New to FTA since June 2014, My Dish Farm & FTA Project.

[Titanium]

If a 30lbs dish changes the plumb/level or moves the post, the mount has much bigger problems and you will not be a happy camper!

 

[Christopher Cromwell]

Hopefully it won't move the post all that much. I know the weight of the dish will sag the pole forward a little bit, which would help the plumb a little, but that's all it should do. I reinforced the roof mount with more larger Lag screws into the studs, so I have it as secure as I can get it. Later, I can see if I can add a support brace to it; mounted into the studs.

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[gabshere]

Christopher to the group sorry i was late to the parade when i'm not home (Rison, Ar) on break i,m in Richmond Kentucky
although i don't have any dishes in ky ( live in apartment) i do like to work on them when home

 

[Christopher Cromwell]

Thanks gabshere! Im no stranger to satellite TV, but brand new to FTA. I first heard of FTA in the 90's when it was way out of my price range. Finally made the jump early this past Spring. I am enjoying it so far, looking to dab into C-Band a little bit.

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[jorgek]

Okay I thing to remember is if the post is for a motorized dish then the plumb is critical!
If it is for a single sat then you have a lot more wiggle room.
The post that I'm using for Hispasat 30W is almost horizontal. Once you get good at setting up dishes you realize what you can get away with.

 

[Christopher Cromwell]

@jorgek: I don't plan to use a motor, I'm not sure if my receiver can support more than one motor, and the 1.2M dish will wear it out pretty quick anyway. I did some research, with the 1.2M dish, I can only look at 3 C-Band satellites: 87W, 99W and 96W I think. I can't remember the third one right now exactly. Anyway, its no big deal for me having to compensate the angles. I will have the TV with me to watch and listen for the signals.

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[Christopher Cromwell]

The bigger challenge is trying to adjust the LNB on the dish, when its so close to the edge of the roof, where the ladder can't get to very well with the uneven ground.

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[jorgek]

That's the way way I adjust my dishes. The receiver and monitor right at the dish.
I did have the dish on the roof at one time. It became clear that going up on the roof was not an ideal situation. All my 4 KU dishes are now on the south side wall of my house. A 6 ft step ladder is all I need to access them. I can play to my hearts content. I'm constantly moving the dishes, swaping LNBs, etc.

 

[Christopher Cromwell]

@jorgek: the roof mount is the only ideal option for me. I have alot of very tall thick trees and bushes right out back of the house that my dishes can barely see over the tops of. I can't see anything east of 67W due to all the high trees. Anything mounted to the ground would look right up into the trees. They are in my property so I cut the tops off alot of them, but not sure a lift would go up that high. Its too much of a risky adventure for me.

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[FTA4PA]

@jorgek: the roof mount is the only ideal option for me. I have alot of very tall thick trees and bushes right out back of the house that my dishes can barely see over the tops of. I can't see anything east of 67W due to all the high trees. Anything mounted to the ground would look right up into the trees. They are in my property so I cut the tops off alot of them, but not sure a lift would go up that high. Its too much of a risky adventure for me.

Don't happen to know anybody with one of these do you? (http://www.satelliteguys.us/xen/threads/trees-blocking-a-satellite-you-need-this.339157/)

 

[Christopher Cromwell]

@FTA4PA Lol! Yeah, I saw that earlier. I dont think the fire dept. would care much for starting a huge out of control brush fire with one of those. I know my wife would frown on that if I burned the house down in the process. :-D

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[FTA4PA]

Just a thought!

 

[Christopher Cromwell]

Looks like the only C-Band Satellites I can look at with the 1.2M dish is 87W, 91W and 99W based on the footprint where I live. All 3 have good channels, 91W C-Band has the most sports and other stuff that aren't scrambled, 99W has the most feeds and 87W has the most local TV stations. I can only pick one satellite and park it there with one dish. My wife isn't going to just let me put up 2 more 1.2M dishes without kicking me out of the house first.

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[Christopher Cromwell]

Would be nice to pick and choose the C-Band channels I want to keep and move them over to the satellite I end up choosing later. That would be much cooler than a blow torch!

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[Primo Agustin]

i just joined wishing to find info on how to use an old direct tv dish and how to convert to FTA. didn't know where to go and what to do. ended up here. now i think am lost.

 

[primestar31]

i just joined wishing to find info on how to use an old direct tv dish and how to convert to FTA. didn't know where to go and what to do. ended up here. now i think am lost.

Welcome!

Your first step should be to ask a Mod to move your posting to your own thread. Then, detail what you presently have for equipment, and at least the city and state you are located. Then, detail what you expect/hope to receive for channels. Then we can go from there for advise.

 

[Christopher Cromwell]

@Primo Agustin, welcome to the forum! Your not completely lost, otherwise you wouldn't be here. A short answer to your question, i was told an old Directv dish can not be used as an FTA dish. You might get a few channels on a few satellites, but its not designed for FTA. As Primestar mentioned, its best that you start your own thread with your info and any other questions you may have. You will receive answers better and faster that way. Hope this helps!

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[bobvick]

Looks like the only C-Band Satellites I can look at with the 1.2M dish is 87W, 91W and 99W based on the footprint where I live. All 3 have good channels, 91W C-Band has the most sports and other stuff that aren't scrambled, 99W has the most feeds and 87W has the most local TV stations. I can only pick one satellite and park it there with one dish. My wife isn't going to just let me put up 2 more 1.2M dishes without kicking me out of the house first.

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You do know that those "local tv stations" on SES2(87W) are RetroTV, and they are nothing but repeats of the same thing. Not to mention, there is no way you will get them with a mini-BUD, folks have trouble with those feeds on a 10 footer. I wouldn't waste my time with 87W C-Band. 99 or 91 a lot stronger signal.


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[ray224000]

Bobovick....What about 58W? Do you know some of the cband channels difficult to bring in with a mini-BUD?

 

[primestar31]

Bobovick....What about 58W? Do you know some of the cband channels difficult to bring in with a mini-BUD?

Mini-buds are voodoo magic. It's really hard to tell 100% what you can or can't get at any particular location. IF you can install it at as close as you can get to 100% perfection in every way, you are pretty much guaranteed to get a few channels on 91W or 99W. Everything else is totally guesswork with a dish under 6 ft.

It can be fun to play with if that's all you have available for a dish size, but it's sort of like having a 6-pack of beer, and no way to open them...