Dish mounting for idiots (and experts) - in pictures!

[BGonaSTICK]

I've finally sorted out my dishes etc. and thought I'd share some pictures - mainly for beginners, but everyone's welcome of course!

There are one or two very minor points that you could improve I suppose, but this is a pretty good starting point for anyone wanting to attempt a DIY installation.

Hope they are of some use to you. I've included a few comments with them to highlight points of note.

I may also include one or two in our motorised dish guide as well.

STICK

[BGonaSTICK]

Here are a couple of pictures of the full tower.

On top, a 43cm Sky minidish with modified mount (to fit the 2" mast) and standard Grundig single LNB.

In the middle, a Triax TD88 fitted with the Invacom 0.3dB twin output LNB, and mounted on a Moteck SG2100 DiSEqC motor.

At the bottom, a Triax TD110 fitted with the optional Triax TD-series multi-LNB arm, which has a 20 degree look-angle. This is currently fitted with three Inverto 0.3dB Silver Tech single LNB's aligned on 19.2E, 13E and 7E. The empty LNB holder is actually aligned on 1W.

[BGonaSTICK]

This is a very sheltered location, and with the large dish at the bottom (and completely out of the wind) I was happy to mount three dishes on the single mast using T&K brackets.

The mast is actually aluminium to save weight, but you should use steel for sure unless you can employ the same cheat as I have.

The bottom half of the mast has a very hefty alloy pole inserted inside to add a huge amount of strength and stop the mounts and brackets from crushing the pole. Don't think you'll get away with this unless you have the insert, because you won't.

BTW, I know one of the bolt-holes on the T-bracket is wonky - I modified the bracket to fit existing holes drilled in the wall by the stupid Sky installer that originally fitted the minidish there!

You'll notice on the bottom picture that there is an exhaust clamp fitted under the dish mount. This is greased up, and allows me to easily slacken the dish mount and swing the dish without it sliding down the pole and/or trying to hold the weight of the dish during adjustment. This would otherwise be a two-man job.

[BGonaSTICK]

The modified minidish, which was originally fitted to a 1" pole, has been drilled and filed-out to fit the 2" pole. I had to make the new 'U' bolt from a 3" exhaust clamp which was re-formed to fit the 2" pole.

Why? Try it yourself - a 2" clamp is nowhere near long enough!

The motor is my 2-year old Moteck. Still running faultlessly with no more wear or play than the day it was first fitted. The bracket could do with re-painting I guess, but I go cold at the thought of picking up a paintbrush, in case the wife sees me with it...

The last picture shows the DiSEqC switch for the TD110. The fourth output runs to one side of the Invacom on the TD88 so that I can get any satellite I like, normally with no waiting. The best of both worlds! This cable runs back to my Dreambox. The other side of the twin goes via the motor back to my Skystar, which is the best dish-positioner on the planet

[BGonaSTICK]

The superb Invacom 0.3dB LNB is simply the best (certainly of anything I've tried) if you can afford it. Some others get very close for quite a lot less money but hey, this is my hobby so what's a few extra quid on an LNB?!?! 8)

I can't tell the difference in performance between the twin output and the single output version it replaced.

And don't even think about walking away from your installation without waterproofing your F connectors properly... >

The Inverto's on the TD110 are great. Cheap at around £10 each, small - so that you can squeeze them up close together for those close-together satellites, and light. Boy are they light. When you have a bunch of them way out on the LNB arm, light is good.

The Triax multi-LNB arm is extremely well made for the £17 I paid for it except one thing. The plastic body where it fits into the hollow LNB arm was a poor (loose) fit. Very pants.

What with the wide 20 degree look angle, it was wobbling around on the LNB arm something rotten when I was trying to adjust everything up. Are you listening Triax?

I carefully wrapped some silver duct tape strips around it to make it a nice tight interference fit into the LNB arm. Let's hope I never have to take it out again!

[BGonaSTICK]

Even if you are the messiest wotsit in every other respect, don't skimp on the little details.

Cut down any over-long 'U' bolts, clip or tie your cables neatly (and out of the way of any moving parts), leave plenty of slack in the cable on motorised setups to avoid pulling them out of F connectors at full rotation, and make sure you grease up all threads if you ever want to undo them again.

The Moteck clamps are infamous for shearing off if you over-tighten or under-lubricate them.

[BilboBoggins]

Hey nice setup STICK

It's now given me an idea of where to mount that spare 80cm dish and LNB I've got* * Just got to convince the missus lol

Good pics as well*

Bilbo

[SAT-WORLD]

Is this satellite "tower",at the front of your property or the rear,if you don't mind me asking.
Is that an extension of the property,just behind the dishes,which makes it very sheltered.
The streamlined vertical mast is very impressive. :clap:
Wouldn't have thought of going upwards,great idea,if you've got the space and line of sight.

[BGonaSTICK]

It's at the back, and not at all visible from the front.

The only other people that can see it are my next door neighbours, and they can't see the bottom dish at all.

The structure at the back is just a chimney, but the whole area is fenced. The wind comes from the side, so the area of dish facing the wind is minimal.

STICK

[chavslav]

very good idea, i've got me sky dish just below me 90cm on the same pole, had 2 3inch bolts that i hit with a club hammer to bend them round the pole to make the digidish clamp on.

just undone the wall clamp and used that on back of pole with bolts through it, if i'd known about the exhaust clamp idea i would've followed suit.


a very good job though stick, and neat cabling...