Installing a Satellite Dish

There are a few things to consider before deciding where to locate your satellite dish.

Size is seldom a major consideration with modern dishes although dish set up can certainly be restricted by size in extreme circumstances. You've probably seen an old satellite dish somewhere over the years. They were huge and were therefore restricted in some areas. In addition many homeowners and renters simply didn't have the space to accommodate them. But things have changed.

The average home satellite dish is now much smaller (18 to 31 inches) and can easily fit in almost anywhere. They are often mounted on chimneys, under an eave, and sometimes on the ground. Even those in apartments can often mount them on a balcony without losing use of the space. Clearly the diameter of the dish can not exceed that of any space provided.

Any related rules and restrictions in your area must be considered when deciding on the location of your dish set up. Those who rent or deal with a homeowner's association may encounter some limited restrictions. Landlords and HAs can not completely disallow a satellite dish although there are some circumstances where satellite dish placement can be restricted. Read more in the next section for some of the particular rules related to this.

How well it will bring in a signal from the location your are considering. Satellite dishes must be able to receive the signals sent from the satellites in orbit above the earth. In the US, you generally want the dish set up to allow a clear view of the southern sky. Nothing should obstruct this view; trees, buildings, and other structures must be considered.

The FCC is the government body that oversees the policies and rules that regulate satellite related equipment and facilities. Per their regulations, a satellite dish of 1 meter (39.37 inches) or less has few placement restrictions placed upon them.

These smaller dishes can be installed in any area you own or of which you have exclusive use. (Common use areas can be restricted.) Therefore, if you're a renter, your satellite dish set up can be on your a patio or balcony because such areas are designed for your exclusive use. However, they generally can't be mounted on the roof or an exterior wall because these are common areas.

These same regulations also state that community associations, governments, and landlords can't prevent installation or the use of satellite dishes. These same entities are also prvented from assessing a fee to allow installation or to significantly delay installation through a lengthy approval process.

However, there are some conditions under which a satellite dish can be restricted. For instance, if your satellite dish set up would violate safety restrictions they can be disallowed. In addition, if historical preservation restrictions exist a satellite dish can also be refused.

Another possible restriction on the use of a satellite dish can occur when a central or community dish is in use. This applies only if the service provided centrally offers an equivalent service to that which the owner/renter is wanting.

The placement of a dish can be restricted; but only if the suggested placement doesn't significantly impair usage or add unreasonable expense.

If you're signing up for satellite TV for the first time, installation is generally done by the provider at no additional cost to the customer. Even if this isn't the case you can hire a professional installer to do your dish set up although there is some expense associated with this; generally $200 to $300.

On the other hand some people who are a bit more DIY inclined choose to do it themselves. Obviously using the proper mounting equipment is critical to assure the safety and stability of the dish. Wiring and cabling will have to be dealt with as well. For those interested in a home installation, a review of the information at Practical Home Theater Guide can provide a great deal of guidance in the process. The SatCruiser site provides additional information regarding the determination of the Azimuth and Elevation needed to get a signal.

For more details, you can go to the PDF of the DirectTV Installation Manual or the Dish Network site to find out more.

For those who prefer a video tutorial, Solid Signal offers some regarding the installation of DirectTV satellite dishes.

Of course not all satellite dishes will be used in homes/apartments. Some will be intended for use in an RV or tractor trailer. For some good diagramatic instructions on dish set up and installation, you can visit the Winegard site to get a general idea of how the installation works.

Photo Credits

Introduction: KevinZim.
Where Can I Set Up My Satellite Dish: Cogdogblog.
Rules and Restrictions: zzellers.
How to Install a Satellite Dish: Florian.

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