Help! I Can't Drill Straight!!

[dvarapala]

I'm trying to mount a Dish 500 satellite dish on a concrete block wall. I'm using Toggler hollow wall anchors which require a 1/2" hole; I'm also using a 1/2" masonry bit in my drill. Try as I might, I just can't seem to drill holes that line up correctly; the mounting foot ends up being slightly out of plumb (I've tried twice now). I need some tips before my wall ends up looking like swiss cheese.

So what's the trick to drilling correctly-aligned holes so that the mast ends up level, plumb, and true? Any of you pros willing to share a couple of trade secrets?

 

[golferstan]

Wallow out hole or holes in foot as necessary and use fender washers to cover larger hole,use shims as required and get things plumb,level,straight and true as necessary and slowly snug the toggles,should work and be a piece of cake.
golferstan

 

[mbarnes]

I typically mount a short piece of 2X8 to the wall and paint it to match the wall. If it is slightly out of plumb, it is hard to notice. Then, I lag screw the dish mount to the wood. Much easier to get a nice plumb installation.

Michael

 

[Bob Haller]

File the foot mount holes as needed to get it plumb. Or use slightly undersized bolts. Like 1/2 holes in foot with 3/8 bolts. That gives a little wiggle room.

 

[Claude Greiner]

What the professionals do when the mount is slightly out of plumb is just align the Dish anyways, with a good meter you can get a proper signal

 

[Mark_AR]

What the professionals do when the mount is slightly out of plumb is just align the Dish anyways, with a good meter you can get a proper signal

Brings back memories... Wish I had a pic of my old D* dish. I had the mast mounted underneat the soffit at 45' angle and when the E* installer came to swich me over, he wondered HOW I ever got it to work.

A plumb mast makes installation easier because you can get close by using the number scales on the dish, but you can be 'half a bubble' off as they say and still point the dish correctly.

The only time this does not hold true is on a moving motorized dish.

As Claude suggests... bolt it down and point it. Its not going to move after you get the sat dialed in even if your bolts and holes are a little 'off'...

 

[dfergie]

Last month I bought a cabover camper from a co-worker.. I took it to my usual camping spot went to set up my dish 500 when I realized...no level. As I camp in the same spot (next to a fire pit) I knew about where to aim, I eyeballed the mount for level then put the dish on... my azimuth is supposed to be about 50 , I think I had it on 55 when I found 119...

 

[Bob Haller]

Some years ago I spent HOURS making my 2 masts plumb, mounting them to my new deck. I mean I intentionally made them PERFECT. I was rewarded by signal strengreths of 125 on most transponders. E tech said what strength on phone?

It can be done but probably isnt worth the effort till rain comes...

 

[Cliff]

That's what I like about dishes that have a skew adjustment, you can compensate for being off plumb.

 

[Mark_AR]

SOmeone said I had a skew loose. Now I know what they meant.

A level mast will get you in the ballpark quicker. But you still have to do some fine tuning to get the signal peaked.

You can take hours like Bob or just wing it and still be dead-on with excellent signal.

It all comes down to where its pointed when you tighten the bolts for the last time & put the tools away.

 

[Claude Greiner]

I have had several situations where I went to mount a Dish on a wall and come to find out that I couldn't swing the Dish to get the signal because it would hit the wall.

I had to set the mast way off plumb, but i got it to work

 

[angiodan]

I have had several situations where I went to mount a Dish on a wall and come to find out that I couldn't swing the Dish to get the signal because it would hit the wall.

I had to set the mast way off plumb, but i got it to work

I almost learned that the hard way too. After moving into my new house, and bolting the mounting plates on the back wall, I almost crapped when I was lining up 110/119. Just as the dish hit the wall, the signal came in. Talk about close.

 

[dvarapala]

Thanks, everyone, for your encouraging suggestions. FWIW, even with the mast out-of-plumb I am still able to pull in a signal strength of about 75, and that's without messing with the skew setting to compensate. I'm going to take my final shot at this tomorrow; I'll let you know how it turns out!

 

[dvarapala]

Update

It turns out my problem had little (if anything) to do with my crooked holes. The real problem was blockage by a nearby tree. After investing in a decent clinometer, I was able to find a much better site and this time I managed to drill the holes in such a way as to allow the mast to be almost completely plumb! Hot diggity dang!!

Now to rent the ditch witch and run the cable...

 

[Van]

save some cash on the ditch witch and rent a teenager