Found an awesome dish
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Of course..
This week everything is low priority.
Dad just found out today that he has macular degeneration. Mom had it as well but hers was not fixable. The eye doc told my dad they can do something about the type he has though. So tomorrow he has to see a specialist in Houston.
They may do something tomorrow or Wednesday but we won't know until tomorrow. This cramps his driving too of course.. OMG my dad has always been a very active guy and if his vision goes out it will just kill him..
Anyway, we're HOPING that they can fix him up this week with a minor procedure ( it's supposed to be an injection into his eye!
) and that next week we can get out to the site and see what it's going to take to get those beasts down and moved.One thing I do know, once I get one down on the ground, it has to be taken apart and moved completely or people will steal it. I learned that the hard way back in 2010 when some workers took down a dish for me but left it sitting out. It was gone the next day, probably within hours. Thieves are lazy, they'll wait to let you do the hard work then come in like vultures to steal the spoils when you're not looking..
So the take down and moving has to happen in one day. But we won't dare try to take them down all at once. One at a time is plenty..
I might be able to get my cousin to help, she just moved down here but she's kinda small and has a bad hip. Two crippled up old women and a half blind, old man trying to take down a couple of GIANT satellite dishes? That ought to be a real riot!
Um, yeah.. It just dawned on me while I was mowing the yard. Both my mother and father had/have macular degeneration. Mom was well on her way to going blind and now so is my dad.. :cry:
Mom had the kind that is totally untreatable, dad has the kind that kind of can be treated with mediocre results.
So that means I'll go blind too eventually. I just hope I die before that happens. I can't, won't live blind..
Oh well, I hate this world anyway.
Mom had the kind that is totally untreatable, dad has the kind that kind of can be treated with mediocre results.
So that means I'll go blind too eventually. I just hope I die before that happens. I can't, won't live blind..
Oh well, I hate this world anyway.
My next acquisition..
Easily Accessible Strategic Object | English Russia
Google maps - http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=55.867953,37.951783&z=17&t=h&hl=en
There are hundreds of BIG satellite dishes all around the area. Must be a spy station..
EVERYTHING in Russia is for sale...
Easily Accessible Strategic Object | English Russia
Google maps - http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=55.867953,37.951783&z=17&t=h&hl=en
There are hundreds of BIG satellite dishes all around the area. Must be a spy station..
EVERYTHING in Russia is for sale...
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Heh... I ought to paint the really, really big dish I'm getting gold and call it "Golden Eye"..
I could paint some Russian lettering on it too. Maybe like, "??????? ????"
Neighbors would trip out..
Yeah.. I think I'll do just exactly that.. :devil:
I could paint some Russian lettering on it too. Maybe like, "??????? ????"
Neighbors would trip out..
Yeah.. I think I'll do just exactly that.. :devil:
1 gallon of "Mayan Gold" automotive paint, $78...
Mayan Gold Urethane Acrylic Paint Kit: Automotive Paint, Auto Paint, Car Paint
I guess I could clean the parts, take them somewhere and pay someone to spray paint them for me. I don't have the stuff or know-how to paint anything other than walls with a roller.
I could paint "CCCP" and ??????? ????" (Cyrillic for Golden Eye") and a hammer/sickle on it. My neighbors would poo their pants.. :devil:
Maybe I could pick up two of the SA9K dishes, use one for real TV watching but put a second one on a motor to spin it around like a giant radar. The golden eye dish I would use for actual TV watching..
Mayan Gold Urethane Acrylic Paint Kit: Automotive Paint, Auto Paint, Car Paint
I guess I could clean the parts, take them somewhere and pay someone to spray paint them for me. I don't have the stuff or know-how to paint anything other than walls with a roller.
I could paint "CCCP" and ??????? ????" (Cyrillic for Golden Eye") and a hammer/sickle on it. My neighbors would poo their pants.. :devil:
Maybe I could pick up two of the SA9K dishes, use one for real TV watching but put a second one on a motor to spin it around like a giant radar. The golden eye dish I would use for actual TV watching..
Dee, I think you should paint a giant, whacked-out eyeball on the big dish, complete with red veins, and aim it at a low satellite which happens to be over your neighbor's roof ...
...
About as bad as the other day. I was at the road shoulder picking up junk ba$tards pitch out their windows and a car stoped and a guy ask, "what are all the dishes for?" I just could not help myself and told him it was to contact the mother ship with information I, and others, have gathered about life on this planet. He looked at me for a second, then busted out with a good giggle. I then explained all about FTA TV and he stated it was very interesting. Maybe I got someone interested?
.
Like that BIG dish and the pic from the top!!!
.
RT.
Well my Dad went to a specialist in Houston at Baylor and they gave him a frickin INJECTION INTO HIS EYEBALL!! Yeah, they stuck a syringe needle into his eyeball!
The injected some stuff that's normally used for cancer treatments to inhibit blood vessel growth. He said it was pretty crummy because he had to lay there for two hours while they put drops in his eye every 20 minutes to deaden it then they put a plastic thing in there to hold his eye still and as a needle guide. He said it didn't hurt but it was really annoying and uncomfortable.
After about 24 hours he said his vision has improved a little bit from what it was before the treatment. He'll have to go back for several more treatments for 3-4 months before it's gotten under control. He'll have permanent vision loss but it's not extreme. He'll have to get his glasses changed out for a new prescription and that should help minimize the effects.
This is what my mom was getting close to seeing before she passed away. [video]http://www.macular.org/clips/5_joan_miller_next.mov[/video]
Dad may dodge the bullet on this, we can only hope the treatments help. I can't imagine having to live with that.
If it happens to me, I'm checking out early. I won't live blind. No way, not happening.
So anyway.. Next week we're going to go back out to the site and take a look at the dishes and see what Dad thinks about getting them down and over here.
I'll see if I can cut down some of the brush and get better pictures, especially of the big Patriot dish. I hope I can find a model number on it..
The injected some stuff that's normally used for cancer treatments to inhibit blood vessel growth. He said it was pretty crummy because he had to lay there for two hours while they put drops in his eye every 20 minutes to deaden it then they put a plastic thing in there to hold his eye still and as a needle guide. He said it didn't hurt but it was really annoying and uncomfortable.
After about 24 hours he said his vision has improved a little bit from what it was before the treatment. He'll have to go back for several more treatments for 3-4 months before it's gotten under control. He'll have permanent vision loss but it's not extreme. He'll have to get his glasses changed out for a new prescription and that should help minimize the effects.
This is what my mom was getting close to seeing before she passed away. [video]http://www.macular.org/clips/5_joan_miller_next.mov[/video]
Dad may dodge the bullet on this, we can only hope the treatments help. I can't imagine having to live with that.
If it happens to me, I'm checking out early. I won't live blind. No way, not happening.
So anyway.. Next week we're going to go back out to the site and take a look at the dishes and see what Dad thinks about getting them down and over here.
I'll see if I can cut down some of the brush and get better pictures, especially of the big Patriot dish. I hope I can find a model number on it..
Well my dad's situation has improved so today he and I went to the dish site so he could look things over.
I brought my camera but didn't take pictures, today was hands on and get dirty day.
First thing, we pulled up to the site and Dad asked where the dishes were. "Right in front of you Dad."
"Oh, s**t!" he says.
So we donned heavy rubber boots to protect against snake bites as the property owner told me there are Copper Heads and Cotton mouths out there. We had machetes and shovel. Dad told me to carry the shovel because it's good at killing snakes at a safe distance. We waded into the jungle and Dad got a rude awakening with some truly evil sticker vines. We had to cut them back to get to the 1.8m dish. Then I got a good taste of them too. A long strand of them lashed around and dug into both my arms about 1/4" deep and broke off dozens of thorns in me. I was bleeding like a stuck pig and had to stand there and dig them out. Oh well, no time for tears today!
Then, BOOM! A gun.. Dad informs me that it was a shotgun and not to worry.
Dad measured the dish and the. The van door and we decided there was no way in the world it would fit in the van. Impossible...
Dad still hadn't seen the BIG dishes yet. So we give up on the 1.8 for now and I point out the 11' dish to him. And another "Oh s**t!". So we start cutting stuff back to get a good look at it. Dad told me again that I've lost my mind.
Then we made our way to the BIG BIG dish, the 13' Patriot. We cleared around it too so he could get a good look at the bolts and stuff and we talked about how to go about this.
We both agreed that we're going to need to rent a trailer and hire a couple of strong guys for a few hours. I have no clue how we're going to manage that.
We stomped around awhile looking things over and clearing brush then we both ran out of gas in the heat and decided to call it quits for the day. We drove over to talk to the property owner, Dad sat in the van while I went to talk to them and as I was on their porch talking, I spot the Sheriff putt-putting around out front real slow. Checking out the city slickers...
I saw the Sheriff park on the other side of the road and walk up in the woods where we had been. Dad got out of the van and walked across the street and hollered at him and waved. They walked up to each other and started talking and I was sorta freaking out, I started listening for banjos about that time.
Dad walks back across towards us and the Sheriff drives over and walks up and the property owner and I walk to them and they tell the Sheriff that they gave us permission to be there and to take things down and haul them off and explained to him that we are buying the dishes and all that. All the time, the Sheriff keeps his hand on his gun, like we looked like dangerous hoodlums or something.. Sheesh! He was finally convinced that all was well and as it should be and he said he would make a note that in the future if other cops ran into us out there that it was ok and not to haul us in to the pokey..
I gave the property owner some more money for the dishes and let them know we would be back next week to try again to get the little 1.8m dish once we figured out something.
Dad said he doesn't think it's worth spending the money to rent a trailer just to get the little dish so he thinks we should tie it to the roof of the van.
I'm not so sure about that... But we've got a few days to brainstorm on it so we'll see..
After looking things over, I'm thinking that the 11' SA dish is going to end up being a distant future project. I'll tear it down and restore it to like new condition but I'll take my sweet time to do it.
The other dish, the 13' Patriot, that one will be easy to put back up. It's simply on a big pole in cement, just like my other dishes are. The SA has that crazy pylon and bolts and the huge cement block pad. Pretty complicated to get it perfect. The Patriot, you dig a round hole, drop the pole in, pour cement in, level it up, good to go.. So the Patriot goes up first. And of course I plan to restore it to like new condition first as well. Being that I've got a good, working 10' dish up now, it's not a hot priority so I can take my time on it too.
The cool thing about the Patriot, it has a wicked looking LNB rig up front that appears to be designed to hold ~several~ LNB's at once. So I guess that means it can see multiple satellites at the same time. Mega-bonus..
I figure it may be a few weeks before we can get things together to get the big boys down and moved but the little 1.8, it's coming home next week. I need it. Fricken trees here are giving me grief on 129w which I need for my Dish HD channels. That 1.8m ought to pull it down right through the trees. It was awesome with the 1.2m while the trees were bare but now it's borderline. I'll eventually get the trees cut back but that's going to be a while off. Until then I can throw up a bigger dish and get by.
Dad thinks I'm in over my head on this. I dunno. Maybe I am but dang it, I'm gonna get it done, one way or the other!
I brought my camera but didn't take pictures, today was hands on and get dirty day.
First thing, we pulled up to the site and Dad asked where the dishes were. "Right in front of you Dad."
"Oh, s**t!" he says.
So we donned heavy rubber boots to protect against snake bites as the property owner told me there are Copper Heads and Cotton mouths out there. We had machetes and shovel. Dad told me to carry the shovel because it's good at killing snakes at a safe distance. We waded into the jungle and Dad got a rude awakening with some truly evil sticker vines. We had to cut them back to get to the 1.8m dish. Then I got a good taste of them too. A long strand of them lashed around and dug into both my arms about 1/4" deep and broke off dozens of thorns in me. I was bleeding like a stuck pig and had to stand there and dig them out. Oh well, no time for tears today!
Then, BOOM! A gun.. Dad informs me that it was a shotgun and not to worry.
Dad measured the dish and the. The van door and we decided there was no way in the world it would fit in the van. Impossible...
Dad still hadn't seen the BIG dishes yet. So we give up on the 1.8 for now and I point out the 11' dish to him. And another "Oh s**t!". So we start cutting stuff back to get a good look at it. Dad told me again that I've lost my mind.
Then we made our way to the BIG BIG dish, the 13' Patriot. We cleared around it too so he could get a good look at the bolts and stuff and we talked about how to go about this.
We both agreed that we're going to need to rent a trailer and hire a couple of strong guys for a few hours. I have no clue how we're going to manage that.
We stomped around awhile looking things over and clearing brush then we both ran out of gas in the heat and decided to call it quits for the day. We drove over to talk to the property owner, Dad sat in the van while I went to talk to them and as I was on their porch talking, I spot the Sheriff putt-putting around out front real slow. Checking out the city slickers...
I saw the Sheriff park on the other side of the road and walk up in the woods where we had been. Dad got out of the van and walked across the street and hollered at him and waved. They walked up to each other and started talking and I was sorta freaking out, I started listening for banjos about that time.
Dad walks back across towards us and the Sheriff drives over and walks up and the property owner and I walk to them and they tell the Sheriff that they gave us permission to be there and to take things down and haul them off and explained to him that we are buying the dishes and all that. All the time, the Sheriff keeps his hand on his gun, like we looked like dangerous hoodlums or something.. Sheesh! He was finally convinced that all was well and as it should be and he said he would make a note that in the future if other cops ran into us out there that it was ok and not to haul us in to the pokey..
I gave the property owner some more money for the dishes and let them know we would be back next week to try again to get the little 1.8m dish once we figured out something.
Dad said he doesn't think it's worth spending the money to rent a trailer just to get the little dish so he thinks we should tie it to the roof of the van.
I'm not so sure about that... But we've got a few days to brainstorm on it so we'll see..
After looking things over, I'm thinking that the 11' SA dish is going to end up being a distant future project. I'll tear it down and restore it to like new condition but I'll take my sweet time to do it.
The other dish, the 13' Patriot, that one will be easy to put back up. It's simply on a big pole in cement, just like my other dishes are. The SA has that crazy pylon and bolts and the huge cement block pad. Pretty complicated to get it perfect. The Patriot, you dig a round hole, drop the pole in, pour cement in, level it up, good to go.. So the Patriot goes up first. And of course I plan to restore it to like new condition first as well. Being that I've got a good, working 10' dish up now, it's not a hot priority so I can take my time on it too.
The cool thing about the Patriot, it has a wicked looking LNB rig up front that appears to be designed to hold ~several~ LNB's at once. So I guess that means it can see multiple satellites at the same time. Mega-bonus..
I figure it may be a few weeks before we can get things together to get the big boys down and moved but the little 1.8, it's coming home next week. I need it. Fricken trees here are giving me grief on 129w which I need for my Dish HD channels. That 1.8m ought to pull it down right through the trees. It was awesome with the 1.2m while the trees were bare but now it's borderline. I'll eventually get the trees cut back but that's going to be a while off. Until then I can throw up a bigger dish and get by.
Dad thinks I'm in over my head on this. I dunno. Maybe I am but dang it, I'm gonna get it done, one way or the other!
Which satellite will you put your advertising on? You know-the one with the big dishes and saying "Dee's Teleport-USA".
Should have a first class dish farm with all that stuff, but I don't envy you working in that snake-den! Keep eyes peeled.
Should have a first class dish farm with all that stuff, but I don't envy you working in that snake-den! Keep eyes peeled.
I'm thinking of putting something clever on the BIG 4m dish.. Just to be a snarky, snide b**ch..
The snakes, I think we are OK with the tall rubber boots. It's those EVIL sticker vines that are the real problem out there.
Us wannabe C-banders who live vicariously through Dee Ann's life want an update to this thread....it's been weeks!
Hey Dee..I would like you to update on the progress also..I really wish you would go out to the
site and clear all the man (female) eating bushes out of my way too..It looks like I will get some time
to help you if you will give me a timetable on when you want to start getting them down..Just give me
a few days notice...talk to you later
site and clear all the man (female) eating bushes out of my way too..It looks like I will get some time
to help you if you will give me a timetable on when you want to start getting them down..Just give me
a few days notice...talk to you later
My dad and I went out there a few weeks ago so I could show my dad what's going on out there. While we were there we cut down some of the stuff down but OMG that stuff is MEAN!!
There's been a lot of stuff happening with my dad lately plus now we have taken a long lost cousin of mine under the wing. Dad has been fixing up an old rent house of his that was sitting idle for years so she can move in there.
That's taking up most of his time as of late. I had hoped she could help with the dishes but she had a hip replacement so she can't really help at all.
My back has gotten much, much worse lately so it's hard for me to be on my feet for more than 2-3 minutes at a time without having to sit down frequently.
I'm hoping that maybe next week my dad and I can go back out and take another shot at bringing home that 1.8m dish. Dad said we could strap it to the roof of his van though I'm skeptical about that plan.
Also, I'm a little worried about clearing out too much brush out there then walking away, if we clear it too much and reveal these hidden gems to passers-by they are going to be more tempted to steal them.
The property owner told us that they already caught someone out there a few weeks ago trying to cut up and steal that tower that's on the ground.
My dad and I agreed that when it comes time to take those things down, it's got to be done in one day. We can't just take one down, put it on the ground then drive off and expect to come back another day and finish the job. Thieves are lazy, they'll wait until someone else does the hard part then they'll swoop in and steal what they want. We found that out a few years ago when we sold the family property, people came in there and stole tens of thousands of dollars worth of stuff from us including an 8' dish I paid guys to take down for me. They took it down but did not deliver it to my house as they were paid to do. They just laid it on the ground and went home. It was gone before the sun went down.
We were thinking that we would hire some guys to lift the dishes off the poles and set them on the ground. That should only take a few minutes then they could get paid and go home. Then we could use Dad's generator to run a hand held grinder to grind the screws and bolts that are rusted. Dad said it would be best to get the things into quarters and put them on a rental trailer since we don't have a pick up truck. Moving them as one piece, no way.. They are too big and would require an oversized permit to move plus there would be too many hazards along the way, not to mention the wind. So they have to be taken apart.
I was looking at the 11' SA dishes and I don't see an easy way to take them apart other than all the way.. That spider thing on the back that supports the reflector, it won't come apart in quarters. It's not going to be easy at all.
Also, you guys need to mark with a sharpie the dishes you want. I still would like to get that 14' dish and one of the 11' SA's. I think it would be easier to put that 14' dish into service than the SA. The SA requires that complicated cement pad with the bolts and re bars and stuff. Plus a zillion tons of cement too. The 14' dish just goes on a simple pole like my 10' dish. Dig a BIG hole, put a BIG pole in it and pour a LOT of cement in it, make sure it's level, good to go!
No rocket science there.I see myself putting up the 14' first but sitting on the 11' for future use. Most likely I'll take it apart, restore it to brand new condition then store it for future use. The big dish though, it's going to be my 101 dish.
Anyway, cutting stuff away wasn't as bad as I had thought it would be, the stickers are evil beyond all that's evil but if you go slow you can avoid them to a great degree. I don't mind clearing some of it away but as I said, I'm worried that if we clear too much, too soon the thieves will take notice and everyone will get burned. I've already put money down on the dishes though I've received nothing in return yet. If someone steals them I don't know how I could go ask the owner for a refund, I don't think they would like that very much.
It's kinda hard trying to coordinate and schedule anything, what with my dad up to his eyebrows in his own projects. But by myself, there is pretty much nothing that I alone can do. And I don't dare go out there by myself anyway..
Dee,
Hope the tornadoes missed you/ My kids were up most of the night. No damage to them. One of the neighbors said their garden is gone. No other details.
Hope the tornadoes missed you/ My kids were up most of the night. No damage to them. One of the neighbors said their garden is gone. No other details.
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