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Mounting Dish - High On Roof

2K views 16 replies 10 participants last post by  peds48 
#1 ·
I know DTV no longer does this. Where would I look to find a contractor (independent or otherwise) in the Dallas\Ft Worth area that can mount a dish higher up on the roof using a CommDeck (link), run coax, and align? I'd do it myself, but the safety equipment isn't really feasable for me for a one time job.

Our HOA requires our dish be out of the streetview. I've called A/V companies, roofing companies, etc.....but none seem to be willing to do the whole job so I must not be looking for the right resource.

Aren't there independents that are not bound to the rules of mounting from the ladder and where does one find them?
 
#3 ·
I'd look under Google for Satellite installers in your area. Yes, if they are small enough, they don't fall under OSHA's guidelines for fall protection. Although that doesn't mean they still won't comply with the regs.

Your HOA may require the dish to be out of view, but if you can't get a signal from a hidden install or the cost to install the dish is more expensive, your HOA can't force you to move the dish. And you're the one who determines if it is too expensive. Good luck.
 
#5 ·
I've indeed read about the laws that provide some allowance, but thanks for pointing that out. That's an important fact that most who might run across this thread should know they can rely on if needed.

In my case, I'm in the process of installing a new roof and my current dish install does look fairly ugly so I'm willing to pay a bit more to tuck it behind the front elevation. The time is good to do it right and I'm willing to pony up a more than the standard $75 or anything.

I've found a trove of installers (ftainstall dot com) and I'm hoping I can find one!
 
#4 ·
Our HOA requires our dish be out of the streetview.
If you actually own your property and it's not a shared thing like a townhome, they're likely in violation of the FCC's OTARD rules, which override any HOA requirement about placement of dishes.

Follow some of the links given in these threads for information about it:
The Battle is on! My landlord now demands I remove my dish
Fighting my condo association to keep DirecTV
HOA Question

You might want to send a PM to Lord Vader as well, he might be able to help you fight your HOA if pointing out the FCC OTARD rules isn't enough to get them to back off.
 
#7 ·
They can more than ask nicely.

However, a regulation requiring that antennas be placed in a particular location on a house such as the side or the rear, might be permissible if this placement does not prevent reception of an acceptable quality signal or impose unreasonable expense or delay. For example, if installing an antenna in the rear of the house costs significantly more than installation on the side of the house, then such a requirement would be prohibited. If, however, installation in the rear of the house does not impose unreasonable expense or delay or preclude reception of an acceptable quality signal, then the restriction is permissible and the viewer must comply.
And in this case, the TS is willing to pay a bit extra. Sometimes proving the HOA wrong could lead to other issues.....
 
#8 ·
OTARD is not a carte blanche "I can put my dish anywhere I want to put it" rule.
The first step would be to define "exclusive use area" vs "common area".
(Common sense does not always apply to such definitions.)
 
#9 ·
Starting to plan the install. I've got a good location identified on the roof and I'll be using the commdeck linked in the first post along with a SWM dish. My question is about the mast grounding wire. Obviously, the coax will run neatly through the roof deck. I'd prefer not running a ground wire draped down the roof to the service meter. Any recommendations?

I read this summary:
NEC Grounding- DIRECTV DISH Network HughesNet Wildblue

It sure would be nice to run the ground wire inside somewhere, but didn't see that as an option. I was thinking I could run the ground with the coax inside the attic and then out the soffit (current coax entry point). Thoughts?

By the way, I've yet to find a contractor that seems interested. Debating doing it myself at this point.
 
#13 ·
Using a CommDeck mount means violating NEC ground regs as the mount purpose is to route the cables right through the roof and to inside the building. Grounding the dish and coax (properly) defeats the purpose of the this particular mount.


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#14 ·
Using a CommDeck mount means violating NEC ground regs as the mount purpose is to route the cables right through the roof and to inside the building. Grounding the dish and coax (properly) defeats the purpose of the this particular mount.
Well if you put it on the edge of your roof near the service entrance where your electrical is grounded, you could run a ground wire less than 20' long from the ground block behind the dish and stay within code. But from 'high on the roof' you're right.

I think the Commdeck is trying to solve a problem that is pretty rare - a roof leaking due to installation of a dish/antenna. If that happened a lot, we'd see people coming here complaining that they got water in their house and asking if Directv will do anything for them.

Sure, if you stop using a dish you have to leave the base behind because removing it might increase the chance of leaks, but there's little difference from leaving a dish base behind and leaving a Commdeck behind. Either way you have something sticking out of your roof.
 
#15 ·
Well if you put it on the edge of your roof near the service entrance where your electrical is grounded, you could run a ground wire less than 20' long from the ground block behind the dish and stay within code. But from 'high on the roof' you're right.

.
Well you could, but the whole point of this mount is to run all cables to inside the building with no external cable visible. So if you are going to ground you might as well use the regular mast without the CommDeck.

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