McGyver Satellite Install

[nicepants]

Okay so my apartment complex screwed me over. I told them that I have dish network and that I'd need to be able to point the dish to the southwest sky. Unfortunately the lady who got us the apartment didn't do it right so now I'm stuck and I'm looking for input.

I had a tech come out & look at my situation and he told me that I'd need to have the dish out about 4 feet from the building so that i could shoot sideways & hit both birds.

The apartment complex manager suggested that I get a tripod and lay it down on it's side - running the long pole out perpindicular to my balcony railing. The end of this pole would have to be bent 90 degrees to create a vertical rise to put the dish on. He said someone else had done that & put sandbags on the tripod legs to keep it steady.

I mentioned this idea to one of the technicians who came out to look at my situation and he didn't think that would work. Does anyone have any ideas? I really love dishnetwork (specially the PVR). I thought aobut DirecTV (maybe their satellites are within view) but I don't have a land phone line and if you don't have one of those they screw you over.

Ideas? Suggestions?

[spanishannouncetable]

As long as it's mounted securely, go for it. Do whatever it takes to avoid cable :D

[Richard King]

As opposed to calling in Loni Anderson's brother, anything that would give you a plumb pole section to mount the dish on where you can see the satellites should work. Now, if Loni would come out and help you mount the dish instead of her brother, I would say go for it. :D

[Claude Greiner]

Muffler clamp work good :)

Might not be a bad idea to go to Home Depot and get some Galvanized pipe and some 90's to make the type of mount you need :)

[shilton]

Okay so my apartment complex screwed me over. I told them that I have dish network and that I'd need to be able to point the dish to the southwest sky. Unfortunately the lady who got us the apartment didn't do it right so now I'm stuck and I'm looking for input.

I had a tech come out & look at my situation and he told me that I'd need to have the dish out about 4 feet from the building so that i could shoot sideways & hit both birds.

The apartment complex manager suggested that I get a tripod and lay it down on it's side - running the long pole out perpindicular to my balcony railing. The end of this pole would have to be bent 90 degrees to create a vertical rise to put the dish on. He said someone else had done that & put sandbags on the tripod legs to keep it steady.

I mentioned this idea to one of the technicians who came out to look at my situation and he didn't think that would work. Does anyone have any ideas? I really love dishnetwork (specially the PVR). I thought aobut DirecTV (maybe their satellites are within view) but I don't have a land phone line and if you don't have one of those they screw you over.

Ideas? Suggestions?
My BEST suggestion...I manage apartments and we deal with this all the time...simple enough, if she didn't give you what you needed or asked for and she said she would, you have the right to refuse the unit and ask for another. I'd make her relocate you to a suitable unit. You told her what you wanted and she didn't come through. You do not have to accept the other one and I would not. If she refuses, I'd press to get the ok to mount it on the roof to get the direction you need. I have had residents who have tried the "McGyver" installs you mention and sooner or later the wind knocks the Dish out of alignment or something like that. Your best bet is to hold out for the direction you need, be it a new apartment or the roof! Good luck.

[BobaBird]

nicepants,

If they were really trying to screw you over, they would (and could) refuse to allow you to place the dish outside your exclusive use area. At least you have a workable if somewhat awkward alternative to fall back on in case you don't get satisfaction with shilton's suggestion.