I'm having my DirecTV service installed tomorrow. I'll be getting the Slimline dish as I've ordered one of the HD packages. I have an installation question... My preference is to have the dish installed in my townhome's backyard as my HOA prefers that we install dishes where they won't be visible from the street. But it's obvious the HOA can't force the homeowners not to install dishes on roofs as I've seen a few D* dishes in my neighborhood mounted on roofs and under eaves. My roof is tiled and sloped, but an under eave mount should work and have a LOS. I'll play nice though with the HOA and have the dish installed in my yard if possible. I've already determined a dish mounted near the rear cinder block wall in my yard would have a LOS with the 99, 101 and 103 satellites. My question is, does the dish HAVE to be pole-mounted or can it be mounted on the block wall? I'm wondering if the weight would be too much? A pole install would cost me extra and require a 2nd trip to allow the cement to set before the dish can be installed. I'd like to have the dish install completed tomorrow so I don't have to ask for time off work next week. The height of the wall is 4'6".
Can dish be mounted to block wall?
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Set the pole first.
Dig the hole about 8-10 inches in diameter and about three feet deep. Beat hell out of the end on the pole going into the ground and flatten it. At a point that will be in the concrete beat another dent to stop rotation.
Pound the pole into the ground at the bottom of the hole as plumb as possible. Use a wood block to protect the top of the pole. Dump in the dry mix. Tamp as you go until the hole is filled. Pound the dry powder down while setting the pole plumb. This will hold the dish for tuning and ground water will harden the concrete. If there is a problem with this..........use one bag of quick set concrete in the top 6 inches of the hole. Make a bigger circle at grade..........mostly not necessary.
Nobody but idiots make a second trip for concrete.
Set the pole. Wire the receivers. Mount and tune the dish. Activate the receivers. DO NOT run the cable through the concrete!
What was the question?
Joe
Dig the hole about 8-10 inches in diameter and about three feet deep. Beat hell out of the end on the pole going into the ground and flatten it. At a point that will be in the concrete beat another dent to stop rotation.
Pound the pole into the ground at the bottom of the hole as plumb as possible. Use a wood block to protect the top of the pole. Dump in the dry mix. Tamp as you go until the hole is filled. Pound the dry powder down while setting the pole plumb. This will hold the dish for tuning and ground water will harden the concrete. If there is a problem with this..........use one bag of quick set concrete in the top 6 inches of the hole. Make a bigger circle at grade..........mostly not necessary.
Nobody but idiots make a second trip for concrete.
Set the pole. Wire the receivers. Mount and tune the dish. Activate the receivers. DO NOT run the cable through the concrete!
What was the question?
Joe
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Thanks for the pole mounting instructions. But it's too late now to mount a pole ahead of time as the D* installers will be here tomorrow morning. My question in the first post was if a Slimline dish can be mounted to a cinder block wall. I did some searching of this forum and have come to the conclusion that it is possible to do with the right masonry bit and fasteners. Assuming the installers will call me ahead of time tomorrow morning, I'll ask them if they'll have the proper equipment to perform a concrete wall mount.
If you want those concrete anchors you better go buy them. While your at it you might want to get the hammer drill and be ready to mount the mast while the installer does some other part of the install. 
Truely no installer is going to carry those. If they do it is going to be an extra charge as that is not a standard install.
Truely no installer is going to carry those. If they do it is going to be an extra charge as that is not a standard install.
They should have "Tap Cons" or as my son calls them "Wham Cons". You predrill the holes with the bit that is provided. Then you pound in the hardened screw and twist with a wrench the last little bit to set it.
Sometimes you have to also put in a piece of soft wire along with the screw. The work but sometimes the hole blows out on block and sometimes
brick is too hard to drill. Fastening into mortar joints is not recommended.
Joe
Sometimes you have to also put in a piece of soft wire along with the screw. The work but sometimes the hole blows out on block and sometimes
brick is too hard to drill. Fastening into mortar joints is not recommended.
Joe
Tap cons installed correctly will hold very well. Correctly is screwing them in usually with a socket wrench, never driving them in with a hammer. They have threads to hold them in driving with a hammer reduces the contact to hold them in place.
I never got them to work well when just cranking them. They seemed to break a lot. They did break some with the pounding. I think it all depended on the material.
What did help was about an inch of copper ground wire in the hole.
I have seen them applied with silicon caulk to keep water out of the hole; couldn't hurt.
Joe
Tap cons are the Ish.. for a wall lag sheilds might be needed over tap cons. Any standard Tech shuld have them.. Un less its his first day.. Shuld be no extra charge unless tech forgot his walet at home or cable runs are long
Really? Who pays for them? Because the company I worked for didn't issue them to us and I'm not about to spend any of my own money to provide a customer satellite service that can be achieved using company provided materials like a pole and concrete, or undereave mount.
But then again, maybe I misunderstood your post because it's so hard to read.
Directv states that block walls or chimneys are not suitable mounting surfaces. Now that that is out of the way reality is that if you are going to do it you better go out and get the wall anchors or tapcons yourself because like the last guy said they are not provided to installers and personally I don't like to shell out money for customers crazy mounting ideas and I don't like to waste time on a job when there is no reason not to put it on a pole or the roof. I personally prefer to do a pole mount and typically don't charge extra for it. I can do it quicker, it is easier to work on at ground level, it looks nicer and is easier for the customer to access in the winter to take snow off dish.
Your just lazy is what you areDave29 the best mount for a satellite would be on their house because wind does not affect a house as much as it affects the pole. Also it is much cleaner when it is mounted to the house would you rather have a pole sticking out that looks moronic or have it mounted to your house cleanly?
Do you have a picture of the install location? My installers do all sorts of custom mounts, if it makes sense and saves time/money. If we had a picture I think there could be a better solution presented.
Mounting to a CMU block wall is almost a last option due to the CMU walls tendency to crack or break when drilled. The block may also wear and crumble over time causing the dish to become loose or even fall off.
Mounting to a CMU block wall is almost a last option due to the CMU walls tendency to crack or break when drilled. The block may also wear and crumble over time causing the dish to become loose or even fall off.
A D* employee will set the pole and mount the dish all in 1 visit.
Most companies unfortunately are no longer allowed to charge for pole mounts either.
If you want those concrete anchors you better go buy them. While your at it you might want to get the hammer drill and be ready to mount the mast while the installer does some other part of the install.
Truely no installer is going to carry those. If they do it is going to be an extra charge as that is not a standard install.
I carry them and don't charge extra.
Tap cons although do fine for an standard dish are not approved by D* or E* for any dish mount.
In no way shape or form would I ever allow anyone to mount a slimline with them.
Big problem with this industry which is there are so many different standards.
You don't pay for concrete, but I do so me paying for a few lag anchors is no big deal.
Agreed, I stay away from block whenever possible.
Really? You honestly think the wind affects a pole mount that much. lol
Sorry, but it really does not.
Now, that being said, you can stiffen a pole up if you think it is necessary or if you are in a wind tunnel by pouring concrete or even sand down it.
And yes this can be done after the installer leaves.
If I was to do it though, I would top the last inch off with silicone so moisture didn't stay in the pole causing it to rust in time (just something I would do).
Basically why I try and stay away from hollow cinder block.
However, if they do mount it in the block, make sure they stay away from the edges.
Mounted a few on solid poured firewalls between apts or busineses. Rock solid. I have a hammer drill and lead anchors on the truck. Not going to let a couple $$ in materials keep me from making $100. You already invested $ in gas and time to get there. Blow off the job and you are in the hole. Then if you go to the next one and you have no LOS you may wind up scrambling to pick up a job and there is not always one there. I'll usually run the odd install by the boss to cover my rear. If he's OK with it, I am.
Good post. Brick, block, & concrete are some of the best places to mount. The more I read the more I wonder how some even carry the title..................
Agreed, I never understand why anyone would allow a couple dollars stop them from making $100.
The only ones I am sketchy about is hollow cinder block.
Other then that, brick or poured block is as solid as they get.
However, I will still set a pole if I have a choice. (lot faster and just as good).
I'm not an installer, but I do know the basics. I do know construction. I'd rather attach a dish to concrete block than brick. An individual brick or two can loosen and ruin an installation. With block, you can hit two of four screws into solid material, much more stable, IMHO. The other two will hold just fine. Also, consider that many block walls have the voids filled with cement. If the wall itself fails, you have much bigger problems than the dish!
I don't see the big deal,drill a few holes pound in some lead anchors and screw the mast to the wall.
I have installed many ka/ku dishes this way and have never had a problem
I will wall mount over pole mount any day
I have installed many ka/ku dishes this way and have never had a problem
I will wall mount over pole mount any day
On a ka/ku dish block wall mount, we are required to put 4 bolts (1 in each corner of the foot plate) and 2 bolts in each mono pole (support arm)
You can easily mount each foot plate bolt in a different brick, and with little to no effort can put the 2 bolts in ea monopole in different bricks.
In the very unlikely chance that one of those bricks works it way lose, it will not play havoc on the dish at all.
Also, you can pretty much tell if a brick wall is stable enough to hold the dish for the next several years. If not, you have no business doing this type of work.
On hollow cinder blocks, the material is very thin.
While yes, any installer worth his weight would try and mount as many lags in the solid part, a minimum of 2 of the 4 foot plate lags will be in the thin hollow part.
However, this will still most likely hold fine for years, it still make me a little nervous.
Done plenty of them, both brick and hollow cinder block.
They all hold fine, but I guarantee the brick will hold stronger for longer.
BTW, I am well aware that many cinder block walls are poured (usually every other block).
They do this because the block is weak and this makes the wall stronger (as hollow cinder blocks are fairly weak).
Unfortunately there is no way to tell if the blocks are poured or not or which ones are poured until you drill in them.
Yup, it is pretty easy but in many cases a pole mount is a lot easier and just as stable.
Of course, I guess this depends on where you live and the type of ground you have.
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