Vehicle with a satellite dish mounting mechanism for deployably mounting a satellite dish to the vehicle and method for deployably mounting a satellite dish to a vehicle

摘要

A telescopic mast is provided for deployably mounting a satellite dish to a vehicle. The telescopic mast preferably is secured to a rear surface of a truck cab or other vehicle. The satellite dish is deployable via extension of the telescopic mast. The telescopic mast includes a base tube secured to the back of the vehicle and a shaft telescopically mounted within the base tube. The shaft has a dish carrier portion adapted to carry the satellite dish. The shaft is telescopically movable between a first position wherein the dish carrier portion is higher than a roof of the vehicle, and a second position wherein the dish carrier portion is lower than the roof of the vehicle to thereby protect the dish carrier portion from exposure to wind generated by movement of the vehicle to protect the dish carrier portion from road debris. A releasable locking device selectively prevents telescopic extension and retraction of the shaft with respect to the base tube. A rotational lock is connected to the base tube for releasably preventing rotation of the base tube. The rotational lock is releasable to permit rotation of the base tube and thereby permit rotational alignment of the dish carrier portion with a desired satellite signal.