Can I modify existing pole/post mount?

[aperkins]

Thank you for all the great information here!

I'm trying to upgrade from standard def. to high def. with whole home DVR. The existing 3 LNB dish is mounted on a 12' 4x6 post set 4' deep in concrete (8' above ground) with a 3' metal extension running from the mounting bracket to the dish. It has worked flawlessly for 5 years.

When the installer came out to do the upgrade he correctly determined that I had a line of sight issue with the 119, which he said is necessary to initialize the new service. I'm in zip code 03909 - Portland Maine DMA. (The fact that I can't 'see' the 119 hadn't bothered me before because I can use Time Warner for locals). The issue is caused by neighbors trees some distance away.

The installer suggested that if I could gain another 3 to 4 feet of height, I would likely eliminate the LOS issue. He suggested using a longer extension pole strapped to the existing 4x6. He said that if I could get that done, he would come out the next morning and install. So that afternoon I purchased a 10' piece of 2" EMT (electrical metal tube), and strapped 3 1/2' of it to the 4x6, leaving 6 1/2 ' of height above the 4x6. He did not return the next morning because his supervisor canceled the install calling it a non standard install. I called the supervisor myself and he said that he would come out and look at it but never did and is not returning my calls.

I rescheduled the install this morning with customer service, which is now set for Friday.

My question is: will this arrangement - 4x6 with 2" EMT strapped securely to it work for the installation?

Many thanks for all the information that you experts impart to all us novices!

 

[redbandit98]

im pretty sure the EMT will not work. I cant recall the exact OD but its like 2 3/8 or so I think. The mount for the dish wont fit over it. Im pretty sure you will need a piece of 2" tubing from a muffler shop or a fence post that is 2" OD. Its kind of hard to come by in something that is sturdy. I used two pieces of stainless tubing welded together. Its a lot stronger than muffler pipe or the galvanized fence posts. I do believe Direct TV and dish both use them though. (fence post)

 

[aperkins]

Thanks.
Does anyone know how rigid tubing from a muffler shop is? I'm concerned because I have to run quite a bit above my post. I wouldn't want it to sway too much.

 

[redbandit98]

thats what Im saying..The muffler shop wont have any "rigid" tubing. They will just have muffler pipe. Its probably the same strength as the fence post you could get at home depot. I would just go that route. That is what all the sat companies use anyway. The only place thats gonna have the good thick tubing would be a metal shop or fab shop. Its probably gonna be expensive too, 40 bucks or so for a 10' stick.

 

[raoul5788]

Heavy duty fence post is much stronger than muffler pipe. Even the lighter duty post is stronger.

 

[aperkins]

Thanks for the insight.
I'm thinking of changing to 1 1/2" rigid metal electrical conduit (not EMT) which is much more rigid than 2" EMT. 1 1/2" should be just shy of 2" outside diameter (like a tenth of an inch smaller). Do you know if the the mounting bracket for the new slimline dish can tighten down to a post that's just under 2" diameter?

Thanks again for all the help!

 

[Jimbo]

Do you have a way to support this once it's up there ?

 

[raoul5788]

Thanks for the insight.
I'm thinking of changing to 1 1/2" rigid metal electrical conduit (not EMT) which is much more rigid than 2" EMT. 1 1/2" should be just shy of 2" outside diameter (like a tenth of an inch smaller). Do you know if the the mounting bracket for the new slimline dish can tighten down to a post that's just under 2" diameter?

Thanks again for all the help!

It will, but not well. You can use aluminum flashing to shim it.

 

[aperkins]

Do you have a way to support this once it's up there ?

3 1/2 feet of this 10 foot piece of rigid conduit will be strapped to a 12' 4x6 post (4' of that 4x6 post is set in concrete), giving me a dish height of between 12 and 13 feet. The 4x6 is quite rigid and I'm hoping that the rigid metal conduit won't sway too much if I strap the two together well enough.

 

[Jimbo]

3 1/2 feet of this 10 foot piece of rigid conduit will be strapped to a 12' 4x6 post (4' of that 4x6 post is set in concrete), giving me a dish height of between 12 and 13 feet. The 4x6 is quite rigid and I'm hoping that the rigid metal conduit won't sway too much if I strap the two together well enough.

And your gonna set this up off of a 12 foot ladder ?

Make sure the top of the pole is plumb or all your setting will be off.

 

[Blueridge66]

You might consider having the muffler shop weld a short piece of 2" tailpipe to your rigid conduit. The dish mount only needs a short section of 2" for mounting.
I recently moved a dish from the roof to a backyard pole and used this approach.

 

[aperkins]

You might consider having the muffler shop weld a short piece of 2" tailpipe to your rigid conduit. The dish mount only needs a short section of 2" for mounting.
I recently moved a dish from the roof to a backyard pole and used this approach.

I picked up a piece of 1 1/2 rigid conduit today and stopped at the muffler shop and had them weld a 12" piece of 2" muffler pipe to the end. I'll put it up tomorrow and level everything before the installer arrives. I'm not sure if this will fly...
The rigid is much stiffer than the EMT, so hopefully it won't sway too much.
Thanks much to all that offered their expertise!
I'll post a note as to how it goes.

 

[Jimbo]

I picked up a piece of 1 1/2 rigid conduit today and stopped at the muffler shop and had them weld a 12" piece of 2" muffler pipe to the end. I'll put it up tomorrow and level everything before the installer arrives. I'm not sure if this will fly...
The rigid is much stiffer than the EMT, so hopefully it won't sway too much.
Thanks much to all that offered their expertise!
I'll post a note as to how it goes.

Take a picture before and after and post them.

 

[aperkins]

Well, the install went better than I could have expected due to the capabilities of a very smart installer.
When he looked at my set up with the post and metal pipe strapped to it, his reaction was 'that's crazy'.

He proposed a work around of installing a dish that would receive just the 99, 101 and 103 rather than all five. He said that he wasn't supposed to do that but might be able to get his supervisor to agree, which he did. The only thing that I would be missing by not receiving the 110 and 119 is standard def. locals and the Spanish language channels (and a few music channels) which was fine with me.

So he installed the dish, a SWiM 3, HR24 DVR, and a couple HD receivers, whole home DVR with an internet connection kit and everything seems to be working great. The best part is that the new dish could be installed lower on the wood 4x6 which is very stable and resulted in signal strength in the mid 90's.

Thanks again to everyone's expertise and willingness to help out a novice!

 

[Jimbo]

Well, the install went better than I could have expected due to the capabilities of a very smart installer.
When he looked at my set up with the post and metal pipe strapped to it, his reaction was 'that's crazy'.

He proposed a work around of installing a dish that would receive just the 99, 101 and 103 rather than all five. He said that he wasn't supposed to do that but might be able to get his supervisor to agree, which he did. The only thing that I would be missing by not receiving the 110 and 119 is standard def. locals and the Spanish language channels (and a few music channels) which was fine with me.

So he installed the dish, a SWiM 3, HR24 DVR, and a couple HD receivers, whole home DVR with an internet connection kit and everything seems to be working great. The best part is that the new dish could be installed lower on the wood 4x6 which is very stable and resulted in signal strength in the mid 90's.

Thanks again to everyone's expertise and willingness to help out a novice!

Glad to see it's u0p and working !