Button hook To Quad Legs

[chefwan]

SatelliteAV Said : Used a 12' Paraclipse for many years for C and KU-Band. The KU-Band is a challange as the beam width is very narrow and a mild wind would often play havoc with keeping the dish aimed. The mechanics were tight, but wind loading would often cause signal loss or degradation. I personally prefer a 90cm - 1.2M dish for motorized KU-Band use, as they produce adequate gain and reliably receive KU signals during windy conditions.

If you stay with theUsed a 12' Paraclipse for many years for C and KU-Band. The KU-Band is a challange as the beam width is very narrow and a mild wind would often play havoc with keeping the dish aimed. The mechanics were tight, but wind loading would often cause signal loss or degradation. I personally prefer a 90cm - 1.2M dish for motorized KU-Band use, as they produce adequate gain and reliably receive KU signals during windy conditions.

If you stay with the button hook type LNB mount, stabilize the arm with guywires attached to 3 or 4 points at the rim of the reflector. The button hook design is adequate for C-Band reception, but was not stable enough for KU. It would tend to wobble slightly resulting in the feedhorn moving out of the focus point. I eventually replaced the button hook arm with 4 - 1" arms to support the scaler., stabilize the arm with guywires attached to 3 or 4 points at the rim of the reflector. The button hook design is adequate for C-Band reception, but was not stable enough for KU. It would tend to wobble slightly resulting in the feedhorn moving out of the focus point. I eventually replaced the button hook arm with 4 - 1" arms to support the scaler.



I Have Extra Satellites With Quad Legs I wonder if i can switch them from the buttonhook and take the quad legs off another and mount on my 14' paraclipse

 

[voomvoom]

Interesting observations! I believe I would first set up the Paraclipse, as is, to see for myself. Then make modifications as needed. His windy conditions may not be as severe where you are, then again, it may be worse where you are? Set it up first, and if you're not happy, start modifying. Good Luck!

Al

PS - I used to drooool over the 16' Paraclipse. Would still love to find one!
I'm a firm believer "Bigger is Better"!

 

[chefwan]

Interesting observations! I believe I would first set up the Paraclipse, as is, to see for myself. Then make modifications as needed. His windy conditions may not be as severe where you are, then again, it may be worse where you are? Set it up first, and if you're not happy, start modifying. Good Luck!

Al

PS - I used to drooool over the 16' Paraclipse. Would still love to find one!
I'm a firm believer "Bigger is Better"!

Nah, its not that bad i was just wondering before i put it up. if i should make modifications

 

[mikekohl]

Stainless steel (AKA aircraft tie wire) cable can be your friend in this situation,
because Paraclipse (many years ago) used that material in a kit that lessened
the deflection of a buttonhook. I would consider tightening it down as a must
for Ku band operation. Important worries include perfectly centering things
without overtightening in any direction.

 

[SatelliteAV]

I would second Mike's suggestion of adding the stainless steel cables. The legs proved to be optimum for my solution, but they were difficult to install to obtain the correct F/D and focal point. If I were to have done it again, I probably would have gone with the cables! Isn't hind sight a great thing!

 

[chefwan]

where can i get those from and were do i mount them?

 

[somery]

stainless steel wire is available in different thicknesses from your local home improvement store. You may have to go to the gardening section, if you don't find it in hardware. there should be holes thru the scalar rings that will allow you to loop through it.

 

[SatelliteAV]

The scaler could easily be twisted out of alignment by tensioning the cables and this method would also limit the amount of adjustment or positioning that could be made to the F/D. I would suggest securing cables to the post just below the button hook, rather than to the scaler. Maybe use a U-Bolt or other type of clamp to attach the cables securely to the post.

Before setting up the dish be sure that the feed horn is centered on the reflector. As Mike already stated, be very careful when tensioning the support cables so not to move the feed horn out of the sweet spot.

 

[chefwan]

didnt one of you guys change yours to Quad legs. if so do you have pictures of it . i'd like to see if so

 

[determined]

My 10 footer has a buttonhook. I took stainless cables and fastened them to the scalar ring by putting a loop of metal around the scalar ring in 3 fitted sections that bolt together with 3 1/8 in. stainless bolts, 120 degrees apart. That way I could tighten the bolts and secure the metal to the scalar without drilling holes in it. I then hooked small stainless turnbuckles on those bolts and attached the cables to the turnbuckles. The other end of the cable I fastened to the dish perimeter, 120 degrees apart, with stainless eyebolts. Then I tightened the turnbuckles to stabilize the buttonhook and also to get the feed horn exactly dead center on the dish. The cables aren't as tight as I thought they would need to be to get the desired results. It works great as I have no issues with Ku band or C band reception.

 

[SatelliteAV]

Sorry, no pictures. The dish was sent to "the great signal catcher in the sky" when I moved to California several years ago. Actually, I had disassembled for a satellite hobbyist on Craigslist to pick up and the neighbors described the aluminum being hauled away by a scrapper who bolted (no pun intended) when they asked what he was doing .... left the mount, steel ring and all the nuts and bolts and part of his truck body on my fence post ..... LOL!!!

didnt one of you guys change yours to Quad legs. if so do you have pictures of it . i'd like to see if so

 

[chefwan]

Sorry, no pictures. The dish was sent to "the great signal catcher in the sky" when I moved to California several years ago. Actually, I had disassembled for a satellite hobbyist on Craigslist to pick up and the neighbors described the aluminum being hauled away by a scrapper who bolted (no pun intended) when they asked what he was doing .... left the mount, steel ring and all the nuts and bolts and part of his truck body on my fence post ..... LOL!!!

Geez. that's sad haha yeah they are full of aluminum. its one of the tuffest satellites i've ever seen around me anyway

 

[cspiteri]

I would recommend using 4 stainless steel eyebolts on both the scalar ring and the dish. You can attach the guy wires and unifomly tension (tighten) the eyebolts at the dish to preclude distorting the scalar ring and misaligning the feedhorn. Both the eyebolts and stainless steel wire are available at Home Depot and Lowes.

 

[chefwan]

Thanks Guys for all the help