Moving a Satellite Dish From the Roof to the Backyard

With a partner and a few tools, you can move your satellite dish from the roof to the yard.

After installing a satellite dish on your roof, it may turn out that your housing situation prohibits it, or you must move it to another location where it can't be seen. Removing a satellite dish from a roof is actually quite simple and inexpensive. You can simplify the process by determining beforehand where you would like the dish to go in your backyard. Keep in mind that trees or foliage overhead may interfere with the signal so that you do not need to move the dish a third time.

Things You'll Need

• Clamp wrench

Instructions

1. Place the ladder against the house. Put a ½-inch clamp wrench in a bag over your shoulder. Someone must hold onto the ladder at the bottom to stabilize it as you climb.

2. Take hold of the satellite dish and carefully loosen the clamp nuts that connect the dish to the mounting device. Pull the satellite dish off the mast or pole when loose and carefully lower it down to the person who helped stabilize the ladder. Climb down.

3. Climb up the ladder again with someone stabilizing your weight. Unscrew the bolts that hold the mount to the roof. Place each bolt in a bag or container so that your hands are free. Lower each part down to the person helping you. Follow any other specific instructions to uninstall the materials for your particular kind of mount. Call the company if you have questions.

4. Type in your zip code on the company’s website to find the azimuth level, which is the direction the satellite must point. Use a compass to find north and walk in the desired area of your backyard until you find a point that has a clear line of sight to the azimuth. Place the satellite dish in this area and make sure it is within 150 feet of your computer. Position it accordingly.

5. Drill a hole or find an aperture for the cable that connects to the transmitter. Feed it through the hole from inside your house. Use copper cabling if it will come in close proximity to the ground. Do not move the other cable that connects from the computer to the cable line.

Tips & Warnings

• Do not drill a hole in the house near pipes or other wiring.

• You may wish to buy a wooden post to mount the satellite dish in your backyard if you have a lot of trees or foliage. This height may improve your signal reception.

• The mounting device may stay on the roof without a satellite dish, but if housing regulations require its removal, you should fill the small holes with roof tar so that the roof does not leak.

• Call the satellite dish company if you require help or advice at any point. They will likely charge you a service fee to come and remove the dish.

• Check to make sure there are no power lines near the satellite dish or where you will be working. Contact with a power line will cause death or injury.

References

• Hughes Network Systems: Satellite Dish Installation Guide