Need to remove satellite dish for roof repair

[H2Guy]

I wanted some advise. I need to remove my dish from my roof for a roof replacement. I would like to do this myself and then put it back exactly where it is now once the roof work is done. Years ago (when I was a direct tv customer) I had a simple meter that I put on the LNB to re-align the disk.

I would rather purchase another one of those signal meters and do it myself than to have to pay Dish for it. Any suggestions?

 

[Jim5506]

As long as you reinstall the base and pole such that the top portion of the pole is true vertical, you only have to search for the satellites by adjusting the azimuth (East/West orientation), don't mess with skew or elevation.

Make a mark on the pole and the clamp with a marker for azimuth as it sits before loosening anything and you should be very close to the correct settings and only have to do a little tweaking to get the highest signal.

Make very tiny adjustments to the dish horizonal direction to tweak it.

Attached is a picture of an old Dish 500. see the line on the pole and the clamp that line up this must be put back at the same place when reattaching.

The two bolts on the clamp labeled with "A" are the azimuth bolts.

There is an elevation bolt on each side of the backplate (labeled E here) the right side bolt is visable.

Again ONLY loosen the two bolts labeled "A", that will enable you to lift the whole dish off the "J: pole for easier removal.

 

[sam_gordon]

Can you take the foot plate off the roof without moving the mast? If not, do another mark (or two) at the pivot point between the mast and the foot plate like 'A' above.

In theory, if you can take the the foot plate off the roof without changing ANYTHING on the Dish, AND be able to put it back in the same holes, you should be good.

 

[Jim5506]

Can you take the foot plate off the roof without moving the mast? If not, do another mark (or two) at the pivot point between the mast and the foot plate like 'A' above.

In theory, if you can take the the foot plate off the roof without changing ANYTHING on the Dish, AND be able to put it back in the same holes, you should be good.

Depending on how the roofing under the footplate is put down, you MUST check the top of the "J" pole for plumb . If the new roofing tilts the pole you will have trouble finding sats with the pole out of vertical.

 

[tjboston5676]

As a tech, here's my recommendation:
If it's already properly mounted over a stud/rafter and is solid then I would take a sharpie and straight edge and mark on the fascia both sides of the base. If it's on a corner you can also mark the other side of fascia as well. If the new roof is roughly the same style and doesn't cause any part of the base to shift up or down and you line it up with your marks then you should be good.
However, if the mount is not sturdy to begin with, then I would tske the dish down and leave it down until they are done and then call dish to have a tech come put it back properly. Personally I don't think the cost of a meter is justified to use it once every 3-10 years when your roof gets replaced. So imo I'd have a tech come out regardless. But whatever you do, don't let the roofers put it back.

 

[sam_gordon]

Depending on how the roofing under the footplate is put down, you MUST check the top of the "J" pole for plumb . If the new roofing tilts the pole you will have trouble finding sats with the pole out of vertical.

Agreed. But even having the marks you described can still be off because if the footer is slightly off from where it originally was, the marks aren't going to be right. Granted, you're going to be in the ballpark, but I'd still expect no signal when originally lined up with the marks.

As a tech, here's my recommendation:
If it's already properly mounted over a stud/rafter and is solid then I would take a sharpie and straight edge and mark on the fascia both sides of the base. If it's on a corner you can also mark the other side of fascia as well. If the new roof is roughly the same style and doesn't cause any part of the base to shift up or down and you line it up with your marks then you should be good.
However, if the mount is not sturdy to begin with, then I would tske the dish down and leave it down until they are done and then call dish to have a tech come put it back properly. Personally I don't think the cost of a meter is justified to use it once every 3-10 years when your roof gets replaced. So imo I'd have a tech come out regardless. But whatever you do, don't let the roofers put it back.

Who is putting on your roofs?

 

[telstar_1]

Exact placement where was may be infeasible because once new mat'ls are on, location will be visually lost. Also maybe reassess location as to any trees that might be growing or no longer need for 129, etc. However, if you just verify compass heading of the mount foot and check how plumb the mast is pre-tearoff (and don't loosen dish from mast), going back on blind with those same readings should leave you reasonably on aim. Very cheap dbs meters are available and should probably be kept in home by those who like to do as much DIY as they can, might save a service call.

 

[tanman]

Would protection plan pay for re install? Something like $10/month for 6 months? Will Dish do a roof install?

 

[arlo]

I'm cheap. Never owned a meter. Hauling a receiver and monitor on the roof would be okay to do the job if it wasn't a pita. In the past I've just aimed a laptop or webcam at the tv and used Skype or video call application to call myself on the phone. If you have landmarks like tree tops and such to reference where the dish is pointed and a a sat pointer app that gives you a peek at the sky on your phone, they help also. Why buy a one shot sat meter?

 

[tjboston5676]

Would protection plan pay for re install? Something like $10/month for 6 months? Will Dish do a roof install?

No, it's not part of the protection plan, but csr seems to do it anyways. The correct way to do it is a custom labor to relocate dish for $50. Usually you can get either roofers or insurance to reimburse you.

 

[vazhog]

Depending on the Location of the Dish on the roof. If the D*Tv Installer has to leave the Ladder --They are no longer allowed to do that --so you may have to do it yourself.

 

[That American Girl]

Would protection plan pay for re install? Something like $10/month for 6 months? Will Dish do a roof install?

Yes and no. The Dish protect covers the tech cost, but not the re install. BUT..... if the dish is already reinstalled and all they need to is to re- peak it... the DP will cover that.

If you want them to reinstall the Dish, it's $50. Which to me is worth my time and hassle...

Edit. When customers call and a ask what the fee is, I tell them to have the roofers at least TRY to put it back on the original spot.
This will save them the extra $50, and sometimes we get lucky and they position it fairly close to where it was, and we get a bit of signal until we can get the tech out.

 

[H2Guy]

Thanks for all the responses, my setup is a metal base and frame with about 6 concrete 1/2 blocks to hold it in place. I would simply remove the blocks and mark the base but all marks would be lost as the roof will be a total replacement and there will be no reference marks I could take advantage of. I guess I could call dish and ask what they would charge, if its more then a signal meter then I would just purchase one, I guess I need to find out what one costs and where to get it.

 

[Tvland1]

I believe what you used before looked like this..I've been using a couple of these for 20yrs camping..It gets you close and then you can peak having someone watch the signal on the tv..

 

[H2Guy]

I know a person with a GT Media V8 I might be able to borrow. Can this be used?

 

[Tvland1]

I know a person with a GT Media V8 I might be able to borrow. Can this be used?

If it looks like this one No it didn't work for me..I tried it once.It was what people used for Orby tv

 

[sktrus]

If you want them to reinstall the Dish, it's $50. Which to me is worth my time and hassle...

Give up 50 bucks or take a risk hurting yourself if the the roof is too steep.
I try to save every nickel, too. I know too many guys falling from ladders, roofs and getting hurt.
Not worth it unless the roof is almost flat.

 

[H2Guy]

Yup, its flat alright, that's about all they have in NM. Moving it around won't be the problem at all. I will give Dish a call on Monday and see what they have to say, I won't have an issue at $50. but they usually tell me its $100. minimum for any kind of service call even if it's their stuff that crapped out. I guess I could also go with the mtc. plan and cancel it after a month but that's kinda sucky.

 

[H2Guy]

Hi all, Dish told me $100.00 for a service call, and at least 2 weeks out. Anyhow, I used Jim5506 marking strategy to mark the dish and marked the wall where the dish platform was. When it was put back I had a minimum level on sat 119. I used mine and my wifes iphone in face time mode, one pointed at the TV inside the house the other up on the roof and worked with the adjustment until I got the reading back to where it was before we started. Actually better now then it was. One thing I did notice was the LNB's are really looking weathered, my guess is they will probably fail in the near future from water incursion. I probably should buy some new ones on ebay.

Thanks to all for the suggestions.

 

[navychop]

Solid Signal might have the correct LNB set. I’d trust them WAY before an EBay seller.

BTW, if I replace my roof shingles in the future, I’ll probably go with a metal roof. And put my dish on a gable mount, if I can find one. I think Dish dropped such mounts long ago.

Of course, by then, I might not have Dish anymore.