LOS Issue --total noob.

[Lloth]

I recently moved to a location where I am allowed to have satellite service. The tech informed me that he could get a clear line of sight if he installed it on the edge of the roof, but since that's a no-go with my landlord it isn't an option.

After a while of looking around more he did say he could get a LOS next to my home, on the ground, and it would shoot *over* my roof. *BUT* it would be 3 feet into my neighbors yard. Our houses are kind of close together with no fence in between, but I can't install my dish in his yard, of course.

I asked the tech if we could move it three feet close to my home (so its in my yard at the edge) but set up a pole mount x feet high. He said it wouldn't work, but I don't see why.

I'm a noob in general when it comes to installation of satellite dishes, but would like some of your opinions on if it sounds like its possible. I know it is hard to tell without scoping the actual area out in person.

Also, if putting the dish in my yard still with a pole wouldn't work...what if i put a really tall silly looking pole right beside my home so that the dish will be level with my roof? Sounds like an ugly picture..but I'm desperate. :confused:

Any advice you have will be greatly appreciated!!

[houskamp]

I would say either an "eve mount" (mounts to side of house and wraps around) or if you had to pole mount, run pole from ground to eve and anchor to eve.. A true eve mount would look the best...

[Lloth]

An eave mount does sound like it would work really well, but unfortunately my landlord thinks that satellite dishes are the devil. :( It can't be attached to the home in any manner and I know a pole with a dish on top is asking for trouble when the wind blows, but i'd rather have Directv with poor reception sometimes than no DTV at all!

Thank you for your input!

[veryoldschool]

I know a pole with a dish on top is asking for trouble when the wind blows, but i'd rather have Directv with poor reception sometimes than no DTV at all!

Thank you for your input!
Fill the pole with cement and it should stiffen it right up.

[eakes]

Get a pole long enough to extend above the eave of your house. Install close to but not touching the eave. You will need to put the pole about 4 feet into the ground. Dig a hole about 14 inches in diameter pour in a little concrete then insert the pole, level and continue to fill with concrete. The pole will need to be 'stiffened'. One way to do this is fill it with cement (pour in dry cement, then a little water, then a little more cement, continue until full).

[Lloth]

Thank you that was very helpful! I've read some more info in the forum about pole installs and I'm still going to research it a bit before I do it, of course.

When it's all said and done and I call the tech to come back out, is he going to look at me like a retard and stare blankly at the pole? I guess my question is...is it easy to mount a dish to a pole or do I need anything more for him?

I do know I have to get my lcls from 72.5 and he really didn't give me the specific where that would get a los... So i'm going to need to set two poles up. I probably need to call them back out for more info. Never-ending saga!

[litzdog911]

Thank you that was very helpful! I've read some more info in the forum about pole installs and I'm still going to research it a bit before I do it, of course.

When it's all said and done and I call the tech to come back out, is he going to look at me like a retard and stare blankly at the pole? I guess my question is...is it easy to mount a dish to a pole or do I need anything more for him?

I do know I have to get my lcls from 72.5 and he really didn't give me the specific where that would get a los... So i'm going to need to set two poles up. I probably need to call them back out for more info. Never-ending saga!

Provided you use a 2" diameter pole, the installer should have no issues. Personally I would skip the second pole for your 72.5-deg locals. Those channels will migrate to 99, 101 or 103-deg by the end of this year.

[tj177mmi]

I'm going to install my own pole so there is little reason why the tech won't install it this time (had problems last time). Anyways, is it 2" or 1 1/2" for the slimline dish?

[simonkodousek]

I'm going to install my own pole so there is little reason why the tech won't install it this time (had problems last time). Anyways, is it 2" or 1 1/2" for the slimline dish?

I think it is 2" for the Slimline. :)

[MatthewTheRaven]

I'm going to install my own pole so there is little reason why the tech won't install it this time (had problems last time). Anyways, is it 2" or 1 1/2" for the slimline dish?

For the Slimline it is definitely 100% 2" OD. I went through something very similar to what you are going through and ended up doing a very similar sort of install.

The 2" OD pole was the hardest part to find. Even the local fencing place that supposedly supplied the local installers gave me a pole that was just slightly off. Your best bet is to get the installer to give you a pole and then work with that.

I'll tell you how I did it.

If you go to Lowes or Home Depot, they sell galvanite rigid 2" ID conduit. That stuff does NOT bend. Take one and bolt or weld the 2" OD pole to the top, cut it off at the right height and then put the rigid conduit about 3-4 feet in the ground with 3 or 4 bags of concrete. Put some large bolts through the bottom of it so that it won't spin in the concrete (I happened to have some rebar laying around, so I drilled through the pole and used that). Make sure that it's perfectly plumb before letting it start to cure.

For me, after the concrete cured, the top of that pole swayed less than the 2" OD that the previous installer had put 3 feet into the ground with concrete.

If for some crazy reason you have any type of sway problem, you can go back and guy wire the pole and you should be good to go.

[tj177mmi]

Thanks for the tip! We have some nice 2" OD thick stuff lying around that we use for bumpers on our race car that only bends when struck with a hard surface (like a concrete wall at 60MPH). The problem I have is my leech field and septic tank is right below where I want to put it, so I have a problem. I'm thinking about bolting it to the back deck, using automotive u-bolts as well as regular bolts to not let it twist. I had a LOS problem, but had a secondary, private tech come out and said I have no problem, and wouldn't have any problem doing it the way I wanted to do it.

Also, if I was to run my own RG-6 cable, how many cables do I have to run? After the first debacle, I don't care how much work I have to supply to the tech, I just want HD! :) Reason being, I have to go under the house with the cables (we live in a mobile home). There is only 1 HD-DVR receiver being installed when they come.

[houskamp]

Thanks for the tip! We have some nice 2" OD thick stuff lying around that we use for bumpers on our race car that only bends when struck with a hard surface (like a concrete wall at 60MPH). The problem I have is my leech field and septic tank is right below where I want to put it, so I have a problem. I'm thinking about bolting it to the back deck, using automotive u-bolts as well as regular bolts to not let it twist. I had a LOS problem, but had a secondary, private tech come out and said I have no problem, and wouldn't have any problem doing it the way I wanted to do it.

Also, if I was to run my own RG-6 cable, how many cables do I have to run? After the first debacle, I don't care how much work I have to supply to the tech, I just want HD! :) Reason being, I have to go under the house with the cables (we live in a mobile home). There is only 1 HD-DVR receiver being installed when they come.
you only need 2 cables for that one reciever.. but if possible I would run 4 just incase you decide to add another reciever later.. 4 will let you run 2 DVRs or with a switch as many as you want..

[tj177mmi]

That 2" OD pipe looks huge. :confused: Just bought a 10 ft section of it, so we'll see.

I don't plan on cementing it in the ground, but securing it nicely (with lots of clamps and u-bolts) to my deck. Will my DTV installer put it on this? I guess it doesn't matter. I've been reading about the slimline dish and it doesn't seem that hard to install.