COAX CABLE REQUIREMENT FOR POLE INSTALLATION

[basunday]

Greetings all,

I want to install Direct TV on a pole with the slimline dish for HD plus local channels. I know I need Coax, but what type and how many feeds do I need from the dish to the house?

 

[jdspencer]

You will need either one or four RG6 lines from the dish to the house. This depends on what LNB is installed. What's the distance? The installer will run whatever is needed.

How many receivers and of what model do you expect to get?

 

[yorktown]

You should get RG6 coax with a solid copper center conductor.

Since the OP is asking what coax to get I don't think they are having an installer do it.

 

[raoul5788]

Greetings all,

I want to install Direct TV on a pole with the slimline dish for HD plus local channels. I know I need Coax, but what type and how many feeds do I need from the dish to the house?

If you have the standard lnb for the Slimline, you will need one line per tuner. Up to four can be connected. If you have more than four tuners, then you will need a multiswitch. If you have the SWM type lnb, you need only one. You can tell which one you have by looking where the cable connects. There is either one or four ports.

 

[MikeinBaja]

Since it looks like you are going the DIY route, if the cable is to be burried I'd suggest you run it through PVC or other conduit material.

Many ground animals love to chew on cable for some reason and the PVC also helps shield it from dig damage.

If you go that route make sure you use 90 degree sweeps at the ends to keep the rain and other water out. I also like to plug those ends with a caulking material (after the cable is run of course) but that's just my method.

 

[basunday]

Thanks All,

I will be installing the pole support myself. I have an installer coming the day after thanksgiving. I have major line of sight issues, hence the pole install. After consulting with the installer and determining what is the best location for the pole I will have to reschedule the install. I will also install the required cabling to the feed, splitter, whatever you call it, which is already attached to the house. This was installed during a prior Direct TV installation and the old dish is still on my roof. I already have coax cable run to 3 locations in the house, but I will only be hooking up 2 tv's one with HD DVR receiver, and another plain HD receiver. Distance from the area where I think the dish could obtain a LOS to the house is about 40' to 50'. I will be wanting HD with local channels as well. The contractor from comcast actually ran the previous coax cable under ground through a thick, garden hose, type of conduit. If I have to run 2 lines the pvc would probably have to be 1/2"? Or would anyone of you suggest bigger?

Bryan

 

[MikeinBaja]

Thanks All,

I will be installing the pole support myself. I have an installer coming the day after thanksgiving. I have major line of sight issues, hence the pole install. After consulting with the installer and determining what is the best location for the pole I will have to reschedule the install. I will also install the required cabling to the feed, splitter, whatever you call it, which is already attached to the house. This was installed during a prior Direct TV installation and the old dish is still on my roof. I already have coax cable run to 3 locations in the house, but I will only be hooking up 2 tv's one with HD DVR receiver, and another plain HD receiver. Distance from the area where I think the dish could obtain a LOS to the house is about 40' to 50'. I will be wanting HD with local channels as well. The contractor from comcast actually ran the previous coax cable under ground through a thick, garden hose, type of conduit. If I have to run 2 lines the pvc would probably have to be 1/2"? Or would anyone of you suggest bigger?

Bryan

Personally, I've always used 3/4" since it is easier to make your runs through and definitely MUCH easier if you ever need to fish a new or replacement line through the piping. Pricing difference is slight.

Drill two sets of holes completely through the base of the pipe a few inches apart. Put two pieces of rebar (or similar) through the holes. This keeps the pole from ever twisting in the concrete in the future.

 

[basunday]

Mikeinbaja wrote: Drill two sets of holes completely through the base of the pipe a few inches apart."

I already planned on doing this. The actual pipe install is the easiest for me in this process. Digging a trench to lay the pipe will be a challenge because I have to under a gravel driveway. Oh Joy!

 

[Joe Diamond]

Thanks All,

I will be installing the pole support myself. I have an installer coming the day after thanksgiving. I have major line of sight issues, hence the pole install. After consulting with the installer and determining what is the best location for the pole I will have to reschedule the install. I will also install the required cabling to the feed, splitter, whatever you call it, which is already attached to the house. This was installed during a prior Direct TV installation and the old dish is still on my roof. I already have coax cable run to 3 locations in the house, but I will only be hooking up 2 tv's one with HD DVR receiver, and another plain HD receiver. Distance from the area where I think the dish could obtain a LOS to the house is about 40' to 50'. I will be wanting HD with local channels as well. The contractor from comcast actually ran the previous coax cable under ground through a thick, garden hose, type of conduit. If I have to run 2 lines the pvc would probably have to be 1/2"? Or would anyone of you suggest bigger?

Bryan

Bryan,

If your plan is to have the installer do a FREE sight survey and then dismiss him you can expect to pay for the next FREE visit. Doing these installations is not difficult or real expensive. Driving all over the place without compensation is why installers quit.

RE the conduit........it is possible to get four rg6 runs into 3/4 bell & socket but you will never be able to retract one line for service or pull all four through at one time. Use 1 1/2" schedule 40 bell & socket and add a pull string.

Consider letting the installer put up the pole and activate the receivers. Do what you want after he has the equipment activated and he has left...and been paid.
Beat the pole square or irregular so it won't rotate in the concrete...have two bags of quick set concrete ready. Don't run the cable through the concrete...buy some ninety degree bends. Run the conduit up the pole and the building a few feet to protect from weed eaters etc.

Finally a question. That cable co cable?...cable in conduit.....was that run under a driveway or sidewalk? If you plan to do that again there is a definite extra charge for that!

Joe

 

[egnlsn]

Personally, I've always used 3/4" since it is easier to make your runs through and definitely MUCH easier if you ever need to fish a new or replacement line through the piping. Pricing difference is slight.

Yes. Definitely use nothing smaller than 3/4" or 1" for more than 2 cables. The size pretty much depends on the distance and how many bends you have. If you have more than the ones at the ends, go with a larger size.

I would recommend pulling in 4 cables in 1" conduit. If it's a SlimLine dish, you'll need all 4. Even if you currently have 3 TV sets, you may add a 4th or install a SWM at some point. You never know what may end up happening in a couple of years.

If it's a SWMLine dish, You'll have a few extra cables that could be used for other stuff such as OTA or another dish or something else that may come around.

 

[basunday]

Thanks to everyone for the advise.
The installer came out this morning and agreed that the best line of site was by the road on the inside of my wood post fence. I rescheduled the installation for 2 weeks from now on a Saturday. I will be installing the pipe, 3/4" PVC, and cable myself. I have to run it under a 20' wide gravel driveway. The tech said I only need 1 RG6 cable for the 2 tv's. There is a box with a splitter or something already installed on the side of the house from when Direct TV was previously installed. I remeasured the run from the pole to the house and its approximately 95'. How far down should I bury the pvc conduit? Keep in mind that I am doing this manually by hand.

 

[egnlsn]

Thanks to everyone for the advise.
The installer came out this morning and agreed that the best line of site was by the road on the inside of my wood post fence. I rescheduled the installation for 2 weeks from now on a Saturday. I will be installing the pipe, 3/4" PVC, and cable myself. I have to run it under a 20' wide gravel driveway. The tech said I only need 1 RG6 cable for the 2 tv's. There is a box with a splitter or something already installed on the side of the house from when Direct TV was previously installed. I remeasured the run from the pole to the house and its approximately 95'. How far down should I bury the pvc conduit? Keep in mind that I am doing this manually by hand.

NEC cays a minimum of 12". I would go at least 8", though. With that long of a run, I would use no smaller than 1" conduit. The gray PVC, with sweeps, not elbows for the bends.

 

[wildbill129]

NEC cays a minimum of 12". I would go at least 8", though. With that long of a run, I would use no smaller than 1" conduit. The gray PVC, with sweeps, not elbows for the bends.

Agree, go with 1", the cost difference is negligable. Run two lines at once. If one goes bad, you have an extra (which can also be used for a messenger wire) Never use 90 degree elbows, use sweeps. 12" is a good idea...

 

[basunday]

UPDATE

I completed installation of the Pole. I purchase a 2"x6' galvanized pipe from Home Depot for $36.00. I drilled 2, 1/2" holes through the lower portion of the pipe and hammered 2 pieces of 12" rebar through the holes. I zip tied a 4' section of 3/4" grey pvc conduit along with a 12" sweep at the bottom of the pole , but about 1 1/2' above the bottom of the pole. I also attached a small section of 3/4" pvc to the other end of the sweep so it would stick out of the concrete and make for an easy connect for the remaining pvc run. I placed the pole in a 2' foot hole, and filled with fast setting concrete then topped it off with H20 and presto, 1 completed satellite dish pole mount thingy. Now the arduous task of digging the 95' trench to lay the pvc conduit and coax. God I am getting to old for this stuff. My friggin back is killing me. I hate Virginia clay and the over abundance of rocks.

 

[raoul5788]

I completed installation of the Pole. I purchase a 2"x6' galvanized pipe from Home Depot for $36.00. I drilled 2, 1/2" holes through the lower portion of the pipe and hammered 2 pieces of 12" rebar through the holes. I zip tied a 4' section of 3/4" grey pvc conduit along with a 12" sweep at the bottom of the pole , but about 1 1/2' above the bottom of the pole. I also attached a small section of 3/4" pvc to the other end of the sweep so it would stick out of the concrete and make for an easy connect for the remaining pvc run. I placed the pole in a 2' foot hole, and filled with fast setting concrete then topped it off with H20 and presto, 1 completed satellite dish pole mount thingy. Now the arduous task of digging the 95' trench to lay the pvc conduit and coax. God I am getting to old for this stuff. My friggin back is killing me. I hate Virginia clay and the over abundance of rocks.

Is the pole 2" ID or OD?

 

[basunday]

2" OD

 

[yorktown]

Bryan,

If your plan is to have the installer do a FREE sight survey and then dismiss him you can expect to pay for the next FREE visit. Doing these installations is not difficult or real expensive. Driving all over the place without compensation is why installers quit.
Joe

Joe,

How much would and installer charge to put a pole in concrete, bury 95' of conduit 12" under ground in clay and rock, run the coax cable, install a dish, align the dish, and set up the equipment in the house ?

 

[basunday]

No idea how much an installer would charge to install. I have the time so I will do it myself. It is costing me less than $100 for the material, but I am sure the labor would be much more $.

 

[basunday]

UPDATE

Well I installed the conduit 3/4" and RG6 coax cable last Tuesday. It was a real pain digging 93' of trench, 25' was under my gravel driveway. I finished in 5 hours. We had rain and snow, but the ground was soft which made it a little easier. Getting too old for this #&@!! The installer will be out today between 12 and 4pm. I can't wait to get rid of Comcast cable. Especially since they endorsed the health care bill.

 

[wildbill129]

Well I installed the conduit 3/4" and RG6 coax cable last Tuesday. It was a real pain digging 93' of trench, 25' was under my gravel driveway. I finished in 5 hours. We had rain and snow, but the ground was soft which made it a little easier. Getting too old for this #&@!! The installer will be out today between 12 and 4pm. I can't wait to get rid of Comcast cable. Especially since they endorsed the health care bill.

Wow....you did that by hand or did you rent a ditch witch?? 5 hours is making good time!