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Old 23-Jul-2010, 11:54 PM   #8
mtownsend
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Join Date: Dec 2009
Posts: 632
My personal opinion is that the difference between an HD7694P and an HD7695P is not that significant once you have it installed on the roof. The HD7695P is roughly about the same size as the HBU33, but it has the performance of an HBU44.



As for mounts, I'd recommend adding your own mount and mast as opposed to using an existing vent pipe. I doubt that most vent pipes are designed to handle the weight and stress of an extra 5 foot pole and antenna blowing in the wind.

There are lots of mounting options available depending on how your roof/house is constructed. I usually consider mounts in the following order:

1) Chimney mount (if you have a chimney, of course). Uses steel straps around the chimney and does not require any kind of holes to be put into your roof.

2) Wall or eave mount. Goes at the side of house (mast should still extend above the roof). Bolts go into the wall or eave of your house from the side as opposed to holes going directly through any roofing material.

3) Sled mount. Only applicable if you have a flat roof. Holds the mast in place using weights instead of using bolts through the roof.

4) Tripod or other direct roof mounts. These bolt directly to the studs of your roof.



Masts usually come in 5 or 10 foot sections of pipe (about 1.25 inches diameter). It's possible to make do with almost any kind of pipe, but products specifically designed for "TV mast applications" are usually rigid (don't flex much in the wind), lightweight (to minimize stress on the mount), and can last a long time in outdoor applications.

Almost all outdoor antennas come with built-in clamps that are designed to grab on to a mast (any pipe up to about 1.5 inches in diameter). The U-bolt and bracket usually have "teeth" on them so that they can clamp on to the mast without fear of unexpected rotation in the wind.

If you go with a new mount, mast, and antenna, it should go together pretty easily and be very rugged. If done right, you shouldn't have any problems with antenna stability.
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