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Thread: I took a 30 year old tv antenna down today

  1. #1
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    I took a 30 year old tv antenna down today

    I took it off of my chimney. It was strapped to the chimney with galvanized clamps, straps and bolts.

    When I got the mess down, I cut u- bolts and straps up to put in the trash can. I am flabbergasted at
    the hardness in the 30 year old bolts There was some rust, but they would have lasted many more years.

  2. #2
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    It's amazing what weather exposure can do to metal. I saw stainless steel pins that were oxidized to the rotating base in radar antenna. We ended up cutting the aluminum portion to get the pins out and get the new antenna up so we could resume flight ops.
    Ken

    So much to learn, so little time.....

  3. #3
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    When I had a steel roof put on I removed my 30 something year old antenna and ended up putting it in the attic to get over the air broadcasts it still pulls in about 40 stations

  4. #4
    One of my neighbors just put up a 50 ft tower and tv antenna. He claims to get over 25 HD channels and no cable bill. But he pay an inordinant amount for his satellite internet.

  5. #5
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    When I moved in my house over 30 years ago I had one and did not use but left it there for some years. Went to replace the roof and the roofer noticed the chimney broke at the roof line from the wind blowing that antenna around for all those years. You get harmonics and vibration from the wind which added to wind load on chimney.
    John T.

  6. #6
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    The funny thing to me is you are taking one down when many people are putting them back up...
    Of all the laws Brandolini's may be the most universally true.

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  7. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by John Terefenko View Post
    When I moved in my house over 30 years ago I had one and did not use but left it there for some years. Went to replace the roof and the roofer noticed the chimney broke at the roof line from the wind blowing that antenna around for all those years. You get harmonics and vibration from the wind which added to wind load on chimney.

    Hmmm, that reminds me of the old video of the long gone Tacoma Narrows Bridge. I first saw the film of it in high school physics class. Later I lived in the NW and drove over the highway where it used to stand. Here is the video if you have never seen old Galloping Gertie.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CsKKDLKYsVU
    I am in love with Montana. For other states I have admiration, respect, recognition, even some affection, but with Montana it is love.... It seems to me that Montana is a great splash of grandeur....the mountains are the kind I would create if mountains were ever put on my agenda. Montana seems to me to be what a small boy would think Texas is like from hearing Texans. Montana has a spell on me. It is grandeur and warmth. Of all the states it is my favorite and my love.

    John Steinbeck


  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mark Blatter View Post
    Hmmm, that reminds me of the old video of the long gone Tacoma Narrows Bridge. I first saw the film of it in high school physics class. Later I lived in the NW and drove over the highway where it used to stand. Here is the video if you have never seen old Galloping Gertie.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CsKKDLKYsVU

    Probably that was what happened. Heard it used to happen more often back in the day.
    John T.

  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by John Terefenko View Post
    Probably that was what happened. Heard it used to happen more often back in the day.
    That was a fairly new bridge when it failed. (less then six months old so no corrosion) it was an attepmt to save cost by making the main support deck structure shallower and thus less costly. In theory it worked fine but it did not have much damping effect because it was too shallow to have the needed stiffness. It had a harmonic frequency that a deeper structure would have damped down. Kinda like a trailer with no shock absorbers jumping up and down.
    Bill D.

    On edit: wind was only 40MPH. well under design limits.
    Last edited by Bill Dufour; 07-20-2018 at 1:15 AM.

  10. #10
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    Lets get back on the topic of TV Antennas.

  11. #11
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    wow.tough crowd.
    John T.

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    Topic cops in the off-topic forum...life's too short.
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    "Design"? Possibly. "Intelligent"? Sure doesn't look like it from this angle.
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  13. #13
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    Quote Originally Posted by Lee DeRaud View Post
    Topic cops in the off-topic forum...life's too short.

    Agree with this. Mods looking for something to complain about.
    John T.

  14. #14
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    Quote Originally Posted by John Terefenko View Post
    Agree with this. Mods looking for something to complain about.
    Ironic, complaining about complaining...life is too short to complain about moderators doing their job...
    NOW you tell me...

  15. #15
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    Quote Originally Posted by Ole Anderson View Post
    Ironic, complaining about complaining...life is too short to complain about moderators doing their job...

    Doing what job though how ironic it is to complain about a topic that is off topic in the off topic forum. See if you can top that one So many times things go different directions, just like this is now, in a thread but it usually gets back on target by itself. Life is too short. Can you say short these days??? Is that politically correct??
    John T.

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