Install Thread-my first FTA.

[Nov-01]

Preface:

A. Thank You SatelliteGuys for all of your help and inspiration! Big shout-out to KE4EST for the off-forum 'Carolina Neighbor' Q&A

B. I am only (currently) interested in viewing Galaxy19. I'm not really a 'TV' guy (I dig radio), but I'm looking to offer my kids more wholesome/faith-based televised entertainment.

I received the Amiko MiniHD from Michael the day following my order from 'bay! (nice part of only living 1 state South!) and it was packaged well and included a note of thanks and status of current software.

Saturday afternoon to forgo some of the heat I decided to pull some wire under the house and prep for the SatAv dish that should be here on Thursday (this week).

I decided to install the dish in the same general area of the existing (previous home owner) DTV dish.

wifes phone-I think the chevron thing is overdone

Out with the Old!

Of course I pulled new RG-6 in (donated by my bro-in-law....a Comms Tech)

we're a 1 TV kinda family, but pulled a spare-just in case

Further worked on my PhD (post hole digger)

Test fit the outlet

added the U-Bolt clamp to prevent spin-age

plumbed and braced

poured in about 25#'s of concrete and took a break

can't figure out how to properly post the thumbnail pics

 

[Nov-01]

Sorry about the monster pics, any clues on where to find instructions on posting thumbnails?

 

[Cham]

Nice pics. If you are having trouble later on with the dish pole moving, you could always brace it to the brick wall... Can't go wrong there!

 

[waylew]

When you "Upload a File" it gives you the option to "Insert", "Thumbnail" or "Full Image"

 

[Nov-01]

internet...yeah...0.68gb left in my 5gb allowance till the 12th No pics till then, But-I am up and viewing G19 from the house! Took a little doing (adjusting), and sadly my meter never arrived-so it the walkie-talkies helped a bunch. back in a day or so with final pics!

thx again SatGuys!

 

[KE4EST]

Glad to see you got it up and running. It is a nice feeling isn't it.

 

[FaT Air]

Save bandwidth uploading pictures. Use irfanview to resize them to web friendly proportions (640x480 or 800x600) of a few hundred kb instead of 2 to 3mb or more.

 

[johnnyjohnson]

Nov-1, those are some nice pics! Would you be able to provide specifics on the parts and tools you bought and/or already owned in order to do this install. I will most likely be doing an install on a pole in the yard like you, but don't have any trenching tools, cabling, boxes, pipe to run cable through under ground, or a pole, plus whatever other tools are needed.

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[Nov-01]

let me insert this pic while I'm in town, and I'll reply to your ?'s when I get back to the farm

 

[johnnyjohnson]

Thanks so much!

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[Nov-01]

Nov-1, those are some nice pics! Would you be able to provide specifics on the parts and tools you bought and/or already owned in order to do this install. I will most likely be doing an install on a pole in the yard like you, but don't have any trenching tools, cabling, boxes, pipe to run cable through under ground, or a pole, plus whatever other tools are needed.

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Hole thru the brick with a Hammer Drill and Masonry Bit (already complete, but that's what'd it take.
A cordless Impact Tool with a corresponding Masonry Bit would work very well.

The 'box' on the wall came from Lowes electrical section and has 4 'ears' to attach to the wall, and is set to work with 1" PVC grey conduit. I drilled a 1.5" hole in the back of the box to feed the wires through with a butterfly drill bit. I used 1" PVC and fittings for the cable run (less than 36" from wall to Dish Mast) trenched with a shovel. I will add a weather-head this afternoon to the top of the pipe to prevent rain from getting in....

The mast/pole is a 4' section of Chain-Link Fence 1 5/8" post. I bought from a local fence co for $8. I have it set about 18"-20" and as shown there is a U-bolt clamped to the pole to prevent turning in the concrete. I used about 1/2 of a 50# bag of Quickcrete to set post.

Lowes has a 20v DeWalt set on sale this week for $179 that would cover the drilling and such you'd need to do. I have the 18v Ryobi set from HD and it works great for me (Drill & Impact tool) (combo sale this wknd $99).

A Hacksaw or Sawzall of some sort will make cutting the pipe easier, PVC will require glue and primer. Post Hole Diggers and Shovels are self explanatory. I used the 'blue' masonry screws (lowes/HD) to attach the box to the wall. Added a smidge of silicone to prevent water coming in.

If I can help more, lemmie know.

 

[FTA4PA]

I will most likely be doing an install on a pole in the yard like you, but don't have any trenching tools...

If you have a tiller, or can borrow a friends, they are great for making a trench for your cable. One or two tines attached should be sufficient. I used my old Sears front tine tiller to trench more than 100' between my house and my dishes and it made it really easy. Be sure to run extra cables in case you have one go bad or decide to add a dish.

 

[Nov-01]

removed all the bracing, and cleaned things up. Have just ordered a GeoSatAV Dual LNBF from ke4est to tie the spare to, and possibly add another box just for radio feeds.

now to snag a 'cheapie' box for radio 'stuff'

 

[KE4EST]

Very clean install!

 

[johnnyjohnson]

Looks great! Thanks for the info and pics!

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[FaT Air]

now to snag a 'cheapie' box for radio 'stuff

Put a second LNBF on it for 103W radio channels.?
That's what my old Pansat 3500 is 'delegated' to doing.
maybe reference this old thread http://www.satelliteguys.us/xen/thr...et-on-a-winegard-ds-2076-31-76cm-dish.132851/ for 'insight'.

 

[Nov-01]

Got a Cheap Box from Amazon to try and get the radio feeds in another room to re-broadcast Part15 around the house.


And a GEOSAT pro Dual-Ouptut LNBF from KE4EST! Looks to me like it could be molded for 4 outputs as well?

Here it is on the Dish....will get the box connected later on.

 

[. Raine]

I have one of those boxes here, it was the first box I'd bought just to try out FTA, because it was so cheap. $17, if I remember right. It arrived DOA and at first I thought I was messing up, but it was the box.
The company sent me a M1 as a replacement at no charge and told me to keep the old one, which I eventually fixed, was just a really bad solder connection inside. It works pretty good, for such a cheap box, no S2 though.

 

[Nov-01]

Box on it's way back to Amazon...Shipped with 2 remote controls and no Power/plug Adapter....

 

[Titanium]

Box on it's way back to Amazon

Maybe a quick review on the STB so potential buyers know what to expect?

Why are you returning it? Plug adapters are cheap and available at most stores (Walmart, etc.).