Pole size for new dish

[ftaisawesome]

Hey guys, I was thinking about getting direct tv. If I decide to, I'm going to mount the dish on a pole. I don't want it attached to my house in any way. I'm perfectly capable of doing this myself so, I would have it all ready to go when the installer got here.

I used the search feature and found some old threads about the pipe size. I have a piece of 2 inch conduit I could use but, the OD is actually 2 3/8 inches. I read a post ( I think a poster named mike 500 said this) where that spreads out the clamp on the dish. Would that work? I could probably also get a piece of 1 1/2 which the OD would be just under 2 inches. I read about using different methods to shim this up a bit including a guy who put screws through the dish( guy with an Ohio State logo for his avatar) I've read all about using fence post as well. As you can see I tried to do my homework here.

I was thinking since I have a welder, maybe I could weld a flat plate on the pole and then screw to that just like it was the roof or the house? I'm not sure how that would look though. I'm thinking that might look tacky.

Advice?

 

[dishrich]

I assume you are going to be getting HD, which means you'll be getting a slimline, which requires a 2" OD pipe.
Instead of trying to screw around with what isn't the correct size, just go out & buy the correct size pipe & be DONE with it. It ain't THAT expensive & it'll make things much easier (for both YOU & the D* tech!) in the long run!

 

[DirectDishNet]

It is very nice of you to offer to have things done when the D-Tech comes out. I'm sure he will appreciate it.
However, I have found many times when A customer has said they did the pole them selfs, I would of preferred that they waited. The problem is usually no line of site or wrong pole.

If you do want to install a pole, Remember the following info would help.
1. 2" OD pole
2. Flatten the bottom of the pole so it will not spin
3. Use 1 1/2 - 2 bags of Quick Crete
4. Make sure you have a clear line of site to the southern sky
5. Have around 3' of the pole in the ground
6. Don't have the pole anymore than 4' out of the ground. It will start to wobble if larger than that
7. Make sure it is plumb and level. Must be SPOT on... <----- Very important
8. Have a glass of Lemon Aid & Fudge on a nice table next to the pole ready for the tech.

PS: If you are feeling really generous, You could dig a trench to your D-Mark from the pole

 

[wildbill129]

Some suggestions:

Make sure you put it in below the frost line. You can flatten the end to stop it from spinning, but I like to drill two (one on each side) horizontal holes and put in a short piece of rebar. It keeps the pole from spinning and lifting out.

Don't forget the conduit while you have that hole open!

 

[DirectDishNet]

Some suggestions:

Make sure you put it in below the frost line. You can flatten the end to stop it from spinning, but I like to drill two (one on each side) horizontal holes and put in a short piece of rebar. It keeps the pole from spinning and lifting out.

Don't forget the conduit while you have that hole open!

Good point on the rebar, Forgot that one.

 

[Liquidforce88]

2" OD you can get from any muffler shop. You won't find it at any Home Improvement store. 2 3/8" won't work 1 7/8" won't work either. I won't mess with shim's or any other way to try and make it work, because it is an auto fail and no pay for me.

 

[jdspencer]

I had an old fence post which was slightly smaller than 2" OD, but >1 7/8", when I had the dish relocated. I plumbed it in its new location before the installer came. To get it to fit, we wrapped aluminum flashing around the pipe (two wraps). This worked perfectly and the installer's supervisor, who came to help the newbie, said it was a good install.

 

[ftaisawesome]

It is very nice of you to offer to have things done when the D-Tech comes out. I'm sure he will appreciate it.
However, I have found many times when A customer has said they did the pole them selfs, I would of preferred that they waited. The problem is usually no line of site or wrong pole.

If you do want to install a pole, Remember the following info would help.
1. 2" OD pole
2. Flatten the bottom of the pole so it will not spin
3. Use 1 1/2 - 2 bags of Quick Crete
4. Make sure you have a clear line of site to the southern sky
5. Have around 3' of the pole in the ground
6. Don't have the pole anymore than 4' out of the ground. It will start to wobble if larger than that
7. Make sure it is plumb and level. Must be SPOT on... <----- Very important
8. Have a glass of Lemon Aid & Fudge on a nice table next to the pole ready for the tech.

PS: If you are feeling really generous, You could dig a trench to your D-Mark from the pole

Not sure what you mean by a D mark but, if you're talking about to run the cable in, I'm gonna do one better than that. I'm also going to run two cables to the location with a ground block near the site and rod into the ground as well. I prefer running my own cables into my home. You sound like you are an installer and, you may do a very professional job but, I've also read stories on here about shabby installs. Since I don't know if I would get an swm lnb, I figured I better just run two cables just in case. No big deal if I have an extra. All I'm planning on at least right now is one HD DVR. If I don't change my mind on this whole thing

 

[ftaisawesome]

Some suggestions:

Make sure you put it in below the frost line. You can flatten the end to stop it from spinning, but I like to drill two (one on each side) horizontal holes and put in a short piece of rebar. It keeps the pole from spinning and lifting out.

Don't forget the conduit while you have that hole open!

Are you saying run the cable in a piece of conduit? That's a possibility.

 

[ftaisawesome]

Thanks to all of you that have taken the time to reply. I appreciate it.

 

[cfb]

Some suggestions:

Make sure you put it in below the frost line. You can flatten the end to stop it from spinning, but I like to drill two (one on each side) horizontal holes and put in a short piece of rebar. It keeps the pole from spinning and lifting out.

Don't forget the conduit while you have that hole open!

All very, very good advice. A couple of long bolts do just as well as the rebar, and if you have some scraps of old galvanized wire fence stick those in the hole too before pouring the concrete in. Sometimes after 5-10 years of wind thrum the post will crack the whole concrete base and while the pole wont spin, it might rock. The bits of wire fence help keep that from happening. A full rebar mesh is best, but thats more than most folks are going to do on a post pour.

Heres something I was thinking about that perhaps might also be a good idea...thoughts from the real installers would be appreciated.

While you have a 3.5-4' hole dug in the ground, wouldnt it be a nice idea to drive a 3-4' grounding rod in and attach a thick insulated lead up the pole before pouring the concrete? Then the dish and grounding block could be mounted to that. I know if the pole is put in within a certain number of feet of the house ground (check your local code) the inspector will want the ground run to the house ground proper. But I'm figuring many folks putting in a post are going to have it far enough from the house to warrant a safe grounding of its own.

 

[DirectDishNet]

Don't forget #8 on my list, Thats the most important one in my book.

 

[Bosco10021]

I used a slightly smaller diameter pole. After the install and when everything was complete I did an extra step(because in part I live in a high wind area).

To prevent the dish from moving out of line, I drilled and threaded (tapped) two holes thru the collar of the dish and into the pole. I then could then bolt the dish securely to the pole not ever to worry about it moving. It works great.

 

[DirectDishNet]

I used a slightly smaller diameter pole. After the install and when everything was complete I did an extra step(because in part I live in a high wind area).

To prevent the dish from moving out of line, I drilled and threaded (tapped) two holes thru the collar of the dish and into the pole. I then could then bolt the dish securely to the pole not ever to worry about it moving. It works great.

WOW!... Did you also Turtle wax the dish?.... lol, Joking......

I use self tapping screws like about 5-8 of them.....

 

[ftaisawesome]

WOW!... Did you also Turtle wax the dish?.... lol, Joking......

I use self tapping screws like about 5-8 of them.....

5-8 of them? Did you want to make sure if a tornado came along it not only blew the dish off but, took the whole pole out of the ground with it?

 

[Jimbo]

I used a slightly smaller diameter pole. After the install and when everything was complete I did an extra step(because in part I live in a high wind area).

To prevent the dish from moving out of line, I drilled and threaded (tapped) two holes thru the collar of the dish and into the pole. I then could then bolt the dish securely to the pole not ever to worry about it moving. It works great.

WOW!... Did you also Turtle wax the dish?.... lol, Joking......

I use self tapping screws like about 5-8 of them.....

Hmmm,
We went to the same school as far as the self tapping screws.
My dish hasn't moved since I put it up ..... concrete, bolt in the bottom and self tappers to snug it up, my post came from a local FENCE company, 2" OD, which is slightly less 1 7/8th probably. Aligned correctly and placed self tappers.

It's been rock solid since '05
And it's a 16' galvinized post supported at the roof line. (flat roof)

 

[Joe Diamond]

Not sure what you mean by a D mark but, if you're talking about to run the cable in, I'm gonna do one better than that. I'm also going to run two cables to the location with a ground block near the site and rod into the ground as well. I prefer running my own cables into my home. You sound like you are an installer and, you may do a very professional job but, I've also read stories on here about shabby installs. Since I don't know if I would get an swm lnb, I figured I better just run two cables just in case. No big deal if I have an extra. All I'm planning on at least right now is one HD DVR. If I don't change my mind on this whole thing

D mark = demarcation point....where the utilities enter your building. That is where the electric ground is and where your interior cable & phone lines enter. The ground block for your sat system gets bonded there also.

Dig the cable trench to the D mark. Run two cables for each DVR & one cable for receivers 2 & 3.

Joe