Tailgate setup help

[terpfanatic]

Im hoping to have DTV at my tailgates next season. I already have HD service and one HR20. I just need to get and extra dish.

1. I would need the 5LNB to get HD service right?

2. Are the dishes connected to accounts like recievers? can I buy a dish on ebay and not worry about not getting the dish to work cause the previous owner owes money to DTV?

3. Also, where can I get a tripod for that dish?

4. Finally, are there any good websites with detailed instructions on getting everything setup?

thanks

[houskamp]

Im hoping to have DTV at my tailgates next season. I already have HD service and one HR20. I just need to get and extra dish.

1. I would need the 5LNB to get HD service right?

2. Are the dishes connected to accounts like recievers? can I buy a dish on ebay and not worry about not getting the dish to work cause the previous owner owes money to DTV?

3. Also, where can I get a tripod for that dish?

4. Finally, are there any good websites with detailed instructions on getting everything setup?

thanks
1. Yep
2. Nope.. dishes are not tied to accounts..
3. try solidsignal.com
4. your at the best already :)

[jefbal99]

Im hoping to have DTV at my tailgates next season. I already have HD service and one HR20. I just need to get and extra dish.

1. I would need the 5LNB to get HD service right?

yes

2. Are the dishes connected to accounts like recievers? can I buy a dish on ebay and not worry about not getting the dish to work cause the previous owner owes money to DTV?

dishes are universal

3. Also, where can I get a tripod for that dish?

SolidSignal (http://www.solidsignal.com/cat_display.asp?main_cat=02&CAT=Mounting%20Supplies) has them.

4. Finally, are there any good websites with detailed instructions on getting everything setup?

Dish Pointer.com (http://www.dishpointer.com/) will help you with the aiming of your dish.

thanks

you are welcome

[joe diamond]

I would suggest :
NOT HD for tailgating. It can be done but:............ the tripod really should be a "non penetrating roof mount" with a 2" mast + some weights (10 cases of beer)..............tuning is a little more difficult.....specify a "slimline" dish (easier to tune)......and the glare factor on the screen outdoors;
will it be worth it?

A SD receiver, dish and a tripod (or even a mast bolted to the bumper) is just easier. If you get rain or snow on the SD TV you just yard sale another.

Just a thought.

Joe

[terpfanatic]

I would suggest :
NOT HD for tailgating. It can be done but:............ the tripod really should be a "non penetrating roof mount" with a 2" mast + some weights (10 cases of beer)..............tuning is a little more difficult.....specify a "slimline" dish (easier to tune)......and the glare factor on the screen outdoors;
will it be worth it?

A SD receiver, dish and a tripod (or even a mast bolted to the bumper) is just easier. If you get rain or snow on the SD TV you just yard sale another.

Just a thought.

Joe


Well the TV is going to be sitting inside the back of my Explorer facing out to the back. If I got the HD dish it would be the slimline one, I have seen them on ebay for $60. I was planing on having this mounted on top of the roof of my explorer and maybe using a wedge to secure it under my existing roof rack.

Am I still gonna have problems getting it to work?

[carl6]

With the slimline, you need to have the mast perfectly vertical. That's going to be very hard to do putting it on top of a vehicle. I would bet you would have a very difficult time getting the dish aligned, if you got it at all.

You need a tripod or non-penetrating sled mount where you can easily adjust the mast to be vertically plumb before putting the dish on. Also, the slimline needs a much wider field of view (99 to 119) than a regular dish, which could be tough in a tailgating situation.

Not saying you can't do it, but Joe's suggestion is a good one in my book.

Carl

[K4SMX]

You might want to check out the Ronard Industries Model 3009 Universal Tripod (http://www.ronard.com/) for temporary ground-mounting of the Slimline.

[reverett1522]

Don't do HD, I did it last season with a 3LNB dish, it was easy to set up but no one notices or really cares. We concentrate more on the boozing anyway. I can get locals with a Silver Sensor antenna so I doubt I'll be going up to the slimline this season. But if the ESPN's are still on 110/119 in Fall it will be a side benefit.

For a dish mount I took a simple piece of MDF I had lying around from an old project, probably 3' x 2' and mounted the mast to that. Then I got some rubber feet from lowes, the type you put on the bottom of tables/chairs, and glued those to the base so it doesn't scratch the car. I set the base on the hood, level out the mast then put the dish on. Since we're always in the same lot I leave the tilt and elevation alone and just go from side to side to tune it in.

Since the TV is in the back of my Envoy, just like your set up, I got a 20' rca cable and run it from the composite output out to my portable DVD player and use the on screen aiming and signal meters to get it aimed, while at the dish. Sometimes I can be aimed in less than 30 secs!!!

I took the risk and bought a cheap ($100) chinese generator off ebay, 800 watts, and it has work flawlessly for me so far powering the receiver and 32" LCD. But I do plug a UPS in to it to protect my gear!

Rob

[doctor j]

see this post and PM me in you want more info

http://www.dbstalk.com/showpost.php?p=1321396&postcount=5

Doctor j

[terpfanatic]

Don't do HD, I did it last season with a 3LNB dish, it was easy to set up but no one notices or really cares. We concentrate more on the boozing anyway. I can get locals with a Silver Sensor antenna so I doubt I'll be going up to the slimline this season. But if the ESPN's are still on 110/119 in Fall it will be a side benefit.

For a dish mount I took a simple piece of MDF I had lying around from an old project, probably 3' x 2' and mounted the mast to that. Then I got some rubber feet from lowes, the type you put on the bottom of tables/chairs, and glued those to the base so it doesn't scratch the car. I set the base on the hood, level out the mast then put the dish on. Since we're always in the same lot I leave the tilt and elevation alone and just go from side to side to tune it in.

Since the TV is in the back of my Envoy, just like your set up, I got a 20' rca cable and run it from the composite output out to my portable DVD player and use the on screen aiming and signal meters to get it aimed, while at the dish. Sometimes I can be aimed in less than 30 secs!!!

I took the risk and bought a cheap ($100) chinese generator off ebay, 800 watts, and it has work flawlessly for me so far powering the receiver and 32" LCD. But I do plug a UPS in to it to protect my gear!

Rob

that all sounds good, In our lot there are huge Light poles that light up the intramural fields, and they have outlets in them. If you can get there early enough to get a good spot you can plug right into the light poles.

thanks to everyone for all the info.

[cweave02]

I'm down on Jekyll Isalnd for a convention and drove by a RV campground on the way to the hotel yesterday afternoon - lined up along the road were 3 D* tripod dishes, all aligned looking to the heavens. Will try to take a picture and post on my next trip around the island.

[K4SMX]

.....thanks to everyone for all the info.
However you do this, as long as you have some method of making your mast perfectly plumb at each location, your alignment should simply be a matter of swinging the dish. Unless you travel a long way north or south, once you get your EL and Tilt set, setting the AZ is all you should have to do at each stop.

[Mike500]

A lot cheaper than those expensive Ronard tripods is a HEAVY DUTY tripod Rohn tripod available at ANY Radio Shack for $35.

Unlike the Ronard, it will not fit the 2 inch actual mast, which is hard to get, anyway.

So, USE a 1-5/8" actual gavalnized chain link fence line post. It's about $6 at Home Depot and you need only about 30 inches of it.

Then, use this adapter that a fellow installer subcontractor developed to make the top of the pole exactly two inches.

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

We use the tripod and adapter to install a lot of AU9's on apartment balconies.

[K4SMX]

Yeah, I had that R/S ref, but I left that out of my post because of the mast size issue, and I didn't have a quick ref to your buddy's latest eBay listing. The R/S tripod is here (http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2062019&cp=&sr=1&origkw=tripod&kw=tripod&parentPage=search).

[DBordello]

I have a bucket + pole + concrete setup on my roof currently.

I simply went and bought a rubber-maid container and filled it with 120 lbs of concrete, works perfectly.

The mast is not perfectly level. The dish has adjustments in all 3 directions, I am pretty sure you can compensate for an unlevel mast. Aiming was really easy also, just swinging and then tweaking.

[K4SMX]

.....The mast is not perfectly level. The dish has adjustments in all 3 directions, I am pretty sure you can compensate for an unlevel mast.....
That can certainly be done, but it's not really recommended for correctly aligning Ka installations. :) It means that you're adjusting multiple axes simultaneously with each turn of a single adjusting screw. It would probably be better to shim your container first.....

[bman51]

I would just use a single LNB dish for tailgating. I've been doing it since about 1997 with an old fold-up single LNB dish (no tripod) that I put on top of the car or SUV. Works perfectly, easy to aim, and folds up into a nice carry case. I'm not even sure if they make them like that anymore. I'm an HD freak; but for tailgating it seems like overkill. Good luck.

[FireMedic8039]

I have been using the Dish for at least 6 years now while tailgating. I screwed the dish plate to a piece of 4x4 3/4" plywood. With a piece of carpet under the plywood so the paint doesnt get scratched First set was a pain. Since then. I have an explorer sport trac. I place the dish on top of the truck. Lean it against the luggage bars. And spin the whole set up until I hear the sound come in. Never had a problem. I have used a 20" sanyo flat screen. Its all hooked up to a 700watt inverter. Its on for at least 2hrs or more and had never had to start the truck to recharge the battery. But I do start the truck when tearng down the whole Tailgate set up to recharged what was used. Hope this helps

[cweave02]

Sorry for the delay - and by the time I got back to that side of the island, someone must have been kicked off and went home since there were only 2 left.

[jaguar325]

If you don't want to spend the time/money chasing down a tripod, I had an experience last summer that might apply. Similar to the other post suggesting a simple board (plywood or MDF), I bought a Slimline from some guy off Craigslist for $20 and attached the base of the normal roof-mount tripod (that it comes with the dish) to a piece of plywood with lag bolts. I wasn't tailgating - it was for temporary use at a cabin but I think the same principle applies. Also, make sure to have something to weigh the base down with so it doesn't tip/blow over -or- get out of alignment. I used rocks. From my experience, the method of mounting the dish isn't the primary thing to be focused on, it's being ready to dial in the dish.

I wasn't 100% sure of the direction I needed to point mine in because I was in an area where the ground is loaded with iron and a compass doesn't help. We eventually ended up using my son's iPhone and looked up the exact location/pointing direction on the internet and had it dialed-in within 10 minutes. When I go back there, I have a specific island I know to point the dish at and it should be even quicker. Depending on how quick you want to be on-line when you show up at the tailgating site, you may want to go there sometime prior to figure this stuff out so you aren't wasting time dialing in the dish and taking abuse from your friends.

Have fun!

[carl6]

I use a piece of plywood with a round dish for quick availability of 101. I have the mount and mast marked so that when the edge of the plywood is pointing true north/south, when I place the dish on and swing it around until the marks line up, it is properly aligned.

That way, all I need to do is identify the direction of true north (usually pretty easy to do), and presto, I get the dish aligned.

Carl

[deweybroncos]

I use a piece of plywood with a round dish for quick availability of 101. I have the mount and mast marked so that when the edge of the plywood is pointing true north/south, when I place the dish on and swing it around until the marks line up, it is properly aligned.

That way, all I need to do is identify the direction of true north (usually pretty easy to do), and presto, I get the dish aligned.

Carl

Do you have a picture of this? I'm envisioning a round lazy susan type board with a bolt in the center that spins on square base?

[carl6]

No, just took a sharpie and marked where the dish mounting plate sits on the mast. Standard mounting plate, standard dish, 20" x 36" piece of plywood.

The only thing that spins is the standard dish mount on the mast.

Probably didn't describe it very well the first time.

Carl

[uscboy]

I'm going to go against the group and say go HD. :)

I bring down a 5LNB Slimline, a 24" Dell monitor, and a 17" Dell monitor.
Two HD receivers, and an OTA antenna (no HD locals here yet). By the
way, the Slimline isn't that hard to point, just get it close to level first. Lock
in your elevation and azimuth for your zip code and just start spinning slowly
while watching the signal meters. After a few times it's very easy... I set the
dish on the pole, point it close to the same spot for each game since we tailgate
in the same spot each year, and 50% of the time I turn on the receiver and have
all the satellites already with good numbers.

I have the tripod mount from Radio Shack and the new 2" outer-diameter
pole for the 5LNB dish just BARELY fits in there with one screw to tighten it
instead of three. If you're using the 5LNB dish, you need a 2" outer-diameter
pole and the easiest source for that is a DirecTV van, trust me... if you use
the round dish or the 3LNB dish (like I did for 3 or 4 years), then a chain link
fence pole is the perfect size.

I have two Group 27 deep cycle batteries and a small 400W inverter. If you
decide to get a generator instead please get a Honda - something like the
eu1000i - they're quiet. Please don't be that person with the loud stinky generator
tailgating right next to other groups...

Picture of the 24" with the one HD receiver set up, the other wasn't set up yet:

http://uscboy.no-ip.org/post/tailgating-setup-2007.jpg

[Mike500]

Easier that that; Use a 1-5/8" chainh link fence line post in the Radio Shack tripod and this adapter that my friend sells on eBay;

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=150225030338&ssPageName=STRK:MESE:IT&ih=005

Keep the pole locked in the tripod as well as the dish on the pole.

The easiest way to peak it is to nail down one leg of the tripod with a big nail and to pivot the entire assembly until you get the best signal. Then, nail down the other two legs.

You can do the same with the plywood mount. Couldn't be easier.

[uscboy]

Easier that that; Use a 1-5/8" chainh link fence line post in the Radio Shack tripod and this adapter that my friend sells on eBay;

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=150225030338&ssPageName=STRK:MESE:IT&ih=005

Keep the pole locked in the tripod as well as the dish on the pole.

The easiest way to peak it is to nail down one leg of the tripod with a big nail and to pivot the entire assembly until you get the best signal. Then, nail down the other two legs.

You can do the same with the plywood mount. Couldn't be easier.

That is a nice adapter, but I fold up the tripod and break down everything to pack
and unpack it, so no bolting anything to plywood. Besides, the extra battery and
a tire on the truck hold the tripod perfectly still, so no base needed here.

Also, the DirecTV guy in my area gave me a free 2" outer-diameter pole when he
dropped off the free extra dish.