Tyler “The Antenna Man” recently posted this article on his channel, talking about putting an antenna on an existing satellite mount and using existing satellite cable. Here it is so you don’t have to look for it. It’s not very long, so you might want to watch it before reading the rest of this article.
Before I start, I want the whole internet to know that I have a lot of respect for Tyler. He’s one of the leading proponents of over-the-air antennas out there and he’s almost always right. He does miss the mark here a little bit though and I need to explain why.
Mounts
Most mounts for satellite dishes are between 1.66 and 2 inches in outer diameter. This is done to make sure the dish is nice and stable. Even a 1/32″ movement in a dish can affect reception, so larger mounts are used. However, these mounts are often too large for a typical antenna to work. Typical antenna mounts are 1 to 1.5 inches in outer diameter. If you try to mount an antenna on a satellite mount, it may not work because it simply won’t fit. Luckily there’s a solution for that.
This pole-to-pole mount from Solid Signal will do exactly what you need it to. It will let you connect a secondary pole to your existing satellite mount, as you can see in the image above. You can get any metal post from a home store if you want. Fenceposts work and so do galvanized metal pipe. Most of the time the home store will even cut it down to size if you ask. Just make sure the outer diameter is between 1 and 1.5″ and you’ll be fine.
Mount the new pipe and the satellite mount to the pole-to-pole mount and then you can put the antenna up on the new pipe. It will even give you a little more height which isn’t a bad thing.
Satellite splitters should NEVER be used for antennas.
Satellite splitters are very well built, but they are really terrible for antenna use. They’re designed to pass information between the outputs and that means a lot of interference can creep in. If the satellite splitters have a pink or green label, if they say Holland or DIRECTV, Echostar or DISH, you will want to replace them.
This splitter will work really well for antenna use. It’s economical, well-built, and will pass power between all ports. As Tyler points out, that’s important. But in a pinch, even the cheapest splitter you’ll find at the dollar store will be ten times better than what you get from a satellite splitter.
Amplifying the message
I’ve done a quick video which goes over this in another way.
All of the products I mention, as well as the best selection of antennas and accessories, are available at SolidSignal.com. Shop, call us at 888-233-7563, or fill out the form below if you need help.
