Satellite Dish Removal?

[Jennifer]

I bought a house in the DC subirbs of Maryland a little over a year ago. The previous owners had installed one of those enormous

10-foot-diameter black mesh satellite dishes. I subscribed to the satellite service for a year, but just plain hated it. I did not renew the subscription, and I want to get rid of the dish.

The previous owners left no instructions for dish removal. I contacted the satellite service company and the satellite manufacturer, asking for information on having the dish removed, and neither of them was able to offer any kind of helpful information.

I checked the yellow pages under Satellite, but all I see are listings for things like Dish Network installation.

What kind of service professional should I be looking for? How do I get rid of this monstrous thing without electrocuting myself?

Thanks in advance for any advice.

-- Jennifer

[xrongor]

whats so hard about removing it? ill bet there's some bolts... might be helpful to have 2-3 people to steady the dish while this is being done. once its down, bust it up and take it to the dump.

as for who to call, any of these fix it guys should be able to do it.

randy

[ahedge]

Jennifer,

Some dishes have an electric motor to point to different satellites, so you were right, there is a shock hazard. If yours has a black mesh it should come apart in small pieces, one person with good tools should be able to do it. I had to take one down not long ago...

I would try putting a sign on the dish, sort of "come 'n get it" . Someone could need a dish and spare you the work. Also an ad in a local paper? Or try to talk a frieend into taking on that challenge?.

If neither of those flies, I would call a local dish installer. It will cost you and probably they won't haul the beast away ..

Good luck

Art

[maradcliff]

If you were even remotely nearby, I'd take it off your hands. Like you were told, place a FREE DISH sign around town. As far as electricuted, just unplug it. What is so hard about that?

[~KJPRO~]

Oh, pleezzzz.....

Cut the wire and dismantle the dish. It's not like there is anything there to electrocute you! Cut the wire and be done with it, if you don't trust me, unplug the receiver first. (that's where the low voltage is going to be coming from)

And the voltage is only applied to the actuator (dish mover) when it's being moved.

The other supply voltage to the LNA's, LNB's (part in the middle, out front) is nothing to worry about either. And then, some units have a little servo motor and that voltage is nothing to worry about either. (this is only with the older units with a polarotor)

~kjpro~

[Terry]

"Jennifer" wrote in message news: [e-mail]...

Jennifer: Those bigger older microwave TV dishes are not very popular now, at least here and also probably not in your area also. Too much competition from other satellites (which use smaller dishes) and cable TV! However it was and perhaps still is working. It was, you say, until you ceased to subscribe to that service. As various posters have said there must be half a dozen ways to 'try' and get rid of it. Advertise; "Free for the taking in local classifieds, bulletin boards at local s.market, church and thrift stores etc.". Won't cost you much if anything? be careful to say "Where is and as is" also "Taker shall remove from site". May get you anybody from the a local scrap dealer, a private individual who wants to use it themselves, someone who is willing to disconnect and donate to a charity etc. etc. Another idea would be to call up the local technical/trades college/s, maybe they would like some practical hands-on field de-installation experience for their electronics students. They might even want to try making it work again as a class project? Make absolutely sure your subscription is cancelled. Students! A handy and knowledgeable friend of the family, with a technical background mind you, should know enough to safely dismantle it. If you MUST pay for the removing of it to satisfy legal and/or local municipal ordinances/regulations it will cost you; partly because any company that will do it, even a small unincorporated one, is most likely so hemmed in by regulations and requirements, such as to have one million dollars liability insurance, in case he drops a wrench on your favourite puppy (or child!) or leaves a wire sticking out and somebody scratches themselves! (Life is full of risks anyway!) Also perhaps that he MUST get an electrician to 'actually cut' the wires (even if they don't carry any mains electric voltage) Then to cart it away (I doubt if you can put the bits in the regular trash collection; unless you have a city 'clean up' period each fall and spring?) so the dismantler must take it away in a vehicle, again with business insurance and licensing etc. etc. etc. Technically not a difficult job but may need someone who can cope with corroded bolts etc. For example an auto mechanic doing it on his own time after regular work might be an economical choice? Any chance you can modify so it becomes a piece of art? Terry.

[Harry K]

The hardest part of getting rid of one is removing the post it is fastened to. All others is simple tool manipulation.

Harry K

[Michael Baugh]

Buy an angle grinder at the flea market for $10, dig dirt from around the post, cutpipe off as low as you can, and cover what's left, including filling the pipe with dirt and tamping it in.

[Bill]

Post to... rec.video.satellite.tvro

-and- alt.video.satellite.mpeg-dvb

But before you get rid of it...

Free Satellite TV...

New mpeg digital receivers to get the Free TV...

[evolie]

You better tell him to use a cutting wheel in the angle grinder

[evolie]

OK, I looked at these websites. I see on one a whole list of satellite channels. On the other I see a bunch of equipment, including DVD stuff. Could you please explain what is needed to get this free tv, besides the dish itself.

[Brad Bishop]

Something that may help you there: Take a sledge hammer and hit the post. The vibrations may (they were for me for two posts in concrete) be enough to crack the concrete around the base so that you're left with removing the post and however much concrete you want to dig up. It's easier than trying to remove the post and the concrete all in one shot (which is really heavy).

Brad

[Bill]

[Harry K]

Did you maybe forget about having to do something about all the concrete that is around that post and usually at or slightly above ground level?

Harry K

[evolie]

Thanks for the additional info. I am looking at it now. One question: Isn't MPEG-2 the same thing as MP3 (or would this be MP2? I used to download MPEG computer movies. Maybe they are still out there for download, but I dont sownload much anymore with all the viruses. Is this just a coincidence, or is this the same thing? If it is the same, those satellite signals must be one heck of a lot faster than the computer takes to download.

[Jennifer]

I may try those newsgroups, though I seem to be getting pretty helpful responses here so far :) Thanks!

-- Jennifer

[Jennifer]

Hehe, my husband and I joked about turning it into a giant birdbath :) It really is just a giant eyesore though. From the responses here, it doesn't sound like I'll have too much trouble giving it away. Thanks for the ideas.

-- Jennifer

[Jennifer]

Much of it does look like I can dismantle it with the right tools, which I'd be fine with. It's just the wiring that worries me. The dish is at least 30 feet away from the house, so there must be underground wiring. Don't I need to pull it up, or something?

I'll try the "free dish" thing first and see if anyone bites... I'm actually debating trying to eBay (starting bid $1 :) it along with the receivers, with one of the conditions of sale being that the buyer has to dismantle and pick up the dish. I wonder if that's possible? Everything still works, after all. I'd love to just not have to deal with the removal myself.

-- Jennifer

[Jessica W]

Or a gold fish pond...

[AlienZen]

Join your local freecycle yahoo group.

I can almost promise you, if there is a local group, and you offer the complete satellite system, you will have a line of people willing to do everything to get this out of your yard, even cutting the pole off.

Mike