Dish Hunter Find in Western WA.

[esteveW]

Nice Solid 3 meter BUD right in my neighborhood. Go figure.

I've been driving by this one for a couple years and never see anyone home. Thought it was still in active use when I thought I noticed it had changed azimuth, but finally concluded I (might) be wrong. This place is only a 1/4 mile from me. I had some time to kill today and pulled in and rang the door bell with no response. Noted the name and address on the mailbox and called when I got home. An old widower answered and said I could have it. He hadn't used it for several years and the only other person to ever ask for/about it, wanted to use it for target practice. (how could you miss a 3 meter dish.) Fortunately the old fellow gave him a firm "NO" and it still is unharmed. Not even a dent. Nice spun aluminum dish with a weathered paint job. (Almost tempted to strip it and polish it. He He!)

He has the receiver box and said the motor was new and working when he stopped using it. I didn't ask what kind of box it was. He will give it to me the next time I come by.

I plan to take my tractor with my homemade "cherry-picker" boom over next week and load it on my trailer. I'll also try and pull the post and cables later on, even if I have to use my backhoe attachment. Easy access, thru a driveway into an adjacent hay field.

I took a few picture and I will upload some now.. I will have some questions about the "lack" of a Declination angle adjustment on this dish. I don't think you can see this omission in the pictures but I just can't see or imagine how that would be accomplished.

Steve (with his second BUD and grinning)

 

[HIFI]

sweet!!!!!!!!

 

[turbosat]

Not bad for free, lol. I think you could prob just take a torch and cut a slot in either that top or bottom bolt holt , and make your own declinaton adjustment. Some older dishes came with a preset or builtin decl of 5-6degrees, was ok for c-band, might be tough for ku without an adjustment. Wonder what brand that one is.......

 

[esteveW]

Dish Hunter Find

I didn't see any mfg label or marking but I may see something when clean the PacNW moss off the north side (back) of the dish. On my mesh dish the mfg logo can only be seen at the right lighting and angle.

My mesh dish has a declination adjustment but it can only be set or changed by partially removing the dish from the mount. I tried that once and nearly lost it. The next time I hung the dish on my "cherry-picker" boom on my tractor loader. I still don't have that sorted out. (Yet another story).

Since I'm a welder (with only one eye, still working) and a half ass machinist (with a full machine shop) I'm going to do this one right and I'll be able to fine tune the angles down to a "second" of a degree. The elevation on this solid dish is just a turn buckle and I may make an improvement on that, depending on how much play there is now.

I just looked at the pictures I posted and noted that the dish face look "wrinkle" but it as actual very smooth and the old primer paint must have etched the metal. I was just joking about leaving it shiny. I'm afraid of blinding some aircraft pilot. (or maybe I could use it to focus a laser on the desired satellite. He He!) Might make it easier to spot my place on the next Google/MapQuest satellite shot.

BTW. Is it still possible to get the dome covers for the Chaparell LNB mount??

Steve