Since it is an apartment, trimming or removing that tree isn’t an option, and I don’t see my landlord saying it’s cool to attach a dish to the roof or anything.
I’m looking at switching from cable because it’s just too damn expensive, but dish network could get me more channels for a lower price (or the same number for a lot lower), so I’m hoping I can arrange something. However, if it’d be the sort of thing where I’d have a lousy signal because of the location, it won’t be worth the hassle. That clear(ish) spot to the left is about it for open areas.
Anyone have experience with this that could offer advice? I’ve never done anything with sattelite dishes, so it’s completely new to me.
I installed my dish network myself years ago so I maybe a small help.
Get a compass first, and check your view of the sky. The dish satellites are at about 180 degrees (There’s really two, at 175 & 185 degrees, IIRC), dead south (from Denver), and something like 40 degrees off the horizon. There’s a calculator on their website. You pretty much need an unobstructed sky view to that patch, no trees, no buildings. The actual signal path is, effectively, pencil thin so a miss is as good as a mile.
Anyway, the dish can be clamped to a railing or screwed down pretty easily. I’d go for something removable first since you don’t own the walls. I see them at my apartment all the time, usually clamped to the iron railings that edge our balconies.
Once the dish is mounted and aimed (this is free now) then it’s simply a coax through the wall (again, might be a problem with a rental) and a box much like a digital cable box. Each TV will require a connection to a tuner box.
The FCC ruled in 1996 that apartment owners, condo associations, etc. could not prevent residents from installing small satellite dishes for their dwelling. By law, you can place it in areas controlled exclusively by you, such as your patio, balcony or yard, but they are not required to allow placement in common areas, such as rooftops or exterior walls.
Looks like you’d be able to get a signal in November through March, but otherwise, I’m seeing a lot of leaves.
The open-ish area on the left, does it have a clear view of the southern sky? If it does, contact Dish or one of the local installers and ask about a pre-install site survey.
If you can get signal there, will the landlord allow the dish to be mounted to the building? If they won’t (and they have every right to forbid bolting things to their building) you can “mount” the dish on a pole set into a concrete-filled flower pot. When I made mine, I used a four-foot length of 1-5/8" chain-link fence post and two sacks of fencepost concrete. The major trick will be to ensure the post is perfectly plumb, otherwise aiming the dish will turn out to be impossible.
Definitely call a Dish Network installer in your area and have them come out and check the sight-line for you. They did this for me for no charge. My Dish is installed on my patio. The apartment complex does not allow permanent installation so I got a 25 gallon galvanized tub and put 180lbs of concrete and a fencepost in it. The Dish is screwed to the post. It ain’t goin’ nowhere! There is about 5 or 6 inches of space between the concrete and the lip of the tub that I filled with soil and planted an herb garden in.
