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Jeff

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Apr 8, 2005
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Ron has another Forum member to babysit. This is the first message going out over our new dish.

Another RVer who will be crawling on the roof in the rain to complete a Xpol test. 8) 8)

Thanks Ron & Terry!
 
Congratulations Jeff. How about a photo of the dish sitting proudly on the coach.
 
Thanks for the photo Terry.

BTW I aborted my project today. After spending several hours on the roof, prepping the base and looking for the cross-members, I finally gave up. The only cross-member I could find for sure was in the wrong place and wouldn't allow the dish to clear a skylight when in the down position. All the others were elusive. I'm leaving for a mini-rally, so I'll try again when I have more time next week.

 
Tom,

Back to your tool shed,and get your stud finder, it should work for you.
 
Kenneth,

I tried a stud finder and it doesn't work. Monaco has several aluminum backing plates in various areas of the roof which were really interfering with the ability to find the cross members.
 
Hey Tom,

Do you have, or know anyone who has a metal detector? You know, the ones you see guys trying to find coins with around the campgrounds and beaches. If it is a good one, you should be able to pin point the roof cross members exactly, if they are aluminum. I know the one I have would do it.

Chet18103
 
Hi Chet,

Hadn't thought of a metal detector. I'll have to ask around, but can't think of anyone I know who has one. Yes, it's a metal cage.
 
Tom,

It would be nice to know if Monoco was precise on their spacing of the roof rafters, most likely they are ,(ie) houses are set at exactly 16" on center. Since you have found one rafter,you should be able to measure to the next one.? ??? And with a very small drill bit, find exactly the front and rear of the rafter. Then with a small amount of epoxy fill in the small hole.
 
Kenneth,

Monaco's roof drawing shows the spacing between centers of the gaps, but not spacing between centers of the cross members. Typically, the dimensions specify distance between centers of 3 gaps (not each one), and the dimentions tell me they're not equi-distant. So, it would be a craps shoot to find a specific cross-member.

BTW the one I found happens to be visible at the refridgerator vent and the drawing shows it going right across the coach from there.

I'm liking this idea less and less by the minute.

I realize that some folks haven't even worried about screwing into the cross members, but that fiberglass is quite thin - maybe 3/16". I'm used to drilling and screwing into several inches of fiberglass on the boat. The hull of our old tub is probably 8" thick fiberglass, so you might understand my apprehension about anchoring what is essentially a "sail in the wind" to that flimsy piece of fiberglass on the roof of the coach.
 
Tom,

Hows your hearing ? Stethoscope and small rubber mallet ?  :-[
 
Tom,

Get a sonic stud finder from Lowes or Home Depot.  That will  help identify the cross members no matter what material they are.
 
OK thanks Ron. This is getting to be more time & work than it's worth.
 
Tom said:
OK thanks Ron. This is getting to be more time & work than it's worth.

Tom:

But it is nice to be sitting here with the disk working over my head. :)
 
Tom said:
OK thanks Ron. This is getting to be more time & work than it's worth.

Don't give up yet Tom.  If you don't get er done by Moab I sure we can help then.  I do think the sonic stud finder will help.
 
I'm getting ready for a DataStorm or a Verizon air card.
 
Tom said:
I'm getting ready for a DataStorm or a Verizon air card.

I am going to keep my Verizon unlimited data in place for a bit just in case.
 
Tom:

Also being a serious boater (well ex boater now) I had the exact same fears.  Like you I was used to attaching to fiberglass so thick you would never punch through the other side.  If you describe what you are doing to Monaco, and they give an answer similar to what Newmar gave me, it should not be a problem.  Remember you are not asking 3 or 4 screws to do the work, but as I recall, something like 18 or 20 of them, across a nice sturdy wide plate.  And if you use that 3M 5200, it is even stronger than screws.  I am sure there is substructure under that fiberglass besides the aluminum studs, so find out from Monaco what else you will be screwing into.

Forget about the boat and find out what is there to work with on the MH.  I have yet to hear of anyone who tore up their roof installing a Direcway dish.

Jeff:

Welcome aboard.  If you have any trouble with the OPI meter do what I did.  Throw it away, and train your Admiral to talk with you on a handheld using the laptop while you are on the roof.  Sharon has mastered that now and we get ours tuned in in under a minute now.  One less thing to carry up on the roof now.  ;D

Tell Sue, Sharon says, "Hi!"
 
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