FORTEC STAR FS6D 180CM C/Ku Prime Focus Dish Antenna

[FordPrefect]

FORTEC STAR FS6D-180CM C/Ku Prime Focus Dish Antenna

Anyone have one of these and what type of performance can I expect? Can this dish be motorized with the base that it comes with? Anyone please provide some input so that I can depart with $175 for the FS6D and $49 for the BSC621-2 C / KU Band LNBF I think this is a good start for me, the price is right and I can get going on my Dreambox Reality I PVR project.

 

[voomvoom]

Don't know where you might find it, but there is supposed to be a version of this Fortec dish out now with a polar mount. You can motorize a polar mount with an actuator.

Al

 

[FordPrefect]

Don't know where you might find it, but there is supposed to be a version of this Fortec dish out now with a polar mount. You can motorize a polar mount with an actuator.

Al

What do you think voomvoom maybe I should just start with this setup then if I like it get it motorized…

 

[Anole]

quitter...

If you are going to get that dish, I'd suggest you find out the solution to motorizing it -now- and not later.
Sadoun doesn't list a polar mount, so contact them for more info.
Here's a year-old review I found while looking for the mount - which still doesn't seem to exist.
Then, too, I'd look into how to reduce the shipping and delivery charges.
They can easily double the cost of that dish.
If it hadn't been for the above limitations, I'd probably have one now.

edit: http://www.satelliteguys.us/archive/index.php/t-39036.html

 

[Mr Tony]

I have one of these dishes. You could probably polar mount it but not with the frame that is on it. All you would use is the dish part.

I ghetto move mine across the arc (I luck out and from AMC3 to AnikF1 is about the same elevation...within a couple degrees)

It is a good dish for tinkering but I recommend a bigger dish if you want to subscribe to programming. Some feeds are harder to get with this dish than say a 8 footer. But most of them come in fine

 

[W_Tracy_Parnell]

I have it and it is a nice starter dish for C Band. I am usually parked on G16 for the nets. You could adapt it yourself for a polor mount if you are VERY handy. Like someone said there is susposed to be a version floating around with a polor mount. Bottom line-if you are serious about C Band for the long haul a motorized 8-10 footer would be better. I got this because I will be moving at some point and wanted a temporary setup to get started with and it works well for that. I am too lazy to "ghetto move" it very much though.

 

[Anole]

Ford -

You should probably read this thread on the subject, too.
It explains why the shipping on the 180 is so low, and discusses the prefered sizes for different needs.

 

[Mr Tony]

The reason the 180cm dish is cheaper to ship is because the 180cm dish is in 6 pieces. Its not one piece

 

[techno935]

As long as a BUD is mounted on the ground, I'll be more than happy to "ghetto move" it ANY DAY!

 

[techno935]

You know, my engineer at where I work, had an interesting idea. A reverse reflective C-band setup.


The reflective surface goes on your roof, which can collect from most of the arc's signal. Then, a motorized LNB on a pole aims for a surface marker on your roof. Sounds strange but if you think about it, your reflector stays in one spot, then all your worried with is motorizing an LNB in such a factor that follows the arc.

Call it a roofordail (torodial roof reflector) I don't know, sounds like it may work.

 

[FordPrefect]

If you are going to get that dish, I'd suggest you find out the solution to motorizing it -now- and not later.
Sadoun doesn't list a polar mount, so contact them for more info.
Here's a year-old review I found while looking for the mount - which still doesn't seem to exist.
Then, too, I'd look into how to reduce the shipping and delivery charges.
They can easily double the cost of that dish.
If it hadn't been for the above limitations, I'd probably have one now.

edit: http://www.satelliteguys.us/archive/index.php/t-39036.html

Thank you Anole...one more great link...

 

[FordPrefect]

I have one of these dishes. You could probably polar mount it but not with the frame that is on it. All you would use is the dish part.

I ghetto move mine across the arc (I luck out and from AMC3 to AnikF1 is about the same elevation...within a couple degrees)

It is a good dish for tinkering but I recommend a bigger dish if you want to subscribe to programming. Some feeds are harder to get with this dish than say a 8 footer. But most of them come in fine

Thank you Iceberg, I know you will be around when I setup what ever I decide to get...a kind member gave me a link to a polar mount FORTEC STAR FS6D-180CM C/Ku Prime Focus Dish Antenna, price is $239…I hope I get it before the snow…otherwise I have to wait till spring.

 

[FordPrefect]

I have it and it is a nice starter dish for C Band. I am usually parked on G16 for the nets. You could adapt it yourself for a polor mount if you are VERY handy. Like someone said there is susposed to be a version floating around with a polor mount. Bottom line-if you are serious about C Band for the long haul a motorized 8-10 footer would be better. I got this because I will be moving at some point and wanted a temporary setup to get started with and it works well for that. I am too lazy to "ghetto move" it very much though.

Thank you for the input...I think I need a starter dish, and a motorized version this would not be bad...

 

[Anole]

wait a minute !

I was about to post back to this thread, that we needed a nice home-brew construction project for a polar mount...
How to build it, where to get parts, etc...

And you're sitting on a link to someone who sells one?
I didn't find that in my googling.
Do share with us!
I might reconsider.

...a kind member gave me a link to a polar mount FORTEC STAR FS6D-180CM C/Ku Prime Focus Dish Antenna, price is $239…

edit: oh, and I have a buddy with a 12..14 foot dish who actually wants to motorize it x-y for some reason.
It was a 3.8 meter Patriot.
(maybe he's looking for ET ? ) :
If anyone knows where to look for something like that, I'll pass it on. :

 

[FordPrefect]

I was about to post back to this thread, that we needed a nice home-brew construction project for a polar mount...
How to build it, where to get parts, etc...

And you're sitting on a link to someone who sells one?
I didn't find that in my googling.
Do share with us!
I might reconsider.

Sorry, Anole it never downed on me to post it or I thought I did...dah...

http://eyeinthesky.net/cgi-bin/show_full_desc.cgi

Oh and I forgot again, the SuperJack HQ Actuator to move the dish can be found here for $36.99…

http://www.futurevisionsat.com/catalog/item/548159/200207.htm#image_1

So then if I get this combo do is this how I connect them together (see 2nd pic)?

edit: oh, and I have a buddy with a 12..14 foot dish who actually wants to motorize it x-y for some reason.
(maybe he's looking for ET ? ) :
If anyone knows where to look for something like that, I'll pass it on. :

Hehehe...sorry Anole...very sorry...it wont happen again...I promise...

I still can’t get over this little dish antenna…I wonder if he has any trouble with C or Ku band reception...

 

[MikeI]

FORTEC STAR FS6D-180CM C/Ku Prime Focus Dish Antenna

Anyone have one of these and what type of performance can I expect? Can this dish be motorized with the base that it comes with? Anyone please provide some input so that I can depart with $175 for the FS6D and $49 for the BSC621-2 C / KU Band LNBF I think this is a good start for me, the price is right and I can get going on my Dreambox Reality I PVR project.

I have one. Tony's reviews made me get one last year. My dish sits on either IA 6 or G3 it seems for the most part. G3 on Saturday's and IA 6 the rest of the week. When I move next summer, I can see me using it for G16 a lot. I understand waivers in the Albuquerque market are tough to get. I like my dish. The lnbf that I have is the one Tony uses too. I can see me getting a chap feedhorn for it soon.

Videocypher channels are tough to get on the west birds. Some come in good like USA and ESPN, but others are tough to see like TBS. Analog channels work great. I say you get about 70-80% of the MPEG digital feeds. Some transponders are better than others because of the interference from another satellite. On G3 for example, Tr's 4, 8, 9 & 22 are the best for digital. 3, 21 and 23 are not so good. HD feeds are tougher to get more than anything for digital.

 

[FordPrefect]

I have one. Tony's reviews made me get one last year. My dish sits on either IA 6 or G3 it seems for the most part. G3 on Saturday's and IA 6 the rest of the week. When I move next summer, I can see me using it for G16 a lot. I understand waivers in the Albuquerque market are tough to get. I like my dish. The lnbf that I have is the one Tony uses too. I can see me getting a chap feedhorn for it soon.

Videocypher channels are tough to get on the west birds. Some come in good like USA and ESPN, but others are tough to see like TBS. Analog channels work great. I say you get about 70-80% of the MPEG digital feeds. Some transponders are better than others because of the interference from another satellite. On G3 for example, Tr's 4, 8, 9 & 22 are the best for digital. 3, 21 and 23 are not so good. HD feeds are tougher to get more than anything for digital.

Thank you MikeI that helps a lot...

 

[FordPrefect]

Per eyeinthesky technical support this is a Fortec dish…got email confirming this last night…Ku-Band/C-Band Dish - 1.8 meter Prime Focus (w/ Polar Mount): $239.00

http://eyeinthesky.net/cgi-bin/show_full_desc.cgi

I will order this dish on Monday...so that I can install/configure it before the snow comes...