The toughest task of using a Dish Network satellite TV system will be the original setup. Professional installation can sometimes add an extra $100 to the total cost, but many subscription packages come with free installation. If you wish to set up the system yourself, you must remember two important things. The dish itself must face the southern sky without obstruction, and the dish must be grounded to protect your home from lightning damage.
Instructions
1. Find a location on a south-facing wall or the roof facing south to mount the Dish Network satellite antenna dish. Make sure there are no trees or other objects blocking it. Check with your homeowners' association for any mounting regulations. If the wall or roof isn't allowed, you can mount it onto a balcony or even inside.
2. Drill a hole in your wall that the main receiver coaxial cable will enter the house through. Secure the dish's grounding block to the floor near the hole. Connect the dish's coaxial cable to the block, then run the receiver cable through the hole and connect it to the ground.
3. Secure the messenger wire (which is connected to the dish) to the grounding block by placing it through one of the holes in the block and laying the block directly on top of it (You'll need to loosen and then retighten one of the bolts). Do the same with one end of the copper/aluminum wire and connect its other end to the building's main ground.
4. Connect the receiver cable to the input port on the receiver box. Attach another cable to the receiver's output port and the TV set. Connect the receiver to a phone jack to order pay-per-view events over the phone.
5. Turn on the TV and receiver and go to the "signal strength" menu screen with the remote control. This will give you the precise direction (azimuth), angle (elevation) and rotation (skew) that your dish should be aimed at. Aim the dish at these coordinates for the best signal.
6. Call Dish Network to confirm activation of your system.
Tags: Dish Network, coaxial cable, Connect receiver, dish grounding, dish grounding block, Dish Network satellite, grounding block
