Proper location for wall-mounting an AU9-S dish?

[mvita]

I'm building a new house, and I'd like to have the low-voltage wiring subcontractor "pre-wire" an exterior location for future installation of a Slimline (AU9-S) 5-LNB dish. For various reasons, I prefer to mount the dish on a wall rather than the roof. I plan on using a Commdeck mounting outlet.

My question is: what is the proper mounting location for this scenario? In other words, how far below the eave should the "mounting plate" for the dish go?

From what I've been told, I should try to end up with the dish itself at or above the roofline to allow the most sky exposure and also to prevent runoff from the roof hitting the dish. So I guess one dimension that would be really helpful to know is: the vertical distance from the top of the fully assembled AU9-S dish to the center of the mounting plate, including the height of the mast, etc.

Also, does anyone know much horizontal clearance is provided by the included mast? If my eaves are 12 or 16 inches wide, will the mast give me enough "shift" to get the dish out from under the eave?

One last question: the Commdeck instructions recommend running a ground wire into the box to the interior of the house along with the RG6 cables, presumably to allow the ground wire to be "hidden" rather than run exposed along the exterior of the house. Where should I terminate this ground wire? I don't have a lot of metal pipes in the house. Should I try to run it into the main electrical panel?

 

[boba]

Consult with your low voltage wiring contractor on location and your electrician about correct grounding in your city.

 

[Teronzhul]

Several of the dimensions you're requesting will be impossible to determine without an onsite evaluation. The direction of the wall you intend to mount to will determine the angle of the dish, and how much space you'll need between the eve and dish.

Further the elevation of the satellites in relation to your geographical location would also need to be known. I'm not sure anyone on this site will be able to provide you with the exact information you want. It will be best to leave some wiggle room.

From the top of the AU9 to the bottom of the J-mount bracket is going to be approximately 4 feet.

To properly follow grounding requirements for NEC the 4 rg6 cables and ground wire should go from the dish to a distance less than 20 feet from your common house ground before re-entry into the house and into your cable junction location. DirecTV installers typically use a #17 messenger wire as a ground from the dish to the ground block, before using a #10 solid copper wire to run the last 0-20 feet to the house ground.

 

[iwc5893]

You must also consider that the dish mounting pole generally does NOT move the dish out past the eaves of the house (depending upon the size of the eaves), so that can make doing a wall mount with the dish above the roof almost impossible.

 

[mvita]

The dish pointer app on directv.com indicates that I will need an azimuth of 221.5 and an elevation of 49.6 (I'm in the central Florida area). The wall where I'd like to mount the dish is facing approx. 260 degrees. So the dish will be at at about a 40 degree angle relative to the wall.

 

[iwc5893]

The dish pointer app on directv.com indicates that I will need an azimuth of 221.5 and an elevation of 49.6 (I'm in the central Florida area). The wall where I'd like to mount the dish is facing approx. 260 degrees. So the dish will be at at about a 40 degree angle relative to the wall.

That could also be an issue depending upon how far out from the wall your mast is.

 

[boba]

If your low voltage contractor can't help you, find a local Satellite Dealer that you will do business with and have them come to the site and do a survey. It is very hard to answer your questions without seeing the site. There are many variables that influence location besides the look angle.

 

[Joe Diamond]

mvita,

What the other guys stated is accurate. I would add......Get access to a friends' DTV system,menu & set up..... or yours and....... enter the construction site address /zip code.
For sure you will need a south facing elevation.....if you can plan the electric meter & phone & prewire to a south exposure your dish mount will go better.
.....consider a pole mount rather than attaching to a balloon construction wall. If you are planning a poured concrete basement the AU9 can be spiked to the ( south facing) above ground part.
....I did a few where the 10 ga ground wire was led from the ground bond to a pre located point to allow siding application over the ground wire with the cable led inside the structure.
You are getting into a "don't ask & don't tell " situation. If local codes were enforced there would be many, many fewer satellite dish antennae around. Don't confuse local code specifications with lightning protection.
All will fail to completely mitigate the effects of lightning and or some local power irregularities.
Like the others, need more info.

Good luck

Joe

 

[mvita]

Thanks to all for the info & advice....

 

[dave29]

don't forget that this thing is going to need two monopoles too.

 

[iwc5893]

don't forget that this thing is going to need two monopoles too.

The new "S" mounting poles that are mounted to the corner of the house do not require monopoles and are sturdier than the traditional mount with monopoles.