Dish Playmaker DIY tripod or mount?

I see many people just setting them on small tables.

I have a tripod I can use both for the dish antenna and the Playmaker. Sometimes I can put it on a table, too. All depends on signal strength.

I have the TR-1518 tripod on a Pathway X2. I love and hate the tripod at the same time.

The good is that it is easy to level and is fairly sturdy. I've never used the long screw to secure it to the ground.

The bad its bulky.

I have that tripod with an X2 also. I ended up making some shorter feet for it. I hand some leftover square tubing so I cut some pcs about 4" long. Drilled holes in the end to fasten to the top plate. I set the X2 on the tripod top and tightened the rubber pads real tight. If I remember right I think there is a metal spacer under the black rubber pads that I removed. That allowed the pads to be tightened down so the X2 can't be removed from the tripod top without an allen wrench. It's not theft proof but it would take someone awhile to unscrew the pads to remove the X2 from the tripod. I can also use the metal hold down loop under it to secure with a cable and lock. With the shorter feet I can set it anywhere. On the 5er roof, a table, or the ground. When I stow it in the 5er front basement I lay it upside down on the black cover. By using the short feet I don't have to remove and re-install legs all the time, plus I can lock it up for peace of mind.