Another project....

Captain Jack

Retired human
My Satellite Setup
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My Location
North Somerset
As I am moving again (I feel like a gypsy) I need a location for my Penta 85. Sadly, I am moving to a top floor flat with an eastern facing balcony (with Severn Estuary/Bridge views), so my 1.2M Channel Master will find its home at my parents' I think. Don't want to sell it as it took me a while to get the mount/actuator going and it's a cracking dish.

Still, in the pictures you can see the balcony and I can see everything from the eastern horizon to around 13E without too many issues. However, I would really want most sats up to 1W. Looking with DishPointer app on my Android phone, I can "see" 1W over the roof around 2m from the balcony floor - basically I can "see" it with the phone held slightly over my head. As I cannot drill anything in the walls (landlord says no and it's a brand new building), I will be using my existing ground stand. However, it's only 1m high, so I need to extend the pole - what's the best way of doing this? Shelley clamp or the couplers? I am thinking that the shelley clamps will be more sturdy as there are two fixing points as opposed to just one with the coupler.

Also, what's the best way to stabilise the pole that long? A couple of guy wires at the top of the pole attached to the legs of the stand, or maybe even the balcony railings? Another option, I guess would be to attach a pole itself to the balcony railings, but I don't want to damage the balcony paint etc. Also, the main balcony "frame" is made out relatively large square poles - is there a way to attach a pole to that? Attached is the picture of the balcony location.

Finally, it looks like I'll be able to see as far as 68.5E - what can I get with an 85cm dish over that end? Any chance of 66E/Russian channels? Such a shame that 75E is below the horizon there :( I'd have a good chance if it was in the South East somewhere.....
 

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Captain Jack said:
As I am moving again (I feel like a gypsy)

Can't eat a whole one.


As you are on the top floor, what about a scaffold pole through the tiles ?
 
I don't have access to the attic and I don't think leaseholders would be happy with me picking their brand new roof off!
 
I was faced similar situation (some 8 years ago) when decided to install SAT antenna, landlady did not want any holes in infrastructure.
I removed original screw in corner of balcony railing and replaced it with longer screw. That screw went thru antenna pole. Then I added several cable straps at the very bottom. So, with this setup antenna stayed for almost 2 years, and was stable enough. After 2 years trees in front of house had grown too big and I agreed with neighbor upstairs and installed my antenna at his balcony giving him signals from my quad LNBs.
 

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One options it s to make one telescopic pole,extended on the night time 2m above balcony floor for reception on the West side. :)
 
Captain Jack said:
I don't have access to the attic and I don't think leaseholders would be happy with me picking their brand new roof off!

A three metre ladder on your balcony and a decent stab downwards with the pole should get it lodged as far as your living room wall (no need to run cables externally either ;) )
 
I'm guessing it's not a flat roof? From what I can see in the photo you could clamp a scaffold pole in the corner of the balcony using some large jubilee clips and a couple of shaped packers between the two, one side to fit the internal corner of the balcony, the other side concave to sit the pole against. Jubilee do high torque stainless clips upto 500mm diameter! I doubt a 2m steel pole clamped into the corner would need any guying but would you get away with that size of installation? These may vary with you being further west but an 85cm here picks up all the transponders on 57E Middle East beam, Aktau and MIR transponders on 66E, all the Europe pointing transponders on 68.5E and so I've just learned the Canadian Forces transponder on 70.5E.
 
Thanks everyone. Moving in two weeks, so I'll see how I get on. It's not a flat roof, sadly...
 
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