ishiboo
Platinum Member
An unusual project for a tractor I'm sure, but I couldn't live without it!
I've lived at the same property now for 6+ years. I got it for a steal, so despite wanting a bunch of changes, I haven't been able to leave. One of the main issues though is that I work from home, and my Internet is HORRIBLE. We also use Netflix/Hulu/Prime a lot. The only option is AT&T DSL... 1.5mb down, .5 up. One cable provider is 1 mile to the west, another is nearly a mile to the east - and only on the opposite side of the road, plus the opposite side of the tracks from me. The only place that will service me is AT&T with fiber, for $600/month for a 10mb connection. So I found a solution. Install cable at my neighbors barn, and shoot it wirelessly to my property. Unfortunately, there was a slight elevation change as well as a very active train track in the middle, where trains are often parked... leading me to need a big pole to put it on. My barn is 45' tall but has no line-of-sight, so the pole will have to be in the field.
Next summer I will relocate it and either put it on a permanent foundation, or replace it with a new Rohn tower... but I have limited time this winter and my budget for the project is already blown. So I found a 35' steel light pole for $50! Getting it home was a challenge. I posted an ad on Craigslist, hoping someone with a ladder rack who wanted to make a quick buck would respond. I had one person who wanted to strap it into the trunk of their car and drive with their hazards on, another who wanted to have it stick out from the bed of his truck. I couldn't believe how stupid people were. In the end, I borrowed a 32' trailer and got it myself.
Testing to see if the link will work. One end on my pallet forks, one on a ladder in the back of my truck
It works! With no fine tuning, just how I guessed they should be aimed, and poor line of sight due to the low height, I got over 320 megabits! With a 100 down/7 up business connection on one end, it's more than enough. Love the Ubiquiti products.
So, time to mount the pole. I found some 4x3x3/16 tube laying around, as well as some 1/2" bar. Made a rough frame for it. Pounded four 8'x5" pressure treated posts in with the post pounder, leveled and cut the tops off. Mounted the frame with four 1/2"x12" lag screws. Standing the pole up was a challenge - I set the end of it on the metal frame I had built and chained it on. On the other end, I set the pole on top of the forks, and lifted it up. I had a chain around the pole to keep it between the forks. Continued walking forward until the pole was nearly vertical. Now, I used two ratchet straps to strap it firmly to the forks so I could lift it completely off the ground with the tractor. Set it down, bolted it up... good to go! This was pretty scary as it's a huge piece of steel capable of exerting a lot of leverage, so despite only weighing 300-400 lbs it was a scary prospect.
Now, I have to trench in the Cat6 direct burial and pound in a ground rod and I'll be good to go on my end. On the opposite end, it's as simple as mounting it to a wood barn and I'll be good to go. Time for the painful process of waiting for the install from the cable company!
I've lived at the same property now for 6+ years. I got it for a steal, so despite wanting a bunch of changes, I haven't been able to leave. One of the main issues though is that I work from home, and my Internet is HORRIBLE. We also use Netflix/Hulu/Prime a lot. The only option is AT&T DSL... 1.5mb down, .5 up. One cable provider is 1 mile to the west, another is nearly a mile to the east - and only on the opposite side of the road, plus the opposite side of the tracks from me. The only place that will service me is AT&T with fiber, for $600/month for a 10mb connection. So I found a solution. Install cable at my neighbors barn, and shoot it wirelessly to my property. Unfortunately, there was a slight elevation change as well as a very active train track in the middle, where trains are often parked... leading me to need a big pole to put it on. My barn is 45' tall but has no line-of-sight, so the pole will have to be in the field.
Next summer I will relocate it and either put it on a permanent foundation, or replace it with a new Rohn tower... but I have limited time this winter and my budget for the project is already blown. So I found a 35' steel light pole for $50! Getting it home was a challenge. I posted an ad on Craigslist, hoping someone with a ladder rack who wanted to make a quick buck would respond. I had one person who wanted to strap it into the trunk of their car and drive with their hazards on, another who wanted to have it stick out from the bed of his truck. I couldn't believe how stupid people were. In the end, I borrowed a 32' trailer and got it myself.
Testing to see if the link will work. One end on my pallet forks, one on a ladder in the back of my truck
It works! With no fine tuning, just how I guessed they should be aimed, and poor line of sight due to the low height, I got over 320 megabits! With a 100 down/7 up business connection on one end, it's more than enough. Love the Ubiquiti products.
So, time to mount the pole. I found some 4x3x3/16 tube laying around, as well as some 1/2" bar. Made a rough frame for it. Pounded four 8'x5" pressure treated posts in with the post pounder, leveled and cut the tops off. Mounted the frame with four 1/2"x12" lag screws. Standing the pole up was a challenge - I set the end of it on the metal frame I had built and chained it on. On the other end, I set the pole on top of the forks, and lifted it up. I had a chain around the pole to keep it between the forks. Continued walking forward until the pole was nearly vertical. Now, I used two ratchet straps to strap it firmly to the forks so I could lift it completely off the ground with the tractor. Set it down, bolted it up... good to go! This was pretty scary as it's a huge piece of steel capable of exerting a lot of leverage, so despite only weighing 300-400 lbs it was a scary prospect.
Now, I have to trench in the Cat6 direct burial and pound in a ground rod and I'll be good to go on my end. On the opposite end, it's as simple as mounting it to a wood barn and I'll be good to go. Time for the painful process of waiting for the install from the cable company!
