In context the new 99.5FM lower power and further distance and since I am deep in fringe I was wondering if I can do something with antenna. I run Winegard HD6055 that is optimized for 98Meg. Looking for narrower directivity I come across to two great links about antennas:

http://ham-radio.com/k6sti/

Among many wet dreams that such weirdo like me have was a notion of having my own high antenna tower. While I was looking at the house that I am pursuing now I made sure that it is in a good reception aria. It is and the antennas of all my major stations are in direct path, not sheltered by local hills.

Still, since it will be my own house and since I have no neighbors I thought that I would erect 130-170 feet antenna tower. I it truly not so expensive, I can do it under 500, but as I begin to check the housing authority of the town my idealistic wet dreams got leas illusionary:

"Town Zoning Code: DIMENSIONAL REGULATIONS

 Dimensional Requirements for Wireless Communications Links:
Any wireless communications link shall comply with the dimensional requirements
applicable to structures for the district in which it is located, provided, however, that the
following additional height and dimensional limitations for wireless communications
links involving monopoles, satellite dishes and antennae shall be as follows:

 a. No monopole shall exceed the height required to effectively transmit and receive its
wireless communications system requirements. Monopoles and associated
structures shall comply with the structural setback requirements for the zoning
districts upon which they are located. Except that a monopole shall not be setback
closer than the height relative to any abutting residential lot line.

b. Wireless communications links installed on the exterior of roof tops shall not
exceed fifteen (15) feet above the roof line, exclusive of the roof parapet. Any
antenna or satellite dish shall have a fifteen (15) foot setback from all sides of the
building.

c. The height of antennae and dishes located on residential buildings or in the yards
of residential structures shall not exceed thirty-five (35) feet in height measured
from the average ground elevation of the residential structure or the average
ground elevation of the antenna and/or dish base. These link items shall also
comply with structural setback requirements for their respective residential districts."

That sucks, 15 feet - it was not what I had in my mind. I think if I get the house I will need to get an authority and fight for variance on regulation. BTW, is anyone known what kind people install antennal on the buildings? If I want to put up my large rotatable antenna on the roof and strap it to chimney for instance, then what kind contractor would do it? Electricians, chimney professionals, satellite antenna professionals? I spoke with all of them and not of them do this job.

That is 15 feet above roof line, so say 30 feet altogether if placed away from home in backyard. At 30 feet you could have a nice retractable type almost like the old car pull up telescopic antennae where they are sections within each other.

http://www.tamico.com.tw/eng_11.htm

In the evening and weekends when the city workers don't care what you do and no one's looking, put it up. And when Bylaw comes by, pull the measuring tape and show them the 30m feet your allowed

I meant to say it would start at 30 feet and then extend to whatever the maximum length the unit you choose extends to. After use you can retract and make city and neighbors happy.

Believe me or not but it took for me for a while to find people who know antenna and who do antenna service. Those people are going away and being relapsed by cellular morons who blink at you and ask: “What the heck FM is?”. Anyhow for the local New England folks here is a cool company from New Hampshire

http://www.newenglandantenna.com/

They do any antenna custom works.

I am looking for a new taller tower for my FM antenna but I wonder how high I can go without a need to set up the balancing weirs. My antenna is big, 11 section yagi and combined with ice it might be a lot of weight. I live in eastern Massachusetts, so we have no hurricanes, still we might have 90mh wind.  I found a guy that looks like sell fine and not terribly expensive towers:

http://shop.ebay.com/oldtowerguy/m.html

Will 40” or 50” be able to stay without the strapping? Does anybody has any experience with it?

For anybody who is screwing with tall FM antenna there is great site that a lot of useful information about antenna and legal issues in your town. The site owner is Fred Hopengarten – out local Massachusetts telecommunication lawyer who specialized on the subject.

http://www.antennazoning.com/

His book about the erecting antenna is available to preview here:

http://books.google.com/books?id=vTKheSVP3-kC&pg=PA12#v=onepage&q&f=true

scooter wrote:

Given the elements and related difficult access what are you planning to use for rotation purposes? Commercial solution?

Romy the Cat wrote:

Ok, I am redoing my antenna solution and if everything will be fine then I will have tomorrow my 55’ new antenna. The FM reception from my new house is a very interesting subject. I will post some observations, the solution that I went over and what I am trying now.  The new antenna is in way my old wet dream, let see how it works.