Direct TV HD Satellite tripod

[Fishy_Old_Man]

I am going from a standard Direct TV satellite dish to a HD Slimline dish. Can I adapt my Winegard tripod to work with the Slimline dish?

If not, can you recommend a tripod?

Thanks for any help you can provide.

Fishy

[2010Liberty]

When we changed over to HD and DTV does not provide a tripod I simply changed ours to work.
I asked the tech for a tube the size needed to fit the big dish and added some of it to the small tube that i had been using. I first drilled a couple holes in the larger tube to allow sheet metal screws to fit. I then drilled them into the inner tube holding it to one side of small tube. I then went to a buddies house and welded them together.
I had looked at Dish tripods and they looked the same except the center tube diameter.
We have used this for over 2 years without issue. I do get a few looks when we have service come out to get us working when something fails. We move seasonally and wind nor hail seems to bother but rain that can be an issue

[Big_Katuna]

I couldn't agree more. I have time on my hands, a shop, I LOVE going to scrap yards and junk yards. I make my own smokers, temperature controllers, sous vide cookers etc

If you want to pay $150 for something I put together for $40 go right ahead.

I'll spend the extra bucks on diesel or Grey Goose.

[nomad297]

Big Katuna wrote:

nomad297 wrote:

LarryJM wrote:

Big Katuna wrote:
I use mine on asphalt often so I can't drive stakes which seems like a pain anyways.

Mine has never fallen over. I just spread the legs out very far.

An Align a site is a $160 piece of un neccesary plastic.

I use Dishpointer on my iphone.

Spoken like a true "UNINFORMED" non Align-a-site owner/user. I won't even attempt to explain the advantages of something like the Align-a-site over things like the iphone apps, but having used both there is "NO COMPARISION". Try using an iphone app to site a dish between two tree branches with leaves on them and see which is easier and more effective to use.

Also, as already mentioned the Sat dish mount does not have to be "plumb" to properly aim the dish using the Align-a-site system.

Larry

Not saying that the Align-a-site doesn't work, but when used with a Slimline dish, if the mast isn't plumb, how do you obtain the correct skew for satellites 99 and 103?

Bruce

I think You have to loosen the adjustment bolts and re level it to the
Level on the Align a sight which is a way bigger pain than leveling the tripod.

The surveyors tripod levels in seconds no wrenches.

I have watched the AAS being used and I think my $5 app that superimposes the sats on my camera screen works just as good for $150 less.

I set up in tree covered state parks routinely.

I agree the TVRV setup is fine. But I'm a cheapskate DIYer.

I went a scrap yard and found a 1/4" thick aluminum plate 4" wide and 12" long.
I drill a 5/8" hole in the middle and bolt it to the hole on the tripod with an upside down 1/2 eye bolt with a wing nut. You could use a bungee thru the eye bolt to a stake or a bucket of dirt but I have never had to the tripod is so stable.

I sat the dish bracket on one end of the plate and outlined the mast hole.
I drilled three holes and bolted the dish mount to the flat bracket with J bolts.

Total cost about $8. I paid $30 for the Pentax tripod on Craigslist. I out a plastic bubble level on the bracket.

I guess it all depends on your situation, but to me, time is money. And if I was to spend the time you spent rounding up the parts and making a setup like you have, I would be out big bucks compared to buying the tripod setup from tv4rv.

Bruce

[Big_Katuna]

nomad297 wrote:

LarryJM wrote:

Big Katuna wrote:
I use mine on asphalt often so I can't drive stakes which seems like a pain anyways.

Mine has never fallen over. I just spread the legs out very far.

An Align a site is a $160 piece of un neccesary plastic.

I use Dishpointer on my iphone.

Spoken like a true "UNINFORMED" non Align-a-site owner/user. I won't even attempt to explain the advantages of something like the Align-a-site over things like the iphone apps, but having used both there is "NO COMPARISION". Try using an iphone app to site a dish between two tree branches with leaves on them and see which is easier and more effective to use.

Also, as already mentioned the Sat dish mount does not have to be "plumb" to properly aim the dish using the Align-a-site system.

Larry

Not saying that the Align-a-site doesn't work, but when used with a Slimline dish, if the mast isn't plumb, how do you obtain the correct skew for satellites 99 and 103?

Bruce

I think You have to loosen the adjustment bolts and re level it to the
Level on the Align a sight which is a way bigger pain than leveling the tripod.

The surveyors tripod levels in seconds no wrenches.

I have watched the AAS being used and I think my $5 app that superimposes the sats on my camera screen works just as good for $150 less.

I set up in tree covered state parks routinely.

I agree the TVRV setup is fine. But I'm a cheapskate DIYer.

I went a scrap yard and found a 1/4" thick aluminum plate 4" wide and 12" long.
I drill a 5/8" hole in the middle and bolt it to the hole on the tripod with an upside down 1/2 eye bolt with a wing nut. You could use a bungee thru the eye bolt to a stake or a bucket of dirt but I have never had to the tripod is so stable.

I sat the dish bracket on one end of the plate and outlined the mast hole.
I drilled three holes and bolted the dish mount to the flat bracket with J bolts.

Total cost about $8. I paid $30 for the Pentax tripod on Craigslist. I out a plastic bubble level on the bracket.

[Carl_n_Susan]

Another TV4RV user here. While a surveyor's tripod works well also, it does require you to fabricate an adapter plate. For a complete ready to go system, the TV4RV solution is slightly more expensive but makes alignment a snap.

[Fishy_Old_Man]

Thanks very much to the replies. I do appreciate it.

[lynndiwagon]

Another recommendation for the TV4RV tripod rig. I guess you could get 101 with the dish not plumb and level but you run the risk of not getting the other two, which is the entire purpose of a Slimline 3, as in 3 satellites.

[nomad297]

I use the tv4rv method with their heavy-duty tripod. I can usually have all three DirecTv satellites dialed in in five minutes or less.

Bruce

[nomad297]

LarryJM wrote:

Big Katuna wrote:
I use mine on asphalt often so I can't drive stakes which seems like a pain anyways.

Mine has never fallen over. I just spread the legs out very far.

An Align a site is a $160 piece of un neccesary plastic.

I use Dishpointer on my iphone.

Spoken like a true "UNINFORMED" non Align-a-site owner/user. I won't even attempt to explain the advantages of something like the Align-a-site over things like the iphone apps, but having used both there is "NO COMPARISION". Try using an iphone app to site a dish between two tree branches with leaves on them and see which is easier and more effective to use.

Also, as already mentioned the Sat dish mount does not have to be "plumb" to properly aim the dish using the Align-a-site system.

Larry

Not saying that the Align-a-site doesn't work, but when used with a Slimline dish, if the mast isn't plumb, how do you obtain the correct skew for satellites 99 and 103?

Bruce

[LarryJM]

Big Katuna wrote:
I use mine on asphalt often so I can't drive stakes which seems like a pain anyways.

Mine has never fallen over. I just spread the legs out very far.

An Align a site is a $160 piece of un neccesary plastic.

I use Dishpointer on my iphone.

Spoken like a true "UNINFORMED" non Align-a-site owner/user. I won't even attempt to explain the advantages of something like the Align-a-site over things like the iphone apps, but having used both there is "NO COMPARISION". Try using an iphone app to site a dish between two tree branches with leaves on them and see which is easier and more effective to use.

Also, as already mentioned the Sat dish mount does not have to be "plumb" to properly aim the dish using the Align-a-site system.

Larry

[Big_Katuna]

That's like I use. You can get the tripod at Lowes for around $80.

I found a used one on CL for $30. I made my bracket for $5.

[reubenray]

Get one of these http://tv4rv.com/sunshop/index.php?l=product_list&c=1. You will be glad you did.

[Big_Katuna]

I use mine on asphalt often so I can't drive stakes which seems like a pain anyways.

Mine has never fallen over. I just spread the legs out very far.

An Align a site is a $160 piece of un neccesary plastic.

I use Dishpointer on my iphone.

[donn0128]

Big Katuna wrote:
The little tripod isn't sturdy enought. The Dish mast needs to be completely plumb to get a good signal o n all three sats. Not necessairly true. Usingma tool like the Align-A-Site eliminates the need for leveling the tripod

I use and recommend a surveyors transit type tripod. It levels quickly and is very sturdy.
Mine has never fallen over. There is a wide variety of decent heavy duty tripods that work very well. The key is heavy enough to be stable in all conditions, and the ability to secure it to the ground. I use 12 inch spikes through the feet

I found a used one for cheap and made a plate to bolt the dish to out a a 4" x 13" 1/4" aluminum plate.

You can buy the completed unit on rvsat.com or something like that $150