My Dish 500 antenna is on the roof, but if I go to the Superdish I will try to use an leftover pole (in ground, plumb) from a Starband (long gone) install. Any idea what pipe diameter the Superdish is? (I think 2 5/8 inch is my pipe O.D.... something like that).
Mounting the SuperDish
- Thread starter mlinuxg
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SuperDish mast dia's will be 2" and 2" 3/8.
I read the 105 SuerDish will be 2 " and the 121 is 2 3/8"
A dish 500 mast dia is 1 5/8"
I read the 105 SuerDish will be 2 " and the 121 is 2 3/8"
A dish 500 mast dia is 1 5/8"
I wonder why they are going to make the SuperDish's out of metal first before starting to make them out of plastic/fiberglass? Wouldn't the metal dishes weigh more? If so then how come would there be a smaller diameter pole for the heavier dish and a bigger diameter pole for the lighter dish?
2-3/8" is the standard outer diameter of 2 inch nominal pipe, rigid conduit or chain link fence corner posts. It is readily available. 2" actual diameter can only be found at a metal supplier.
I know for one thing that I will want a ground pole to mount my own SuperDish.
I believe that I have compatible "mounting feet" for both of these dishes.
The Type II is the better of the two. It is made by Channel Master. It has a 2-3/8" outer diameter tube, which is standard nominal 2" pipe. This is easily available as Rigid conduit, water pipe and as chain link fence end posts. This is the same mount used by Primestar, Starband, DirecPC and DirecWay. There are two mount versions. The wall mount has outer mounting hole spacing of 5" wide x 8" tall. The smaller roof mounting foot will have two braces. I'd install this one with a ground pole for my own install, preferably aluminum pipe or conduit.
The Type I is an odd one. It was used by the Racing (horse) Network and mde by some company in Ohio or Indiana. I installed a couple of them a few years back. The outer diameter of the tube is an actual 2". Nominal 1-1/2" pipe is on the small side and 2" nominal pipe is too large. The metal is quite a bit thinner than the other foot. The hole spacing on the mounting foot is quite large at 8" wide and 11" high. If I got this one, I run, not walk to the local metal shop to get an 2" actual diameter pole to mount it in the ground, before the installer arrives. I'd at least go with steel, but prefer 1/8" wall aluminum.
I've dug up and moved galvanized steel fence post poles move them several times. These poles rust fast in contact with the concrete. I've also dug up buried alumium conduit that's over 30 years old. The alumium has a very thin layer of discoloration on it. Thirty year old fence posts are almost gone, and galvanized steel pipe has a thick coating of rust on it. Aluminum costs 4-6 times as much as thin fence post and twice as much as galvanized pipe, but it is worth it. I've done a lot of "low ball" installs with the fence post, but never for friends or my own. It's just too temporary.
Likewise, how many of these "low ball" installs will be done with "direct burial" coax. I don't think so! The providers and the dealers keep on cutting the installer's pay. So, it is likely that the quality of the installs as well as the install materials will suffer.
Also, based on the current pay scale for install contractors, a ground pole install costs additional.
SuperDish will be costly and tedious to install, and possibly to maintain. As a professional installer, I've been called to rescue a lot of self installers for the Phase III DirecTV dish. The 105/121 fss lnb's will likely be very very tedious to aim and, if not locked, or even when locked, can be easily mechanically knocked out of line.
Don't assume that the installers know all. They often have problems that they do not tell the customers. It appears that DNSC, Dish Network's own installer network, will first install SuperDishes.
Based on my experience and other retailer's and professional installers' experience with DNSC, there will be a lot of "No line of sight" cases. I recall an install that I did on one house right next to a DNSC "no line of sight" case right next door. Due to tall trees in back of both houses, I had to install on a pole in the front yard next to a transformer to shoot over the roof of the house. The DNSC install failed for the house next door. The dish is abandoned on the roof just above the front door of the house with two extra sets of abandoned and ugly roof cemented holes to the left of it. My install continues to work with 122+ signal levels, even the DNSC install site had trees not as tall as those on the site that I installed.
So, unless you already have a Dish500, and will be definitely happy with the SuperDish mounted in the same place or have absolutely no obstructions on your property, expect problems with "line of sight" for SuperDish.
I know for one thing that I will want a ground pole to mount my own SuperDish.
I believe that I have compatible "mounting feet" for both of these dishes.
The Type II is the better of the two. It is made by Channel Master. It has a 2-3/8" outer diameter tube, which is standard nominal 2" pipe. This is easily available as Rigid conduit, water pipe and as chain link fence end posts. This is the same mount used by Primestar, Starband, DirecPC and DirecWay. There are two mount versions. The wall mount has outer mounting hole spacing of 5" wide x 8" tall. The smaller roof mounting foot will have two braces. I'd install this one with a ground pole for my own install, preferably aluminum pipe or conduit.
The Type I is an odd one. It was used by the Racing (horse) Network and mde by some company in Ohio or Indiana. I installed a couple of them a few years back. The outer diameter of the tube is an actual 2". Nominal 1-1/2" pipe is on the small side and 2" nominal pipe is too large. The metal is quite a bit thinner than the other foot. The hole spacing on the mounting foot is quite large at 8" wide and 11" high. If I got this one, I run, not walk to the local metal shop to get an 2" actual diameter pole to mount it in the ground, before the installer arrives. I'd at least go with steel, but prefer 1/8" wall aluminum.
I've dug up and moved galvanized steel fence post poles move them several times. These poles rust fast in contact with the concrete. I've also dug up buried alumium conduit that's over 30 years old. The alumium has a very thin layer of discoloration on it. Thirty year old fence posts are almost gone, and galvanized steel pipe has a thick coating of rust on it. Aluminum costs 4-6 times as much as thin fence post and twice as much as galvanized pipe, but it is worth it. I've done a lot of "low ball" installs with the fence post, but never for friends or my own. It's just too temporary.
Likewise, how many of these "low ball" installs will be done with "direct burial" coax. I don't think so! The providers and the dealers keep on cutting the installer's pay. So, it is likely that the quality of the installs as well as the install materials will suffer.
Also, based on the current pay scale for install contractors, a ground pole install costs additional.
SuperDish will be costly and tedious to install, and possibly to maintain. As a professional installer, I've been called to rescue a lot of self installers for the Phase III DirecTV dish. The 105/121 fss lnb's will likely be very very tedious to aim and, if not locked, or even when locked, can be easily mechanically knocked out of line.
Don't assume that the installers know all. They often have problems that they do not tell the customers. It appears that DNSC, Dish Network's own installer network, will first install SuperDishes.
Based on my experience and other retailer's and professional installers' experience with DNSC, there will be a lot of "No line of sight" cases. I recall an install that I did on one house right next to a DNSC "no line of sight" case right next door. Due to tall trees in back of both houses, I had to install on a pole in the front yard next to a transformer to shoot over the roof of the house. The DNSC install failed for the house next door. The dish is abandoned on the roof just above the front door of the house with two extra sets of abandoned and ugly roof cemented holes to the left of it. My install continues to work with 122+ signal levels, even the DNSC install site had trees not as tall as those on the site that I installed.
So, unless you already have a Dish500, and will be definitely happy with the SuperDish mounted in the same place or have absolutely no obstructions on your property, expect problems with "line of sight" for SuperDish.
If they came out to my house and told me I had no line of site I would tell them that they need to learn a little more while I show them how to do it (unless it would be one of those installers that would refuse to have you help him tune the signal in, some people are that way).
