 
$2.50
Hot dipped galvanised Guy anchor plate 220mm (9")
[need 8 of these ($20.00)]
Thimble
 
$0.40

6mm Thimble
[need 4 of these for each guy ring, total 20 ($8.00)]
Guy Ring
 


$3.20
Guy ring for 38mm Masting

[need 5 of these ($16.00)]

Lock Ring

$4.00
Lock ring for 38mm Masting

[need 5 of these ($20.00)]

Collar

$4.10

Heavy duty zinc plated Stay bar collar 32mm 
(1 1/4") 4.0mm Wall

[need 5 of these ($20.50)]
Guy Wire

$43.90
Guy wire, Galvanised to AS1394 0.9mm, 7 strand guy wire. (180cm)
[we used nearly two of these ($87.80)]

All hardware was from http://www.academytv.com.au in Charles Street Newcomb
(Geelong, Victoria, Australia).  Mention Geelong Wireless and you might get a discount (they looked after me!)

 

PS.  Please don't tell my missus that if you add-up all the red prices on this page it comes to nearly $470.00

PPS. I'll add pictures of the installation sometime in the future when I can con the digital camera off the the antenna installer bloke.

 

created February 2002