Will metal railing block signal?

[Riorobert]

I am helping my brother set up his dish. He lives in an apartment and is setting the dish up on his deck. How much of an effect will the deck railling have on his signal? We are having a hard time finding a signal & I am wondering if this is due to the metal railing on the deck.

 

[thiggin2]

As long as the railings are not in the line of site I wouldn't think there would be a problem.

 

[Das Hammer]

Also, keep in mind that the angle the signal is coming in is around 20 degrees higher in elevation than where it looks like the dish is pointing (assuming you're using an offset dish). Sounds like this principle will help you out.

There are diagrams and pictures of this on the forum if you want to search for them.

 

[ChuckS2]

I setup on an apartment deck with wood railing but put my dish up on three cinderblocks so it could see over the top. Mine's not screwed down but is on a 2x2 foot plywood board with 3/8" screw levellers and another cinderblock to hold it down. Picture attached:

 

[lupe]

you should also watch out that the lnb is not close to the metal as this creates noise.

 

[digiblur]

Don't let the offset LNB throw you off either. It will fool you...

 

[updatelee]

when I lived in a condo I took a 10gal pain bucket, filled it with quickset concrete mix, and poped in a 4ft presure treated 4"x4" post and bamb I had my non-penetrating mount cost me less then $20cdn