How to Install a Satellite Dish

As a satellite dish installation technician for the past 2 years, here is how you can install your own dish system.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Complete Satellite System
• RG6 Coax Cable
• Satellite Signal Meter(optional)
• Compass
• 6" Magnetic Level OR Post Level
• 7/16" wrench
• Drill
• 1/2" nut driver bit (for drill)
• 2" lag bolts (6)
• Zip Ties OR Black Tape
• Staples OR Screw Clips

1. Find a place to mount your dish with a clear line of sight to the South-West, or whatever direction you need to face in your area of the world. If you're not sure, look at your neighbor's dish.

2. Bolt the mast down solid. Make sure to use a level and keep the mast plumb in all directions. This is the most important detail of the entire job.

3. Tighten all the bolts on the mast making sure it is plumb.

4. Place the dish antenna on the mast but don't tighten the bolts just yet.

5. Run your coax cable through the dish & out the end where the LNBF (the eye) is.

6. Connect the cable to the LNBF & assemble the LNBF to the dish with the supplied screws. Make sure the screws are snug but don't over tighten as they might strip out.

7. Check your receiver's owner's manual for the correct skew & elevation settings for the dish for your area & adjust accordingly. OR look at the neighbor's settings & adjust to match.

8. Connect the other end of your coax cable to your meter. If you don't have a meter, you can buy one on line or some electronics stores will have them. (best buy, circut city, radio shack) If you don't have & don't want to buy a meter, you can use your TV to see your signal strength. (see owner's manual)

9. Turn on your meter & sweep (turn) your dish left & right in the general direction as your neighbor's dish points. When you locate a satellite, your meter will tell you (either with a needle, lights or sounds). OR you can look at your TV in the "signal strength" screen.

10. Once you have determined the strongest reading by sweeping left & right, tighten all of the bolts on the dish. (leave your meter on while you tighten the bolts & keep the signal "peaked" while tightening the bolts.)

11. Your horizontal adjustment should be great but you may still need to adjust the vertical. Now loosen the elevation screws just enough so the dish reflector rotates freely up & down.

12. Slowly move the reflector up & down until you have discovered the highest signal reading on your meter (or TV) & then tighten these bolts. Again, leave the meter on & watch (or listen) as you tighten the bolts to make sure you keep the signal as high as you can.

13. Now you can run the coax from the dish to wherever your receiver is. I like to use zip ties and screw clips to attach the cable to the dish mast the siding.

14. Use a 3/8" drill bit to drill through the wall to get the coax cable into the house.

15. Connect the cable to the receiver. Usually the port will say "in from Satellite".

16. Connect the receiver to your TV (if you haven't done so already) & plug it in.

17. Follow the instruction in your owner's manual, from here on, to run the necessary tests and finish the installation.

Tips & Warnings

• It's a good idea to install a ground block somewhere in the line to prevent static electricity from damaging your receiver.
• Use silicone or caulk around the cable where it goes into the wall to keep bugs & water out.
• Don't puncture the cable with staples. It will reduce signal strength and over time moisture will damage the cable beyond repair.
• Be careful not to stay up too late watching TV & miss work the next day.

[gilgal75]

on 12/10/2007 can someone please give me call i am trying to start a sataltie tv installation company and had some questions. you can either email me @ gilgal75 or call me at 240 888 1003 please help. dave

[lisadee]

on 12/7/2007 simple and to the point. i also worked for a sat company for several years and your instructions go right along with everything i learned. i'm glad you put the tip about grounding the system in. a lot of people want to skip this step (which is fine and dandy until an electrical surge hits your system and you lose it all)