When it comes to antenna mounting, some people have had some bad ideas. For example, the guy who thought he’d mount an antenna atop the chimney that connects to his water heater. Or what about that dude who thought he’d repurpose the chimney mount from 1968 with a new antenna? You haven’t heard of these instances because we’ve kept quiet to protect the guilty. Suffice to say, the folks that thought of them called us back in need of help. When they called us in need of help, we told them to get an “alligator.”
The Alligator Clamp for Antennas
That’s right. The “alligator” we recommended was a pole-to-pole mount, also known as an alligator clamp. (You didn’t think we actually told people to get a meat-eating reptile, did you?) It’s named after those scary creatures because the two-sided clamps resemble an alligator’s jaws. It’s an appropriate description because this device really bites down on existing masts to help secure two antenna masts together. It’s also called a mast clamp for that reason.
Case Studies in Hilarity
When I led into this post, I mentioned a couple of case studies involving antenna mountings. These could better be described as blunders. I’ll give these two guys credit, though. They were trying to come up with a creative solution to save a little money and have an easy installation. Let’s take a look at both of them starting with the dude who thought he’d mount an antenna atop his water heater chimney.
Sure, the water heater chimney is already on the roof. The only problem is that its radius is too large to mount an antenna. Here’s where our pole-to-pole mount comes in handy. One side of it secures around the outside of the chimney while the other side grips down on a TV antenna mast that’s one to two inches in diameter. This not only creates a secure installation, it also lets the homeowner put his antenna up higher than the chimney reached. Generally speaking, higher is always better when mounting an antenna.
So, what about the cord-cutter who wanted to mount an antenna on an old chimney mount. Well, I give him points for not wanting to drill into his roof, but I deducted some points for thinking he could put a large yagi antenna on a mount that literally had been on his roof since 1969. (The previous homeowner installed it.) The pole-to-pole mount connected the mast of the old chimney mount to a new mast and antenna. Again, this created a sturdier installation that added height to the installation. This raised the new antenna up above the tree line, which had grown considerably since 1969!
Mast Clamp: Secondary Use
Most people read this blog for two reasons: education, and value. One way to give you both is to offer you secondary uses for these products. That’s possible with this pole-to-pole mount. If you already have two antennas mounted on masts next to each other, this alligator clamp can be used to help brace them. It’s a good idea because any antenna gets wind drag, so you’ll get more if you have two placed close together. Speaking of weatherproofing, this alligator clamp has a zinc-plated finish that’s corrosion-resistant.
Get Your Pole-to-Pole Mount
This pole-to-pole clamp can be a great solution for many antenna installations. If you’re not sure it’s for you, you can always give us a call at 888-233-7563. One of our customer reps will answer your questions and give you a product recommendation you can count on. You can also ask your question on our Support from Solid Signal Facebook page. We’ve also included a form below that you can fill out and mail to us. No matter how you choose to connect with Solid Signal, you’ll be sure to get the help you need.
