pole setup - help needed.

billporter

Regular Member
Joined
Jul 5, 2005
Messages
16
Reaction score
0
Points
0
Age
58
My Satellite Setup
dsb-40
My Location
sweden
hi all

i gotta install a 1.2 gilbertini in my garden and i need to know how
much cement to put in for the pole, I heard from a builder that i
should use 60cm as the depth but i forgot to ask him the diameter of
the cement, so i dont know how much to use!

I live in particularly calm area of sweden where wind speeds never
usually get past a few mph. i think storms, very rare, normally dont
get above
30mph.

I would also need to know the type of cement, and ratio of water and
sand to cement?

cheers for any help like.
 

Lancelot

Retired Mod
Joined
Jun 1, 2004
Messages
3,639
Reaction score
10
Points
38
My Satellite Setup
SS1.
125cm Gibbi with Channelmaster feedhorn and Inverto C120 twin.
36v H to H 62E - 61.5W
My Location
South central
If you want to be sure of no movement then use ...

Ballast (a mix of sand and small stones or pebbles easily available) this will make Concrete the stuff that builders use for house foundations.

Cement.

Water.
Mix the Concrete in a ratio of 4 shovels of Ballast to 1 of Cement.
Add the water and mix until it looks like thick porridge or thick chilli.

You will need the hole to be 100cm x 100cm x 60cm deep.

Use some wood to secure the pole while the concrete hardens (24 hrs)


Good luck


L.:)
 

billporter

Regular Member
Joined
Jul 5, 2005
Messages
16
Reaction score
0
Points
0
Age
58
My Satellite Setup
dsb-40
My Location
sweden
You will need the hole to be 100cm x 100cm x 60cm deep.

Use some wood to secure the pole while the concrete hardens (24 hrs)


Good luckL.:)


ok good, i heard that i should use ready concrete i can buy in a bag that will work with just water mixed with the ready concrete, is this a bad idea?
 

PCD

DB Magician
Joined
Jul 19, 2003
Messages
632
Reaction score
1
Points
18
billporter said:
ok good, i heard that i should use ready concrete i can buy in a bag that will work with just water mixed with the ready concrete, is this a bad idea?

Does not really matter what concrete you use, the proportions mentioned earlier are sufficient. Make sure that the soil around the hole is compact, not loose, otherwise the whole concrete block may move in strong wind.
 

RedAltoGL

Now leaving, thanks all.
Joined
Jun 20, 2005
Messages
70
Reaction score
0
Points
0
Age
84
My Satellite Setup
LNB, Dish, Motor, Cable, Receivers all taken down and donated to a newbie.
My Location
London
I dug a hole 2ft square by 3ft deep, screwed some metal cross pieces to a 10 ft scaffold pole (to stop it twisting). Dropped it in the hole, poured in a bag of "post set" threw in some old broken bricks and lumps of steel , topped up with another bag of "post set" and tamped it all down. Fixed a couple of wooden battens to hold the pole upright and poured a bucket of water over the whole lot, hour later all set and upright, job done.

Tried it out with a mates spare HH120 motor and Triax 1.1m dish got signals from 53 degrees east to 61 degrees west. Now quite happy running with my 90 x 85cm dish and receiving from 45 east to 45 west on the outskirts of London.
Redmund
 

billporter

Regular Member
Joined
Jul 5, 2005
Messages
16
Reaction score
0
Points
0
Age
58
My Satellite Setup
dsb-40
My Location
sweden
Lancelot said:
If you want to be sure of no movement then use ...

Ballast (a mix of sand and small stones or pebbles easily available) this will make Concrete the stuff that builders use for house foundations.

Cement.

Water.
Mix the Concrete in a ratio of 4 shovels of Ballast to 1 of Cement.
Add the water and mix until it looks like thick porridge or thick chilli.

You will need the hole to be 100cm x 100cm x 60cm deep.

Use some wood to secure the pole while the concrete hardens (24 hrs)


Good luck


L.:)


it looks like my hole is only going to be 50 deep and 70x70.

would it be better then to use more concrete and less sand and water to make it heavier?

cheers
 

PCD

DB Magician
Joined
Jul 19, 2003
Messages
632
Reaction score
1
Points
18
billporter said:
it looks like my hole is only going to be 50 deep and 70x70.

would it be better then to use more concrete and less sand and water to make it heavier?

cheers

Water will dis appear, the other items have same weight per m cube. Safer to somehow attach 3 inclined stakes to the pole at 60 deg from each other and concrete the stakes in with small holes.
 

mhku

Super Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Mar 8, 2005
Messages
4,712
Reaction score
20
Points
38
My Satellite Setup
TM Nano ~ sg2100
My Location
Midlands
Or use a dry mix, as you would for a fence post.
 

billporter

Regular Member
Joined
Jul 5, 2005
Messages
16
Reaction score
0
Points
0
Age
58
My Satellite Setup
dsb-40
My Location
sweden
whats a dry mix exactly , concrete and water, no sand? is that better?
 

Topper

Amo Amas Amant Admin
Staff member
Joined
Nov 18, 2004
Messages
23,991
Reaction score
4,014
Points
113
Age
69
My Satellite Setup
Has gone to a good home elsewhere
My Location
Blackburn, Lancashire
billporter said:
whats a dry mix exactly , concrete and water, no sand? is that better?

No bill a dry mix is cement sand and gravel, no water. The problem with this is that you are relying the moisture from the earth being absorbed by the mixture which will eventually harden, which is fine if you can ensure the pole will not be moved at all for a week or so, but who can do that!!! A dog cat pidgeon squirrel or strong wind could ruin your handy work. Concrete should be wet to ensure an even cure slowly. In very hot counties concrete is doused with water every day for about a month after the shuttering is removed to stop it cracking.
 

billporter

Regular Member
Joined
Jul 5, 2005
Messages
16
Reaction score
0
Points
0
Age
58
My Satellite Setup
dsb-40
My Location
sweden
I notice that there is available both concrete in bags , and cement in bags, so which one should I use, is there any universal marking on the bags that I can look out for,

the mixture that I intend to use should at most take 24 hours to dry preferably.

I have an air temperature just now of about 20-25 degrees during the day.
 

mhku

Super Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Mar 8, 2005
Messages
4,712
Reaction score
20
Points
38
My Satellite Setup
TM Nano ~ sg2100
My Location
Midlands
concrete is sand and cement. Concrete sets better under a layer of water (it is a chemical reaction - not dried by air). Wickes will have leaflets to help you and sell it all as ready mixed bags.
 

Lancelot

Retired Mod
Joined
Jun 1, 2004
Messages
3,639
Reaction score
10
Points
38
My Satellite Setup
SS1.
125cm Gibbi with Channelmaster feedhorn and Inverto C120 twin.
36v H to H 62E - 61.5W
My Location
South central
Think You'll find 'mortar' is sand and cement and 'concrete' is ballast and cement.

Ever the pedant...


L.:)
 

mhku

Super Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Mar 8, 2005
Messages
4,712
Reaction score
20
Points
38
My Satellite Setup
TM Nano ~ sg2100
My Location
Midlands
:p that'll teach me to do 3 things at once!
 

billporter

Regular Member
Joined
Jul 5, 2005
Messages
16
Reaction score
0
Points
0
Age
58
My Satellite Setup
dsb-40
My Location
sweden
my nearest wickes is 1000's of miles away, im doing a dish setup in sweden << see thread start.
but ill just talk to the shop tomorrow, see what they say i suppose.
 
Top