Starlink $1 satellite mount! Can you use your old satellite roof mount? How to save money and time.

[@Big88Country]

Good info! It's always a good idea to put silicone over the threads of the bolt to ensure no water intrusion.

[@alandcahill]

Or leave the original plate attached to the roof and just replace the arm...

[@dallasdowden5233]

Yeah or use bishop tape that thing is gonna leak for sure

[@46fd04]

I have installed two Starlink dishes using the J-arms from Bell and Shaw dishes in Canada. I did not cut the poles. Drilled a hole thru them for a nut and bolt to secure the new dish. Works great.

[@AllMediaServices1]

Hey TFSFireman, It does work for a mount, that is for sure. Our concern is that the extra height and weight on the older J-arm will put a lot of pressure at the base, particularly during wind gusts. If I was mounting on an original arm and wanted to keep the height I would be putting in a tri-pod to help alleviate some pressure from the base. You can buy the tripod arms separate, it would help me to have peace of mind on those windy days. Thank you for your comment.

[@mezokadry577]

You are a genius in installation. Stuff. Even in the last video when I installed the base plate. You put 2 nails on each side. Each one is the opposite of the other. Protect the dish from the wind. You are skilled in this craft. Meticulous..and orderly worthy. Appreciation.

[@dusanmal]

Construction-wise you are spot on. However, it is worth mentioning that the sat communication is quite different in cases of the "old style" geostationary sats and Starling system. While on the old system you could very well mount it on the side of the house or near the bottom edge of the roof as in your example, Starlink benefits greatly from as wide open space as you can get at the location. Note that the Starlink 100 degree field of view requirement is in a way the minimum, it will work but it will work better and give you greater bandwidth and more stable connection if more open space is provided. In your example I'd have it mounted near the ridge line of the roof.

[@AllMediaServices1]

Thank you dusanmal, those are some great insights.

[@olsonspeed]

Through the Roof is the perfered roof sealant. Thanks for the Starlink installation tips, I am still on the waiting list.

[@AllMediaServices1]

Hey Olsenspeed, I haven't used Through the Roof sealant, I'll check it out. Thanks for the comment and keep us informed as to when you get your system, lots of people are waiting!

[@jaredfromsubway6755]

You have it yet?

[@olsonspeed]

@@jaredfromsubway6755 No not yet.

[@RyanGrissett]

I just got mine, been waiting since Feb 2021. Do you have yours now?

[@olsonspeed]

@@RyanGrissett Starlink still says that all available capacity in my area is being used. Maybe in another six Elon months.

[@1718blazer]

Why didn’t you use the mount already screwed into the roof? Just remove the old j arm

[@AllMediaServices1]

Hey Edward. Your right, that would've been the best thing to do as we wouldn't have disturb the original seal. For the video we had extra J-arms kicking around so we did it this way, but really a lot of people will only have the one on the roof. I would recommend doing just that, use the existing mount and try to leave the plate in place providing that it was a good mount to begin with. Watch for water damaged mounts that have been up for a long time or rusted worn out pieces and replace as necessary. Dishy is quite a bit heavier then the TV dishes so the mount has to be really solid, Starlink also recommends tethering your dish just incase it does come off its mount, which will be doing a video on. Thank you for your comment.

[@iGotGameDoU]

My house is covered by trees. So my only options were pole mount or on separated garage. I have 3 old satellite dishes on my garage but I really didn't want to have trench my yard and run over sized pipe. Didn't feel like calling Julie to mark up yard. So I decided to take one of the satellite dish mounts from garage and mount on my shed which is 10 ft from house and has great view of sky. I used a wire sheathing to protect it from squirrels and ran a ground wire to surge protector that is tied to a hard water pipe incase of a bad storm. Overall super thrilled with outcome.

[@trigger4256]

one can use 1-1/4thin wall pipe as reducer for starlink stem then a cable clamp vs. set screws

[@NightPrairie]

Great video, we just installed the dish by following your video. Thanks so much for sharing!

[@1718blazer]

Could have put a couple of self tapping screws in the opposite side to stabilize it.

[@michaelholliday100]

I would not do that as I noted above I wrapped the Starlink tube with a 2.5 in. wide sheet of plastic from a 2 liter pop bottle until I got an extremely tight fit.

[@Phydoux2112]

Did the hardware store not have shorter bolts? If not, the best way to shorten it would be to put the nut on first then cut the bolt to size leaving enough space for the washers, nut and maybe an extra 1/4". Then cut the rest off with your sawzall.

[@mkrmsmith]

I bet if you cut a small sleeve from the rest of the J-Arm pole, to go around the base , that would have worked perfect. I am installing mine next week.

[@RogerDiotte]

Ok, I was one of the first initial customers when it opened in Canada back in 2020 and I did buy the pipe mount adapter from Starlink luckily cause when my dish arrive I couldn't get the end of the Starlink pipe inside my Bell Satellite J-Pole? Yea that was normal it seemed back then as it made sense for the pole adapter. When I tried the Starlink pipe was almost the same diameter as the J's. Now I see everyone plopping them into the J's? I guess originally the first few we're made as that spec.

[@AllMediaServices1]

Hey Roger, I've been installing these dishes for 20 years and there are some older J-arms with smaller diameters out there for sure. Most of the Shaw Direct ones with the E-Dish should be the right size. The thing to check for is that the mount is solid and has been sealed...this Dishy does weigh quite a bit more then the TV satellites. I haven't heard of anybody having to replace one yet but I can imagine it's pretty expensive. Hope your system has been working well for you! Thank you for the comment.

[@RogerDiotte]

@@AllMediaServices1 Actually you've hit a good point in the weight! Yea it is heavy in a sense compared to regular Dish setups and with that said I'm going to revisit my install at the time I'm ready to cut my J-Arm down a little to make my Dish more firm!

[@michaelholliday100]

@@AllMediaServices1 The Starlink dish weighs 12 lbs. and is 23.2 in. in diameter..

[@johny9516]

Put another cross bolt through below or above the other to get rid of the wobble.

[@AllMediaServices1]

That’s a good idea!

[@santanaowens4637]

You have the best satellite

[@brianbrink1421]

Thanks u saved me time and $!!

[@jxrdnz]

why remove a perfectly sealed mount if they are the same mount... just change the arms out?

[@AllMediaServices1]

Your right don't remove a sealed mount, we only did so for video purposes. Real world application is to work on the existing mount in place not disturbing the seal. When lifting an old mount from the roof you can cause more damage by lifting the shingles stuck to it, making for a lot more unneeded work. Just make sure the existing mount is solid and sealed. By doing these videos we've put more holes in my roof then any house I've ever seen, all for demonstration purposes, but really not needed or advisable. Thank you for watching so closely!

[@miguelcabrera3838]

Or cut in place

[@46fd04]

The j-pole us flexible. Tighten the nut and bolt until the j-pole squeezes the Starlink arm. It will be secure. The blue tape is not necessary. Put a self-tapping screw in as well. Will stop any movement.

[@michaelholliday100]

When you squeeze the tube you will greatly reduce its strength...

[@46fd04]

@@michaelholliday100 It doesn't get squeezed very much. It's strength won't be compromised.

[@jc9054]

Suggestion.. just drill 2 holes through one side of pole attached to mounting plate about an inch or two apart one above the other...then insert starlink pole into mount pole..then tighten two bolts in holes down against starlink pole...this will take up the slack in the different diameter poles

[@AllMediaServices1]

This is a good idea, thank you for the comment J C

[@jc9054]

Or actually even easier just drive a couple self tapping screws through one side of the 2 joined poles.Then it will be tight too.

[@kg7gtc]

Perhaps I missed something, but unless the existing sat mount was leaking or loose, why didn't you just leave the base mounted and swap your short modified j-arm with the existing one? All you would have to mess with the the 2 nuts/bolts on each assembly. Bam, done! No new potential leaks. This is not criticism, just my opinion, which is worth as much effort as I put into helping you with your project. Zero. Thanks for sharing Matt. Nice presentation. 73.

[@AllMediaServices1]

You are right Rob, probably would have been a more efficient example. Our ideas were more focused on using the J-arm than they were on the placement (which is important too). Any constructive criticism is always appreciated. Thank you for the comment and thanks for watching!

[@TheJakeRobinson]

Do you guys have a hack for using the same TV dish mount + Square Dishy - UTA-212? The "insert" clip on the Starlink arm is a different design. the cable comes out right at the top of the insert - it would still need to be wrapped with foam rubber tape - however the insert clip doesn't look like what you guys had. There is no "hole" to send a bolt through; it does not pop out the end and looks like you can remove it. I am considering a shot self-tapping screw, using washers to make sure the length passes through outside pipe and just penetrating the Starlink arm insert just enough to get a firm purchase without risk of damaging "innards" Nowhere on the net can I find an example of this particular arm insert and how to remove the clip or what's inside the insert. Any info you have would be appreciated. Cheers

[@AllMediaServices1]

We have used a full sized J-Arm in the past and just drilled a hole through the J-arm at the point where the Starlink dish arm can sit on the bolt and not crush the cable. Then do the rubber tape wrap and use a self tapper or two vertically along the side of the dish arm in the small gap between it and the J-Arm to stop it from spinning. We do it this way to avoid any damage to the Dishy arm and still keep it secure.

[@daganhaddad]

1 yr after watching this the 1st time...I "re-ordering" starlink again - I thought screwing into a shingled roof was a no-no?

[@BrucePotter]

A wise man would do all the cutting, fitting, drilling and painting while on the ground where parts can't fall too far, including yourself.

[@RandyWells24]

being retired from DirecTV NEVER reuse the mount holes, there never as good the 2nd time as b4, why didnt you JUST cut that mast from existing dish?

[@AllMediaServices1]

Very true Randy, anytime you reuse existing mounting holes they weaken. Good eye on the video!

[@Bucket-101]

That's the only reason I clicked on this video. I was like did he run those straight through I don't see any bishop tape. This is what scares me about people self installing.

[@46fd04]

When mounting on the roof, use SIX lag screws, and, get the centre screws into the roof joist. Very important!

[@AllMediaServices1]

Hey TFSFireman, You definitely can use 6 screws to stabilize the dish as best possible. If your going through 1/2 plywood then it does help. I've seen more 3/8 plywood under the shingles then 1/2 and the 3/8 board lifts and cracks and weakens over time, even with it being center mounted on a joist. If possible we'll go into the attic and place backing support wood as well for the screws to bite into, then it's very solid and sealed. Just don't want to take any chances on leakage happening. In time all mounts wear down and should be checked upon, but few people do until its to late. What your mounting the dish to is just as important as how you mount the dish. I'm more comfortable mounting on a joist and facia plate down low with less screws at the edge of the roof, You can get a very solid mount and its easier to access. Thank you for your comment.

[@46fd04]

@@AllMediaServices1 I've been installing it this way for over 15 years without any issues. I place a piece of Resisto Red Zone Membrane under all pole mounts for water protection. Bracing in the attic is not required if the 2 centre screws are in the joist, and the 2 lower screws are in the fascia plate.

[@AllMediaServices1]

​@@46fd04 Fair enough, I won't try to argue against 15 years of experience. You're definitely doing something right. I will share some numbers with you though, Shaw Direct Fiber Glass Dish weighs 3.3 pounds. Starlink Dish(Dishy McFlatface) weighs 11.5 pounds. That is almost a 400% increase in weight. At the end of the day your the one installing, you know what has worked for you in the past and what will work in the future. Thank you for taking the time to respond.

[@46fd04]

@@AllMediaServices1 I appreciate what you are saying. You are correct about the weight difference for sure. And, Starlink is new to all of us. Therefore, I guess I will find out in the next year or so if violent wind gusts will rip the thing off. I think the windload on these dishes will be less than a Bell TV dish. Why? Because they are the same diameter, and the Starlink dish points upwards, instead of sideways.Having said all that, I think that if it's possible to use a shorter pole at a customer's home, I just may start cutting the poles down like you've done, just in case the weight/leverage causes problems in the future. So far, I've only installed two Starlink dishes using the regular sized J-poles. One of these installs is where I park my trailer, so I will be seeing that dish on a regular basis. I will be able to see if there are any problems.

[@46fd04]

@@AllMediaServices1 If you want to see what I use to seal these J-pole installations, send an email to [e-mail]. I will send you a photo of what it looks like.

[@bwd1963]

Good job

[@specialfxg]

interesting... but aren't you worried about heavy snow with such a short stem that could damage the dishy?

[@AllMediaServices1]

Hey Fx Gaston, it is always good practice to think of things like this. Depending on where the dish is mounted and how much snowfall is accumulated in that area. The stock base height is reached with this mount, which is 18 inches. We wouldn't see that kind of accumulation in this particular spot, but there are cases where this would be an issue and the dish height should stay above the snow line to prevent damage to the internal motors trying to push through snow. Not to mention the ice build up that can happen in extreme cold. We generally mount the dish in an easy access area so that we can easily clear out snow that builds up. This isn't always the case but as much as we can. If we did want to get the dish height higher up then we could extend the pole, but i would strongly recommend mounting supporting arms like a tripod, just because the extra height puts more pressure on the mass. Hope this helps, thank you for commenting!

[@trigger4256]

dont need to do any cutting!!!just use the j arm mount as is !!!! it can be levelled with bolts on bottom sides of j arm to be straight up. piece of pipe that fits inside top of j-arm secure with self tapping screws so it doesnt turn then the star link stem will fit in this new pipe and again self tapping screws or a bolt to secure

[@AllMediaServices1]

You could be right on that one trigger4256. We didn’t want to take any risks with to much extra leverage on a full sized J-Arm especially since the Dishy is the heavier 1st Gen and even more so it was very new to us at the time this video was made (and expensive :0) Have you been able to utilize a J-Arm for your own Starlink setup?

[@Graybeard_]

Too funny, I'm watching you trying to cut the J-arm tube with a sawzall in a loose vise, scratching my head, then I'm thinking if he doesn't take a rasp file or at least some sand paper and knock off the roughness, "someone's" gonna get cut. >> 3:37

[@AllMediaServices1]

Haha in to much of a rush that day! Its all fun and games until the video editing has to be done.. Thanks for the comment GrayBeard_gamer definitely made me laugh :0

[@nickdial8528]

What's the measurement on J mount on where to cut so the bolt holes line up? Also, Would this work for mounting on the side trim of the roof instead of the roof itself?

[@AllMediaServices1]

Hello Nick here is a link to a diagram to answer your measurement question docs.google.com/drawings/d/1isDLJqQ_CHLij9vwTGqsb2ek0MsUa4S5zyKu6SkDIvg/edit to answer your other question about the trim mount as long as your trim is solid behind and you can get at least 4 screws into it you should be fine. Also be sure that your dish will clear the roof in any position. when it is self adjusting you don’t want it to hit the roofline.

[@nickdial8528]

@@AllMediaServices1 Thanks, does the diagram show how to remove the pushing tabs on the star link mount? My Starlink dish is the updated rectangular design, but it doesn't look like the push tabs come out very easily.

[@AllMediaServices1]

@@nickdial8528 Hey Nick, So you have 2nd Gen Dishy…that piece we have not be able to get out yet:( With 2nd Gen systems we use a clamp instead of a bolt. so we used a so we don’t have to drill through the pipe…check out a pic on our website, this worked great as we kept the line inside the extension we used. www.starlinkcommunityforums.com/forum/dishy-equipment-pictures/dishy-extensions

[@nickdial8528]

@@AllMediaServices1 Thanks. Good idea...where did you get your clamps?

[@jimdriessens8932]

would there be any concern with snow on the roof piling up or ice building up from the dishy to the roof.... In ontario we get a fair bit of melting/freezing . I wonder how these dish's in general handle ice storms. Thanks for the video.

[@AllMediaServices1]

Hey Jim, We had some heavy snow fall back in March and then hit -40 Celsius weather and the dish handle it no problem. The dish uses the heat from the phased array antenna to melt any accumulated snow. We tested it out by heaping snow onto the dish and it kept sliding off, with that being said I have seen pictures of dishy with icicles attaching to the ground that would cause the dish to stop pivoting...I would say as a good rule of thumb for any satellite is to keep it in an accessible area in case something happens to it and it needs attention. Hope this helps. Thank you for the comment.

[@michaelholliday100]

@@AllMediaServices1 I did not mount mine to the roof for that very reason. On the upper side of a house where it cannot form an ice sheet to lock up the dish, would be a good choice. If it locks up, it will damage the internal tracking system.

[@AllMediaServices1]

@@michaelholliday100 Hey Micheal, Absolutely right! Mount Dishy in an area that you can get at it with ease of access and protection from the elements is the best practice. Granted you can keep it safe from vandalism and damage from objects hitting it as well. As far as freezing and wrecking the internal motors...there is a fail safe mechanism built in the dish that is suppose to prevent it from this. It notifies you through the app and shuts down the dish to prevent damage. Good thing to as I'm sure no matter how well you plan the install there is always a chance that something unseen may happen. Thank you for the comment!

[@dscott333]

Man.. It's blowing 100 km today never in Nova Scotia... and it will blow anywhere from 65 to 120km all winter.. I could NOT use the same holes.. and I can't even think of the idea of mounting on the roof. Where I am the Starlink train is towards the northeast horizon.. my plan is to just move the old Bell Express veiw dish from the souwest exterior wall and place it on the Northeast wall..

[@AllMediaServices1]

Those are some strong winds! That is probably a wise idea to have the dish shielded as much as possible (while still leaving some open area for your Dishy to track the Satellites). Hope it worked out for you.

[@alceufernandes3783]

Thank you

[@evercastillo6794]

Just want to know. Do the bolts come with the original starlink base or do you have to buy them?

[@AllMediaServices1]

You do have to purchase them separately.

[@WCWMidnight]

Can i use the same cable from my old satellite hookup or do i need to use the one that comes with the Starlink.

[@AllMediaServices1]

Hi A-M B unfortunately you will have to use the included cabling. The old satellite systems use coax cable whereas the Starlink uses an Ethernet style of cabling.

[@kristinebryson2701]

where can i buy foam tape yahll use thank you

[@AllMediaServices1]

I believe we picked ours up at a Rona.. You can find similar products on Amazon as well or at other hardware stores :) It’s a two sided foam tape.

[@SticksAandstonesBozo]

Unless you get 30” of snow on the regular lol. Then that thing better be way up

[@Highnz57]

I use a local isp and have a small satellite dish that aims at a tower on the side of the mountain. I got a very bad wind storm that tilted the dish just enough to make my internet very slow and its gonna be 3 weeks until they'll be able to get a technician out to fix it. I was wondering if there's any way to sight it bank in without any special tools?

[@AllMediaServices1]

Hey Gregory, you can definitely try. I’m not exactly sure of your set-up or the ISP. I would try to get the pole/tower straightened back into the original place. If it’s has severe damage then it might need to be replaced. Use guide wires, it will hopefully help to prevent something like this happening again. Without knowing the login for the modem the best way to test would be running a Speedtest in your browser while adjusting the antenna/modem incrementally, stopping and testing with each adjustment. If you can see the tower your getting signal from then point it right at it to start. Make sure the antenna is level so it can catch the most signal possible. This isn’t a fool proof approach, they’re many other things that could prevent you from getting internet. But with it happening right after a storm and a bent antenna mount this would definitely something to try. Be safe as well, climbing towers or roofs can be dangerous if not done with safety in mind. We use safety belts to help keep us safe when doing tower work. One last note but very important, mark on the dish the settings so you can always see where you start and how much adjustment was needed, it’s easy to loose your mind when adjusting any satellite equipment. These marks will help you keep a little of your sanity:) Once working fine mark again for future reference. Hope this helps. Thank you for the comment.

[@Highnz57]

@@AllMediaServices1 thank you very much. A place to start is a huge help. Some great tips as well. Much appreciated.

[@bobpietraszewski4331]

Like it

[@mynameisprivate158]

why not just pull the bolts out of where the base mounts to the pole and replace the pole part of the mount? Would have kept you from unscrewing and screwing the mount into the roof !

[@AllMediaServices1]

Yes, that is a good observation. Our plan was to have this video as an example of using the J-Arm for your Starlink Dishy, we weren’t as focused on the installation details so much as the mounting option. That said we would not reuse the holes in a real world application (this was on a roof for testing purposes only - not permanent).

[@highsoap]

Those aren't ordinary dishes, phased arrays don't get bothered by small movements.

[@AllMediaServices1]

Hey Highsoap, you’re right the Phased Array antenna(Dishy) can definitely compensate for any little bit of movement. My worry would be overtime as the dish jostles around in the wind is how much wear that would put on the contact points. it is so new that it will only be in the future will know for sure. Better yet if your lucky enough to mount it in an area with very little wind. Thank you for your comment.

[@Phalanx443]

You know, instead of cutting that J-arm to bits, you could have just loosened the bolts and laid the arm down on the roof and strapped it into place. That would have provided a more secure position and saved a butt load of time.. Just sayin'.

[@knutjob3835]

I'd have used JB Weld and some duck tape. There are no substitutes.

[@movo2060]

No silicone or bishop tape????

[@AllMediaServices1]

Not meaning to lead anyone astray, this video was more of a demonstration on utilizing an old J-arm to mount your Dishy into. In our case the Dishy did not stay mounted in the existing holes used by our old satellite dish, but we did silicone in the existing holes before screwing the modified J-arm back in place. Thank you for the comment Mo Vo and thanks for watching.

[@kennithshelton510]

You could have done everything on the ground

[@bandman1967]

But then cats looking for a cozy winter home would find it.

[@AllMediaServices1]

In some locations a ground mount may not work. That being said we have used a 3' tripod and pole mounted to a weighted wooden pallet this winter (will replace the pallet with a buried post come summer) we will also trench the line and run through a conduit once the ground has thawed. This was a case where we couldn't mount to the roof but wanted a little bit of height to keep it out of the snow. Thanks for watching Kennith.

[@AllMediaServices1]

Also cats :0 Some truth to that comment Roger Thompson

[@PamelaCurry]

ROFLMAO Why didn't you just remove the two bolts holding the ARM to the base and attach your new arm. By removing the base, yes you put some silicon in the holes. You still risked wear and degradation. Not to mention more work. Keep it simple, next time choose the two bolts instead of four.

[@AllMediaServices1]

Those are some good points. It was just for demonstration purposes in this video. If it was a case where you had the j-arm but no existing holes in the roof then someone could go the route we went :) We currently have the Dishy on a completely different mount (working on another video), many mounting options out there. Thanks for watching Pamela Curry.

[@ncironhorse8367]

I fail to see how this mount cost $1- thanks for the time waste.

[@AllMediaServices1]

The first part of our title was worded that way to catch the attention :) Technically the video is made to utilize an existing J-Arm as it is very common to have one left on a home from previous satellite TV or wireless internet services, etc.

[@ncironhorse8367]

@@AllMediaServices1 We call that click bait. Perhaps you should've used a more appropriate title so that is more readily found in searches like: "How to utilize an existing J-Arm with Starlink".

[@AllMediaServices1]

I suppose it is. That’s part of the reason why we have more of an explanation in our title. We do want views, but it is not our intention to mislead. Many viewers have enjoyed this free video and we are sorry to hear you aren’t one of them. Maybe you will be happy watching some of our other videos NCIron Horse. Thanks for your input.

[@JonathanCWard]

Put some gloves on.... be a man.