Pole Mount Preps

[VaJim]

Getting ready for the HD upgrade. If the installer agrees to a pole mount (as opposed to the roof) do they normally have a pole with them? I suspose I'd have to make a quick run to Home Depot for a bag of cement. Do they even worry about marking the yard for underground buried cables? Miss Utility? If no pole or yard markings, do you cancel the install and reschedule??:eek2:

[HDTVsportsfan]

Technically, they should call Miss Utility in VA. No offense to the install company in your area, but I've never seen a post here where they called. You'd be better off calling it in yourself.

Not all installers will have the materials needed. The best thing to do is get the number of the install company from DirecTV and call and ask them. Some do and some don't.

Do you want a pole mount? If you do, you should really call and get all of the details. And would it be included with whatever fee DirecTV has already quoted you.

[VaJim]

Do you want a pole mount?

..no preference. I just want the best location for the signal strength and provide a solid base for the dish. I'm just afraid that if it did come down to a pole mount (after the installer arrives) and the installer has no pole, will I end up having to reschedule?

[HDTVsportsfan]

Yes...you would have to reschedule.

[curt8403]

..no preference. I just want the best location for the signal strength and provide a solid base for the dish. I'm just afraid that if it did come down to a pole mount (after the installer arrives) and the installer has no pole, will I end up having to reschedule?


right, and it is actually better if you can get the cement, pole and what not before. sometimes that is cheaper than what the installer will charge

[BattleZone]

Pole mounts are only "free" when there are no other options to get line-of-site. If the dish *could* be mounted on the house somewhere and get LOS, then the pole mount becomes an optional, chargable item.

In my area, pole mounts are very rare, and 100% of them will result in mounting the pole the first day and rescheduling the install itself at least 24 hours, to allow the concrete to set.

[Mike500]

If the installer won't have a two inch actual diameter pole, it will be difficult to obtain locally. If you check at Home Depot or Lowe's, the poles are more like 1-5/8", 1.91" and 2-3/8" actual.

For our installs, we used to special order 2 inch actual poles, which has become very expensive, since shipping prices have increased. A fellow satellite contractor colleague of mine has developed an inexpensive adapter to adapt the widely available 1-5/8" actual pole to take the AU9 slimline DirecTV two inch actual mounting socket.

This is his listing on eBay;


http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=150220543836&ssPageName=STRK:MESE:IT&ih=005

As a matter of fact, the example of the roof install on the older PhaseIII pole was done by one of his eBay customers at his townhouse in Virginia in Oyster Point in Newport News.

If you are currently getting all three satellites with a Phase III three lnb dish, you can use the same position for the new slimline dish.

[finaldiet]

Getting ready for the HD upgrade. If the installer agrees to a pole mount (as opposed to the roof) do they normally have a pole with them? I suspose I'd have to make a quick run to Home Depot for a bag of cement. Do they even worry about marking the yard for underground buried cables? Miss Utility? If no pole or yard markings, do you cancel the install and reschedule??:eek2:

I called DTV about some matter in Nov. and during conversation I said I was thinking of having attenna moved to ground mount. She said she just had that done at her place and DTV did it. I said how much and she said $52 and change. I said " WHAT"!! She said they would install pole ( they provided) concrete in ground, run wires underground and re-align dish. That also included moving dish off roof. No brainer decision. Set up appointment and that's exactly all it cost!:D

[dkouz]

Do you want a pole mount? If you do, you should really call and get all of the details. And would it be included with whatever fee DirecTV has already quoted you.

Not true. DirecTV does not pay for pole mounts. If you want a pole, be prepared to fork over ~$75 to the installer.

[HDTVsportsfan]

Not true. DirecTV does not pay for pole mounts. If you want a pole, be prepared to fork over ~$75 to the installer.


That was meant to be a question...not a statement. It was meant to have the OP call and get all of the details upfront and have a game plan. Also, if no LOS from a roof mount then it is free.

[lwilli201]

right, and it is actually better if you can get the cement, pole and what not before. sometimes that is cheaper than what the installer will charge

I agree. I got a 2 inch OD pipe at my local muffler shop. I know the guy so he sold me a 8 foot piece for $5.00. It has held up very well for over a year. No rust.