Identifying Equipment on my Antenna Mast

[kbuhagiar]

Hello GJ Nation,

We bought our retirement house three years ago. Installed on the property, behind my 3-car garage, is a 30-foot communications mast with an assortment of antennas and such. I would like to identify all of the equipment mounted on the mast before I make any plans to modify or remove anything. Unfortunately, I am unable to contact the previous owner, so I am starting from scratch.

The two satellite dishes are for DISH TV and my WISP (wireless internet). There is also home weather station apparatus, including a wind speed/direction thingie. Not sure about the big antenna on top; I suspect that is an old-school VHF/UHF TV broadcast antenna, because we are located out in the boonies, and when the house was built it was probably the only way to get any reception. I'm also unclear about the large bucket-shaped device at the very top of the mast; could it be an antenna rotor?

Finally, although not technically mounted to the mast, there is a smaller green bucket mounted on the roof, which is connected by a wire to something else on the mast.

Questions - What are these devices? Could they be utilized for any current uses? Can the analog antenna be used to capture any currently active broadcast signals?

Thanks in advance for your assistance!

UPDATE: I have confirmed that the green gizmo is a rain gauge which is connected to a West Marine Ultimeter II Weather station model WS 2103. Still trying to ID the big bucket at the top.

 

[radio63]

Nice tower! I wish I had that in my backyard! The big antenna on top is indeed a TV broadcast antenna. Should be usable with digital TV or a digital TV converter. It would depend on the signal strength in your area. It appears the antenna rotor is located just under where the three main vertical members come together. Not sure about the bucket-shaped device at the very top. My guess is it is for a GPS satellite clock or something similar. It resembles others I have seen before. Or it could be a specialized antenna of some sort. It's an interesting array. Perhaps someone else may know what that bucket-shaped unit is.

 

[ard]

Antenna should still work for TV signals, maybe even the digital stuff.

Can you make out the label on the very top most item? Which is the WISP antenna?? I only see one 'satellite dish'

 

[kbuhagiar]

Can you make out the label on the very top most item? Which is the WISP antenna?? I only see one 'satellite dish'

Hello Neighbor,

The one pictured is the WISP dish. The DISH dish is a bit lower on the mast and out of the picture. I haven't yet done a close-up inspection, but I am planning one as soon as the temps here in Sonora drop below 90 or so.

 

[GreyOwl]

Possibly the green shaped item could be an electronic rain gauge since the previous owner had weather equipment. The white item on the top could be a lightning detector.
Do you have any of the indoor weather equipment or is it long gone? I have a similar weather station but I don't recognize the hardware to suggest a manufacturer.

 

[kbuhagiar]

Possibly the green shaped item could be an electronic rain gauge since the previous owner had weather equipment. The white item on the top could be a lightning detector.
Do you have any of the indoor weather equipment or is it long gone? I have a similar weather station but I don't recognize the hardware to suggest a manufacturer.

I do have the indoor weather equipment...it's in a box out in the garage; I'll have to go dig it out. I am planning on reinstalling it, but it's not a priority right now.

 

[wyliesdiesels]

Antenna should still work for TV signals, maybe even the digital stuff.

Can you make out the label on the very top most item? Which is the WISP antenna?? I only see one 'satellite dish'

The WISP antenna is the one pictured. Instead of an LNB it has a wireless P2P radio that connects to an access point on a tower.

Hello Neighbor,

The one pictured is the WISP dish. The DISH dish is a bit lower on the mast and out of the picture. I haven't yet done a close-up inspection, but I am planning one as soon as the temps here in Sonora drop below 90 or so.

Howdy neighbor.

Which WISP do you have? Conifer?

 

[kbuhagiar]

Howdy neighbor.

Which WISP do you have? Conifer?

Howdy back atcha!

Yup, Conifer, got a direct line-of-sight to Telegraph tower.

 

[GreyOwl]

I do have the indoor weather equipment...it's in a box out in the garage; I'll have to go dig it out. I am planning on reinstalling it, but it's not a priority right now.

A quick look through that box may give you some idea of what all was installed as well as a manufacturer to get help from.

 

[wyliesdiesels]

Howdy back atcha!

Yup, Conifer, got a direct line-of-sight to Telegraph tower.

Nice.

What kinda speeds they gettin you up there?

I use to work for a WISP down here in the valley..

 

[kj_mustang]

The unit on top may be a omnidirectional antennae for a cellphone signal amplifier. Look for an amp and a wall or ceiling mounted panel antennae indoor. They look similar to this.

 

[kbuhagiar]

Nice.

What kinda speeds they gettin you up there?

I use to work for a WISP down here in the valley..

Wylie,

Right now I am at 5mbps down and 1mbps up, which frankly is perfectly adequate, and their service to date has been excellent. The more you pay, the faster you can go (up to 100mbps), but my pockets aren't quite that deep. I may bump it up when we move up here full time.

I could ditch both of the dishes if I could convince Comcast to run a 600ft feed from their main line on Phoenix Lake Road to my house along the existing PG&E pole lead, which comes up through my back yard. So far my pleas have fallen on deaf ears.

 

[kbuhagiar]

A quick look through that box may give you some idea of what all was installed as well as a manufacturer to get help from.

Hello GreyOwl,

Went out this morning and took a looksie.
It's a West Marine Ultimeter II Weatherbase model WS 2103.

Time to do me some Googlin'

EDIT: Just confirmed that the green thing is indeed a rain gauge.
EDIT 2.0: Hooked everything up this morning...it works!

 

[kbuhagiar]

The unit on top may be a omnidirectional antennae for a cellphone signal amplifier. Look for an amp and a wall or ceiling mounted panel antennae indoor. They look similar to this.

Hello kj,

Nothing like that anywhere in the house, but I definitely see the resemblance.

I will be taking a close look to see if I can identify a separate lead coming from the "bucket"; that may help to determine its function.

If the weather stays mild I may just throw a ladder out and get up close and personal with it.

 

[mbatarga]

The bucket on top looks like a small cell antenna like on this site:

http://www.amphenol-antennas.com/Products/Antenna-Accessories-(1).aspx

 

[Jackpod]

Kbuhagiar, Wow, Sonora. When I was a kid in the 1950's I had several relatives in Sonora, Columbia, Jamestown and Tuttletown. I used to spend every summer up there. Haven't been in that neck of the woods for over 45 years

 

[kbuhagiar]

Kbuhagiar, Wow, Sonora. When I was a kid in the 1950's I had several relatives in Sonora, Columbia, Jamestown and Tuttletown. I used to spend every summer up there. Haven't been in that neck of the woods for over 45 years

Well, in case you were wondering, this neck of the woods is still as beautiful as ever!

 

[Jackpod]

If memory recollection is accurate, you should be having the daily afternoon thunderstorms this time of year

 

[nut_buster2017]

If you are able to identify the cable types, should they still come down, that may help identify their purpose.
Coax, of course, would be tv for example.
Some weather stations use RS-485.

Is it practical to get up there and see of there are identifying labels still intact?