[Canspit]

Hi, we are looking for a reliable and reasonable satellite dish installer.
Once we have the HOA approval we want to install a Shaw direct (Canadian) dish on our condo.

It is a single story with a flat roof, so it is fairly easy, it require a non-penetrating mount on a rubber mat.

I have contacted a few installers I have found using google , only one answered me and he wanted a minimum of $500 plus materials , so the total would be close to $800 when done

Any help appreciated

[macgeek]

To Be honest this is not rocket science (well, its orbital science, but I digress)

ANY Roofer, worth his spit, can mount the dish for you, and there usually is a blinky red light on the dish
that lets you know when you are locked onto the 'bird' (The internet will provide you a approx position)
then you run a cable down the side of your house, into "Room X" and connect up!

Jonathan

[MediocreButArrogant]

Good luck with that. Since you are far south of the border, the signal is not nearly as strong as near the center of the footprint of the satellites that broadcast Shaw Direct. That means you will need a larger dish for reliable reception, 1.2 meters or larger. That exceeds the size that OTARD protects. OTARD only gives you rights up to one meter. So the HOA is within their rights to tell you you can't put it up.

Canada Satellite | Shaw Direct | FAQs

Edit: Sorry, I misread that site. Actually, it says the standard dish will work in the continental US. It was west and southwest Alaska that needed the bigger dish, not west and southwest continental USA.

[aggrofish]

Originally Posted by macgeek

To Be honest this is not rocket science (well, its orbital science, but I digress)

ANY Roofer, worth his spit, can mount the dish for you, and there usually is a blinky red light on the dish
that lets you know when you are locked onto the 'bird' (The internet will provide you a approx position)
then you run a cable down the side of your house, into "Room X" and connect up!

Jonathan

I'm sure it's changed in the last few years since FTA went dead and Dish implemented Nagra3, but even being somewhat handy it wasn't a cakewalk to get 110 & 119s signal strength up to par. A mm here, a mm there, azimuth, blah blah blah. Again, unless it's changed it's easy but not that easy.

OP: Any re seller of Dish or Direct should be able to give you the name(s) of competent installers. Different satellite, same setup.

[MediocreButArrogant]

Originally Posted by macgeek

ANY Roofer, worth his spit, can mount the dish for you, and there usually is a blinky red light on the dish
that lets you know when you are locked onto the 'bird'

Uh, no they don't, and if you were familiar at all with satellite TV I don't think you would have written that.

You aim and peak the dish with either the signal strength meter that is built into the satellite receiver, or a standalone meter that is connected to, and powers the LNBs on the dish.

[MediocreButArrogant]

Originally Posted by aggrofish

I'm sure it's changed in the last few years since FTA went dead and Dish implemented Nagra3, but even being somewhat handy it wasn't a cakewalk to get 110 & 119s signal strength up to par. A mm here, a mm there, azimuth, blah blah blah. Again, unless it's changed it's easy but not that easy.

OP: Any re seller of Dish or Direct should be able to give you the name(s) of competent installers. Different satellite, same setup.

One (minor) complication is that a receiver for Canadian satellite TV will likely not be able to display azimuth and elevation angles for USA addresses. The installer will need to go online to find a satellite aiming calculator that works for Shaw Direct satellites and USA addresses (zip code, lat/long, whatever). I don't think every installer will know to do that.

[macgeek]

Originally Posted by MediocreButArrogant

Uh, no they don't, and if you were familiar at all with satellite TV I don't think you would have written that.

You aim and peak the dish with either the signal strength meter that is built into the satellite receiver, or a standalone meter that is connected to, and powers the LNBs on the dish.

I had direct TV, I installed the dish myself, using the same method I posted, I connected the dish to the receiver, using loose cable, and pointed it, then once I had a general idea, I mounted it to my roof and did more precise aiming...

Jonathan

[eventusstultorummagister]

Do I understand the OP correctly... put a sat dish on a tripod (without anchors) on his roof?
What about the wind?

[Mbam99]

Here is a good website to use to find where to point your dish.
It's not very hard, make sure the mast is plumb (use a level).
I used to install dishes all the time up here, pointing to dish, direct tv, bell....
I would also be concerned about the size of your dish when setting it up. Some channels may not come in due to weak transponders. When I pointed to dish or directv, I used a 30" dish to ensure I received all the channels. An 18" dish wouldn't give me a strong enough signal.
I've never installed a shaw dish. From Wikipedia, these are the official names of the satellites you need to find.
"It broadcasts on Ku band from two communications satellites, Anik F1R at 107.3°W and Anik F2 at 111.1°W"

Satellite Finder / Dish Alignment Calculator with Google Maps | DishPointer.com


Once you get it set up, let me know. I really miss watching hockey when I'm down there! Go Oilers.

[eventusstultorummagister]

Originally Posted by eventusstultorummagister

Do I understand the OP correctly... put a sat dish on a tripod (without anchors) on his roof?
What about the wind?

Nevermind, I figured out what he meant (...the mount is secured by ballast)