[falz]

Hello folks! So, I moved into a new house this weekend. The neighborhood has large trees, and I have a steel roof (not flat).

DirecTV came out to do the install, and as I found out, they won't touch a steel roof (a few mentions of this here as well, wish I would have looked into that first). The installer offered me two solutions:

1) Cut down a tree. I don't want to do this.

2) Install a pole along the side of the house that extends about 4' above the roof, and he will mount the dish on this. This seemed acceptable, I could go to Home Depot/Menards/etc and get it done. He of course didn't mention how rare the 2' pole is to find locally.

These threads have helped me so far:

* Internet seller for 2" pipe

* Reinstall slimline on wall instead of fascia

* Under Eave 5LNB Dish
​

I'm going to attempt to contact any local installers I can find today to see if they'll do it if I just pay them for the dish, equipment, etc instead of the "free" DirecTV movers, which I would assume would have more restrictions on placement.

This is the best picture I have. The tree that's on the left hand side is what he proposes is cut down, and the dish be mounted on their smaller pole on the other side of the porch that's pictured.

The pole suggestion would be to run it up so it comes out near the chimney, which is in a decent corner along the side of the house. There is also a fence there with 4' wood in cement footings, if I were to put it many feet deep, attach to structural portions of house and this fence, it MAY stay still.

Anyone have any suggetsions or thoughts on alternatives? The only other one I've seen is a mount that you can put over the peak of a roof that just lays there and you stack cinder blocks on to support. However, it's ugly, and I don't know if it would even give enough height to clear the trees (to the viewers back in this picture)

Thanks!
--falz

 

[MX727]

How about the Ronard Chimney mount?

http://www.ronard.com/

 

[Mertzen]

I would never install a dish on a pole that high up. unless you can secure it somehow all the way up it is going to be unstable.

 

[joe diamond]

I have done two like that. The base must be able to support the weight of the pole or, as it sinks you loose signal. It will work IF the base is secure and the pole will not rotate. You could use monopoles as a "standoff" to locate the pole away from the roof.

Antenna installers do this work all the time.

There are stand alone antenna towers available. They are around eighty bucks per ten foot section but sometimes you can find them free for removal.
New is easiest but $$$$$!

I guess you looked but the dish can be lower as you go back away from objects that block LOS. You can look up your elevation on the DTV site.....but around forty degrees would be my guess.

Challenging install,

Joe

 

[falz]

How about the Ronard Chimney mount?

http://www.ronard.com/

Interesting. I wonder if my chimney is tall enough for it? Looks like a beast and should work. I had a similar mount for an antenna on my previous house, but only two straps. I wonder why there are two poles instead of 1. I would think it would be LESS stable that way.

I would never install a dish on a pole that high up. unless you can secure it somehow all the way up it is going to be unstable.

Fortunately it can be secured most of the way up since it would run along side a fence with 4x lumber that's about 8' high, then I guess attach to the house further up to keep it stable. A major concern of this is getting two 10' sections of pole together in such a way that they won't rotate. If it's the heavy duty NAPA muffler pipe, it sounds like there's an adaptor that can be purchased, but I dont know if I can trust it. Maybe that and a few spot welds?

I have done two like that. The base must be able to support the weight of the pole or, as it sinks you loose signal. It will work IF the base is secure and the pole will not rotate. You could use monopoles as a "standoff" to locate the pole away from the roof.

Antenna installers do this work all the time.

Interesting. I see some standalone towers at solidsignal.com, but only 10' and are like $500 after shipped. Perhaps I'll look to see if I can find some antenna installers locally.

If I do go the pole route, it sounds like I should pour a cement base to prevent sinking, then perhaps another layer with the pole in it w/ rebar stuck through to prevent pivoting(?)

My girlfriend would like me to just get cable, but I *hate* the cable company, so I'd rather invest a few hundred $ in this if I have to, and consider it a moving expense.

 

[HD AV]

There was a previous post in the installation thread that showed a peak mount that may solve your problem. It is basically an inverted "T" shaped mount. There was a link to the site selling them.

 

[MX727]

Interesting. I wonder if my chimney is tall enough for it? Looks like a beast and should work. I had a similar mount for an antenna on my previous house, but only two straps. I wonder why there are two poles instead of 1. I would think it would be LESS stable that way.

The only thing I can think of is it's a way to get the dish spaced further away from the chimney exhaust.

 

[falz]

There was a previous post in the installation thread that showed a peak mount that may solve your problem. It is basically an inverted "T" shaped mount. There was a link to the site selling them.

I wonder if it was a non-flat version of this thing, that you just pile cinder blocks on?

http://www.sterenusa.com/catalog/pr...=312&item=1894&mv=221-110&cuenta=1&posicion=1

Edit:

Perhaps the "PRM-1" here, or different from it?
http://www.lashen.com/vendors/vmp/antenna_mounts.asp

 

[BNUMM]

There is a Non-Penetrating Roof Mount that can go on the peak. That shoul be doable since the slope of your roff isn't very steep.

 

[falz]

There is a Non-Penetrating Roof Mount that can go on the peak. That shoul be doable since the slope of your roff isn't very steep.

I guess I'm finding these fairly easily now. Now to find them cheaper and locally! probably not

http://www.aisatellite.com/pdf/NPR-PEK-retail.pdf

 

[HD AV]

No, the mount I'm referring to mounts on the end of the eaves at the peak. It has a horizontal bar that mounts to the eaves (the bottom of the inverted "T") and a stand-off mount that mounts at the peak. The D* mast fits into this. It's really a simple mount and looked to be very strong and well constructed. Works for any type of antenna or dish mount. Will have to search the installation thread to find. Had link with pictures.

 

[falz]

No, the mount I'm referring to mounts on the end of the eaves at the peak. It has a horizontal bar that mounts to the eaves (the bottom of the inverted "T") and a stand-off mount that mounts at the peak. The D* mast fits into this. It's really a simple mount and looked to be very strong and well constructed. Works for any type of antenna or dish mount. Will have to search the installation thread to find. Had link with pictures.

I understand what you're talking about. Google search comes up with.. this thread I'll search further, but I can visualize it and indeed, one would think that that would be secure, especially if a bolt could hit something structural.

 

[kevinm34232]

The DTV installer can probably use an undereave mount and not charge you anything... They don't normally carry these on the truck so make sure they note it on the work order, although that won't guarantee anything.

 

[Talos4]

The problem with Non penetrating mounts on metal roofs is that the mounts generally do not account of the size of the ridge.

On metal roofs the ridge is often several inches higher that the surface of the panel.

The other issue (and the biggest) with "Standing Seam" metal roofs (which you have) is that the mount will be sitting on the ribs (standing seams). The ribs will be crushed opening the seams and cause leaks.

I would look into the "stand off" or under eave mount in your situation.

I'm happy to see that a D* tech was informed enough to avoid mounting on the metal roof. I've seen alot of butchered installs on some very expensive metal (copper) roofs.

 

[falz]

The problem with Non penetrating mounts on metal roofs is that the mounts generally do not account of the size of the ridge.

On metal roofs the ridge is often several inches higher that the surface of the panel.

The other issue (and the biggest) with "Standing Seam" metal roofs (which you have) is that the mount will be sitting on the ribs (standing seams). The ribs will be crushed opening the seams and cause leaks.

I would look into the "stand off" or under eave mount in your situation.

I'm happy to see that a D* tech was informed enough to avoid mounting on the metal roof. I've seen alot of butchered installs on some very expensive metal (copper) roofs.

Indeed, ridge is higher due to vent, and ribs stand up. I'll see if they can come up with some sort of stand off or under eave mount that would suffice. I'm going to contact the installer (DirectSat, who sent a subcontractor) and see what they say.

 

[falz]

Well, good news for me. I had another company come out and give me a second opinion, and he said they can just put it on a fence I have up, attached to one of the 4x" supports, I may just have to trim a few branches (minor). I then told him that I have a 10' pipe that's coming tomorrow, he said even better, I shouldn't have to trim anything. He was also surprised I could get that long of piece, and thought it should work perfectly.

So, I've rescheduled my free install, ill put the pole up tomorrow, and if the free install still wont go, I'll just pay this other guy, he said $300 or less, which isn't the end of the world.

I'll post some pics when done, maybe it will help someone in the future in a similar situation.

 

[falz]

Oh. Also, the DirecTV installer was apparnetly using the wrong coordinates to point the dish. 2nd guy that came out pointed many degrees differently, which corresponds with what I see on http://www.dishpointer.com/ How could an installer get this wrong?

 

[jwd45244]

You might want to see if something like this would work: http://www.rstcenterprises.com/our_products/commtile.phtml

 

[Talos4]

JWD, the only problem with that mount and standing seams roofs is that the panel width is typically 18" between ribs. Once in a while 24" not very often due to "oil canning". That mount has a flashing width of 30".

 

[joe diamond]

Oh. Also, the DirecTV installer was apparnetly using the wrong coordinates to point the dish. 2nd guy that came out pointed many degrees differently, which corresponds with what I see on http://www.dishpointer.com/ How could an installer get this wrong?

Betya,
In the satellite set up there is a picture of a 3 LNB dish and it says 3 LNB dish. The first guy looked at the picture and looked at the slimline with the three horns, counted to three and pushed the button. Then he used the compass line to the 110 sat. The 5 LNB slimline has three horns but 5 LNB components.
The AU 9s coordinates are nine degrees east to center on the 101.

Happens,

Joe