Mount/Setup Question

[RººR]

Hi all,

I purchased a Winegard 8200, Winegard pre-amp, CM 9521a and a 3ft tripod.
I have a 10 ft 1 1/4" mast which I want to cut down to size- maybe a 5ft piece in the tripod and a 3ft section for the rotor and antenna.
Questions:

1- should i mount the preamp above or below the rotor?

and

2- I read that the 3ft tripod won't line up to the roof rafters so what should I do? I figure putting a block of wood inside the attic and bolt through that should suffice but want to be sure. Or would you recommend getting a 5ft tripod?

If there are any videos or how-to's out there, would you mind pointing me in the right direction?

Thanks for your time and wisdom,

RººR

[mtownsend]

1- should i mount the preamp above or below the rotor?

I vote for below the rotor. The extra few feet of coax before the amp won't make that much of a difference from an RF loss perspective. If there is ever any damage to the coax due to rotation, pinching, and/or wear-and-tear, it is easier to replace the section between the amp and the antenna rather than having to mess with the cable going between the amp and the indoor power supply.



2- I read that the 3ft tripod won't line up to the roof rafters so what should I do? I figure putting a block of wood inside the attic and bolt through that should suffice but want to be sure. Or would you recommend getting a 5ft tripod?

If there are any videos or how-to's out there, would you mind pointing me in the right direction?


If the feet of the tripod do not line up with the studs in your roof, then yes, you can use your own block of wood to bolt into. Channel Master has a generic antenna installation guide here (http://www.channelmasterstore.com/v/vspfiles/assets/images/antenna%20installation%20manual%20-%20channel%20master.pdf). On page 11, they actually suggest using a 1 1/2" thick block of wood if you cannot reach a rafter.

I would pick a tripod size according to how much load and height you need to support. There's no guarantee that a 5' tripod will line up with your roof studs any better than a 3' tripod.

[kb2fzq]

Hi all,

I purchased a Winegard 8200, Winegard pre-amp, CM 9521a and a 3ft tripod.
I have a 10 ft 1 1/4" mast which I want to cut down to size- maybe a 5ft piece in the tripod and a 3ft section for the rotor and antenna.
Questions:

1- should i mount the preamp above or below the rotor?

and

2- I read that the 3ft tripod won't line up to the roof rafters so what should I do? I figure putting a block of wood inside the attic and bolt through that should suffice but want to be sure. Or would you recommend getting a 5ft tripod?

If there are any videos or how-to's out there, would you mind pointing me in the right direction?

Thanks for your time and wisdom,

RººR

The amp should be mounted close to the antenna, with the shortest coax that is fessible....I use a 2 foot, pre-made RS coax from each antenna to the pre-amp, all thru a Channel Vision HS-3 combiner, the combiner hardlined into the pre-amp, but you probably aren't needing a combiner of course....
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c30/kb2fzq/preamp.jpg
Remember, you will need to use a loop of the downlead coax around the rotor, at the rotor....if there is no play in the coax, if the coax is taped or tied above and below the rotor, the coax will bind and stop the rotor from turning without that loop...
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c30/kb2fzq/rotor.jpg
Also, I would use some Neoprene (rubberized caulking material) under the feet of the tripod to seal the roof from water leaks, especially the foot with the block of wood....

[No static at all]

My 2 cents,

I would keep the mast above the rotor at 2 feet or less to help extend the life of the rotor with such a large antenna. This should also help keep the rotor synchronized longer since the load on the motor will be considerably less.

As far as the pre-amp, I prefer mounting below the rotor for ease of service/installation. I haven't noticed a difference between 5 or even 10 feet of cable in extreme fringe areas, even on the highest UHF channels.

[RººR]

Thank you! Thank you! All good points to consider.