Another Buckrub Moment, soon to be in the making.......

[Buckrub]

I can smell this one coming.

Dang wife. She got us into this danged travel trailer. Talk about a money pit. Anyway, that is what caused us/me to get a portable satellite dish and stuff to connect via our home Direct TV account.

OK, I got that figured out. Took a while, it ain't easy. But I got the stuff, and made it work, and know how to do it now. I had it at the farm twice, and camp once, and it all works.

BUT............

Taking it down, putting it up, and TRANSPORTING it all back and forth every time we go to the farm is nuts. HAVE to do that when we use it in the travel trailer. But dang.......the farm should have its own permanent dish at least. Then i'd just have to bring the receiver.

So I got one. $69 is all the dish costs. Then the LNBF. Not too much. I have a fence post and quickcrete down there already. I talked to Direct install guy when he was here, and he agreed. So it arrives today.

Pieces everywhere. NOT ONE sheet of installation instructions. None. Luckily, I did get on the internet and found and downloaded a 16 page instruction manual. But boy, is this NOT my cup of tea.

So starting tomorrow, I'm going to set the portable one up as a 'guide' in the living room, and take the instructions and the working model in front of me, and try to piece this thing together. If (HUGE IF) I can get it put together, then putting it up on the pole should be a piece of cake. Ultimately, I'll take the coax running into the house and bury it in pvc....but for now it can sit on the ground.

I expect a few AARRGGHHHHH's tomorrow. But it sure will be nice when/if I can get it together.

And no, there is no soldering, welding, or cutting involved!!!

Wish me luck.

[Chicken Dinner]

All you need us a hammer and some duct tape.

[Captain]

Good luck Bucky. I set one up at the SC farm and just leave it down there all the time.
One tip I would give you is to NOT mount the dish to a wooden post or pole Especially if it is an HD dish. I DID mount the one in SC to a wooden post and the draw back to that is a wooden post or pole will twist and turn depending on weather conditions. During the winter when its wet and cold the post will twist one way or the other. I go out there and adjust it. Then during the hot dry summer months it will twist back another way and I'll go adjust again. And since I don't have a meter to read signal strength at the dish I have to put the receiver in the house on the set up screen and unless there is someone there to yell at me I have to run in and out the house a hundred times to see when I get the best signal strength. Read PITA...
I need to replace the wooden post with a metal one. It's on my to do list, just have not gotten to it yet.
But do yourself a favor and set a metal post in concrete and save yourself some headaches in the long run.

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[Captain]

Oh and get underground coax and you will not have to put it in PVC. That's what the company uses. And I've had it buried for 15 years here without any problem.
I did put a short piece of PVC over the cable where it came out of the ground and started up the pole to protect it from a weedeater or a mower hitting it. I think I ran it in PVC about a foot total with a couple of inches just under the ground to about 8 or 10 inches above the ground.

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[Buckrub]

OK.

One advice back at ya. I got a card table from lowes.......and I take the little tiny TV from the trailer, and set up the TV, receiver, etc, with an extension cord, RIGHT UNDER the dish. Then I can read the signal strength on the TV while I'm at the Dish. When it's right, I'm done, then I disconnect and reconnect at the other end.

And a meter to read signal strength is el cheapo. But if you have SWM technology dish and LNB, you shouldn't use a meter....should read it off the TV setup screen.

[Trav]

Or just tape down the transmit button on a two way radio lay it by the tv and turn up the volume and take the other outside. You can tell the signal strength by the tone.

[Captain]

That's great you have a way of moving your TV out to the dish and watch the signal strength meter there. But you totally missed my whole point. I'll say it again. MOUNT THE DISH ON A METAL POLE IN CONCRETE. For the reason I described above.
Or let me give you an example that might bring it home for you.

You got your dish mounted on the wooden pole. You haul ass down to the farm and get there just in time to watch one of them Base-a-Ball games. An IMPORTANT one you REALLY want to see. It's raining cats and dogs. You get inside the house and hook up your receiver and find out that the wet conditions has cause the wooden post to twist and you are not getting a signal. Its dark outside and raining. How are you going to get your TV outside in the rain to hook up to your dish to readjust the signal? Guess you will miss the game or ruin a good TV one...

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[Bwana]

Another related piece of advice - a tv is not needed for camping. & dang sure not when you are hunting!

[BarryBobPosthole]

Oh the lengths some people will go to just to have porn in camp.

BKB

[Arty]

That's great you have a way of moving your TV out to the dish and watch the signal strength meter there. But you totally missed my whole point. I'll say it again. MOUNT THE DISH ON A METAL POLE IN CONCRETE. For the reason I described above. Or let me give you an example that might bring it home for you. You got your dish mounted on the wooden pole. You haul ass down to the farm and get there just in time to watch one of them Base-a-Ball games. An IMPORTANT one you REALLY want to see. It's raining cats and dogs. You get inside the house and hook up your receiver and find out that the wet conditions has cause the wooden post to twist and you are not getting a signal. Its dark outside and raining. How are you going to get your TV outside in the rain to hook up to your dish to readjust the signal? Guess you will miss the game or ruin a good TV one... Sent from my iPhone using Forum Runner

This would read better if you would have added "zombies are lurking at EVERY window and they are HUNGRY for fresh meat" somewhere in there.

[Buckrub]

I get it, Cappy. And I had NOT thought of that.

But I don't know how big a metal pole I'd have to get. The fence post I have to use (wooden) is about 8" in diameter (from memory). A metal post would be what....a metal fencepost? Seems that'd be so fragile, it'd blow all about at the top, in a big wind.....which it blows NONSTOP in that flat area. What kind of metal post do I need? How big?

Oh, and one more thing......I bet if you put two monopoles on your dish to steady it, that would help. Page 5, step 2 of the instructions say one or two are almost required for most installations with the slimline dish. Of course, they are "not included" in the package!!!

[Arty]

My dish had been sitting on a regular metal fence post, in about 8 inches of concrete, for 7 years. Wind doesn't effect it. And we've had some doozie storms boil up over the lake and whip through here.

[BarryBobPosthole]

When y'all say metal fencepost are you talking about a plain old T-post as we would call them, ot are you talking about a pipe like you'd mount a birdhouse on?

BKB

[Buckrub]

Well, just add one more thing that Cappy knows about.

I just googled this all over the place, and everyone everywhere says "DO NOT USE A WOODEN POST". So he just saved me some headache.

Galvanized fence post, 1 5/8 OD, is what most of them say.

MY thinking on this is also to put it lower to the ground. It would be easier to install at eye level, and I might do that.........but the higher it goes, the more it sways. I'm building a "fixed sail" after all.

http://www.satelliteguys.us/threads/9917-Pole-mount-pole-size

[Arty]

When y'all say metal fencepost are you talking about a plain old T-post as we would call them, ot are you talking about a pipe like you'd mount a birdhouse on? BKB

What Bucky just said.
Like for chain link fence at the base a ball park.

[Niner]

My dish is on somekindof tripod thingy on the roof.
:smileinbox

[Buckrub]

Now I just have to figure out how to mount the mast onto the metal post. I guess I need to make sure I have a big ole drill bit long enough to go through the post, and bolts long enough................

[Niner]

Is it possible to use U-bolts on that mounting bracket?

[Buckrub]

Maybe. Dunno. When I finish my coffee and bill payin', I'll start assemblin'. When I get it assembled, and go get a post, and put 'em side by side and eyeball 'em both, I probably can tell how to attach best.

My portable dish is ON a metal post. It sits down inside a portable tripod bracket.

[Captain]

Sorry I've not checked in for awhile, I read where Bucky said:
"Well, just add one more thing that Cappy knows about.
I just googled this all over the place, and everyone everywhere says "DO NOT USE A WOODEN POST". So he just saved me some headache."
And then I passed out... Just now coming to.... ;)

Bucky I was gonna tell you I would guess the pipe at 2" OD but didn't know for sure.
Go to Lowes and get a 6 foot two inch pipe and a 80 bag of concrete premixed. Find the spot where you want to put the dish that has a clear shot of the Sky.
Did a hole 2 foot deep, don't get down a foot and say shit the ground is hard and that's good enough. Go two foot down. Put the pipe in the hole and a little dirt to tamp and level with. (Not much just enough to hold the pole till you out the concrete in) Take a 2 foot level and make sure it is level every direction you put the level on it!
Pour dry concrete mix in the whole, LIGHTLY tamp, don't get it out of level here. You can pour a little water on top of the concrete mix or not it don't matter. It's gonna set with nothin more than the moisture in the ground.

This is on my to do list at the farm I just ain't got a "round tuit" yet....

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[Buckrub]

now you KNOW that I don't know squat about much.......and that i believe that you do!!! I don't have to know but one thing.........your telephone number. And I got that wrote down. Somewhere. OK, let me look........well......um.......yeah, it's somewhere.

1) I have all that at the farm (Quikcrete, posthole diggers, shovels, etc) except the pole.

2) This whole conversation is officially moot. I have seen the light. Here's what I did:

I set all the pieces down on the kitchen table. I put my already-put-together dish there as a reference. I can see that the AZ/EL is not exactly the same, but it's close. I am pretty sure I could do this. BUT..............it dawned on me............."Bill, you dummy, call Direct and see if they'll do this for you!!"

TA DA!!

Took 3 phone calls to finally explain that I did NOT want to set up another account at another address (DUH) but I finally stopped getting reps in New Yawk and got Crystal in NW Louisiana. Crystal is a doll. She figured out right off what I wanted. For the measly sum of $50 (a small sum in the Grief to Reward Ratio) she has scheduled an actual, living, breathing, tech to come out next Thursday and put this thing together for me, and hook it all up.

WOOO HOOOOOO

Now, one sidebar: I have talked about poles, and such, because when I first set up the portable dish at the farm, I tried the back yard, side yard, etc....and no signal. ONLY when I went out front by the road did I get a good signal. The house lot is full of huge trees, but across the road is a plowed field. Well, I mentioned "pole" to the lady at Direct TV and she said if I demanded a pole, it'd cost extra. But that the tech would be responsible for finding the proper spot, and if he couldn't get it on the roof, THEN he'd install a pole at his expense. AND if he did that, he'd furnish the pole.

So, not only do I have a guy coming to put all this together for me, but he'll find the best spot and take it from there........

Buckrub Moment has been cancelled! WOO HOO

(Thanks anyway, guys)

P.S.
It also dawned on me that this 'officially' gets this installation on their books/inventory.......so that if it doesn't work, I just have to call them, NOT mess with it myself.

[Chicken Dinner]

Who says you can't teach an old dog new tricks?

[BarryBobPosthole]

So after these guys give you all this great advice, you go and listen to a complete stranger and give her $50 to boot. And you think somebody is gonna dig a hole, install a pole, align your antenna just perfect all for the sum of $50. That's amazing.

I didn't know there was money involved in this question or I might have given it a shot.

BKB

[Captain]

Swear to God this is true..
When I first read Buckys post I was all set to tell him to call Direct TV and they would come out and set him a dish....
But I remember the complete beating up I got over the auto night light above the carport/outbuilding when he was going through all that and I suggested he call the power company and they would put one up....
So..... I tried to help, and damn if he don't go full circle. :D

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[BarryBobPosthole]

I don't think we ever heard the end of the security light story and of the haunted house that magically burnt out every security light photocell ever invented.

BKB

[Buckrub]

Yes you did. And I told Cappy four times why that idea, as good as it was, would not work here. THEY MUST USE THEIR OWN POLE. I don't have anywhere to put THEIR pole. Sheesh.

I told all of you.......I got a 3-light LED bright spotlight fixture, and put it up, and it has worked flawlessly ever since. Puts out as much light, has easy to replace bulbs that have not gone out yet, and has brighter light.

[BarryBobPosthole]

LED is some neat stuff. I think I may have a 12 step program in my future if I don't stop buying hat lights.

BKB

[Captain]

First time I've ever heard about them having to put up their own pole. You kept saying the reason you didn't what them to put one up was there was a monthly charge. That was the only reason I remember.

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[Buckrub]

I know. I've told you that your memorator is not what it used to be, but you keep forgetting I told you that.