I may have found my 6 footer!

[putney]

I saw a dish with no LNB on top of a commercial business near my home. Too late to take pictures today, but it's on the roof and it looks like a 6' solid offset dish on a non-penatrating mount. From where I could see it, it's hard to tell what material it is, but the amount of mold on it makes me think it's fiberglass (hopefully metal).

Is an 6' offset common? The structure was used as a temporary police station and the dish was left. Is there a reason why an offset couldn't be converted to a prime focus? (It is round) My intent would be to use an actuator to move it and it's my understanding hat it would have to be prime focus to track properly.

Anyway, I'm putting the cart in front of the horse. I still have to ask the property managers if it is available to be reclaimed.


Thanks

 

[pro96]

Pictures can say 1000000000000 words I'd always said.

 

[Anole]

Prodelin 6'er?

The six-foot Prodelin offset dishes are pretty common on various businesses.
They are for two-way communication, and the "LNB" looks more like a big coffee can! -
(It's a transmitter, too)

Quite a few of the guys have them. Some are happy with 'em, some not so much.
Depends on what your expectations are.
For free, they're pretty good for either a C-band dedicated dish (no motorizable mount) or for multiple Ku-usage.

The dish is round, as you noted, but it's an offset dish, and will not work as a prime feed.
It's just a different animal.
If you want to run C-band on it, you would be advised to use a conical scalar.


See first link below for picture, and second for multi-Ku use.

Linuxman and his Prodelin 6' molded dish.
http://www.satelliteguys.us/932546-post10.html

Linuxman and entire arc on 6' Prodelin:
http://www.satelliteguys.us/free-ai...st-way-receive-whole-ku-arc-fixed-dishes.html

As for putting an offset dish on a BUD mount, see the article by Phlatwound on mounting a 1.2m Prodelin to a Birdview mount.
All the theory and explanation needed should be found in that thread.

 

[phlatwound]

Anole pretty well covered it, but I would add, if you have some fabrication skills, you could put that dish a on a BUD linear polar, or a BUD H-H mount.

Here is what I did with a 1.2 m Prodelin and a Birdview H-H mount.....same principles apply to putting a 6 footer on.

http://www.satelliteguys.us/free-ai...-prodelin-1-2m-offset-birdview-h-h-mount.html

edit: I see Anole edited his post with the same info I just posted.

 

[putney]

Thanks for the replies! Pictures will come with tomorrows daylight.

Just curious, wouldn't it be possible to calculate the focus point and fabricate 3 or 4 legs to make this into a prime focus dish? Just not worth it? No advantage over the offset? curious

I'll touch base with the property management tomorrow.

 

[Anole]

Wrong shape.

An offset dish is actually a slice out of the side of a really large prime focus dish.

 

[DirectDishNet]

Thanks for the replies! Pictures will come with tomorrows daylight.

Just curious, wouldn't it be possible to calculate the focus point and fabricate 3 or 4 legs to make this into a prime focus dish? Just not worth it? No advantage over the offset? curious

I'll touch base with the property management tomorrow.

I would take it just to experiment with. I bet this dish is all you can think about right now. I'm the same way, There is a RV Dealership I did a HughesNet job on last week. They had the very same dish as you are looking at, Mold and all.... Not being used as the cable has been cut for many years. They said they will ask the Managers but they don't see why I couldn't have it.... I'm waiting for a phone call.

I'll keep my fingers crossed for you. I hope you get it.

 

[putney]

Gotcha.

So if I were to lay the dish flat and put a quart of water in it, the puddle would be off center? (just trying to visualize)

 

[1ADAM12]

Gotcha.

So if I were to lay the dish flat and put a quart of water in it, the puddle would be off center? (just trying to visualize)

To put it another way-

An offset dish is an eggshaped section of a very large prime focus parabola.

A lot of the BigK stores have these 6' offset dishes.

Be sure to get an OK, it's a class one felony in many places.

 

[putney]

To put it another way-


Be sure to get an OK, it's a class one felony in many places.

To own one? Because I don't steal. A dish ain't worth jail or fine.

 

[14karat]

I think he meant to take without an OK...

 

[putney]

I think he meant to take without an OK...

I still have to ask the property managers if it is available to be reclaimed.

yep

 

[guapoharry]

Just the fiberglass dish part of my 6 foot Prodelin weighs 75 pounds. Probably take a really beefy actuator.

Unless you get a polar mount with it (not likely) I would leave it fixed-offset.

Putney, you could visualize the offset dish this way (see the PDF)

Oh, there is a Word document here as well.

 

[putney]

Just the fiberglass dish part of my 6 foot Prodelin weighs 75 pounds. Probably take a really beefy actuator.

Unless you get a polar mount with it (not likely) I would leave it fixed-offset.

Yeah I was concerned about the weight.

Putney, you could visualize the offset dish this way (see the PDF)

Oh, there is a Word document here as well.

Yep, that's how I saw it. Thanks!

Pics added.

Looks like it does have a LNB. My camera sees better than me.

 

[Anole]

That sure looks like the classic 6' Prodelin dish.
The LNB support arms are not what you see on the two-way version... at least I haven't.
... and I've seen two types!

This looks more like a receive-only lashup.

The mount is strange, too.
Get us more pictures, closer ones. better lit ones, or just bring the darned thing home! - :up
You might be in for a surprise with the mount... just can't see well enough to know.

But, whatever you got, it's gonna be fine! -

 

[putney]

I was a block away in an elevated parking lot for those pics. Haven't had time to call the property manager yet. Besides, I've got to find time to take down the Perfect 10.......not enough time these days