Thread: Length of pole (mast)

I read around on here that I most likely need a 3-1/2" Schedule 40 steel pole for my 10' dish. What length do you usually buy and how much above the surface is a good height?

I hope no offence is taken since I have no expertize in the actual subject matter I just thought the title was funny. Please forgive.

GeoOrbit

has all sorts of helpful info.
Look at their link under: Other Good Information

Also, other members have linked to additional sites whenever this question has been asked in the past.
So, there are multiple resources to review. -

One consideration is to have the dish high enough to be able to easily mow or walk under it, as you see fit.
But, if it's too high, you'll need a really tall ladder to work on the LNB, especially if the dish is at True South.
The more south you are, the higher the dish will point.
The LNB is lower when the dish is all the way east or west, but that's not necessarily the best place to work on it.

My 8½ foot Birdview was 7 feet above ground, on a 10 foot length of six-inch diameter mast.
The AMCI 8 foot was free standing on the same pipe you called out, and 9' high.
It was sturdy enough, but I certainly would not have gone higher with that hardware.
I cut off that pipe at ground level, intending to bury 3' and have 6' above ground.

If your dish is 10', take that into consideration.

Make sure to measure your mount hole diameter, some are 3.5 but not all of them. I have one that takes a 4.5" pole. You could always use an adapter but its simpler just to have the right size pole.
Some of us are in frost- snow areas, if you are then you need to take into consideration how deep your frost line typically is and also how deep the snow gets in your area in the winter, you need to leave room under the dish, you dont want it to be dragging in the snow when you move it. On the other hand, you don't want your dish to be so high its hard to work on(like Anlole mentioned) and it may be unstable in high winds making viewing a pain.
I have a 10' dish on 12 feet of pole, 8 feet is above ground, that leaves 3 feet from the dish to the ground, actually its a little more than that because my lowest satellite is above the horizon a bit. When I mow under it I just put the dish on a high satellite and there is lots of clearance for me to walk under it.

Originally Posted by tradewinds

I read around on here that I most likely need a 3-1/2" Schedule 40 steel pole for my 10' dish. What length do you usually buy and how much above the surface is a good height?

Just a warning about a possible item of confusion.
3-1/2" Schedule 40 pipe is actually ~ 4" in diameter.
3" Schedule 40 pipe is ~ 3-1/2" in diameter.

Most 10' dishes I've seen come with a mount which fits 3-1/2" OD pipe, which means you should be careful to ask for 3" Sched 40 if that is what your dish matches. However it's best to mention both the name of the pipe and the OD so that there is no confusion. I would check to see what diameter pipe your mount will take. If it will take 4" OD, then that might be a better choice, but the dishes I've had had mounts that were made for 3-1/2" OD (3" sched 40).

I think the pipe comes in ~22 or 23' lengths. When I put up my first dish, a friend and I went in for a whole length, and we cut it in half and got ~11' each. It's more expensive if you have them cut you a specific length, but most have to do that. You're going to need at least 3' underground or perhaps more if you have a deep frost level and/or if the ground is very soft. I have usually aimed to dig a 4' hole, but the digging got very hard, and I usually gave up around 3', and it's been fine, but if the digging is easy, then your soil is soft and rock free, and you might be better off goind deeper.
Above ground, you need a minimum height equal to approximately half the dish diameter, but that doesn't give you much clearance for objects on the ground or snow. Since we will get up to 3 or more feet of snow at times here, I like to have plenty of clearance, so I put about 8' above ground. I have my 3' dish on a pipe with about 4' above ground, and that dish has been 80% buried in snow at times. So how high the pipe depends on whether you get snow, and whether there are obstructions on the ground, etc.
But an 11' length of 3" Sched 40 with 3' below ground and 8' above ground will work for most people. You may need more below ground, and not need so much above ground in some cases.

I buy 8' for my 10' dish
I put about 5'6" up and the rest down.
It's easy to reach everything and work on it that way

Don't forget to weld on a spud or fin to keep the pole from pivoting

Thanks all for the input. I am in FL, so the frost line and snow would not apply much (although if Houston and Dallas are getting snow now, so who knows). Anyway, I checked big box stores like Lowes and they don't have this item. Where do you usually pick this up at?

pipe places, welders, plumbers, contractors, scrap yards.

1/3 of the pipe should be below for windload considerations and always below frost line. Above ground, half of the Dish diameter plus a gap for snow or lawn mower is enough. More than that gives you more problems than benefits, a ladder or higher ladder to work on the LNB, stronger windloads and more expensive install. Home depot and the likes do not carry such pipes and they come in 21' lengths but usually the vendor will cut it for you. Consider also the proper arm length or you will end up overkilling it like me with a 36" that is so close to the ground as well.