Slashdot Mirror
DirecTV in an Apartment?
Sc00ter asks: "I live in an apartment and I'm seeking advice on how to mount a DirecTV dish without causing damage to the building. I don't have a balcony to put it on, only windows. There are some people that have worked around this by using other types of antennas, but the cost of such a device is too high. I have also seen some window mount type antennas but I don't think I should trust these in the wind. I was hoping somebody out there had been in a similar situation and had a tip or two."
I used to install for Time Warner and Direct TV. First thing is to ask your landlord. Most of them are not too uptight, and will allow an installation onto the roof. If not, we used a tripod whic we purchased for $20 at RadioShack, and sold to customers for $34.95. The buckets with concrete in them aren't a bad idea; we use them now for PTZ cameras we put on our construction sites. My first bet would be talk to the property manager, though. Chances are good you're not he first person to ask.
The regulation he was referring to is 47 C.F.R. Section 1.4000 and essentially prohibits restrictions of antennae placement to receive TV broadcasts.
However, the management of the institution would have been well within their rights to deny the resident the privilege of mounting an antenna on the roof, as the roof does not belong to the resident.
The FCC has a very helpful Fact Sheet regarding the issue. For those too lazy to click, renters can install an antenna on the private area of their residence (indoors or on a private balcony or porch) but public areas (shared walkways, balconies, and roofs) do not fall under the scope of this legislation. As such, management may impose restrictions on the mounting of such permanent structures as television dishes.
I would highly recommend any renters read the link above. Many apartment complex owners are not aware of the legislation (or even worse, are acutely aware of it!) and will attempt to bully you into submission by flatly prohibiting any sort of dish installation. The FCC order is rather strong ammunition in such cases.