Adding a 6 foot mesh C-Band to the farm...

[radio]

going to get it across town with a buddy who, ironically has a short trailer, but...didn't want to unhook the big one. He makes metal roofing and siding here in Ionia.

This dish was on the roof at a house I pass regularly, then one day, it was "gone!"....I saw that they put it in their backyard storage area....and finally found someone home. I'm being polite and giving 'em a few bucks for it, but it'll become a stationary dish, either for 99w or 101. Not sure with the drive removed (thought it may still work) what I'll need to to do lock it down, but we'll figure that out.

Sunday should be fun!

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[FTA4PA]

Nice! Looking forward to pics of the install.

 

[KE4EST]

Yes, looking forward to all the pics!!

 

[radio]

I've only done fixed Ku and motorized Birdviews before. Never did one with "the arm" out back. Not sure if I want to make this fixed or keep a motor for future use.

 

[radio]

Tomorrow it's "remove the old feed" and see if we can get it on an existing pole for the beginning of re-deployment. If the arm still runs, will use it for aligning, if not, the choice will be to find one, or to maybe install a hand crank, which wouldn't be a bad thing, either, given I wanted this mainly as a fixed dish.
It'll end up replacing one of the "spare" dishes...

 

[KE4EST]

I would just lube the motor up good and keep it on for future use. Plus you don't have to come up with something else to keep the dish fixed, as a replacement for "the arm".

 

[radio]

I think that's what we'll end up doing.
I'm thinking this dish will be for 99 west. Leaning toward that.
Originally thought this was a leftover from the "G-5" days of C-band, but with the arm, that's not the case...and I've not seen many of these 6-footers around here.

Most of my patience will be needed tucking the screen panel back in where it got pushed through toward the back, but I think I can do that. Is there any trick to getting this back into the slot along the ribs?

 

[KE4EST]

Is there any trick to getting this back into the slot along the ribs?

Patience. Just take something flat and kinda wide. Large Flat screw driver, or something with a wider head, as long as it is not too fat on the end. What I do is just slightly pry up and then work my way down the rib. Get to fast or pry too hard and you will break it. Secure with some small self tapping screws. Did I mention patience.

 

[armadillo_115]

Radio: If you remove the 3 screws and those 3 clips you can slide the mesh out.(Need to loosen that one lnb support also) Roll mesh out flat and then slide it back in from the outside edge.It can be a pita because the edges of the mesh try to jump out of the slots but it will push in toward the center, getting tighter as it goes.Then replace the screws, clips, and lnb support.

Once all mesh is secure,put a dab of black caulking in all the tracks every few inches to keep them in place.Those KTI mesh panels pop out way too easy otherwise.I didn't and I was constantly knocking mesh loose.

Too bad you arn't close to me...I'd let you have a KTI 7.5'.

 

[radio]

Thanks for the info and the offer! Much appreciated. After lunch I'll put it on the pole for easier access...and see how this goes.

 

[radio]

Progress..
Old LNB's removed (looks like c/ku?)
Chapparel feed horn pulled...
Old mount removed, bolts actually cooperated (going to get new ones)...old mount shown in grass. Scrap.

and...it's up on the pole where a Ku dish sat. Seems very stable.

I know I'm getting the cart ahead of the horse, but yes, today's LNB's fit nicely and snugly in the scalar...which is GREAT..no machining to do.

Heading to the hardware for new mounting tightening bolts....and upon return it's "check the motor."...

What satellite do you folks think this would have been "parked" on, back in the day of having the motorized mount, (not G-5 system)..but un-moved when it was
on the roof of the house for all my 11-plus years here? (used to pass it regularly...how I knew it was coming down.) Maybe the old G-1? What would today's best and closest be to a "popular" bird of that time? I remember G-1 and F-4 from my birdview days, but if I can get it CLOSE TO SOMETHING...I can easier align it.

Testing the motor next...

 

[radio]

Radio: If you remove the 3 screws and those 3 clips you can slide the mesh out.(Need to loosen that one lnb support also) Roll mesh out flat and then slide it back in from the outside edge.It can be a pita because the edges of the mesh try to jump out of the slots but it will push in toward the center, getting tighter as it goes.Then replace the screws, clips, and lnb support. Once all mesh is secure,put a dab of black caulking in all the tracks every few inches to keep them in place.Those KTI mesh panels pop out way too easy otherwise.I didn't and I was constantly knocking mesh loose.
.

You were correct. it took patience, and as soon as I made the call to a buddy to come over and assist, I got it! Straightened all the edges of the mesh in my vice to eliminate the rough edges that may stop it....after maybe a half hour or less, it went in! In fact, it's in farther than originally set, I can tell by the place where the dish rib was located. I did lose one of the three clips for the mesh, but split the difference between the two, and it's in place, screws back in, and looking pretty good. I think this dish will get a new paint job, and a small hole at the bottom, it looks like the rim caught water and froze, but no permanent damage to the lnb struts or frame, so she's good for another few years. next...drive the car out with the TV and spare receiver...let's see what we can find! I will, indeed do the caulking secure application on another warm day!

 

[radio]

I KNOW this isn't 99 west, but...when a very very tiny "quality" showed up with the motor arm frozen, and the dish free to spin on the pole, I thought I'd scan to get an idea of where I was aiming. Does this look familiar? Obviously a different bird's channels on same transponder settings.

By the way, this scan was with microHD and less than 10 percent quality...not bad for a 6 footer, I'd venture a guess.

I don't know as I'll mess with this motor, the cover's gone off the gears, it TRIED to move under 12 volts (which is how I move my stationary birdview, nice, slow, and precisely)....but it didn't go. Then I took an old birdview positioner with the 36 volts and bumped it, still no good. Guess I'll see if I can find an arm for this beast...or, go manual....if buddy can come up with a rig for it.

But...IT IS ALIVE!!!!

 

[FTA4PA]

I KNOW this isn't 99 west, but...when a very very tiny "quality" showed up with the motor arm frozen, and the dish free to spin on the pole, I thought I'd scan to get an idea of where I was aiming. Does this look familiar? Obviously a different bird's channels on same transponder settings.

By the way, this scan was with microHD and less than 10 percent quality...not bad for a 6 footer, I'd venture a guess.

I don't know as I'll mess with this motor, the cover's gone off the gears, it TRIED to move under 12 volts (which is how I move my stationary birdview, nice, slow, and precisely)....but it didn't go. Then I took an old birdview positioner with the 36 volts and bumped it, still no good. Guess I'll see if I can find an arm for this beast...or, go manual....if buddy can come up with a rig for it.

But...IT IS ALIVE!!!!

Even though it's scanning in as horizontal polarity it looks like 131w (AMC 11). 3960 V 30000 on that sat shows those channels. More here: http://www.lyngsat.com/AMC-11.html

 

[radio]

The LNB is probably way off, but with the arm "stuck"...I'm glad to know what "ballpark" I'm in and that does look pretty close.
I'm thinking of adding a manual crank, since it would hold very well and allow me to change whenever without a rotor....this was meant to be
a "fixed" dish, but that ability would be fine, given I have one motorized dish already!
Wonder how it would do with a C/Ku feed! Will find out after it's properly aligned, I guess. C-band first..make it work for what I want.

 

[armadillo_115]

Mesh replacement looks good. For the missing clip...you can tie it with some small gauge wire.Twist the ends together with pliers on the back side and then bend them flat.Once you blow a lil paint on it,it will not show.

 

[radio]

Been too busy and too warm here to do much with this after regular work. Tomorrow, a buddy of mine will see about getting me hooked up with a manual trailer jack like we used to use, and adding the swivel connection that it has now from the existing electric jack so I can align properly, but still OCCASIONALLY move the dish without too much bother. For a basically "fixed" dish that may move now and then, I hope this works well! I may remove the motor from the arm and see whether it's the arm or the motor that is frozen just for my own information...but I think the "manual" mode may be a good way for me to best enjoy this small BUD. ..will post if we get some progress. We'll come up with a way to lock the arm if we go with the manual method, I'm sure.

 

[radio]

Well, it's finally not 95 degrees, and I finally have a bit of time. The "back end" of this install is ugly as sin, and still needs tweaking. Tonight the signal tests begin. I'm hoping that in it's original install the arc was good, and like a birdview, if I aim high for the center it'll easily align. I'm only hoping to aim at 99west, but a bit of adjustment by the trailer jack may come in handy. I'm also not a huge fan of this design, but...for my first non-solid dish ever, and non birdview/non ku. If it gets a steady 99w with an occasional hand cranking to go somewhere else, I'm happy. Funny how once we have the technology to move dishes easier than ever I'm reverting back to a manual tralier jack-arm! Might also go the route of a permanent 99 west and have a friend attach permanent arm of some kind, but for now, it sure looks better than having it look like the dish is hanging it's head at the mercy of the wind. Wish me luck. Hopefully a steady 99 west tonight. The original arm was so frozen it was hopeless.

Also going to try a tip from another thread with regard to my 103 west intermittent issues, and delete and re-scan in case receiver has some "issue" with its files. Can't hurt to rescan on a fixed dish!

"stay tuned".....

 

[radio]

It's working...but it sure made me appreciate my solid birdview units.
Can get 90 percent signal but the Quality is all over the road about 30 percent varying, HOWEVER....look at the sky. Lots of moisture up there.

Just quit for dinner, in time to get everything packed up.
Another birdview to "cap" the right end, soon. Like having the AC inverter built in to the Jeep.

.

 

[radio]

I can't see this dish ever having been very efficient...maybe back in the G-5 days, but...I'll try a better LNB if we don't get the torrential rain the next few days.
It's been a learning experience, given I've never had to work with a dish that had the arm for adjustment or mesh. (Birdview black ones were "perfs")...I've been spoiled, and it was time to learn. But for 99 west, I think this one will do fine for awhile. If weather holds, the adjacent Ku will get re-set to 97 or to 72 next, and we'll pull the far right end one to plant the next BV pole.