Making a semi-permanent/removeable mount for Dish Tailgater
Afternoon all,
So, I've had a Dish Tailgater for years. Been a great product, but I've always wanted to make a mount that allowed me to keep it attached to the camper most of the time, but when I decide to park under trees, make it removable so I can move it away from the trees.
So full disclaimer - a buddy of mine works for a family owned fab shop in Tacoma and cut all this on a C n C water-jet then welded it up. I just gave him the concept and the measurements, then also did what you see in the pics after he fab'd it up for me.
So the goal was to make it so I didn't drill into the roof except for the cable, and make it so it can take a 70mph wind up there going down the highway. I opted to attach it to the luggage rack.
He fab'd up a 1" square bar with mount plates on each end with holes for U-Bolts to mount to the rack, and bolts welded to the 1" for a dish mount.
Next, on his water-jet, we used 3/16" plate steel to fashion a dish mount.
With dish mount and cross bar done, attached everything with stainless hardware, and drilled a hole next to where the existing radio antenna is mounted to run the coax. Got out the zippy ties, and then Dicor'd the snot out of it.
Next -- the removable end of this. I DJ for a hobby, so I used a speaker tripod and speaker pole-mount. They're rated up to 75lbs, more than enough for a little 3lb dish.
Took a speaker pole-mount and attached it to some 1/2" pine and made a second mount plate using the same bolt holes as the rooftop mount.
And presto.....
And in the event there is wind, some simple motorcycle straps (using whatever is available, I have tent stakes with me in the TC)
Next - to make switching from rooftop to tripod easy, I installed an A/B coax switch and ran a pigtail to the outside of the TC. The Tailgater comes with a 50' run of coax, so I've just used that.
And here's it in action on my last 10-day trip to a campground in the North Idaho Rockies
Don't be hatin on the tv outside... I was there for 10 days! My buddies all showed up the day after this pic was taken, so most of the time was spent ridin, bbq and some red cups. There's a 32" tv inside the camper with the receiver, this one is another one I keep in the trailer.
On the TC
So, I've had a Dish Tailgater for years. Been a great product, but I've always wanted to make a mount that allowed me to keep it attached to the camper most of the time, but when I decide to park under trees, make it removable so I can move it away from the trees.
So full disclaimer - a buddy of mine works for a family owned fab shop in Tacoma and cut all this on a C n C water-jet then welded it up. I just gave him the concept and the measurements, then also did what you see in the pics after he fab'd it up for me.
So the goal was to make it so I didn't drill into the roof except for the cable, and make it so it can take a 70mph wind up there going down the highway. I opted to attach it to the luggage rack.
He fab'd up a 1" square bar with mount plates on each end with holes for U-Bolts to mount to the rack, and bolts welded to the 1" for a dish mount.
Next, on his water-jet, we used 3/16" plate steel to fashion a dish mount.
With dish mount and cross bar done, attached everything with stainless hardware, and drilled a hole next to where the existing radio antenna is mounted to run the coax. Got out the zippy ties, and then Dicor'd the snot out of it.
Next -- the removable end of this. I DJ for a hobby, so I used a speaker tripod and speaker pole-mount. They're rated up to 75lbs, more than enough for a little 3lb dish.
Took a speaker pole-mount and attached it to some 1/2" pine and made a second mount plate using the same bolt holes as the rooftop mount.
And presto.....
And in the event there is wind, some simple motorcycle straps (using whatever is available, I have tent stakes with me in the TC)
Next - to make switching from rooftop to tripod easy, I installed an A/B coax switch and ran a pigtail to the outside of the TC. The Tailgater comes with a 50' run of coax, so I've just used that.
And here's it in action on my last 10-day trip to a campground in the North Idaho Rockies
Don't be hatin on the tv outside... I was there for 10 days! My buddies all showed up the day after this pic was taken, so most of the time was spent ridin, bbq and some red cups. There's a 32" tv inside the camper with the receiver, this one is another one I keep in the trailer.
On the TC
