The guy I mentioned recently who phoned me asking where he could get a
replacement TV signal booster ... that he didn't actually need ... (
at the TV works fine without it, probably left over from the
switchover) seems to have his aerial pointing in a slightly different
direction (off maybe 25 Deg [1]) to the majority (but not all) near
him bit the bit that I spotted as we walked past yesterday was that it
had a tubular bracket that runs underneath the bottom of the director
bit but it's mounted on a pole on the chimney stack ... at the back,
behind the reflector?

Is there any reason you would need that bracket left on (signal wise
or strength etc) or is it actually superfluous and therefore just
adding weight and windage and possibly, slight loss of performance?

Cheers, T i m

[1] There is a fairly large metal structure that he could be looking
right past if his aerial was set in the same line as all those the
transmitter side of the obstruction, so could that account for the
offset, even with digital (multipath)?

On 16/10/2020 12:20, T i m wrote:
bit the bit that I spotted as we walked past yesterday was that it
had a tubular bracket that runs underneath the bottom of the director
bit but it's mounted on a pole on the chimney stack ... at the back,
behind the reflector?

The aerial is from a DIY shed. it has two mounting options, the cradle
underneath or end mounting. For the latter the cradle isn't used. The
person hasn't realised that. It's very common.

Bill

On Fri, 16 Oct 2020 12:58:07 +0100, williamwright
wrote:

On 16/10/2020 12:20, T i m wrote:
bit the bit that I spotted as we walked past yesterday was that it
had a tubular bracket that runs underneath the bottom of the director
bit but it's mounted on a pole on the chimney stack ... at the back,
behind the reflector?

The aerial is from a DIY shed. it has two mounting options, the cradle
underneath or end mounting. For the latter the cradle isn't used.

I thought that was the case but I also thought I'd better ask.

The
person hasn't realised that. It's very common.

The aerials I have seen that come in two parts give you a clamshell
type bracket that contains the two ends and bolt up (wingnut?), then
you would put that cradle bracket on if you wanted to mount it that
way.

I'll mention it when I see / speak to him next (thanks).

Cheers, T i m

On 16/10/2020 13:23, T i m wrote:
On Fri, 16 Oct 2020 12:58:07 +0100, williamwright
wrote:

On 16/10/2020 12:20, T i m wrote:
bit the bit that I spotted as we walked past yesterday was that it
had a tubular bracket that runs underneath the bottom of the director
bit but it's mounted on a pole on the chimney stack ... at the back,
behind the reflector?

The aerial is from a DIY shed. it has two mounting options, the cradle
underneath or end mounting. For the latter the cradle isn't used.

I thought that was the case but I also thought I'd better ask.

The
person hasn't realised that. It's very common.

The aerials I have seen that come in two parts give you a clamshell
type bracket that contains the two ends and bolt up (wingnut?), then
you would put that cradle bracket on if you wanted to mount it that
way.

I'll mention it when I see / speak to him next (thanks).

Cheers, T i m


http://www.wrightsaerials.tv/aerialp.../diy/022.shtml

Bill

On Fri, 16 Oct 2020 14:38:19 +0100, williamwright
wrote:

snip

The aerials I have seen that come in two parts give you a clamshell
type bracket that contains the two ends and bolt up (wingnut?), then
you would put that cradle bracket on if you wanted to mount it that
way.


http://www.wrightsaerials.tv/aerialp.../diy/022.shtml

Hehe, amazing, but what percentage of all the aerials up there are
like that though would you say?

We just walked a couple of different routes though some housing areas
and the only one we saw mounted badly like that was the one I
mentioned. Ok, some were also laying on the roof or swinging about
round the stack but otherwise they were all ok? ;-)

Cheers, T i m

On 16/10/2020 17:54, T i m wrote:
On Fri, 16 Oct 2020 14:38:19 +0100, williamwright
wrote:

snip

The aerials I have seen that come in two parts give you a clamshell
type bracket that contains the two ends and bolt up (wingnut?), then
you would put that cradle bracket on if you wanted to mount it that
way.


http://www.wrightsaerials.tv/aerialp.../diy/022.shtml

Hehe, amazing, but what percentage of all the aerials up there are
like that though would you say?

We just walked a couple of different routes though some housing areas
and the only one we saw mounted badly like that was the one I
mentioned. Ok, some were also laying on the roof or swinging about
round the stack but otherwise they were all ok? ;-)

There were lots a few years ago, but I think a lot of them have fallen
down. Maybe the instructions are clearer now.

Bill

williamwright Wrote in message:
On 16/10/2020 17:54, T i m wrote:
On Fri, 16 Oct 2020 14:38:19 +0100, williamwright
wrote:

snip

The aerials I have seen that come in two parts give you a clamshell
type bracket that contains the two ends and bolt up (wingnut?), then
you would put that cradle bracket on if you wanted to mount it that
way.


http://www.wrightsaerials.tv/aerialp.../diy/022.shtml

Hehe, amazing, but what percentage of all the aerials up there are
like that though would you say?

We just walked a couple of different routes though some housing areas
and the only one we saw mounted badly like that was the one I
mentioned. Ok, some were also laying on the roof or swinging about
round the stack but otherwise they were all ok? ;-)

There were lots a few years ago, but I think a lot of them have fallen
down. Maybe the instructions are clearer now.

Bill


I've seen VP aerials pointed at WH, the only reason I can think
of is that's how they are flat-packed!
--

%Profound_observation%


----Android NewsGroup Reader----
http://usenet.sinaapp.com/

Perhaps he is picking up a reflection not the direct signal?
Do you mean a U shaped bracket under the aerial as one would use to mount
it centrally on a pole? If so then yes, if there is an extension behind the
reflector, the bracket or U piece is just adding weight, but if the pole is
tall enough that would allow the aerial to be mounted balanced centrally
without being exposed to stuff from a chimney, then why not do that instead,
as the twisting lop sided stresses are often far more destructive than
than a central weight and only side forces in a wind.
I have seen this done when somebody wanted to mount another aerial on the
top, but normally you would remove the extraneous bracket then.
Brian

--

This newsgroup posting comes to you directly from...
The Sofa of Brian Gaff...

Blind user, so no pictures please
Note this Signature is meaningless.!
"T i m" wrote in message
...
The guy I mentioned recently who phoned me asking where he could get a
replacement TV signal booster ... that he didn't actually need ... (
at the TV works fine without it, probably left over from the
switchover) seems to have his aerial pointing in a slightly different
direction (off maybe 25 Deg [1]) to the majority (but not all) near
him bit the bit that I spotted as we walked past yesterday was that it
had a tubular bracket that runs underneath the bottom of the director
bit but it's mounted on a pole on the chimney stack ... at the back,
behind the reflector?

Is there any reason you would need that bracket left on (signal wise
or strength etc) or is it actually superfluous and therefore just
adding weight and windage and possibly, slight loss of performance?

Cheers, T i m

[1] There is a fairly large metal structure that he could be looking
right past if his aerial was set in the same line as all those the
transmitter side of the obstruction, so could that account for the
offset, even with digital (multipath)?

Sounds like nobody looks up except sad people like us, well you, since I
would not see them now. I used to love looking at the aerials when on
holiday and wondered in many cases A whether they still worked at all, and
B, what on earth they were aiming at!
Of course a stacking kit merely contained a strut and associated brackets,
since the two U brackets were turned at right angles to make the
spacer/mounting part and the strut was used to support the front U for
stability. Clever really, but the beam width was very critical of course.
The Y cable was of vastly superior quality, but the termination of it for
attaching to the downlead was crap and even when smothered in protection
tended to oxidise and end up welded in.
Brian

--

This newsgroup posting comes to you directly from...
The Sofa of Brian Gaff...

Blind user, so no pictures please
Note this Signature is meaningless.!
"T i m" wrote in message
...
On Fri, 16 Oct 2020 14:38:19 +0100, williamwright
wrote:

snip

The aerials I have seen that come in two parts give you a clamshell
type bracket that contains the two ends and bolt up (wingnut?), then
you would put that cradle bracket on if you wanted to mount it that
way.


http://www.wrightsaerials.tv/aerialp.../diy/022.shtml

Hehe, amazing, but what percentage of all the aerials up there are
like that though would you say?

We just walked a couple of different routes though some housing areas
and the only one we saw mounted badly like that was the one I
mentioned. Ok, some were also laying on the roof or swinging about
round the stack but otherwise they were all ok? ;-)

Cheers, T i m

The cheap aerials are worse though, using plastic to keep the elements
straight and in some cases for the joining bracket and a sleeve on the rear
extension of the boom and reflector mounting. Of course if the plastic is
good, no problems but so many seem to go hard after a few years in the UV
and frost, then things start to fall to bits as soon as the local obese
Pigeons sit on them a couple of years down the line.
Brian

--

This newsgroup posting comes to you directly from...
The Sofa of Brian Gaff...

Blind user, so no pictures please
Note this Signature is meaningless.!
"williamwright" wrote in message
...
On 16/10/2020 17:54, T i m wrote:
On Fri, 16 Oct 2020 14:38:19 +0100, williamwright
wrote:

snip

The aerials I have seen that come in two parts give you a clamshell
type bracket that contains the two ends and bolt up (wingnut?), then
you would put that cradle bracket on if you wanted to mount it that
way.


http://www.wrightsaerials.tv/aerialp.../diy/022.shtml

Hehe, amazing, but what percentage of all the aerials up there are
like that though would you say?

We just walked a couple of different routes though some housing areas
and the only one we saw mounted badly like that was the one I
mentioned. Ok, some were also laying on the roof or swinging about
round the stack but otherwise they were all ok? ;-)

There were lots a few years ago, but I think a lot of them have fallen
down. Maybe the instructions are clearer now.

Bill

On 16/10/2020 14:38, williamwright wrote:



http://www.wrightsaerials.tv/aerialp.../diy/022.shtml

The loft aerial here was mounted through the cradle with the pole going
vertically through directors 4 and 5 (IIRC). An end-mount would have
been ok as there would never be any wind force on the aerial.

Out of interest, why does it not appear to matter that the pole goes
through the aerial when fixed by the cradle? Does it not affect signal
reception at all?

--

Jeff

On Sat, 17 Oct 2020 09:35:58 +0100, "Brian Gaff \(Sofa\)"
wrote:

I think I have seen those where the thing comes flat packed but
pre-assembled and you just open the reflectors up and they lock into
place around the plastic 'hinge'.

I would love to see the look on a pigeons face as an aerial collapsed
under it. ;-)

Cheers, T i m


The cheap aerials are worse though, using plastic to keep the elements
straight and in some cases for the joining bracket and a sleeve on the rear
extension of the boom and reflector mounting.

Of course if the plastic is
good, no problems but so many seem to go hard after a few years in the UV
and frost, then things start to fall to bits as soon as the local obese
Pigeons sit on them a couple of years down the line.

On Sat, 17 Oct 2020 09:32:02 +0100, "Brian Gaff \(Sofa\)"
wrote:

Sounds like nobody looks up except sad people like us,

I think if you ever involved in something personally you tend to see
(take in) them yourself, like if you get a new car then suddenly see
them all over the place when you might not have before.

Other people are just unobservant, not even seeing things that are
right in front of them.

Anything odd seems to stand out to me so I can often spot such things
even thought I didn't think I was looking ... like a flat tyre or
partially open door on another car ... or even when a rear shock
absorber has gone on the car in front (and you watch the wheel
rebounding on every bump).

The last thing I spotted although I first 'smelled' was a faulty brake
on a taxi. I could smell burning brake / clutch lining as I caught up
with him and then saw smoke coming of the rear wheel at the lights. I
managed to get beside him and tell him and saw him pull over the check
it out.

well you, since I
would not see them now. I used to love looking at the aerials when on
holiday and wondered in many cases A whether they still worked at all, and
B, what on earth they were aiming at!

Hehe.

Of course a stacking kit merely contained a strut and associated brackets,
since the two U brackets were turned at right angles to make the
spacer/mounting part and the strut was used to support the front U for
stability.

Yeah, they can be a bit of a Meccano kit but even without
instructions, as long as you use some of common sense ...

Clever really, but the beam width was very critical of course.

I always liked to have either a view of the picture myself and someone
else on the aerial or the other way round, that way *I* could
determine that I had the best picture, not just a picture (this is
particularly in the analogue days). Even more subtle when fitting a
satellite dish of course. I would often take the aerial off centre
till I lost picture, noted the position then took it the other way to
the same and then split the difference (for both axis with a dish).

The Y cable was of vastly superior quality, but the termination of it for
attaching to the downlead was crap and even when smothered in protection
tended to oxidise and end up welded in.

Or you saw the outer braid exposed outside of the waterproof cover and
loads of exposed inner though the active connection.

Cheers, T i m

On Sat, 17 Oct 2020 09:41:53 +0100, Jeff Layman
wrote:

On 16/10/2020 14:38, williamwright wrote:



http://www.wrightsaerials.tv/aerialp.../diy/022.shtml

The loft aerial here was mounted through the cradle with the pole going
vertically through directors 4 and 5 (IIRC). An end-mount would have
been ok as there would never be any wind force on the aerial.

Out of interest, why does it not appear to matter that the pole goes
through the aerial when fixed by the cradle? Does it not affect signal
reception at all?

I always wondered that and would have tried to avoid doing so if
possible (cradle mount on the very top of a pole and rear mount if
there had to be any others on the same pole)?

Cheers, T i m

On 17/10/2020 09:32, Brian Gaff (Sofa) wrote:

Of course a stacking kit merely contained a strut and associated brackets,
since the two U brackets were turned at right angles to make the
spacer/mounting part and the strut was used to support the front U for
stability. Clever really, but the beam width was very critical of course.
The Y cable was of vastly superior quality, but the termination of it for
attaching to the downlead was crap and even when smothered in protection
tended to oxidise and end up welded in.
Brian


What make are you remembering?

Bill

On 17/10/2020 09:41, Jeff Layman wrote:
Out of interest, why does it not appear to matter that the pole goes
through the aerial when fixed by the cradle? Does it not affect signal
reception at all?

It does, but not much when the mast is at 90deg to the aerial's
polarisation.

Bill

On 17/10/2020 11:02, T i m wrote:

I always wondered that and would have tried to avoid doing so if
possible (cradle mount on the very top of a pole and rear mount if
there had to be any others on the same pole)?
That's the way to do it, as Mr punch used to say.

Bill

On 18/10/2020 06:36, williamwright wrote:
On 17/10/2020 09:41, Jeff Layman wrote:
Out of interest, why does it not appear to matter that the pole goes
through the aerial when fixed by the cradle? Does it not affect signal
reception at all?

It does, but not much when the mast is at 90deg to the aerial's
polarisation.

I forgot that I removed the yagi a couple of years ago and replaced it
with an end-mounted log-periodic.

Anyway, when Ch55 and 56 finally go, maybe I'll get out the Group A yagi
again and try mounting it with vertical polarisation (I use Rowridge).
There won't be a need to use horizontal specifically as it won't have
anything extra that vertical doesn't have. I could also see if putting
the vertical mounting pole near to the vertical directors has any effect.

--

Jeff

On 16/10/2020 14:38, williamwright wrote:
On 16/10/2020 13:23, T i m wrote:
On Fri, 16 Oct 2020 12:58:07 +0100, williamwright
wrote:

On 16/10/2020 12:20, T i m wrote:
bit the bit that I spotted as we walked past yesterday was that it
had a tubular bracket that runs underneath the bottom of the director
bit but it's mounted on a pole on the chimney stack ... at the back,
behind the reflector?

The aerial is from a DIY shed. it has two mounting options, the cradle
underneath or end mounting. For the latter the cradle isn't used.

I thought that was the case but I also thought I'd better ask.

The
person hasn't realised that. It's very common.

The aerials I have seen that come in two parts give you a clamshell
type bracket that contains the two ends and bolt up (wingnut?), then
you would put that cradle bracket on if you wanted to mount it that
way.

I'll mention it when I see / speak to him next (thanks).

Cheers, T i m


http://www.wrightsaerials.tv/aerialp.../diy/022.shtml

Bill

Room for expansion on that pole. And he didn't read the instructions
which probably showed how to route the cable out behind the
reflector.

On 16/10/2020 19:42, williamwright wrote:
On 16/10/2020 17:54, T i m wrote:
On Fri, 16 Oct 2020 14:38:19 +0100, williamwright
wrote:

snip

The aerials I have seen that come in two parts give you a clamshell
type bracket that contains the two ends and bolt up (wingnut?), then
you would put that cradle bracket on if you wanted to mount it that
way.


http://www.wrightsaerials.tv/aerialp.../diy/022.shtml

Hehe, amazing, but what percentage of all the aerials up there are
like that though would you say?

We just walked a couple of different routes though some housing areas
and the only one we saw mounted badly like that was the one I
mentioned. Ok, some were also laying on the roof or swinging about
round the stack but otherwise they were all ok? ;-)

There were lots a few years ago, but I think a lot of them have fallen
down. Maybe the instructions are clearer now.

Bill

'Real' men don't need instructions :-)