BUD string test?
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I don't know of any hard and fast rule (tolerance), but the further out the measurements are, the less efficiency you will have. For example, you may have a 10' dish that performs like an 8 footer.
Is the dish mounted? I had a dish that measured about 1/4" out when it was laying on the ground, but was almost perfect when it was mounted.
Is the dish mounted? I had a dish that measured about 1/4" out when it was laying on the ground, but was almost perfect when it was mounted.
Its a 10.5' button hook, mounted and the strings are 1/2'' apart. 
On the other hand, I have a 7.5' up and running and the strings are a gnats eyelash apart. I WAS going to replace it with the 10.5' but I am rethinking it now.
On the other hand, I have a 7.5' up and running and the strings are a gnats eyelash apart. I WAS going to replace it with the 10.5' but I am rethinking it now.
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My first BUD was a POS fiberglass with a buttonhook. To make it true, I ended up running two 1/8 inch steel cables across the dish with turn-buckles to pull it into a usable dish.
Its mounted and the strings are 1/2'' apart.
How big is this dish? If it is already up I would go ahead and see how it did. My main BUD is a 10' Perfect Ten, and it is dented all over and has a few holes in it........works great!
Is it a mesh dish? If so, and you wanted to experiment, I would be tempted to try "pulling" it into shape with some small ratcheting straps.
Edit: Yeah, what dahenny said.
I have a Birdview now, but for my first big dish - an 8 foot solid aluminum - I bent it back as much as I could with a come-along. I finished with a 1/16 stranded wire and two cable clamps. I had actually installed the dish but had to take it down for the straightening. For this procedure I had it on the ground, facing up.
The dish had a flat flange that went around it. I attached some big C clamps to the flange on opposite sides. That's what I hooked the comealong hooks to. Of course I was pulling it in the direction it needed to be straightened. On both sides, next to where I attached the comealong, I drilled little holes put a small bolts with washers through the flange. I used those teardrop shaped cable loop things on the ends. The loops went over the bolts and were kept there with washers as I tightened the flange bolts. I tightened down one cable clamp. I left the other clamp loose.
I pulled with the come along, pulling the loose end through its clamp to snug it up. I pulled until the wire was above the string going in the cross direction about a quarter inch. I tightened up the clamp and took the comealong off. When I did that the wire came a little toward the string. To get it the rest of the way, I held the short end of the1/16 stranded wire as I slowly loosened the little cable clamp.It reached a tightness where it slipped back a little and the wire touched the string. I tightened it upand got much better reception thereafter.
The dish had a flat flange that went around it. I attached some big C clamps to the flange on opposite sides. That's what I hooked the comealong hooks to. Of course I was pulling it in the direction it needed to be straightened. On both sides, next to where I attached the comealong, I drilled little holes put a small bolts with washers through the flange. I used those teardrop shaped cable loop things on the ends. The loops went over the bolts and were kept there with washers as I tightened the flange bolts. I tightened down one cable clamp. I left the other clamp loose.
I pulled with the come along, pulling the loose end through its clamp to snug it up. I pulled until the wire was above the string going in the cross direction about a quarter inch. I tightened up the clamp and took the comealong off. When I did that the wire came a little toward the string. To get it the rest of the way, I held the short end of the1/16 stranded wire as I slowly loosened the little cable clamp.It reached a tightness where it slipped back a little and the wire touched the string. I tightened it upand got much better reception thereafter.
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It's 10.5 ' no name mesh, button hook. I planted a pole for it the last time I was in TN and mounted it this trip. I thought I better do some checking (should have done it while it was on the the ground but that is a lesson learned) Maybe I'll go ahead a try to get it running on my next trip up there and see how it does. I don't have much to lose anyway.
Thanks for the info.
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