Star Duster

[hammer0630]

My pics of my newly installed antenna This picture makes the antenna mast look like it is leaning but it is not. I used a level for every part of it's construction. This is a sectional mast using 4 foot sections totaling 24 feet and riveted together this is not the recommended procedure. Riveting the sections together is the only way to secure it together but mostly to prevent any twisting and the coax runs down inside the mast. You can see just the top part of the stairs which is going into the 2nd floor. All the following pictures I used the camera's zoom to see the antenna better. As I am much older now then when I was in the eighties working nearly thirty feet up and hanging off the edge was not very fun any more.

 

[hammer0630]

pic 2

 

[hammer0630]

Star Duster

 

[hammer0630]

Star Duster

I have just figured out how to reduce the pixel count so it will upload to this site.

 

[hammer0630]

The Star Duster is just under 18 feet in length and the mast is 24 feet and the scanner antenna I think is around ten feet and the peak of the roof top is about 30 feet from the ground. This is a two story house basically with a generous attic.

 

[4ZERO99]

Looks good, this is in my future as well along with a 30' pushup mast, right now using an A-99 but thinking of replacing with a starduster as well, but my mast will be on the ground and attached to the house and guy wires if I go all the way up, yours must have been a nice job to do.

 

[Marconi]

0630, I'm curious and I tend to ask questions.

Is the guy system just east and west?

Can you detect the starduster transmitting with your scanner on?

Is the scanner antenna physically isolated from the mast?

The setup look real good.

 

[hammer0630]

0630, I'm curious and I tend to ask questions.

Is the guy system just east and west?

Can you detect the starduster transmitting with your scanner on?

Is the scanner antenna physically isolated from the mast?

The setup look real good.

I knew this would get some attention from someone. Since it is a eave mount antenna bracket getting guy wire's in all four directions is hard. There are guy wires running North and South but they are only inches from the mast and are hard to see and they are attached to the eave brackets to reduce guy wire tension that pulls a antenna downward which you don't want to put any more weight on a eave mount as it holds the weight of the entire antenna system. I am not sure they will really help. I pushed the antenna North and South and it did sway but the guy wires where tightening and loosening indicating they are doing something to help. I am trying my best to not put any holes in the roof and unlike older homes they're is no metal chimney pipes either. Fortunately the winds 90% of the time blow in a direction that I have securely guy wired going by the picture it would be East to West. On the day it was ready to be raised and bolted in it happened to be a windy day which was blowing the tree's around pretty good but you could time the gusts. Well while holding the mast and getting the bolts hand tight "two man job or one man and his wife" it took longer than expected and the gusts of wind came back in and I was very surprised that I literally didn't feel a thing and I am not exaggerating. I have not even connected the scanner coax yet as it also will be 10 feet short. I am trying to remember if the scanner antenna is isolated from the mast and I believe it is. It has a 45 degree mast and is secured to the main mast with a U bolt type clamp but it is then isolated by plastic I think?