As the economy tightens up, we’re all going to want to do more with less. That means not spending on things we already have. In some cases, you’ll want to get rid of an expensive cable TV package and rely on an over-the-air antenna. It’s a smart way to make sure you get local channels, because once you install that antenna there’s nothing more to buy.
You may already have an antenna on your house that’s old or in poor repair. Or if you once had satellite TV, that dish may still be up on your roof because you didn’t want to take it down and leave holes. So, you may be thinking, can I use that old “J-mount?” You know, that part that screws down to the roof and the antenna or dish mounts to it? Here are your options.
By the numbers
There are generally three different sizes of poles or mounts you will find on your home. Most antennas put up there in the 20th century will use one size pole, while DIRECTV dishes and DISH dishes use different sizes. Knowing what you have will let you choose the right path to take.
The key thing to know is that these poles are measured by their outer diameter. In other words, if you put a ruler across the top of them, the point from the outer edge of the metal to the other outer edge of the metal. There are three commonly used sizes:
- 1.25″ outer diameter: TV antennas only
- 1.66″ outer diameter: Older round DIRECTV dishes, all DISH dishes
- 2″ outer diameter: Any DIRECTV dish made after about 2010
Knowing the size of the mount is going to tell you what you can do with it. If you have a 1.66″ outer diameter mast, this is going to work out really well for you. Those masts are big enough that you can adapt them to work with newer dishes, and small enough that most antennas will mount up to them.
On the other hand, that 1.25″ mast isn’t going to work well for satellite TV. It’s too flimsy and will move too much. 2″ outer diameter masts are usually too thick for an antenna to mount to without some sort of adapter.
So, tell me about these adapters
This is a typical pipe adapter. You connect one side to the old pipe, and then you can connect another pipe to it. The result is that you can connect the size of pipe you need for what you want. They’re not the most attractive solution, but they are less expensive than a brand new mount. You also won’t have to patch the holes caused by removing the old mount.
There are also a few cases where you can use a sleeve-style adapter. This one will convert an older satellite dish mount to use the new 2″ outer diameter dishes. They should be sort of a last resort because if they’re not installed properly, the dish is going to move a lot and you’ll have issues.
You can take a look at all the pipe adapters we have at Solid Signal, and decide which one is right for you.
Is this the right option for you?
Really, only you can decide that. If you really need to save money on a new installation, they might be. But in general these are less attractive choices. They don’t look as professional and by putting on these sort of adapters, you’re creating opportunities for more things to get loose. That may not be the best option if you’re looking at putting up a satellite dish. On the other hand, a TV antenna won’t really mind a little bit of movement. It’s up to you.
No matter what you need, you’ll find it when you shop the great selection at Solid Signal. You’ll find tens of thousands of hard-to-find parts at the best prices! If you can’t find what you’re looking for, give us a call. We’re here during East Coast office hours at 888-233-7563. If it’s after hours, fill out the form below. We’ll get back to you, usually within one business day.
