mast question - want to relocate my DTV dish

[Joe Diamond]

When you get around to putting the 2"pipe in the ground remember to dent the portion that will contact the concrete. Beat hell out of it or put a muffler clamp on it or drill and bolt a rod through it.

If you leave the pipe round it will spin in the concrete and good by signal.

Set the pole plumb or you will have a long afternoon tuning.


Use some plastic conduit where the cables enter the ground and where they emerge at the building
or the weed eaters will get 'em.

Joe

 

[Jimbo]

When you get around to putting the 2"pipe in the ground remember to dent the portion that will contact the concrete. Beat hell out of it or put a muffler clamp on it or drill and bolt a rod through it.

If you leave the pipe round it will spin in the concrete and good by signal.

Set the pole plumb or you will have a long afternoon tuning.


Use some plastic conduit where the cables enter the ground and where they emerge at the building
or the weed eaters will get 'em.

Joe

Also mentioned in post # 4

I have sch. 40 Galvinized fence post, 16' buried 30" in concrete, with a bolt thru the end to prevent any turning in the future.
This works great, it is a slight bit small (1/8") when setting up the pole make sure it is plumb, place the mast over the pole set up the dish, when it's where you want it, place a self tapping screw thru the mast into the pole , this will keep it in place as well as tightening the normal nuts and bolts
as well.
Mine has been this way for over 2 years now and have never had a problem with it.

Jimbo

 

[Harmony Home Technologies]

If you're relocating an AT-9, be prepared for the dither adjustments to be rusted together and unmoveable. Might be worth considering moving to the slimline dish.

 

[johnm356]

I found 2" od pipe readily available at electrical supply houses..

no good... electrical conduit - either TW or HW all comes in trade sizes based on Inside Diameter - not the 2" OD you need for an antenna mast. Same thing goes for plumbing pipe.
EG:
1-1/2" GRC (HW) conduit has an OD of 1-7/8" - too small.
2" GRC has an OD of about 2-3/8" - too big.

Click here for a size chart - >>> Electrical Conduit Sizes

I know, I was an electrician for 30+ years...
I would up finding a 2" OD HW fence post at a fencing contractor - paid about $25 for 8'.

 

[Izzy]

KaKu mast or tripod

So my installer came in today and said could not install my KAKU dish because he did not have a pole for it. I live on the second floor of an apartment complex and my balcony faces south. I called DirectTV and they said they would notate in the account for the installer to come back with the right pole. Do you guys think it is taht simple or do I really need to go to Home Depot or Lowes and buy some material. If so, what do I buy and what do I do. I am a city boy clueless whe it comes to building things.

 

[Mike500]

A group pf us installers for local satellite dealers use a standard chainlink fence line post (1-5/8" actual) inside a farmer's green "TEE" post.

One of my fellow subcontractors developed this adapter to make it exactly two (2) inches;

DirecTV AT9/AU9 KA/KU Adapter for old 1-5/8" pole - eBay (item 150211975149 end time Feb-07-08 19:00:23 PST)


We've done over a hundred installs this way. We don't get call backs...It's very sturdy, if done right.

 

[Jimbo]

no good... electrical conduit - either TW or HW all comes in trade sizes based on Inside Diameter - not the 2" OD you need for an antenna mast. Same thing goes for plumbing pipe.
EG:
1-1/2" GRC (HW) conduit has an OD of 1-7/8" - too small.
2" GRC has an OD of about 2-3/8" - too big.

Click here for a size chart - >>> Electrical Conduit Sizes

I know, I was an electrician for 30+ years...
I would up finding a 2" OD HW fence post at a fencing contractor - paid about $25 for 8'.

The 1" 7/8th will work fine, with a self tapping screw placed once in position.
Mines been working fine for going on 2 years now

Personally, MY pipe is heavier than what D* would install anyways and D* would never do a 16' post anyways.

Jimbo

 

[dishcomm]

A group pf us installers for local satellite dealers use a standard chainlink fence line post (1-5/8" actual) inside a farmer's green "TEE" post.

One of my fellow subcontractors developed this adapter to make it exactly two (2) inches;

DirecTV AT9/AU9 KA/KU Adapter for old 1-5/8" pole - eBay (item 150211975149 end time Feb-07-08 19:00:23 PST)


We've done over a hundred installs this way. We don't get call backs...It's very sturdy, if done right.

yes..but this is an apartment. Not an in ground mount....

 

[Joe Diamond]

I am not sure if 16 footers are available. I'd have to check.
here's one place to order it from....
Galvanized Rigid Conduit, GRC - Allied Tube and Conduit - Tyco Electrical and Metal Products
If you have a City Electric Supply store near you, they are easy to deal with. They have no quantity minimums.

Guys,

DO NOT do a sixteen foot pipe install ! That sucker will blow around unless it is monopoled to the building.

IF you really gotta get that high consider a small tower OR a 6"x 6" x 20ft beam. The wood beam is not recommended unless you can (1) support it in two directions with other lumber and (2) cover it to keep it from bending (warping) in the sun..........attach either the provided mast or a 6ft x 2" pipe to the post. Put 1/3 of it's height in the ground and use crushed stone in the hole. Concrete will not continue to support the wood pole. Tamp the stone a llot!

Whatever you do the rig has to be strong enough to support the dish in the wind and YOU on a ladder to tune it.

Does a roof look better yet?

Joe

 

[Jimbo]

Guys,

DO NOT do a sixteen foot pipe install ! That sucker will blow around unless it is monopoled to the building.

IF you really gotta get that high consider a small tower OR a 6"x 6" x 20ft beam. The wood beam is not recommended unless you can (1) support it in two directions with other lumber and (2) cover it to keep it from bending (warping) in the sun..........attach either the provided mast or a 6ft x 2" pipe to the post. Put 1/3 of it's height in the ground and use crushed stone in the hole. Concrete will not continue to support the wood pole. Tamp the stone a llot!

Whatever you do the rig has to be strong enough to support the dish in the wind and YOU on a ladder to tune it.

Does a roof look better yet?

Joe

Well,
I dis agree, I am the one with the 16' pole, the reason for it was I did not want a roof mount. When I had the 3 LNB set up if fit nicely on the fascia, so when I got the larger AT-9 I could no longer do that, so I improvised, It has worked great and have had next to NO trouble with the signal staying in, I'm consistantly in the mid 90's

I have the post supported at the roof level, it's only about 3 ft over the roof line. Had I been aware of it, I could have made it about 2 feet shorter and still been good.

Jimbo

 

[dishcomm]

Guys,

DO NOT do a sixteen foot pipe install ! That sucker will blow around unless it is monopoled to the building.

IF you really gotta get that high consider a small tower OR a 6"x 6" x 20ft beam. The wood beam is not recommended unless you can (1) support it in two directions with other lumber and (2) cover it to keep it from bending (warping) in the sun..........attach either the provided mast or a 6ft x 2" pipe to the post. Put 1/3 of it's height in the ground and use crushed stone in the hole. Concrete will not continue to support the wood pole. Tamp the stone a llot!

Whatever you do the rig has to be strong enough to support the dish in the wind and YOU on a ladder to tune it.

Does a roof look better yet?

Joe

We don't do anything more than 10' out of the ground unless it's supported by lashing the pole to a building
At that height you may as well put the thing on a tree. Same result. Wobbly dish, annoying outages. A trouble call waiting for a chance to happen

 

[Joe Diamond]

Jimbo & I agree............the top of the pole has to be attached to the building. I just try to lag bolt to the building to eliminate the pipe. I will work if done correctly...you also have to control any spin and keep cars & lawn mowwers from hitting it.

Trees can be good if they do not move back and forth in the wind.

Joe

 

[iwc5893]

Trees can be good if they do not move back and forth in the wind.

Joe

Are you serious?

 

[Jimbo]

Jimbo & I agree............the top of the pole has to be attached to the building. I just try to lag bolt to the building to eliminate the pipe. I will work if done correctly...you also have to control any spin and keep cars & lawn mowwers from hitting it.

Trees can be good if they do not move back and forth in the wind.

Joe

Are you serious?

I have seen them mounted to trees before, however I would not do that, what happens when the tree starts to grow each year ?
Eventually you'll be out either moving it to re align it or moving to another location.

 

[Jimbo]

Well,
I dis agree, I am the one with the 16' pole, the reason for it was I did not want a roof mount. When I had the 3 LNB set up if fit nicely on the fascia, so when I got the larger AT-9 I could no longer do that, so I improvised, It has worked great and have had next to NO trouble with the signal staying in, I'm consistantly in the mid 90's

I have the post supported at the roof level, it's only about 3 ft over the roof line. Had I been aware of it, I could have made it about 2 feet shorter and still been good.

Jimbo

We don't do anything more than 10' out of the ground unless it's supported by lashing the pole to a building
At that height you may as well put the thing on a tree. Same result. Wobbly dish, annoying outages. A trouble call waiting for a chance to happen

A little more info about the 16' pole, (it's been posted elsewhere before)
This pole started with a bolt thru the bottom, it's 30" in the ground with concrete and it's supported at 13' in two positions off the house. technically you only have the top 3 ft not supported, so it would equate to you placing a 3 ' pole (out of the ground).
It also is next to a flat roof, the installer loved it when they came out !

Jimbo

 

[dishcomm]

I have seen them mounted to trees before, however I would not do that, what happens when the tree starts to grow each year ?
Eventually you'll be out either moving it to re align it or moving to another location.

Tree mounts are an absolute no no.

 

[iwc5893]

I have seen them mounted to trees before, however I would not do that, what happens when the tree starts to grow each year ?
Eventually you'll be out either moving it to re align it or moving to another location.

Not to mention the blowing/falling leaves causing signal loss, and the possibility of branches falling on the dish.

 

[Bob Nielsen]

Here are some 2 in. dia thickwall steel masts: Texas Towers, Steel Masts Page. Not the cheapest solution, but they should definitely do the job.

 

[Jimbo]

Here are some 2 in. dia thickwall steel masts: Texas Towers, Steel Masts Page. Not the cheapest solution, but they should definitely do the job.

I looked into that awhile back (thanks for your post) found out that my pole would cost me like $ 275 and decided to go a different route.

Jimbo

 

[Bob Nielsen]

Those are really intended for larger antennas than the Slimline. I imagine the shipping cost wouldn't be negligible either.