LBC for satellite dish

[frogman]

Hello!

Great forum!

I live in a grade II listed cottage and I need to put a satellite dish up, we currently have it on an out building but the signal is bad and can only use it half the time when the weather is good.

There seems to be a few applications granted in the area so I think it will be ok, plus the dish will be on a 20th century extension which was refurbished in 2010 so not historical character affected. Plus the dish will be on the rear and not visible from the road and only one neighbouring property.

I was wondering if any of you could give me an idea of how it works do I just submit an application? Should I contact the CO first? Will he need to come for a visit? Etc

Any advice much welcome!

 

[Penners]

I've put a satellite dish on a listed building in the past. I didn't apply for LBC, but when the CO came to have a look at another aspect of the house he walked past it without comment.

The dish was at low level (about chest height) on a newish part of the building, not visible from the road.

If your current dish location is not giving you trouble-free reception, then the problem is probably one of two things: either it doesn't have clear line-of-sight to the satellite or there's a technical problem with the LNB (the reception head) or the cable(s) into the house.

This website is very useful for checking the best location for your dish:-

http://www.dishpointer.com/

 

[Flyfisher]

I know some people think them unsightly and hate them with a passion, but I'd say they are generally less obtrusive than a conventional TV aerial extending above a roof line on a long pole.

I agree with Penners and would not bother applying for LBC providing it could be discreetly sited somewhere. It could also be reasonably argued that a dish is an integral part of a 20th century building :wink:

The big advantage of a dish is that height does not matter (when the satellite is about 22,000 miles away it matters not if the dish is on the ground or on the roof!) but a clear line of sight is critical and trees can seriously attenuate the signal, especially during rainfall. After that, assuming no technical problem with the LNB, the cable is probably the weakest link and the cheapest stuff is not a good idea, especially for a long run.

How long is the existing cable run to the outbuilding?

 

[Penners]

As FF says, the cable that runs from your LNB to the TV or set-top box can be critical - particularly if it's quite a long run.

You shouldn't use ordinary co-axial cable (the kind that used to be used for TV aerials). The best cable to use (I understand) is designated WF100 (WF 125 is even better, but fiercely expensive!). It has a copper core and is screened with copper foil and braided copper wire. When you install it, try to avoid tight bends or kinks in the cable.

 

[frogman]

thanks for your replies. Well the current position is obstructed by trees so no good. We are going to need to pe place the rear windows and doors at some point in the near future so would rather get the proper permission now rather than be something that goes against in a few months time.

The problem is next door have a dish on their property (extention like ours) wish is visible from our garden so we are worried about getting our neighbours in trouble if the CO visits as they have no LBC for it. We get on well with them so may speak to them first.

 

[frogman]

The problem with the current location is lune of site as its partly blocked by trees. In my opinion a dish would be much better than an aerial which would ruin the historic undulating roofline and be visible from the front.

I would like to do things properly as at some point fairly soon we will need to replace some defective back doors and windows. All recent additions on the extention but will need LBC for this and the CO will see the dish for sure.

One other issue I have is that next door have a dish on their similar extention with no LBC, which is just visible from our garden. I'm worried if someone needs to do a visit they will see his and I will get him into trouble.

 

[Moo]

We had exactly the same problem in our Norwich house - virtually no picture at all when the huge trees in the park were in leaf. So we got NTL (now known as Virgin) to instal cables, which they did with great sensitivity and efficiency.
(Mind you we were lucky because the entire city centre had been cabled, so they just had to lift a couple of paving slabs beside our front door and feed the cable into the cellar.)

 

[livias]

In my experience Conservation Officers ar remarkably good at being blind in situations like this where the alteration is not causing any damage to the old building

 

[Penners]

the CO will see the dish for sure.

One other issue I have is that next door have a dish on their similar extention with no LBC, which is just visible from our garden. I'm worried if someone needs to do a visit they will see his and I will get him into trouble.

As I said above, our CO saw our dish and didn't comment. Apparently the important thing is that the dish doesn't break the skyline of the property, so if you can get line-of-sight to the satellite from somewhere as low on the building as possible, this will improve your chances of its being ignored.

As for your neighbours, that's got to be their lookout, hasn't it? You can't allow it to influence your progress. Perhaps you could warn them before the CO's visit and suggest that they drape a large "Vote Green Party" banner over their dish. :wink:

 

[Flyfisher]

The problem with the current location is lune of site as its partly blocked by trees. In my opinion a dish would be much better than an aerial which would ruin the historic undulating roofline and be visible from the front.

It sounds like your main problem will be finding a clear line of sight. Otherwise, I entirely agree that a low-mounted dish invisible from the front should be fine - certainly preferable to a terrestrial aerial on a long pole above the roofline. I really wouldn't be worrying about LBC. A dish won't cause any damage and is easily reversible.

I would like to do things properly as at some point fairly soon we will need to replace some defective back doors and windows. All recent additions on the extention but will need LBC for this and the CO will see the dish for sure.

Why not apply for LBC for the windows and doors now? With clear photos of the existing ones and clear drawings of the proposed ones, it's quite possible the CO may not need to visit the property. Even if they do visit and see a dish, if they really don't like it you could then discuss alternative locations with them. It's hardly unreasonable to expect to be able to install a small dish somewhere these days. But if you are still worried about it, add the dish to the same LBC application.

One other issue I have is that next door have a dish on their similar extention with no LBC, which is just visible from our garden. I'm worried if someone needs to do a visit they will see his and I will get him into trouble.

That's very thoughtful but, ultimately, should not be a consideration regarding your own property. Are you certain they have no LBC? Are you certain that the CO has not seen their dish and has simply ignored it?

 

[Penners]

if you are still worried about it, add the dish to the same LBC application.

I think my worry about doing that would be the risk of having the application rejected. If you just assume that the dish is acceptable, you're in with a good chance that it is. If it's actively refused, then you're in a much more difficult situation.

 

[Flyfisher]

Yes, I agree and I wouldn't do it myself, but frogman does seem worried about it so I mentioned it as an option.

Thinking about it some more, perhaps the best option would be to submit LBC for the windows and doors and/or invite the CO to the property. If they don't mention the neighbour's dish then it could be fairly assumed it's acceptable.

 

[Penners]

Sensible plan.

 

[Owain]

If your neighbours have a working satellite dish, perhaps you could use any spare outputs on their LNB, or install a multiswitch and split the outputs between both houses.

 

[Keithj]

We don't watch satellite TV (or much of any TV, really). When we bought the house, there was a wok on a little pole about 2 feet above ground level at the far end of the garden, with a cluster of cables heading off towards the house. I think it fed three different rooms in the house. The cables were buried under the lawn, popped up under the relevant window, and had been drilled through the window frame. Most of the frames were showing signs of rot and were repaired. The wok went in the skip, and the cables are minding their own business under the lawn.

I asked why the wok was where it was, and there was a mumble about LBC. I didn't pursue it.

The CO was quite unfazed by the regular TV and FM aerials on the roof, on a little mast lashed to the chimney stack.

 

[frogman]

Thank you all for your replies. It's much appreciated.

So the consensus is just put the dish up? Would it not be worth just making the application? What are the possible consequences at a later date if the CO sees it (when I make other applications) and doesn't like it?

 

[JanieB]

A long time ago now but... When we put up our first dish the installer refused to do it until we had permission from the local planning authority. They had no problem as long as it stayed within our curtilage and it was the only dish on our property. Since then none of our neighbours has had this problem as we set a precedent.

And what is the problem with the word "curtilage". The spill chucker keeps changing it to cartilage.

 

[frogman]

A long time ago now but... When we put up our first dish the installer refused to do it until we had permission from the local planning authority. They had no problem as long as it stayed within our curtilage and it was the only dish on our property. Since then none of our neighbours has had this problem as we set a precedent.

And what is the problem with the word "curtilage". The spill chucker keeps changing it to cartilage.

Spill checker? Lol

So did you make a full LBC application?

 

[Penners]

Spill checker? Lol

I think you'll find that Janie said "spill chucker". It's in the nature of an ironic joke, you see.

 

[frogman]

Spill checker? Lol

I think you'll find that Janie said "spill chucker". It's in the nature of an ironic joke, you see.

Now I look the fool...

That will teach me not to read thoroughly...