In field camera - reasonably secure mobile pole mount

[JohnGalway]

Hi folks,

I'm considering buying a Reolink Go PT camera to place on land that's well away from houses/buildings. The reasons being checking on stock remotely (not replacing walking through them), and checking on electric fence energiser. Give the land is fragmented and hilly I would like to be able to move this camera fairly often as the stock move paddocks.

I'm happy enough with the camera, but how or where to mount it is a question. We have zero trees and only a couple of old disused buildings which wouldn't be in the best sites.

Is there a way of mounting the camera on a pole, but be able to move it pole and all. I'm scratching my head wondering about some type of tamper proof (and let's face it, cheap!) ground mounting thingymajig to hold the pole.

 

[Lofty1984]

Catch 22 if it’s easy to move it’s easy to steal unless you concrete a few pads in the ground to secure something too can’t see an easy way around it

 

[Cowmansam]

Boss built a trailer with a pole camera and a solar panel on little fence energiser and a small bit of electric fence on poles round it stop cows getting into it works well

 

[Goweresque]

Old diesel tank half filled with concrete (or rocks topped off with concrete) and a pole sticking out the top. Mount the camera and a solar panel at the top of the pole, cables go down the pole into the remaining space in the tank for batteries and other electrical gubbins. Easy enough to make a lockable door on the tank for access. I would make the pole removable for ease of moving with a telehandler, but able to be locked in place internally when on site.

 

[steveR]

Hi folks,

I'm considering buying a Reolink Go PT camera to place on land that's well away from houses/buildings. The reasons being checking on stock remotely (not replacing walking through them), and checking on electric fence energiser. Give the land is fragmented and hilly I would like to be able to move this camera fairly often as the stock move paddocks.

I'm happy enough with the camera, but how or where to mount it is a question. We have zero trees and only a couple of old disused buildings which wouldn't be in the best sites.

Is there a way of mounting the camera on a pole, but be able to move it pole and all. I'm scratching my head wondering about some type of tamper proof (and let's face it, cheap!) ground mounting thingymajig to hold the pole.

Bearing in mind the "challenging" landscape you are farming on, can you get a loader or similiar to the locations to use something like @Goweresque's idea?

How high will you need to go to get good line of sight, or are you using a SIM and data in the camera?

 

[JohnGalway]

Sorry, I do forget to mention the challenging land, thanks @steveR So yeah the heavy machinery won't be an option in this case.

I have to say I like the trailer idea @Cowmansam I've no working atv at the minute, but it sounds like it will work when I do.

 

[blackisleboy]

Was thinking of placing one on my calf creeps....can mount a pole, battery on top.
Would let me see the calves, watch the cows, and keep an eye on the cow brushes already mounted onto the creep.....and its easy to move field to field when the cows move.

 

[Grassman]

Buy an old floodlight trailer they use on work sites. Lots go through plant auctions

 

[steveR]

Buy an old floodlight trailer they use on work sites. Lots go through plant auctions

Easily thievable though.... the Leprechauns may have it away, if too light and portable?? Would need tie downs and stays too. The West of Ireland is WINDY!

 

[infiniteConciously]

GoPro headcam on one of the stock. deadly serious mate. Easy life.

That or a small kids drone (with a cam-under 250g) might save you moving the camera around a lot. Plus a nice little excuse for you or someone who works with you to fly everyday for 5mins

 

[Goweresque]

Sorry, I do forget to mention the challenging land, thanks @steveR So yeah the heavy machinery won't be an option in this case.

Stick a couple of light van axles under the tank (as I described) and weld a towing point, you can pull it around with a 4x4 then.

 

[JohnGalway]

Tie downs wouldn't be a problem, as there's no shortage of bedrock to bolt stuff to. I've to drill a lot of it for fencing next week.

Small stuff could get stolen alright but even a small trailer won't on this land, it's too rough and isolated for that.

I have a drone already, a Mavic 2. A camera on site using 4g like the Reolink is a different tool for a different job. I can open the app on my phone and check the camera any time, it's ptz also so I can look around. Using the drone, I have to make sure it's charged, drive ten minutes, walk for five minutes just to use it legally - at that point I'm in the field myself.

 

[Goweresque]

How many different locations do you think you might want to locate the camera? Could you bolt down (or drive down) sockets at certain locations so all you have to do is shift a long pole that slides into them? Make a steel box that chains to the pole for batteries etc?

 

[JohnGalway]

How many different locations do you think you might want to locate the camera? Could you bolt down (or drive down) sockets at certain locations so all you have to do is shift a long pole that slides into them? Make a steel box that chains to the pole for batteries etc?

Something like that was my initial thought. There would be a fair few locations as the ground is very difficult. I think the trailer idea trumps a mobile pole, as the smaller and lighter something is the more likely it is to get nicked.

The camera I'm thinking of has a solar panel so no big batteries or wiring needed

 

[JohnGalway]

Finally bought me a camera. It's not arrived yet, but the plan now is like @Goweresque suggested and thump in some steel tubes as sockets where I can, using a smaller diameter pole for the camera and solar panel. I'll get some made up with base plates for rock and I'll bolt them down.

Anyone know of something like a clevis pin that a padlock can secure? I'd like to drill the tubes and lock them to help prevent tampering.

 

[Lofty1984]

Can you use a top link pin and put a padlock through the lynch pin hole

 

[Highland Mule]

Finally bought me a camera. It's not arrived yet, but the plan now is like @Goweresque suggested and thump in some steel tubes as sockets where I can, using a smaller diameter pole for the camera and solar panel. I'll get some made up with base plates for rock and I'll bolt them down.

Anyone know of something like a clevis pin that a padlock can secure? I'd like to drill the tubes and lock them to help prevent tampering.

Just go for a long shank padlock.