Satellite Dish Semi-Permanent Mount

[SlowPoke]

So,I just decided after a friendly call from my "previous" sat company that they sweet talked me enough with freebie upgrades, and discounts to switch me from my current provider. I of course was with the "other" company for a while now, until company "B" finally called me to butter me up to come back. Since getting the new TT I was looking on local sites to find a sat dish compatible with my current company "A". Couldn't find any cheap enough, so when "B" talked me back, I talked them into providing me a new dish, as the other "old" dish (company "B") was roof mounted and I didn't want it there anymore. the newer company "A" dish (current) was mounted on a pole out back. They said "Oh, we'll provide you a new dish at no cost, and mount it on the pole..." I of course looking for more junk to throw in the shed said "But, I was gonna use that pole for later, if I need one for my TT if I ever get another dish for that..." she said in return "Oh , no problem, we'll mount to that one, and give you our mobile mount pole, it's a tripod...so you can use that for your TT later.No charge...for use of the old pole, OK?"


Well I said OK, so now I have the company "B" loading me up, I pulled the old sat dish down from the roof, and mounted the equipment on the back of the TT. I can slide it down, to swing out the grill stand on arrival, and adjust for level as needed with the bolts. (1/2" socket and drill will make it quick". I used Deep channel unistrut, 2 spring nuts and 3/8" bolts with (2) 3/4" to 1/2" steel RE's (ridgid conduit reducers) to use as standoffs to mount the bracket to the strut.

In the event I'm not parked facing the sat southwest with 180 degrees adjustability (that's how much I can adjust to line up the dish) I'll slap it onto the tripod they are throwing in. At very least, I'm thinking I can leave it on the back to travel, it doesn't protrude out any more than 5" past the spare tire, so I'm assuming that's OK?? It's mounted to the same U bolts as the grill stand, and seems pretty strong.

For all you experienced RV'rs out there, tell me your opinion, would you travel with it mounted, and swung in towards the TT like in the pic? or would you remove it?? I don't have alot of room left for the dish and soon to arrive tripod, so this was the best I could come up with. It doesn't block the brake light, and seems to be no worse protrusion than that of a bike rack.

[SlowPoke]

80 views, no responses...hmmm, is it you're all thinking "What an IDIOT!" or is it just OK, and not necessary to comment... Hmmmm....

I was wondering if anyone would feel comfortable doing this, or should I take it off completely and rethink it? I "THINK" it's ok....but confidence is not at the highest.

Thanks!

[davidjsimons]

If the rear bumpers are indeed as cheap and lightweight as everybody says they are, my only concern would be the amount of twisting that it puts on the rear bumper going down the road due to the leverage.


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[SteveC7010]

Originally Posted by davidjsimons

My only concern would be the amount of twisting that it puts on the rear bumper go down the road due to the leverage.

+1 on that. My Cougar has the slide-out rear rack which I believe even further weakens the bumper. I've pulled everything off the bumper leaving the slide-out just for the bicycles and the ladder golf frames.

I've thought about adding satellite to the trailer. My thinking runs to an extendable pole mounted either to the rear of the trailer or clamped on the ladder. The dish would be at the top of the pole which eliminates the need for the mounting base and bent arm portion of the dish mount. In the lowered position, the dish would be just below the roof line protecting it while traveling. In the extended position, it would be totally above the roof giving 360 degree coverage

[SlowPoke]

Originally Posted by davidjsimons

If the rear bumpers are indeed as cheap and lightweight as everybody says they are, my only concern would be the amount of twisting that it puts on the rear bumper going down the road due to the leverage.


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I dunno if they've changed anything but the square "hose tube" is welded to brackets, that are in turn welded to the frame; and "appears" to be rather strong. I know my pop up had a cheesy installed bumper, and I was afraid of a small bike rack I mounted to it. In 3 years I never had issues, BUT that's not to say the bumper on this one is not cheesy, as to the welds. I'm not a welder, so not experienced in what a good weld should look like. I've been told welds (if done correctly) are supposed to be stronger than the actual metal that is welded. As with everything else on today's TT's, manufacturing feaux pah's and general "throw together" quality dictates the quality of the welds to be "less" than professional.

Maybe I'll leave the mount, but take the dish off and transport in the back of the truck until my new pole arrives after vacation. I'll rethink the install then and see what I can come up with....

Thanks for the honesty!!

[davidjsimons]

As close as we live to one another, I don't want to be behind you when it comes off. Lol! I'm just kidding.


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[cdawrld]

Nice idea!
My bumper has the spare tire mounted on it. Much heavier than a satellite dish. I have even stood on the bumper, not an issue. I think your within tolerance.

[SlowPoke]

Originally Posted by davidjsimons

As close as we live to one another, I don't want to be behind you when it comes off. Lol! I'm just kidding.


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Haha, we are pretty close, from what I can tell.... lol

I won't let it fall, I'll ghetto-ize it and throw my leopard print ratchet straps around it!

[davidjsimons]

Originally Posted by SlowPoke

Haha, we are pretty close, from what I can tell.... lol

I won't let it fall, I'll ghetto-ize it and throw my leopard print ratchet straps around it!

I'm just a bit from Bottoms Bridge, in Henrico.


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[hankaye]

SlowPoke, Howdy;

Dunno, ... have you thought about windload...
Looks kinda like a catcher's mitt for wind.
The 'U-Bolts' holding it in place might not be able to
handle the loads when you are happily motoring
along the interstate at 65 mph.
Perhaps if you disconnected the dish from the support arm
then you, most likely won't have any probles...
Just a thought...

hankaye

[SlowPoke]

Originally Posted by hankaye

Perhaps if you disconnected the dish from the support arm
then you, most likely won't have any probles...
Just a thought...

hankaye

That's what I'm thinking now...that oval dish, is a bit of a wind sail, even at the backside, it may just pose an issue. I'll be removing it, and leaving the post for now...loosening three bolts make it easy to slip the dish on and off, and makes sense. Just gotta make room for it in the bed of the truck.

DAVID, I work up that way, all the time...the company office I work out of is up off laburnum ave... by RIC. Once a month I have to do service work at the old Bloom and Food Lion up at New Kent....

[davidjsimons]

My shop and office is on Charles City Rd, between Laburnum and Williamsburg Rd.


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[therink]

I suppose if you can pull the dish off of the mount easy enough when traveling, that is a good mod. I have been looking yo do something similar but am afraid trying to always get rear exposure of the rv towards the west or south will be difficult 50 percent of the time. I have a 120' of coax I use so I can put the dish where I want and that seems to work. We have a lot of trees and hills here in NYS so getting signal can at times be a challenge.

[SlowPoke]

I assume that 50% of the time, I'll be facing the wrong direction and cannot adjust enough even with 180 degree movement left and right, so I'm hoping that's when the tripod will come in handy. I would love to just have it attached to the camper when possible though as I've seen in the past kids knocking over dishes on tripods "just for fun" in the campground have really ticked off some campers.

When I came up, cow tippn' was performed for "Troubled fun"... I guess with the techno boost, kids rely on Dish Tippin' as I've seen very few cows in the campgrounds...

I take that back, maybe at a few of the pools

(Oh did I say that OUT LOAD hahaha) That's OK, I'm a cow too, so I can speak about such things

[hankaye]

SlowPoke, Howdy;

Just make sure you have a long enough pigtail attached to the dish to
be able to use it with either the bumper or the Tripod. Also, make sure you zip-tie or otherwise secure the cable to the trailer so it dosen't shorten itself
on the asphalt. Having an additional extra length of cable (and the double
male connectors), to walk the tripod out to a signal is advisable as well.

hankaye

[SlowPoke]

Pigtail - CHECK
Tiewraps- CHECK
extra cable w/double male connectors - CHECK

Aye Aye Captain! Thanks, for the advice Hankaye!

[tdawg]

I would go boy tippin

[Roller4Tan]

I did pretty much the same thing on my Cougar with the slide out bumper. I slide the dish off the post and store it in the truck bed or on the bed in the fiver. Works great if you can get a southern view.

[pedalsteelpicker]

everybody likes to use a tripod but I just make a frame out of 2x4"s about 18" square and cover with 3/8" plywood.then mount the dish on the plywood.in the middle on each side of the 2x4's I put an eye bolt then drive tent stakes to keep it secure.The dish is low to the ground and when staked down it doesnt move.The way you have your dish bolted to the bumper is good in theory but you do not have too much leeway to get a signal.with mine I can put them where ever I need to get a signal.(I also make my own coaxes at different lengths with coax kit from Home depot).

[hankaye]

Howdy All;

Some of you may have seen (at campgrounds etc.), the thin metal
frame with the dishes mounted to them. They are called a 'sled'.
I've got Directv and they gave me one when I signed on last year.
Measures about 3'X4'X1" . has holes where you can use some of the
12" spike nails to hold it down or, like me I use a 50# weight and she
don't move. Had some winds go through here the past few days with
gusts to 60 mph. Didn't budge. I just fold the arm over, twist the dish
180* then pack it into the back of the truck. I also have 100' of coax for it.
Just in case.
Now that I'm more permanent than moveable, I'll just pack it in the Cargo
Trailer I'll be converting into my mobile fishin' cabin.

hankaye