Installation guide

SiteSurvey27
Selecting a Mounting System for the Dish
There are several different mounting systems for the DSS dish. These include
horizontal, vertical, and special. Use a horizontal mounting system for horizontal
surfaces and vertical for vertical surfaces. Special mounting systems include pole and
chimney mounts. When selecting a mounting system for the dish, consider these
items:
• Safety.
• Line-of-sight path to the satellite.
• Mounting structure.
When following these instructions, take extreme care to avoid contact with overhead
power lines, lights, and power circuits. Also, do not position the dish anywhere
contact with one of these items may occur. When digging holes, be sure and contact
the local utilities and have them locate any underground services.
How to check the line-of-sight path to the satellites from your installation site is
covered earlier in this section. For each mounting system considered, the line-of-sight
path must be checked for obstructions. If there is an obstruction, another mounting
site may need to be considered.
Even though the DSS dish is relatively small, the surface it mounts to is very important.
This surface must be structurally sound and not have an excessive amount of
movement. A structurally sound surface can be the wall of a home, a deck rail, or a
chimney. These surfaces should withstand at least several hundred pounds of force
that the dish may place on it. This force is not constantly placed on the mounting
surface, it is only present when wind pushes on the dish. Keep these forces in mind
whenever installing a dish and selecting a mounting surface and system.
Identify a Route For the Cables that Run from the Dish to Receiver
Another important aspect of the site survey is the route of the LNB cable. This cable
connects the dish to the satellite receiver. The site survey is the opportune time to plan
the path of this cable. Also, if there are no phone jacks in the area of the receiver, plan
the installation of a telephone cable. If possible, select the shortest possible path to the
satellite receiver for each of these cables. Also try to take advantage of crawl, closet,
and attic spaces. Using these spaces to your advantage can reduce the installation time
by preventing the routing of cables through the inside of walls. The goal of any cable
installation is to keep the cables out of sight and as short as possible.
Connecting the Receiver to the Customer's Audio-Video Components
One of the last items of the installation to consider is the connection of the receiver to
the different video and audio components the customer may have. These components
can include VCR's, laser disc players, and audio systems. Explain to the customer the
best method of connecting their components to the receiver. If there are several