Install dish in an apartment...problem!!

[madhabi77]

Hi there,

I live in an apartment in 2nd floor, which has a balcony. The apartment guys told me that I can put a dish in my balcony, but no parts of it can come outside of the balcony, so I have to put the dish completely inside the balcony. They said I need to put the dish in a bucket. I have few confusions..

Now what is a bucket?

How can I put a dish inside a bucket?

If I put the dish inside a bucket, can it be possible for the dish to get the signals?

I need a 500+ dish for my channels.

Thanks...

 

[HDRoberts]

A bucket is just a plain old bucket, only with cement inside holding up a pole to mount the dish on. He just means you can't mount it directly to the building. Personally, I'd probably buy a tripod.

Something like these: Satellite Dish Universal and Roof Mounts

 

[Slamminc11]

you could also use a tri-pod...

 

[bigticket]

I faced the same issue before. As mentioned before, buy a tripod on e-bay and put some concrete block on the lower end of the tripod to make it firm.

 

[crappieguy]

I prefer a std concrete cinderblock. Drill some holes in it to mount the mast to. Works great and a little lower profile.

 

[BuddyBoy]

The dish doesn't go in the bucket, the post the dish is mounted to goes in the bucket.

For the bucket install, you need a 5 gallon bucket ("Homer" bucket from Home Depot will work), one bag of concrete, and a length of 1-5/8" fence post. Do not use electrical conduit, it is the wrong diameter. Fence post is the correct diameter. Use a level to make sure the post is plumb, otherwise you will have lots of fun aiming your dish.

This may help: http://bonkoif.com/etc/hacks/satellite.php

 

[madhabi77]

The dish doesn't go in the bucket, the post the dish is mounted to goes in the bucket.

For the bucket install, you need a 5 gallon bucket ("Homer" bucket from Home Depot will work), one bag of concrete, and a length of 1-5/8" fence post. Do not use electrical conduit, it is the wrong diameter. Fence post is the correct diameter. Use a level to make sure the post is plumb, otherwise you will have lots of fun aiming your dish.

This may help: Apartment Satellite Dish Install

Hi guys,

If I take the channels from dish network, will they provide the bucket and concrete and other things to install the dish in my balcony? or I have to buy these things and give it to them to install it?

Do I have to take any written permission from my apartment leasing office and give it to dish to get the dish installed?

As the international dish is quite big, 30" , so If I prefer a tripod , not a bucket ( because bucket may not hold such a big dish ), will dish network provide me the tripod for free, or I have to pay for that??

they usually give the installation free of cost.


Thanks...

 

[Liquidforce88]

Hi guys,

If I take the channels from dish network, will they provide the bucket and concrete and other things to install the dish in my balcony? or I have to buy these things and give it to them to install it?

Do I have to take any written permission from my apartment leasing office and give it to dish to get the dish installed?

As the international dish is quite big, 30" , so If I prefer a tripod , not a bucket ( because bucket may not hold such a big dish ), will dish network provide me the tripod for free, or I have to pay for that??

they usually give the installation free of cost.


Thanks...

Standard installation is free. A tripod or bucket mount is not standard installation, so it is not free.

If you get a DNSC or RSP tech they may provide the bucket mount, but they won't use it on a 500+ dish. They may also provide a tripod, but they will not provide the flat cable's that you will need. If you get a contractor they will not provide a bucket, tripod, or the flat cables free.

If I were you I would goto your local hardware store and buy a tripod and a length of 1 5/8" line post. If the installer shows up with one for free then great, you can return the stuff to the store. If not then you have one ready to go. If you don't have one and they charge for it you will pay for it, or they won't install it.

Either way you will probably have to buy the cables. You may or may not have to buy a tripod

 

[eddie willers]

Good luck finding anybody that wants to do the job.

Since I am on the hook for a chargeback within the first 24 months, there's not an apartment in the world I would sell to at a promotional price.

 

[PATECO]

I use a 24" Concrete stepping stone Just tapcon the regular dish mast to the stepping stone. and it will work great.

 

[Slamminc11]

Good luck finding anybody that wants to do the job.

Since I am on the hook for a chargeback within the first 24 months, there's not an apartment in the world I would sell to at a promotional price.

wasn't that hard. Just made a phone call to a retailer and had my dish installed at my apartment...

 

[eddie willers]

wasn't that hard. Just made a phone call to a retailer and had my dish installed at my apartment...

If they make it a habit to sell to apartment dwellers, they'll be out of business soon.

 

[scsa]

you should get a tripod they sell them at radio shack they are made specially for the dish's and i have one it is a tripod that you put the antenna on and it moves easily.

 

[jdmacor]

If they make it a habit to sell to apartment dwellers, they'll be out of business soon.

Is it that big of a deal to install at an apartment? Why is that? I live in an apartment in Dallas, and the guy had no issues with mounting or anything like that; there were some line of sight issues that were taken care of with a wing, but that doesn't have to do with it being an apartment.

 

[HDRoberts]

I see plenty of apartment installs around town. Probably just take some extra diligence to make sure the is permission, but plenty of installers do them successfully.

 

[jdmacor]

I see plenty of apartment installs around town. Probably just take some extra diligence to make sure the is permission, but plenty of installers do them successfully.

I went through the trouble of getting that apartment waiver filled out, but the installer wasn't even interested. He just noted that some of my neighbors had dishes on their balcony, and went ahead with the install. On an off-topic note, when I was walking my dogs, I took the time to look at the dishes on my side of the building, and every single one of the was Direct... I am the only Dish customer in the building! Or at least on the east side of it...

 

[madhabi77]

Is it that big of a deal to install at an apartment? Why is that? I live in an apartment in Dallas, and the guy had no issues with mounting or anything like that; there were some line of sight issues that were taken care of with a wing, but that doesn't have to do with it being an apartment.

Hi there,

Did you install the dish in a bucket in your apartment? now the apartment guys does not allow dish without a bucket.

I may also face the same problem of line of sight, so can you please tell me what is this 'wing'?? if I need south east and I am on south west, will it help me to get the south east with this wing??

Thanks...

 

[jdmacor]

Hi there,

Did you install the dish in a bucket in your apartment? now the apartment guys does not allow dish without a bucket.

I may also face the same problem of line of sight, so can you please tell me what is this 'wing'?? if I need south east and I am on south west, will it help me to get the south east with this wing??

Thanks...

A wing dish simply refers to a second dish. In my case, the installer said I needed that second dish to get the 61.5 satellite. As long as you have a clear southern exposure, they will find a way (although sometimes local channels are on one side or the other, I believe).

Also, I did not use a bucket or tripod. I have a metal railing on my balcony, so the installer used these clamp things. Basically, when I leave, I can just have those things unscrewed, and there will be no evidence there was ever a dish there (no holes, etc.). However, if you are talking about buckets and the like, I suspect that you don't have such a railing.

 

[bigticket]

Hi there,

Did you install the dish in a bucket in your apartment? now the apartment guys does not allow dish without a bucket.

I may also face the same problem of line of sight, so can you please tell me what is this 'wing'?? if I need south east and I am on south west, will it help me to get the south east with this wing??

Thanks...

Madhabi77, buy one of these on e-bay and your problem is solved if you get a clear line of sight for 118.7. You don't want to point at 61.5 because all those channels will be eventually migrated to 118.7.

The one in picture is called non penetrating roof mount. This you can put it on balcony with 2 concrete blocks on it.

 

[dishcomm]

Hi there,

I live in an apartment in 2nd floor, which has a balcony. The apartment guys told me that I can put a dish in my balcony, but no parts of it can come outside of the balcony, so I have to put the dish completely inside the balcony. They said I need to put the dish in a bucket. I have few confusions..

Now what is a bucket?

How can I put a dish inside a bucket?

If I put the dish inside a bucket, can it be possible for the dish to get the signals?

I need a 500+ dish for my channels.

Thanks...

They mean to have your tech place the dish on a mast or pole and use a bucket to stick the pole into and set in concrete. This is what is called a free standing mount. Some install compnaies allow them. We do not . The only non attach mount we will do for apartments is a sled or "non pentrating mount. Of course the customer must pay for the mount.
An aside. Many apartment dwellers are uinfairly disallowed by the management companies from access to satellite tv. But on the other side of the coin, the tenant( you) live on someone else's property. And as such you must agree to live by thgeir rules. It's that simple. A word about free standing mounts.
They are not recommended. The risk of the dish going out of alignment is to great. MAny times the install company is held liable for signal loss and must realign the dish for free. This is why we use the better mount.