Directv won't install due to trees. Help.

[jerseyfla]

I moved to Wright-Patterson AFB near Dayton, Ohio and after finally getting the dig permit to put a pole next to my base house, the Directv installer saw the tree branches behind my backyard from the house behind and above me (I live on the bottom end of a hill) and said "Oh no, I won't be able to install the dish". So since I am under contract with Directv for another year, I have to get a second installer opinion before they can drop my contract early.

I am looking on Dishpointer.com to find out if Dish Network is an option but I am not sure what satellite set Dish uses for new installs and what satellites they point to. Can anyone help me?

My coordinates are Latitude: 39.7913°, Longitude: -84.0742°

 

[harshness]

dishpointer.com may be helpful here. Under the satellite, select Multi-LNB Setups and under that heading find the DISH 1000.2.

Unless the hedge to the South is much taller in the DIRECTV path, it seems like you should be good for DIRECTV, you may have issues with DISH in the shorter hedge as it looks 9 degrees lower in the sky than the DIRECTV dish in your case.

The East corner won't help much with DIRECTV (because of the very tall tree to the SSE) but it may offer clearance for DISH.

 

[Jimbo]

Any photos would help ...

 

[Broe67]

If you have a iPhone or iPad, you can use SatToolz DTV to find the best LOS. The problem with Base Housing at Wright Patt. Is that it is old growth trees that have been there, since they first built the housing.

I remember when my dad's brother lived on post in the enlisted housing with his family. Even then, the trees were over 40 years old around those homes.

 

[ibuildradios]

If you have a droid based phone you can also try SatAR. It lists all of the directv satellites. The three that show up on the left are the ones you need. Also, consider if the dish is too far away the signal loss on the feed line becomes an issue. You should be good up to 100 ft. After that it might get sketchy. Also the installer is looking for at least 10 degrees clearance in elevation and azimuth. It should work just fine with 5 degrees but the life span of your line of site will be shorter depending on how quickly and how tall your trees grow.

 

[raoul5788]

to Satelliteguys ibuildradios!

 

[jerseyfla]

Any photos would help ...

Here is my backyard facing Southeastish isn't the LOS more Southwest for both D* and E*?

 

[raoul5788]

Your azimuth would generally be ssw, specifically it's 211° magnetic. I agree with the recommendations to download one of the satellite finder apps. I have SatelliteAR and find it to be reasonably accurate.

 

[whitewolf8214]

to Satelliteguys ibuildradios!!!

 

[Jam3s]

Also, did you ask for a second opinion? I told a customer no due to trees last week because I was heat fatigued and looking at the wrong coordinates (seriously, shouldn't have even been driving that day). I knew something was wrong, though, told the customer to take a second opinion, my sup came out and marked a couple of spots. I was halfway right, I had to swm3 it, but it worked.

Always do a second opinion, you never know if your tech is lazy, dumb, in the wrong state of mind, or just plain wrong.

 

[raoul5788]

Also, did you ask for a second opinion? I told a customer no due to trees last week because I was heat fatigued and looking at the wrong coordinates (seriously, shouldn't have even been driving that day). I knew something was wrong, though, told the customer to take a second opinion, my sup came out and marked a couple of spots. I was halfway right, I had to swm3 it, but it worked.

Always do a second opinion, you never know if your tech is lazy, dumb, in the wrong state of mind, or just plain wrong.

Are you saying you are in an area with sd locals on 119 so you normally install 5lnbs? If so, do they allow you to install a 3lnb if there is no los to 119? That's a change in policy from what I have heard, and very good news, too!

 

[Jimbo]

Are you saying you are in an area with sd locals on 119 so you normally install 5lnbs? If so, do they allow you to install a 3lnb if there is no los to 119? That's a change in policy from what I have heard, and very good news, too!

Chip,
That would make sense IF they are in an HD only market now.

 

[raoul5788]

Yes, but they don't normally install 5lnbs in mpeg4 markets. That's why I asked if it the local sd channels are on 119.

 

[ibuildradios]

Definitely ask for that second opinion. I remember at one point, I had a faulty clinometer that I ended up turning some people down who had LOS and didn't realize it until I pointed a dish a little close to a tree. It happens, the tech can be wrong. Sometimes, it's just a guy that doesn't want to do a pole mount.

 

[harshness]

Here is my backyard facing Southeastish isn't the LOS more Southwest for both D* and E*?

Since the elevation there for DIRECTV is 41 degrees, having a setback from the top of the hedge of about 1.3*(height of the hedge - the height of the pole) should get you where you need to be with a little room for growth. It may be tight.

 

[jerseyfla]

Thanks guys! I ordered a second opinion yesterday for Directv. I also downloaded the SAToolz for D* and E* and took some pics with it outside on the side of the house and in the backyard to show the best positions I could find to get the sats. I'm 6 foot tall and I tried going on a knee to get close to how the dish would sit.

 

[raoul5788]

Since your area has the local sd channels on 119, you will likely need to use a 3lnb, since it looks like 119 is out of your los. You may need to have an independent installer rather than one from Directv if they won't use a 3lnb in your area.

 

[Broe67]

Jerseyfla, you are in the same type of situation I was, when I had mine installed. I ended up having my installer place it up on the garage, since that was the only place to get above the trees in the neighbors yard behind my house. You may have to go up higher, and over some, to get a better shot of 119.

Have you talked to base maintenance about maybe trimming that tree that is just cutting off 119. They may do it if they are not overloaded with other duties that week. It is maybe taking 4' off of that tree to the right, and maybe 2' on the one in front.

They were always really good when my uncle was living on post. He was an E-6 at the time, when they lived there in the 70's.

 

[Jam3s]

Are you saying you are in an area with sd locals on 119 so you normally install 5lnbs? If so, do they allow you to install a 3lnb if there is no los to 119? That's a change in policy from what I have heard, and very good news, too!

Nyet, policy is still put a 5lnb in. My site allows us to use SL3 with supervisor permission only for existing customers (movers), if it is straight-up impossible to get 119, on hd-only accounts, and only after extensive customer education and ensuring that chinese or spanish programming wont be an issue.

Basically, I can do it for retention purposes with a supervisor's go-ahead.

 

[raoul5788]

I'm glad to hear there can be exceptions, when necessary.