Dish found while attending garage sale-Should I??????

[radio]

Garage sale nut here, on Thursdays through Saturdays. Its how I build my radio and odd electronics collection. Have driven past this dish many times as its in the same city as our sister station, always thought it was a Paraclipse unit. (We still have a Paraclipse bringing in a racing network and MSU sports at our sister station, consumer grade.) But, apparently this one is not!

Got permission to walk through the yard and see it! Supports appear to be a heavy and durable plastic or fiberglass! It's survived well, not used for the past 10 to 15 years. Told the owners about H2H service, they seemed interested, but prefer to sell it cheaply! While I'm mainly a Birdview fan, this one intrigues me, and I've never seen reference to it on the site here brand-wise. Anyone ever worked with one? Know any quirks about it? Recommended method for minimal disassembly to move 20 miles? It would need a new motor drive, that's shot...but, could be a good stationary dish, too!

Or, is it a "Leave it where it is and keep looking" situation? Another solid steel large 10 footer has been given to me, but will need much work and many people to move as well! (not sure where that picture is.) I like this one better given how good it seems to have weathered the years!

 

[phlatwound]

As the feed cover states, that is a Janiel Dark Star, and appears to be in very good condition. Cool looking dishes, I have never seen one that was in good shape, they are usually falling apart from what I have seen.

I don't know anything about them, but if it was free I'm probably dumb enough to take it home.

 

[Anole]

Wait 'till Turbosat tells you about his plastic-ribbed dish...

I think it's worth little more than parts: the pole, motor, or the covering.
No chance the feed nor LNBs are interesting (unless it's hiding an ortho).
As a whole dish, it's probably best to run away.

 

[radio]

I'll listen! Sometimes as said in one of my favorite Monty Python Movies, "Run Awaaaayyyyyy!"
Will be interesting to see if the steel one, much more local to me is a better bet for long-term viability if not logistics!
(add labor, paint, LNB, etc.)

 

[waylew]

Trust me ,RUN AWAY!!!!!

Biggest POS ever made.

 

[turbotoy]

I have zero experience with them, other than that they were used all over my area in Upstate NY, and I know where three are within a few miles of me. They all still appear in perfect condition after almost 30 years, while I've heard from everyone on here that they are junk. I'm not saying grab it by any means, but I'm wondering if they really die from UV exposure, and in my area that effect is much less pronounced. Either way, it's no Paraclipse!

 

[turbosat]

Yep, big pile of plastic , haha. I had 2 given to me, one a 12' and the other was 9 or 8 1/2'. I never did put the smaller one together, but that big mother really pulled down some c-band, for awhile lol. The big plastic ribs are hollow, and the mesh panels screw into the top of them, hence water enters in the rain, and there's no place for it to go. When it freezes-bustola! They looked good, when new though, but kinda like a Ford Escort, a throwaway item.

 

[radio]

The masses have SPOKEN! I'll not be calling these folks back. I will, however (foolishly) be going soon to pick up a 10 foot or even a bit larger paneled/solid steel dish from a residence. It will need paint and some cosmetic work plus new feeds, but...It should make a nice stationary dish for my office at the radio station! (and maybe even a "billboard" if a sign person puts our logo in it.) Tough to move, but...we figure a Sunday when the patrols aren't out as much, follow the trailer driver home in the radio station vehicle, and claim its "for the local station!" if stopped. I've forgotten the brand but it seems quite well made and not flimsy at all!