Adventures in Dish Hunting 2017

[wvman]

I got really lucky over the weekend. I got a tip on a dish about 20 miles from home and I went to check it out Sunday. When I got there, it was in very poor shape. Ice had ruptured the ribs and the screen was riddled with cuts and big hail dimples. However, on the way home, I remembered a Perfect 10 dish I had installed for a friend's cousin. When I drove by, I spotted it. The house was abandoned, but I found the owner and they let me walk up to the dish and look it over. (No pictures yet).

When I got there, I couldn't believe my eyes. It was in pristine condition. It was aimed below the horizon, so the screen had no hail damage. This is a deep 10 foot dish which was a later model designed for Ku and 2 degree spacing. I am waiting to get the word to go and get it. I hope I don't miss out on this one. It's one of the few Perfect 10's left in this area that I installed. I also found a 7 1/2 foot Unimesh with only 1 good panel.

It's exactly what I need to put the one I have lying on the ground back in perfect condition. In case you're interested, I have a solution for hail damage. Go to your local shipper and buy an 18 inch wide roll of Saran Wrap, or cling wrap, which ever you call it. Wrap the entire dish with this stuff, covering the entire front of the dish by stretching it across the front. It helps keep the snow and ice off the dish in winter, and the hail just bounced off. I've see it stop 2 inch hail stones.

Thought you might be interested in that tidbit since hail season is here. Wish me luck on the dish I found.

 

[KC7NOA]

Unfortunately, YES.

Thats what this nest was on .. a unimesh ... not sure the size

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[KC7NOA]

Just a pic ...

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[KC7NOA]

Just a pic ...

Almost done ...

New sawsall blades cut nicely ...

 

[KE4EST]

I believe I would have taken a torch and a small sledge hammer to that mount while it was still concreted in the ground.

 

[KC7NOA]

I dont have a blow torch setup ... just propane torch -- no oxy. Up on a hill it was just too windy and was sprinkling almost the entire time. I have a 3lb hammer that beat on the welded nuts and mount body ... didn't budge. I'll have to get it somewhere dry and not windy and take a blowtorch or a propane torch to it. after it's nice and hot if it doesn't release ill put some dry ice to the pole to make it shrink.

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[KC7NOA]

This is a C & Ku pair of LNB ... i think ... googled the numbers on the white one .... didnt find much

It was on a UNIMESH 8'(or so size)

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[wvman]

I dont have a blow torch setup ... just propane torch -- no oxy. Up on a hill it was just too windy and was sprinkling almost the entire time. I have a 3lb hammer that beat on the welded nuts and mount body ... didn't budge. I'll have to get it somewhere dry and not windy and take a blowtorch or a propane torch to it. after it's nice and hot if it doesn't release ill put some dry ice to the pole to make it shrink.

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Have you tried turning the mount and pole upside down and spraying a good penetrating oil around everything? Is the mount sealed all the way around where it sits on top of the pole? If it is, it's probably stuck near the bottom of the mount. If it's not sealed at the top, it could be stuck anywhere. I picked up a dish just like that one and it was stuck on the pole. After hammering it around the bottom of the mount, it came loose. SOSMETAL makes a great penetrating oil and so does AMSOIL. I've seen people use diesel fuel to break rust too.

Sometimes it can be a real pain in the butt getting these things loose. Good luck.

 

[Titanium]

Second the idea of using a penetrating oil or diesel for a good soaking. I've had to drop parts in a bucket of diesel for a week to finally break them loose.

 

[KC7NOA]

Its been over a week for the sears/radioshack 10' mount has been wet with WD40 -- sprayed into the bolts that tighten the mount to the pole. Yesterday when i removed most all of the mount i took the 3lb hammer to the welded nuts on the mount. Still didnt budge after prying in a twisting fassion with a 5' prybar and a 5' cheater .... put some good flex into the bar.... next step is to just cur the pole off at the base/cement and borrow a torch wirh a bag of ice (dry). One way or another it's coming off. Even if I have to split it in two with a plasma cutter.

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[phlatwound]

WD40 has it's uses but is a rather poor rust penetrant, especially when compared to other products that are made specifically for dealing with rust.

Sounds like you are gonna make it happen sooner or later though, good luck.

 

[primestar31]

Its been over a week for the sears/radioshack 10' mount has been wet with WD40 -- sprayed into the bolts that tighten the mount to the pole. Yesterday when i removed most all of the mount i took the 3lb hammer to the welded nuts on the mount. Still didnt budge after prying in a twisting fassion with a 5' prybar and a 5' cheater .... put some good flex into the bar.... next step is to just cur the pole off at the base/cement and borrow a torch wirh a bag of ice (dry). One way or another it's coming off. Even if I have to split it in two with a plasma cutter.

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PB Blaster is better at loosening up things such as this, heat it up, and use it liberally. WD40 is nothing but Kerosene.

If PB Blaster doesn't work for you, try Diesel MIXED with Brake Fluid. If even that doesn't work, you'd best go to the Plasma cutter.

 

[KC7NOA]

Can any one help identify the white lna .... im 100% sure its the Ku lna ... but exactly ....

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[beavs2112]

Can any one help identify the white lna .... im 100% sure its the Ku lna ... but exactly ....View attachment 126658

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well judging by your pic in post 47 its a norsat LNB. (on the gold colored label) also on that label should be the noise factor in db of the LNB along with the gain value in db. They make a little mark for what the value is. It looks fairly new say maybe 90's or 2000 year. so it should be ok for ku use. i'm not sure what the numbers on the white label decode to. Norsat LNB's are some of the best in the world.

 

[KC7NOA]

Yea ... had hoped that there was some reference from the numbers .... i dont remember seeing a mark depicting the noise figure .... i figured it migh of been based on the voltage applied to the internal first stage amp. That does affect the noise figure and gain .... in case it was bad i wanted a reference for what the first stage was --- device wise --- what come after isnt as critical as far as i know.

Other thing ill need to determine is if the 3.8ghz stinger can be modified to 5.8ghz .... some day. Get it working as it was designed first, then modify later.

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[beavs2112]

My trips around town somehow led me to this Andrew Corp. solid 1-piece 10 foot spun aluminum reflector with a polar mount. Apparently the neighbor cut down a lot of trees in his backyard or I would never have seen it. Its got an actuator on it that I've never heard of called Wagner (sp?). The polar mount seems heavy duty. Sadly an internet search doesn't turn up much on the dish or actuator but I'm more than happy to be the owner. I never knew Andrew made a solid spun dish. I've seen pictures of 10foot 8 section steel ones but not a solid. Andrew is famous for its transmission line and microwave components and big 3.5m - 9m Earth Stations of course. It's not as big as RimaNTSS 4.6m but it will do (was probably cheaper than his).
I'm going with a truck and trailer next week to pick it up. A string test seemed to indicate it was in good parabolic shape. I think I might try a ku feed on it and custom mount it to my Paraclypse chain drive H-H motor.

 

[primestar31]

A 10 foot spun aluminum dish! H.S.! Grab that sucker quick!

Do NOT attempt to remove the reflector from the mount, that will most likely damage it at this point. Take it down and get it to your house in 1 piece if at all possible.

 

[beavs2112]

A 10 foot spun aluminum dish! H.S.! Grab that sucker quick!

Do NOT attempt to remove the reflector from the mount, that will most likely damage it at this point. Take it down and get it to your house in 1 piece if at all possible.

Thanks for the useful advice primestar31. That was one of my concerns was the aluminium might be slightly brittle after all these years and I don't want any cracks in the dish if I can avoid it. I'm 90% sure the neighbor will let me back the trailer close (say within 2-3 feet) to the dish. I was thinking maybe to use the old tv tower that's beside it to pull the whole dish/mount assembly off the pole with my 1" thick roofing safety harness rope and a strong pulley. The guy that owns the property and dish is younger than me but he is happy to have his dad's old dish be put back into use. He has even offered to help in the removal.

 

[Comptech]

Anybody willing to travel to Upstate South Carolina for a 1.2 meter forteck solid with Sandoun motor and a couple of LNBF's? Just took it down to replace with a solid 8 foot channel master and am giving it away. Travelers Rest SC. Pick up only. PM me if interested.