With satellite television, you can often enjoy hundreds of channels for prices that are comparable to or better than those offered by your local cable company. Once you decide to make the switch to satellite TV, you can save some money by installing the system yourself. General instructions apply to most dishes, but always refer to specific user instructions throughout the installation process.

Step 1

Figure out where to install your satellite dish TV system. The best location will be accessible if there are any problems but is also high enough that trees and surrounding structures will not obstruct the signal. Avoid power lines when choosing a location, and make sure the dish can rotate all the way around.

Step 2

Attach the coax cable for the satellite. The coax cable connects to the dish itself and then runs into your home and connects to a receiver. Drill a hole to run the cable into your house and then seal around the hole with waterproof sealant. In some cases, you may be running the cable along the ground. In this case, the cable should be buried. Contact your electric utility company for local electrical code standards for burying cable.

Step 3

Mount the satellite dish. For ground location, an effective method is grounding a pipe in concrete and then connecting the antenna to the pipe. For installation on your rooftop or on the side of your home, use clamps to secure the dish.

Step 4

Connect the receiver for the satellite dish system to your television set and then plug it into a power outlet. This allows the signal to pass from the satellite dish to the receiver and then to your TV so you can enjoy all the channels.

Step 5

Ask someone else to go inside your home and turn on the television set that the dish is connected to. Rotate the satellite dish slowly while getting feedback from the person indoors about the quality of the picture. Once the picture quality is acceptable, leave the dish in its position.