Attach a discone antenna to the end of my now unused satellite dish?

[CanAm]

So, I presently have an unused satellite internet dish setup shown above. It has an RG6 cable hanging off the end (I believe it is an RG6 cable anyway).

Can I attach a discone antenna to the end of the pole where the RG6 cable is hanging (and attach the cable to the discone) and expect to have any decent reception if I plug my scanner into the other end of the cable inside the house. Would the satellite dish somehow upset the reception on the discone antenna? Is this just crazy talk?

 

[ka3aaa]

you would be better off removing the dish and using the existing mast and cable for the discone.

 

[Omega-TI]

you would be better off removing the dish and using the existing mast and cable for the discone.

That is nearly exactly what I plan to do when the weather gets better. I'll remove the dish, add a 5 foot length of mast to the existing setup and tie in with a short length of coax. I doubt the whole process will take more than 1/2 hour.

 

[gmclam]

If all you are doing is re-purposing the RG-6, you should be good.

 

[krokus]

Removing the dish is the better option, and mount to that pole.

 

[CanAm]

I really appreciate everyone here chiming in. I don't do this much, and the thoughts here are much appreciated.

 

[CanAm]

That is nearly exactly what I plan to do when the weather gets better. I'll remove the dish, add a 5 foot length of mast to the existing setup and tie in with a short length of coax. I doubt the whole process will take more than 1/2 hour.

I feel the same. It should be a short setup process for sure. I assume the pole is grounded is about my only question.

 

[CanAm]

There is the end product, so to speak. I did remove the satellite dish as suggested above, if only so I could tilt the base up to allow a more vertical mast (the proximity of a porch to the satellite dish would have blocked the tilt otherwise). There was also just enough existing slack in the R6 cable to allow the length of the attached mast. To make a taller mast would require connecting some more R6.

Aesthetically, it is not very pleasant... but the reception is excellent!

 

[dave3825]

If you removed the bolt that locks the position, not the one that allows the tilting, could you get it more vertical and just re drill the hole? I had one years ago and was able to do it. If not, if you know any electricians or plumbers with a pipe bender, you could put a bend in the mast and achieve straight up.

 

[prcguy]

It looks like you have attached your Discone to the rectangular LNB arm of the dish and the dish never had the typical J mount everyone thinks you have. Looks like somebody just attached a piece of pipe to the original dish and stuck it into another piece of pipe. I would take it all apart, throw all the dish parts away and attach your Discone to the vertical pipe. Or get more pipe to raise the antenna and hose clamp that to the existing pipe so its all perfectly vertical and plumb.

View attachment 121285

There is the end product, so to speak. I did remove the satellite dish as suggested above, if only so I could tilt the base up to allow a more vertical mast (the proximity of a porch to the satellite dish would have blocked the tilt otherwise). There was also just enough existing slack in the R6 cable to allow the length of the attached mast. To make a taller mast would require connecting some more R6.

Aesthetically, it is not very pleasant... but the reception is excellent!

 

[dave3825]

Good eye bro. After a second look, you would do much better with what @prcguy said and ditch all except the pipe coming out of the ground, then just clamp your mast to that.