On Mon, 26 Dec 2011 05:29:04 -0800, wrote:
Most of the antennas out there that are installed on a metal pole in the
ground probably rely on the above. If the pole goes 4 ft into
reasonable soil that's probably good enough.

UPDATE:
Last night was a 'storm' (in California terms, which isn't much of a
'real' storm after all) ... but nonetheless, I heard a crashing shaking
the roof and thought it was thunder. Turns out a roof tile fell down from
one roofline to another!

In addition, the antenna, which is just stuck into the ground into an abs
plastic 2"-to-3" bushing reducer, twisted a bit in the storm - so my
reception dropped from -64dBm to -88dBm. Yuck.

I twisted it back into place (about a half inch of twist) but now I know
I need to better secure the antenna base so it doesn't twist (we get
100mph gusts at times).

I watched the antenna in the wind & rain last night, and it didn't 'bend'
the 2" thick water pipe at all. I don't think I need guy wires at all as
it's pretty sturdy. The only problem is that it's a 2" pipe stuck three
feet into a 3.5" hole!

Here's a picture this morning (in the early morning light) of the antenna.
- http://www1.picturepush.com/photo/a/...mg/7393289.gif

Notice the oak tree probably twisted it more so than the wind did:
- http://www5.picturepush.com/photo/a/...mg/7393293.gif

And, here's a picture of the 2" mast stuck three feet in a 3" hole with a
2"-to-3" abs plastic reducer at the top attempting to keep it from
twisting in the wind.
- http://www1.picturepush.com/photo/a/...mg/7393299.gif

I'm surprised that flimsy bushing works at all given how heavy the mast
is. So, the only engineering problem left is to prevent the mast from
twisting in the wind from the wind or more likely the trees.

BTW, do you think this slight sidewise tilt of the planar antenna matters?
- http://www1.picturepush.com/photo/a/...mg/7393319.gif