Hillsborough
Sheffield
S6 2LL
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areas they can work reasonably well.
We sell the above “Loft Kits” to mount the antennas, or alternatively one can just suspend the aerials from string.
Doing the latter is more time consuming but it will work just as well.
Although some people use the above items to mount installations outside,
we do not recommend it and the accompanying picture illustrates why !
It probably comes from Argos, that purveyor of fine aerial products. Still, at least the aerial isn`t one of those “Gold” ones, they look so naff.........
Also see “The Ultimate Aerial Installation”.
Poles and Brackets (Also see Online / Mail Order Sales)
Subjects on this page are listed in the following order :
Poles and Masts (Including Satellite Poles and Use Of Longer Poles )
Brackets (Including Wall Brackets and “T & K” Brackets)
Summary of which bracket to use with which pole/aerial
(Also see 3” Fence Posts and the Meaning Of Life....)
We are more than willing to give advice to those actually purchasing from us.
Could those only seeking information please just ring an aerial installer local to them or try calling reception advice on 08700 100 123 (BBC) or 0844 881 4150 (ITV).
Who would have thought that something as simple as a TV aerial pole could have so many different types with such wide variations in quality....
Steel poles are the strongest (not by as much as you`d think....) but even though they`re galvanised they rust. How come ? Virtually all steel masting sold in this country is
"Pre-
The galvanising is much thinner than "Hot Dipped" and some manufacturers have
been known to just paint the weld line up the side of the tube. Incidentally, steel
poles will generally rust from the inside as shown in the picture below. Finally
all Pre-
it will come down. See our tests of aerial / satellite poles
Steel poles. Eventually, they all come down.... Note the 6” pressed brackets
Then we have Alloy poles. Not only are they rust free but they will flex slightly in the wind (thus absorbing some of the force) and they`re lighter as well. Both of these will help in putting a little less strain on the bracket, and on your brickwork....
Unfortunately alloy masting is more expensive and also significantly weaker
than steel unless the appropriate gauge/diameter is used.
This is one of my favourite pictures on the entire site, in fact I like it so much
it`s also on the Sales page ! Nothing shows so vividly the differing qualities of
materials used in this trade. Remember that the 1” steel pole was originally galvanised,
although as we have already seen it was only “Pre-
This is the only type of 6ft pole we sell / install , in normal usage it will never fail
Let`s compare the three commonly supplied varieties of 6 ft alloy mast. They can be either straight or of the cranked/swan neck variety. The first type is 1" diameter x 18 gauge, they are the equivalent of 3” fence posts and we would not use a 6ft pole of this type under any circumstances. In fact I am prepared to say publicly that any installer using such a pole (particularly with a large aerial) should be wearing a Stetson.
That said, if the installation shown below was done by the house owner one cannot necessarily blame him. I was in Wickes the other day and the only 6ft pole they sell is
a 1”x 18 gauge, we call them “Wickes Specials”.....
I wonder where the
installer who fitted this
6ft x 1” alloy pole tied up
his horse ?
And he (or she !) has only
used a 6” chimney bracket.
See our tests of Poles,
and also Cowboys` Locker
The second variety is the 1.25" x 18 gauge (=1.2mm) aerial pole. They are a bit stronger than the 1” type and fine for smaller aerials, provided the top V bolt is not over tightened which can crush the tubing and eventually lead to failure.
Finally we have the third type and the only type we sell / install (on straight or cranked).
This is the Rolls Royce of the generally available (when I say generally available, they`re
not usually sold at DIY shops) aerial poles and they are 1.25" x 16 gauge (1.6mm) alloy,
In normal usage, it will never fail.
Why doesn`t everyone use the latter type of pole ? Well, two main reasons:
1) They`re more expensive and DIY shops don`t tend to sell them.
2) If a weaker pole (particularly a 6ft x 1") is installed by an
aerial rigger, they probably want some "repeat business"......
See our tests of aerial / satellite poles
We sell / install straight 3ft & 6ft poles both at 1.25” x 16G. Our 10 ft poles are either
1.5" x 16G or 2.0” x 16G, the latter are for larger aerials or exposed locations.
The 16ft is 2" x 14G (2mm), unfortunately these are not available by mail order, though we
do sell 2” Pole Couplers, e.g. to join an 8ft x 2” x 14G to a 10ft x 2” x 16G.
There is also a 10 ft "caravan" pole which can be dismantled into 4 separate sections.
We also stock cranked (or "swan neck") poles (see picture) which are sometimes required if the pole has to clear an obstruction (the eaves for instance) though a bigger bracket can sometimes be used instead of, or as well as. One should always leave a
gap of about 2" to prevent high winds causing the pole to bang against the fascia and
also to facilitate maintenance of the latter.
Cranked poles can also be used to move an aerials position laterally if this is required to
give the antenna more of a clear path to the transmitter (say to avoid another aerial pole)
or to avoid an “RF dead spot”, also see Aerial Positioning Tests.
We have finally been able to source 3ft cranks at 1.25”. As far as we know we are the only people to sell (or fit) 3ft cranks at 1.25” diameter, we go the extra mile because we love quality, fantastic ! Our 3ft cranks are 3ft x 1.25” x 16G, have an overall height of 30ins.
and an offset of about 12”. These are so strong that they are even suitable for mounting
Sky minidishes, except in particularly exposed locations !
We sell 6 ft cranks at 1.25" x 16G, have an overall height of 5ft 8", an offset of approx 12".
The 9ft version is 1.5” x 16G 9with an overall height of 8ft 7in and a 12” offset..
NB Overall clearance on a 6”x 6” wall bracket AND a cranked pole is approx 16”
All offsets are approximate, if this measurement is critical phone to check the exact figure.
Finally we have a 6ft Supercrank pole, which is particularly suitable for buildings with large overhangs on the fascias. It is much neater than huge T & Ks and is 1.5” x 16G with an overall height of about 5ft and an approximate offset of 30”.
A little flex in an aerial pole is no bad thing, it helps take some of the force out of the wind loading, but Satellite Poles must be rock steady if you are keep the dish focused on
that little “geostationary” transmitter 22,000 miles above the Equator !
Thus we stock two ultra strong alloy satellite masts, 5ft x 1.5” x 16G and 8ft x 2.0” x 14G.
Note that the 8ft poles can be subject to delays in transit.
Finally we stock galvanised steel "L poles" (6ft x 60" x 14") at 1.25" diameter.
(Also see Online Shop / Mail Order Sales including pricing information)
Cranked Poles (and 12in rulers ! )
The cranked poles are 16G alloy, the L Section is 18G galv steel.
All are “Forth Bridge Engineering”,
your aerial would be more likely
to blow apart before the pole
would fail.
Theoretically the higher an aerial is mounted the more signal it will receive. It is certainly
the case that if any additional height is used to give adequate clearance (preferably by at least 3ft) to an obstruction in the path to the transmitter (e.g. a roof) the additional wind loading and larger bracket(s) required are very worthwhile. However in most cases (assuming the aerial is mounted at “normal” installation height, say 25ft from the ground) unless there is an obvious barrier to the transmission path I have my doubts about just
how much extra signal you would get from (say) using a 10ft pole rather than a 6ft.
Remember we`re talking the difference in the total aerial height, e.g. from 25ft to 29ft.
Obviously if you live in a dip and your reception path is only just clearing the hillside,
or indeed is through it, then any extra height may be significant, but don`t expect miracles.
Quite apart from anything else reception sites vary from sea level to 1000ft (or more) so
how is four foot going to make that much difference ! Having said all of the above,
particularly if the aerial is mounted relatively low to the ground (e.g.on a bungalow) and you`ve tried everything else, then a longer pole is always worth a punt !
In April 2008 we did some aerial height experiments to see on just how much extra signal one gets from an aerial 3ft 3in higher (the extra height from a 10 ft pole over a 6ft) and
these more or less backed up the advice given above.
On a related point if you are suffering from ghosting (or an RF dead spot) then moving the aerial laterally may well be more effective than using a higher pole.
Steel Poles rust from the inside !
Do you really want that on the front of your house ?
I have seen rusting steel brackets fitted on the apex
of rendered walls with huge rust stains stretching out beneath them.... All for the sake of a bit of decent galvanising. The latter is just what you get on a galvanised welded bracket and these are
the only type we sell. None of your "Pre-
15 years plus without a trace of rust staining.
We have got an experiment running where we`ve actually tried to file off the galvanising finish (on a section of bracket) and left it outside in the rain.
It hasn`t rusted at all in four years !
I really wonder how anyone could contemplate using
a painted bracket.......
The next category up (in terms of strength) is the welded bracket. These are significantly stronger than the pressed variety and are welded together out of steel angle/bar of typical thickness 3.5 to 5.5mm. Note, there are significant differences in the thickness of steel
(used in supposedly identical brackets) according to which manufacturer has produced them. Welded brackets are available in either painted or galvanised finish. Although there is no difference strength wise between them (it would take decades, in normal conditions, for corrosion to significantly affect that thickness of metal) the difference in finish is chalk and cheese. A painted bracket can start rusting almost straight away and will usually show significant staining within a few years.
Remember that it is totally irrelevant how strong the bracket(s) are if the
bodging installer only uses two wall screws , so check he uses four !
The picture above shows
a 6”x 6”, a 6”x 9”, and
a 9”x 9” wall bracket.
(All are of welded construction and “Hot Dipped” galvanised, also see “Wall or Chimney ?” )
We also sell the wall fixings for our brackets.
(Also see Online Sales and Mail Order Sales including price information)
There are two opposing views as to which should go at the top. The K is obviously the more robust bracket
and the received wisdom is that this should go at the bottom because, being further down, the wall is
stronger there. However the top bracket is probably under the most stress (certainly if the wind is blowing the pole away from the wall) and so some think the K should go there instead ! Basically one has to work
out the relative importance of the two factors for the particular install being undertaken. For an install at the peak of a gable I would put the K at the bottom, whereas on a strong flat top wall I`d put the K at the top.
But it`s six of one and half a dozen of the other really.
In the left hand picture we have a 6”x 6” and 8”x 8”(mitre) chimney bracket.
The right hand picture shows the contents of a “Lashing Kit”. The latter includes 5m
of pre-
Close Up of lash wire terminations
On the left is a “pre-
The one on the right is made up by the installer, with the lash wire at the correct length
to fit round the chimney and hold the bracket tightly on the side of the stack.
Summary of which bracket to use with which pole / aerial
A 3ft pole can utilise a 6” welded wall bracket (6 x 6” or 6 x 9”) for any size aerial.
If mounting on a chimney an aerial up to the size of our Yagi18 or XB10 can utilise a 6” bracket but an XB16 should use an 8” mitre.
A 6ft pole can be used with a 6” welded wall bracket for any aerial up to an XB10 though one must make sure the wall anchors are tight, particularly for the larger antennas.
For an XB16 we would use a 9”x 9” wall bracket especially in exposed locations.
Since cranked poles put a bit more strain on the bracket it may be advisable to go for a
9”x 9” bracket with a crank, particularly if fitting a Supercrank pole,
An 8” mitre chimney bracket should be suitable for all of our antennas on a 6ft pole.
A 10ft pole should be suitable for use with a 9 x 9” wall bracket on any aerial we stock provided the wall anchors are tight, though I would probably advise the use of two brackets with the XB16s, particularly in exposed locations
An 8” mitre chimney bracket would be suitable for a small aerial (e.g. our DM log periodic)
but anything larger should use a pair of chimney brackets. These would usually (but not necessarily) be the H/D type spaced at about 12”, or more for an XB antenna. I would be wary of fitting a pole of 10ft (particularly with a large aerial) on a small chimney with any
size of brackets.
A 16ft pole on a wall requires a pair of brackets (often T & Ks, but not necessarily) for any size of aerial and they should be spaced at least 18” apart, or more for a larger antenna.
For chimney mounting a pair of lash kits and two brackets should be used. The latter
would usually, but not exclusively, be the H/D type. The spacing should be at least 20”
(or 30” for a large aerial) for a 16ft pole and I would be even more wary fitting it on a small chimney ! It should be pointed out that it is very rare to have to fit a 16ft pole on a chimney.
Note. There could be some Health & Safety Bollocks ruling * about trying to fit
your own aerial, so consider this sentence to be a concession to that.
* They could call it the “Rod Hull Rule”. It`s pity he didn`t fall on that bleedin` bird isn`t it ?
Or perhaps he did ? Is that a tautology ?
Wall Anchors (Wall Fixings) (“Rawlplugs” v “Rawlbolts”)
The method used to fix a bracket to the wall is actually a subject of some debate.
Should one use wall anchors of the metal “Rawlbolt” type or (large versions of) the plastic
“Rawlplug” variety ? There are arguments on both sides. The Rawlbolt type fixings can undoubtedly exert more grip on the brickwork, but there is a far greater risk of splitting the masonry if you tighten the fixing too far. Furthermore if one uses an M8 Rawlbolt type fixing the hole in the masonry must be 14mm, and that is a pretty big hole. The obvious answer is to use a smaller one, but even an M6 Rawlbolt requires a 12mm hole and if one gets down to using a Rawlbolt of that size then it`s debatable if it is any stronger (overall) than a well fitted Rawlplug type fixing. The latter is the type that we stock. The critical point with this type of fixing is that the anchor must be a tight fit in the masonry and be capable of taking
a decent level of torque when tightening up. Rawlbolt type fixings are more forgiving in that they can expand further to compensate for a hole which may be a little too big or masonry which may be a little soft. Provided adequate tightening torque can be applied to a
Rawlplug type fixing it is highly doubtful that it would ever fail.
Finally, always remember to ensure that any wall anchor is screwed into the brick, not the mortar ! We once tried pulling one of our M8 Rawlplug type anchors out of the wall (with a tow rope attached to a car) and it pulled half the brick out with it ! (see picture below)
We sell M8 x 50mm size wall screws and they are supplied with an M10 plug and an M8 plated washer. They require a 10mm hole drilling in the masonry.
Results of pulling out one of our M8 wall
anchors using a tow rope attached to a car !
The most basic clamp is the "V bolt" which bolts the pole to
its bracket. We stock these in M8 x 1.75", M10 x 2.25" and
M10 x 2.75" sizes (all I.D.) All come with zinc plated washers.
If you have to use V bolts larger than 1.75” make sure
you check that they will fit the bracket as many of the latter are only drilled to take the smaller types. You may have to drill an extra hole yourself, or get the file out ! When using V bolts I would tend to tighten the bottom one more than the top one, because if you crush the wall of the pole you will significantly weaken it just at the point where it`s under most strain. In our tests all the poles failed at this point, unsurprisingly. That said, crushing a 16G pole is less likely than with the thinner 18G version. We only sell 16G (or 14G) poles.......
The bottom V bolt can be done up as much as you like to ensure the pole doesn`t twist in the wind. Sufficiently tightening the bottom clamp is particularly important if using a cranked pole, and especially a Supercrank.
The 2”x 2” clamp on the left is shown clamping two 2” poles together in parallel, but it will also clamp perpendicular, though only a 1.25” to a 2” in that plane.
The clamp on the right is a 2”x 1” (which will also clamp 2 x 1.25” poles together),
it will only clamp perpendicular, not parallel.
The picture illustrates the difference in construction standard between a
pressed Chimney bracket and a welded type.
Perhaps even more striking is the amount of rust on the “Pre-
Note the “failed” steel pole.
Also see “Wall or Chimney Bracket ?”
For aerial poles up to 3ft supporting small or medium size antennas we recommend and stock the 6”x 6” bracket (see picture). It is important to stress that a 6” welded bracket won`t (usually) “fail”, it`s the masonary which
will go first, because a 6” bracket only spreads the
load across two bricks (see picture on the left).
For other installations using poles up to 8ft and aerials
up to the XB10 we sell the 8” mitre bracket. If an XB16
is fitted with an 8” mitre we`d go up to a 6ft pole.
An 8” mitre usually covers three bricks and to a
greater “depth”, see picture below left. The mitre bracket should also be used if your brickwork is in poor condition. Poles longer than 8ft (or 6ft for an XB16) require a pair of brackets and two lash kits.
(Also see Online Sales / Mail Order Sales)
Bertie Bodger`s “Bang Bang” Bracket
Note the crappy cheapo steel pole,
oh yes and the masonry has been
pulled out, and that`s out of a wall,
not a (weaker) chimney stack......
Note the fact that the loads imposed by the
installation are spread over three courses of bricks
and to a greater depth than the simpler types of
chimney bracket, compare to 6” bracket install.
This really is a fantastic product and I love hearing
how good our customers think it is !
These are exceptionally strong
but must be used as a pair with
a separate lashing wire each.
They require the use of 2.25” V bolts as the 1.75” size will not fit.
Shown above left are a pair of 12”and 24” T & K wall brackets though we also sell 18” and Heavy Duty 36” sizes. They are welded and “Hot Dipped” galvanised.
The “T” section and the “K” section are taped together in this picture but should be
used separately as the top/bottom pole mountings, see picture above and below right.
It must be stressed that T & Ks are used to gain more stand off, not because they`re stronger than a pair of smaller brackets, particularly if the latter are of the welded variety. So long as the poles V bolts will fit the bracket there is no reason why two 6x6, 6x9 or 9x9 brackets cannot be used for a 10ft or even 16ft pole. Quite apart from anything else the smaller pair will have eight wall anchors and four V bolts to secure the pole, as against
only five anchors and two V bolts of the T & Ks. (also see Wall Anchors)
Do you really need huge T & Ks, when cranked / Supercranked poles are available ? !
The simple answer is that it`s bad practice and it shouldn`t be done unless there is absolutely no alternative. A bracket mounted on a wall (with the appropriate pole to clear
any overhang) is far stronger than just attaching it to a fascia or bargeboard. Furthermore screwing brackets to wooden boarding greatly increases the chances of rot setting in and makes it more awkward to repaint them as well. Finally, many people will eventually have UPVC replacement fascias fitted, and then the bracket will need moving anyway.
I don`t even want to think about anyone actually screwing an aerial to a UPVC fascia.........
Wall or Chimney Bracket ?
The crucial difference between a wall bracket and a chimney bracket is that the former is screwed to the wall whereas the latter is lashed to it, in fact they are sometimes referred
to as lashing brackets. It is vital that this difference is appreciated because the main reason that anything bolted to a wall has any strength is the bulk of the brickwork above (and around) those to which it is actually screwed. Unless a chimney is of large proportions it is unlikely that there will be sufficient bulk/weight in it for a screwed fixing to be adequate.
The answer is to use a lashing wire to tightly hold the bracket onto the corner of
the chimney. For the same reason mentioned above, there should be a few courses of
brick left above the installation. J-
know they are a bit of a bodge because the strength of the install depends on the mortar around just two bricks at the corner of the stack.
One thing our Aerial Positioning Tests did hint at.......
Brackets are classified according to their size (from the top pole clamp to the bottom
one) and their stand-
There are basically three main variants of the standard type brackets used on most
installation jobs, that is to say the 6"x 6" size (wall or chimney mount). The cheapest
is the pressed steel type. It is galvanised but it is of the “Pre-
"Hot Dipped" bracket would. As the name implies it is just a bent piece of metal sheet (typical thickness 2.5mm) and it is not in the same class (strength wise) as a welded bracket, in fact they can even be bent in imaginative ways......
The 12 in rulers are included to give an idea of the scale, also bear in mind that the poles may not look straight due to the distortion in the wide angle lens !
Any aerial supplied by us will include the clamp to attach it to any pole up to two inches,
but we also sell a basic type of the latter if this is required separately. The latter also clamps up to two inches. In addition we stock clamps in stock to attach poles to each other, either a 2" x 1" or a 2" x 2" is available. The latter type will clamp parallel or perpendicular but the smaller one only perpendicularly. If two poles of any length are to be
clamped in parallel it is normal practice to use two clamps, also see Pole Couplers.
V bolt
V bolt
V bolt