Best Way Forward

[tarbat]

Just had a quick look in MemoryMap, and if I've guessed your location correctly, I can see why you would have poor reception to the SE, looking at the land profile:

[bratters]

Are the scaffold poles not too heavy then Jon? I had given them some consideration but thought they would need a few clamps to secure them to the house. Not sure if I will go down the telescopic route yet, will probably end up with mast about 10 ft and aim for 6 ft above roof line.

Sandy

Have a look at the attached pic of my gable end mounting, Sandy. This is a ten footer with the the aerial about 6ft above the apex - much as you seem to think would suit.

Beyond the radarmax you will see a discone and also out of shot are a couple of stack mounted TV aerials. I am exposed to the southwest and while we don't get Tarbat's weather here (thank God!) we still get a decent blow from time to time. I reckon the discone has more wind-resistance than the 1090 aerial yet this has stood safely for 15 years.

Another advantage to this gable end mounting is that the coax feeds immediately into the attic/loft of the house and thence directly to the box. ie. precious little coax needed.

[CoastGuardJon]

Hi Sandy, with a 20' al. scaffold pole, you'd be fine with 9' above ridge, top bracket about 2' down and bottom bracket at the bottom(!).   The wall thickness is some 4mm, so no real movement with a <1m 1090 antenna, whereas a lighter gauge tube would give out vibrate and deteriorate.

[sasa1000]

Thanks once again for all the info and photos guys. Your help & advice is invaluable. I would be going the same way as bratters I think as I have an overflow pipe 4 ft below apex of roof where I would feed co-ax through as we no longer have storage tank in attic. I was up the ladder tonight looking for previous holes but unable to find them. I will be phoning a lad tomorrow for price for mast + brackets also price for him to fix as my ladder is just a bit too short.

Sandy

[sasa1000]

I'm thinking to use short mast supplied with Radar-Rama ant and clamp it to new mast as the antenna is a tight fit on top of supplied short mast. I would also gain another couple of feet this way. Can't wait to get this done as hopefully my coverage will be a lot better.
Will the Radar-Rama receive better signals just by being outside?

Sandy

[bratters]

Will the Radar-Rama receive better signals just by being outside?

Sandy

Obviously if it's not enclosed by brickwork, it will be better. Stick it out of the window and it will be better.  But if the antenna is not up in the air it won't be good.
 
Remember, it's line of sight so if the aerial can't "see" it, you won't get it.

Height, height and height again.

[sasa1000]

That figures I suppose, never had a chance to get mast today as working all day, just got internet connected at 11.40 pm after hub crashed earlier in the evening. Guess if I can get above roofline of neighbours house I am heading in the right direction.

Sandy

[Chris11]

Thanks for the informative posts. I have a 45ft tree in the front garden that is causing a "shadow". The top of my gable is only 13ft so I am looking at all options.

(Wife did not take to kindly to the suggestion to cut the tree down)

[bratters]

I think one element of the question is the direction of the tree vis a vis the house and whether it blocks a particularly important line of sight.

We don't know your home position and therefore your most potentially fruitful directions. You need to take into account your own particular interests - a specific airport for instance - and also consider the more distant topography before concluding that the tree is a major or a minor pain.

It could be that beyond the tree lies nothing much of interest - empty oceans or maybe a range of hills that would preclude good signals anyway. Having said that, siting your antenna as far back from the tree as possible will reduce its "shadow" and you may also have the freedom to angle the antenna to work "round" the tree.

I have a friend nearby in a bungalow whose discone is atop a mast running up the rear of the house. It's a very neat and tidy job which, being a bungalow, he was able to secure without the help of contractors/erectors. It clears the roofs of adjacent two storey houses comfortably.

You may like to point out to her indoors that a tree of 45 feet is undoubtedly a threat to the foundations of your buildings and should be immediately trimmed before subsidence sets in. 

Bonzais are nice too.