UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum - View Single Post - Chimney antenna-mount: twist or clamp?

G6Tanuki · 20th Nov 2017, 6:46 pm

I've got the roofers/chimney-stack-rebuilders in at the moment, and intend to use the access their scaffolding provides to put up a Hy-Gain 12AVQ HF antenna.

A couple of 18-inch galvanised 'Mitre brackets' will be used on the chimney itself. The 'traditional' way to attach these is with a galvanised wire round the chimney - and usually the ends of the wire are simply twisted back on themselves to provide a 'loop' for the J-bolts that are then tightened.

I don't like this twisted approach: my idea is to use stainless-steel yacht-rigging wire and similarly-sourced "U-bolt clamps":

https://www.s3i.co.uk/stainless-steel-rope-grip.php

which should last well enough to see me into the time when HF DXCC is really not the sort of thing I'm interested in.

Ideas? Suggestions? Should I use 'thimbles' where the wire is attached to the J-bolts?

20th Nov 2017, 6:46 pm	#1
G6Tanuki Dekatron Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Wiltshire, UK. Posts: 14,005	Chimney antenna-mount: twist or clamp? I've got the roofers/chimney-stack-rebuilders in at the moment, and intend to use the access their scaffolding provides to put up a Hy-Gain 12AVQ HF antenna. A couple of 18-inch galvanised 'Mitre brackets' will be used on the chimney itself. The 'traditional' way to attach these is with a galvanised wire round the chimney - and usually the ends of the wire are simply twisted back on themselves to provide a 'loop' for the J-bolts that are then tightened. I don't like this twisted approach: my idea is to use stainless-steel yacht-rigging wire and similarly-sourced "U-bolt clamps": https://www.s3i.co.uk/stainless-steel-rope-grip.php which should last well enough to see me into the time when HF DXCC is really not the sort of thing I'm interested in. Ideas? Suggestions? Should I use 'thimbles' where the wire is attached to the J-bolts?