Wooden post for 120 cm Ariza dish

[polgyver]

This is another option for making a pole for a dish.
Advantages :
1. no concrete use,
2. ease of adjustment
3. no need for preventing turning in the soil
Disadvantages:
Need for some custom-made hardware.
Annotated pictures follow :

 

[Titanium]

Clean install! Great for temporary testing.

Would suggest a 3x3 metal post or pole with a few through-bolts set in compacted road grind or granite chips instead of the wood. Wood posts twist in the seasonal weather. The grain swells and twists one direction with moisture and contracts while drying and twists the other direction.

If you are out there playing with dishes and realigning, it shouldn't be a problem. Just wanted to give a heads-up to newbies that this wouldn't be suggested for permanent and reliable dish installs.

 

[avenger]

polgyver,
Ingenious idea, I am always amazed on all of your input and ideas that you have offered to the forum. Just wondering, how moist is the ground where you live in Toronto, right here where I live in this part of Louisiana, just digging about a foot and a half, you will come across some water most of the time, this as close to a swamp as you can get.

 

[Cham]

Well done Polygyver!
Now you have a nice pole for your 120cm dish. Much better being in use than in storage.
You'll have to dig in a conduit for the RG6...

 

[fred555]

I like the ingenious way you came up with for adjustability.

 

[RT-Cat]

Clean install! Great for temporary testing.

Would suggest a 3x3 metal post or pole with a few through-bolts set in compacted road grind or granite chips instead of the wood. Wood posts twist in the seasonal weather. The grain swells and twists one direction with moisture and contracts while drying and twists the other direction.

If you are out there playing with dishes and realigning, it shouldn't be a problem. Just wanted to give a heads-up to newbies that this wouldn't be suggested for permanent and reliable dish installs.

Agree 100% and can state I have to adjust my big "P" almost twice a year beause it is on a 6 by 6 wooden post. One of these days/years I may get some energy and replace it with a nice pole.
.
Another interesting creation, Polgyver, from all the great ideas you come up with.

 

[polgyver]

Wood posts twist in the seasonal weather.

True in most cases. I have seen 2x4's twisted more than 30 degree. Never happens to metal tubing.
Some people are lucky, though. Our friends, who moved 4-hour drive North of Toronto, installed a wooden mast in concrete casing.
I pointed the dish (3 years ago). All works fine, as of today.
However, one year ago, installer (for Internet), refused to set up dish on a wooden post, concrete or not.
Therefore, metal pipe was used for internet dish.
I retrieved a picture of original 97/101 dish install.

 

[polgyver]

Just wondering, how moist is the ground where you live in Toronto,

Sometimes, my backyard becomes a swamp. Somehow, other neighbors' ground is a foot or more higher than ours.
After heavy rain, we have a swamp, too.

 

[polgyver]

Today I found some time to salvage my Ariza from backyard bush and finally hang it on a metal pipe.
The hanger is temporary, as the LNB bar is not ready yet.
The plan is : to use C-band LNBF, and, finally, get some experience with this band.
Not sure, if I chose the right place for this wooden post. Surely, I can go to 125 W, but East side is - now - unknown (that's where my roof is).
Another advantage of this 6x6 wooden post (without concrete) is, that, if I need to re-locate it, I just can cleanly pull it out, without struggle with soil,
using hydraulic bottle jack, or car jack, dig (ouch.... ) another hole, and plant it again.

 

[RT-Cat]

Sometimes, my backyard becomes a swamp. Somehow, other neighbors' ground is a foot or more higher than ours.
After heavy rain, we have a swamp, too.

Wow! That is just too wet. I am lucky with my "gold sand" around here. Sucks up water like crazy. During a heavy rain a few puddles may show up, but as soon as it stops, the sand sucks it up fast. I have had a hole dug in my yard 7-1/2 feet and no water ever showed up. I don't have any water problems here just cold, in cold, cold Michigan.
.
Nice pics of your installation.

 

[jorgek]

I ran this setup for about a year to acquaint myself with motor/dish adjustments. Its mounted on a 4x4 fence post imbedded in concrete about 4 feet deep. 4 feet is the requirement due to frost heave in the winter.

 

[Titanium]

Nice looking fence and landscaping!

The fence rails help prevent the posts from twisting.

 

[jorgek]

The credit for the landscaping goes to my wife. She is an avid gardener.

 

[polgyver]

Seems I overestimated this dish's reach towards West. Today checked it with the Moon, and the dish can "see" only up to 125 W, maybe a little more.
Are there any programs on sats 127, 129 and further, of interest for FTA-ers?
Five annotated pictures - below :

 

[danristheman]

C band is manly from 127w further on to the west expect for 129w dn bird everything on that on is scrambled.

 

[armadillo_115]

C band is manly from 127w further on to the west expect for 129w dn bird everything on that on is scrambled.

Now I'm confused.According to LyngSat, I don't see much in the clear west of 127...except some Sports, News , and Shopping.Is there more 'goodies' not listed?



EDIT....Woo hoo...I figured out how to quote.lol

 

[waylew]

He meant,or should have,127w and east.

 

[danristheman]

Waylew your right everything east of 127w is the best way to go. That's what I was trying to get at.

 

[waylew]

 

[polgyver]

Waylew your right everything east of 127w is the best way to go. That's what I was trying to get at.

This is good news for me, as I do not have to relocate the wooden post. Thanks, Dan