Wannbe Question - Sorry if duplicate

[The Past]

Wannabe Question - Sorry if duplicate

This is a wonderful network and people are vey helpful! Recently discovered it. Looked hard but could not find an answer so I am posing this hoping I am not duplicating a thread.

I signed up with Dish (directly, not through a reseller) and the installer shows up the other day as promised (I know!), pulls out a tiny view finder, looks around and tells me that it looks bad. Goes around the house and come back and tells me there is no LoS. Granted I live on a wooded lot, but I thought if he would mount it on the chimney, at that height, I do have a clear view of the sky, at that 40 degree angle. He climbs up and does some looking and comes back to tell me there is no LoS. I ask him for options and he tells me that I can put it on my roof, but a storm will pull the SuperDish and the roof with it, so he will not do it.

You guys on this forum had me all excited, so this outcome broke my heart . I have now contacted a local reseller (the big guy in town). He says his guys have seen it all, so they will come and see how they can "set me up."

Can you guys give me any tips on what I should know or look for or be careful about when I am trying to get a SuperDish installed under circumstances where a simple install with clean LoS is not happening? I want Dish real bad!! But I do not want to let even a single tree go (average age of each tree on my lot is over 70 years), so that is not an option.

 

[SimpleSimon]

If you're sure your elevation is 40, as you say, a roof mount is likely to be clear.

The average hack won't touch a SuperDish roof or wall mount, but it can be done if the installer knows their stuff. Care is needed to ensure it is securely fastened down.

If you've been reading, you know to make sure they ground things properly.

 

[Stryf3]

Maybe call the local install office, and speak to a supervisor to get someone back out who really knows what they're doing. My latest install required 5 seperate trips by installers, but I wanted, what I wanted bad enough to bug the supervisoer until they made it happen.

 

[The Past]

Thanks Simple Simon and Stryf3. I emphasized thrice that it has to be grounded and the reseller assured me it would. I am happy to hear that Stryf3 had it work. So, there is still hope for me.

I called CSR after the installer told me no LoS and asked for a second opinion. The first CSR told me I could get it and put me on hold forever (eventually disconnected). The next CSR told me I will have to go through a reseller as Dish will not send me another installer. A third CSR told me that they will send me someone else, but that it will be another 49.99 for that trip. I was fed up and went to a reseller.

Thursday is the sceduled visit. I will keep you posted. Any further tips are always welcome.

 

[JimMcC]

The Past

Are you sure you need the Superdish?

 

[The Past]

Are you sure you need the Superdish?

They said for locals I need it. I don't watch locals, but when they all go HD I may be watching. I am willing to forget about locals.

I asked the installer whether he can install a 500, he said all I have LoS is for locals and not the others. So, made no sense. Though I don't belive him entirely.

 

[SimpleSimon]

Having LOS for 105 or 121 and NOT having it for 110 & 119 is not only unusual, it's also extremely difficult to determine by eyeball.

 

[The Past]

Having LOS for 105 or 121 and NOT having it for 110 & 119 is not only unusual, it's also extremely difficult to determine by eyeball.

Wow!! That confirms my assumption that the installer just did not want to try hard enough and gives me hope that I may get it this time. I will keep this in mind. He put down on the work order, "no L.O.S for 110 and 119."

Just cause he brandished a viewfinder like toy (don't know what it is called), he thought I should shut up. The minute he placed his ladder on the gutters (he could have damaged them), I knew he just did not care.

 

[Stargazer]

Some installers look at it this way, its better for them to tell you that there is no LOS to have more time to do more installs that day. I personally think an installer should do what it takes to get a signal in but at the same time if it demands more money then tell the customer how much more it would cost so that it would at least be an option.

 

[The Past]

I agree. I hope the installer on Thursday is going to be both honest and creative. I mean, we are controlling rovers on Mars, for goodness sake. Why can't an installer aim a SuperDish?

 

[SimpleSimon]

I agree. I hope the installer on Thursday is going to be both honest and creative. I mean, we are controlling rovers on Mars, for goodness sake. Why can't an installer aim a SuperDish?

It might have something to do with the money (or lack thereof), or it might be that too many workers in general just don't give a damn any more.

 

[The Past]

LOL. I guess you are right. I may not be willing to spend "that" much. But the second part, that I agree!