How Long Have You Had Your BUD?

[slr_65]

Well as soon as it warms up it looks like we'll be able to play at my son's - I called a buddy of mine from the old sat days and took a trip down memory lane with him. He said he still has a fully functional system and we're welcome to have it! He couldn't remember the dish brand, but it's a one piece spun aluminum that's perforated. He's sure it's not a birdview, but he doesn't remember what the brand is. It's 9'.

When it warms up we'll have to make the trip over and pick it up!

 

[tofer]

1989, still have the the original GI 2730r rec.in a box. On the second actuator,upgraded to good norsat stuff on the corotor when I upgraded to a dsr 920, but just using a cheapie lnbf right now. That 2730 was ahead of its time for onscreen setup.

 

[arcticracer]

A long time

I started playing with C band when 120 degree LNA's finally came down to about $400, and that was the best you could get. The Drake ESR24 was King, and the Antenna of choice was the amazing Paraclipse 12'. All signals were analog, unencrypted. It was about 1982 I forget exactly. Had a family business in Satellite TV. Today, I still have a Paraclipse copy made in Michigan by U.P. Superior, a leftover from the business that I have been using since 1987.

It is the Bud from hell, and has been posted here before. 25 feet high, with a combination service platform/Moose stand.

 

[cracklincrotch]

Just out of curiosity, how do you keep that thing from swaying in the wind? I don't see any guy lines attached to that.

Mine is 9' and sways all over the place even with cement poured down the pole.

 

[arcticracer]

Lots of steel

You are right, no guy wires. If you look close you will see where the pipe changes diameter. The bottom section is schedule 80 well casing, something like 4 1/2" OD, then the 3 1/2" schedule 80 slips into it, but only goes several feet down. The hole was about 5 feet deep and I used a yard or two of concrete. It does move a little bit in a wind, not enough to affect the signal much. It is not very windy around Fairbanks here.

 

[hersato]

I started playing with C band in 1987 and install my first antenna a Paraclipse 16'

 

[dfergie]

Pics of my first equipment here http://www.satelliteguys.us/500213-post1.html

 

[Greg Mueller]

I bought my first dish in 1985
But I was away for a while

 

[JAS]

It is the Bud from hell, and has been posted here before. 25 feet high, with a combination service platform/Moose stand.

What more could a man ask for. Combination FTA /Moose/Deer stand

 

[TMair]

I got my one and only...so far...bud in about 1989, and I have used it every day since, I love this stuff!
Terry

 

[wallyhts]

I got my first FTA BUD about 3 months ago when I bought a house.

 

[rv1pop]

I sold the Amway product way back when, and got one back (free) when the customers moved! I just put it up last fall, but--- I still do not have it working and the frost brought the thing up to about 18" so I will have to pull it up and rebury the post. Forty inches was not enough with the freezing and the wind!

 

[putney]

After posting about my free Bud acquisition on facebook, a friend reminded me that I had talked about getting a Bud back in 1986. Well about 2 weeks ago my first 8' Bud went up! With a 10' against the shed.

 

[FaT Air]

I've been a long time lurker at sat-guys, so here's my story.
Got the BUD mid 80's w/ a 70mhz analog rcvvr (LNA-BDC) . Shortly thereafter upgraded to a GI 2400 series rcvr with the vcrs addon for s sub. During the first gulf war, put the lna equip back on to watch some PAL wildfeeds on the Atlantic sats. (I still have that museum equipment) Sure the picture rolled, and only B.W, but watchable. After getting the pizza dish sometime around 95-96, the BUD sorta got retired, but never disassembled. Got rid of Pizza dish around 2000 as the cable service finally became more than just locals and a couple of "superstations". Also got first FTA rcvr around the same time as the Wildfeed flu was caught again. Can't shake it. Wish I had more time to devote to it.

 

[PKII]

My uncle gave me his when I was about 16. Been hooked ever since. It was one of those with a hand crank to move the dish. 10 Foot Fiberglass. (still in use as a fish pond)

He had no system of finding the satellites but I thought of something. I gave it 1 turn ran inside to search for signals on the receiver ran back outside to the dish gave it another turn.

Eventually I had all the satellites available in my area and when I wanted a particular satellite like Galaxy 5 I would go outside and start turning for like 50 turns. And poof TV.

I got a lot of exercise running out to the dish to change satellites and turning the hand crank. I had a path in the grass from running back and forth.


I'd like to have a hand crank on a small Ku band they still make those hand cranks for dishes? Now at least I have a satellite meter so no running needed now. lol

 

[John Popper]

My uncle gave me his when I was about 16. Been hooked ever since. It was one of those with a hand crank to move the dish. 10 Foot Fiberglass. (still in use as a fish pond)

He had no system of finding the satellites but I thought of something. I gave it 1 turn ran inside to search for signals on the receiver ran back outside to the dish gave it another turn.

Eventually I had all the satellites available in my area and when I wanted a particular satellite like Galaxy 5 I would go outside and start turning for like 50 turns. And poof TV.

I got a lot of exercise running out to the dish to change satellites and turning the hand crank. I had a path in the grass from running back and forth.


I'd like to have a hand crank on a small Ku band they still make those hand cranks for dishes? Now at least I have a satellite meter so no running needed now. lol

I still use a hand crank, went to a blacksmith and told him to make me one for my 7fter cause the original one was all rusty
I use nail polish of different colors to mark the inside tube that way I know where the satellites positions are

 

[PKII]

I still use a hand crank, went to a blacksmith and told him to make me one for my 7fter cause the original one was all rusty
I use nail polish of different colors to mark the inside tube that way I know where the satellites positions are

Good idea.