Journal of my two satellite dishes going up, beginning to the end

[phlatwound]

South Florida to Plano, TX?!?!?!?!?

If you pull this one off you should get some kind of SatGuys Long Distance Award!!!!!

Good luck Tom, hope you land it.

 

[thomas34461usa]

You will need at least one more person besides yourself even with the dish crane. Maybe the owner can help you out.

Don't forget, you also need the OEM pole, or as much of it as you can get. The top part bolts into the cap. Without it you are asking for trouble trying to hold it in place.

I hope you get it too so people can quit calling me crazy for driving to Nashville from St. Louis.

You are going to drive from South Florida to North of Dallas.

Yeah Fred the things people will do for a Birdview! lol Oh, actually I'm not in South Florida either I'm in Cetral Florida on the Nature Coast. Just off from Crystal River Florida and about I think around 150 miles from the GA border. Still in all it should be a nice trip and I haven't been on one like this since I moved here to Florida from Wyoming.

 

[thomas34461usa]

Yeah I can see it now!

South Florida to Plano, TX?!?!?!?!?

If you pull this one off you should get some kind of SatGuys Long Distance Award!!!!!

Good luck Tom, hope you land it.

Well I hope so. Suppose to hear from them tonight? Maybe tomorrow. Called the guy for the Dish Crane and haven't heard from him yet. So it still looks like it will be Fred that wins it with the most travel and most Birdviews recieved!!

Thanks,
Tom

 

[linuxman]

I'm in Cetral Florida on the Nature Coast. Just off from Crystal River Florida and about I think around 150 miles from the GA border.

What's 200 to 300 miles when you are driving another 1000.

 

[thomas34461usa]

Right on

What's 200 to 300 miles when you are driving another 1000.

Yep you're right on. Only got 650 miles on the new truck so far. Look at it as breaking it in! lol

 

[chefwan]

hey tom so your taking the trip to get the birdview well be safe and watch out for other crazy drivers take care and good luck

 

[thomas34461usa]

Safe removal of Birdview

You will need at least one more person besides yourself even with the dish crane. Maybe the owner can help you out.

Don't forget, you also need the OEM pole, or as much of it as you can get. The top part bolts into the cap. Without it you are asking for trouble trying to hold it in place.

I hope you get it too so people can quit calling me crazy for driving to Nashville from St. Louis.

You are going to drive from South Florida to North of Dallas.

Hello Fred,
I know that I asked you before about removing a Birdview dish before and I think I still can use your expertise here. So thank you in advance for any help you can share with me and to everyone else my thanks go’s out too. I think you said to first remove the feedhorn. I can see the three support bars coming from the feedhorn and going to the dish itself. However from looking at the image of the back of a birdview I don’t see any nuts or bolts. Do I disconnect the feedhorn from the front of the dish? Also you told me (And I don’t have my notes in front of me now for what you told me before) to remove the plastic cover. Where is the plastic cover? From looking only at a photo and not really seeing one as you have, it all looks like metal and a part of the mount. I’m hoping you took some more detailed pictures here??

Another thing here is after taking off the Feedhorn, I was going to be attaching the dish Crane to the pole and using a solid part of the mount to hook up to, so I can get her off the pole and over the fence if possible. Otherwise I will just use the dish crane to safely lower it towards the ground. I think I remember you saying to remove the dish from the mount, if I did that how could I hook up to the dish without damaging it? Do you think I should first lower it to the ground then take off the mount?

Also in taking off the OEM pole. I know about how the top part bolts into the cap, and that I will need it. From looking at the photo they put a lot of concrete in to keep it steady in the ground. I have a couple of grinders that I can put on cutting disk on them. Is that what you used? I don’t have a cutting torch if that is what you used?

I don’t know if they still have the feedhorn cover still, I’ll have to ask them. Do you have a spare or know where I could get that type of cover?

Thanks again for the help. :

Tom

 

[linuxman]

Hi Thomas,

Here is a step by step method.

1. When you arrive, first take off the plastic cover in the back under the top part of the mount. There are 7 bolts that hold it in place. Take it loose, and it has a slit that allows it to fit over the center piece of the mount. Take it all the way off and put it away.

2. Cut the wires at the ground and hook up a battery charger to the motor wires and move the dish all the way to one side until the gear is almost touching the back of the dish. There aren't any limit controls, so watch it carefully.

3. Remove the feed-horn cover. In this case there isn't one. There are 6 bolts that hold the scaler assembly to the dish support arms. Carefully take those off. The support arms are aluminum. If one or two breaks off, there are ways to fix that so don't get excited.

4. After removing the scaler and feed-horn, the support arms unscrew from the front of the dish. Carefully remove those and put them away.

5. For using the dish crane, then use the batter charger to move the dish back to the topmost position. You will have to have a flat piece of steel say 1/8" with holes drilled in it to match the holes in the back of the dish. I'll get you the measurements. You will need a hook welded to the steel in the middle. Loosen all the bolts in the back of the dish. There are 6 at the top and 6 at the bottom. Take your time, because it is possible to break those off too. Still ways to fix it if you do.

Take all of the bolts out except the two outside bolts in the bottom half of the mount. Push the top of the dish forward away from the mount, and insert the flat steel and tighten down two bolts placed through the holes in the steel pre-drilled to fit. Attach the dish crane to the hook in the flat steel. Put enough pressure so that you can remove the remaining two bolts.

If you don't get the crane, two men can easily lift the dish off at that point while a third person takes the last two bolts out. You can then carry or roll it across the grass to the truck.

6. You will need a 1-1/8" wrench for taking the top bolt out of the cap. I bought mine at Lowes in the trailer hitch section for less than $15.00. It was made for nuts on a trailer hitch. Just get it loose a couple of 1/4 turns and squirt some PB Blaster under the head of the bolt and let it run down to the threads. You may have to turn it in and out and repeat until it is loose enough to come out. Take the three bolts that hold the cap on the side out. Spin the mount on the pole a few times, and then two men can lift it off putting your hands on the top, and the bottom and lift straight up.

7. I use a sawz-all to cut the pole at the bottom next to the ground. Once you have made an opening, using a good quality short blade, swing the saw so that the blade is always pointed at the center as you cut your way around it. It is only 1/16" thick and will cut very easily. You can't get right next to the ground, so make about 8 vertical cuts in the remaining inch or so sticking up and take a hammer and fold the tabs you just created down into the hole. See my "solid Birdview in my future" thread for pictures.

8. I built a crate for hauling mine out of 2x4s. I wanted to secure it without warping the dish. See the thread referred to above for pictures of the crate.

9. Load up and come home.

Good Luck!

 

[thomas34461usa]

You will have to have a flat piece of steel say 1/8" .....

Hi Fred,
I’m working on getting everything ready before I go on the trip to TX.
I tried to get that Dish Crane from that guy and was told that the guy that took it the last time still has it. Anyway I'm having one made to what I think will work for me by the guy who makes utility trailers near me. I got a trailer from him and asked him if he could make me up a "Dish Crane" so it will be ready for me before I leave on Friday. You said in part 5. " You will have to have a flat piece of steel say 1/8" with holes drilled in it to match the holes in the back of the dish. I'll get you the measurements. You will need a hook welded to the steel in the middle." Can you get me the size of that bar and where to place those holes to match the holes in the back of the dish? I'll just have him make me a bar according to your specks. Also have a good buddy coming with me too that sure will help.

Thanks so much Fred.

Tom

Hi Thomas,

Here is a step by step method.

1. When you arrive, first take off the plastic cover in the back under the top part of the mount. There are 7 bolts that hold it in place. Take it loose, and it has a slit that allows it to fit over the center piece of the mount. Take it all the way off and put it away.

2. Cut the wires at the ground and hook up a battery charger to the motor wires and move the dish all the way to one side until the gear is almost touching the back of the dish. There aren't any limit controls, so watch it carefully.

3. Remove the feed-horn cover. In this case there isn't one. There are 6 bolts that hold the scaler assembly to the dish support arms. Carefully take those off. The support arms are aluminum. If one or two breaks off, there are ways to fix that so don't get excited.

4. After removing the scaler and feed-horn, the support arms unscrew from the front of the dish. Carefully remove those and put them away.

5. For using the dish crane, then use the batter charger to move the dish back to the topmost position. You will have to have a flat piece of steel say 1/8" with holes drilled in it to match the holes in the back of the dish. I'll get you the measurements. You will need a hook welded to the steel in the middle. Loosen all the bolts in the back of the dish. There are 6 at the top and 6 at the bottom. Take your time, because it is possible to break those off too. Still ways to fix it if you do.

Take all of the bolts out except the two outside bolts in the bottom half of the mount. Push the top of the dish forward away from the mount, and insert the flat steel and tighten down two bolts placed through the holes in the steel pre-drilled to fit. Attach the dish crane to the hook in the flat steel. Put enough pressure so that you can remove the remaining two bolts.

If you don't get the crane, two men can easily lift the dish off at that point while a third person takes the last two bolts out. You can then carry or roll it across the grass to the truck.

6. You will need a 1-1/8" wrench for taking the top bolt out of the cap. I bought mine at Lowes in the trailer hitch section for less than $15.00. It was made for nuts on a trailer hitch. Just get it loose a couple of 1/4 turns and squirt some PB Blaster under the head of the bolt and let it run down to the threads. You may have to turn it in and out and repeat until it is loose enough to come out. Take the three bolts that hold the cap on the side out. Spin the mount on the pole a few times, and then two men can lift it off putting your hands on the top, and the bottom and lift straight up.

7. I use a sawz-all to cut the pole at the bottom next to the ground. Once you have made an opening, using a good quality short blade, swing the saw so that the blade is always pointed at the center as you cut your way around it. It is only 1/16" thick and will cut very easily. You can't get right next to the ground, so make about 8 vertical cuts in the remaining inch or so sticking up and take a hammer and fold the tabs you just created down into the hole. See my "solid Birdview in my future" thread for pictures.

8. I built a crate for hauling mine out of 2x4s. I wanted to secure it without warping the dish. See the thread referred to above for pictures of the crate.

9. Load up and come home.

Good Luck!

 

[linuxman]

You will have to have a flat piece of steel say 1/8" with holes drilled in it to match the holes in the back of the dish. I'll get you the measurements. You will need a hook welded to the steel in the middle." Can you get me the size of that bar and where to place those holes to match the holes in the back of the dish? I'll just have him make me a bar according to your specks. Also have a good buddy coming with me too that sure will help.

Thomas,

The top center two bolt holes in the back of the dish are 6" centers, the next two down from the top are 17-3/8" centers. The bolts themselves are 3/8" and 1-1/2" with large flat washers long should be great. Weld the hook in the middle of the 6" centered holes, and I would drill the holes at 1/2" just to be certain that they will align.

A piece of flat steel 2" wide and at least 20" long should be sufficient. You can use either set of holes, but make certain the bolts are snugged up tight to the back of the dish, not overly tight, just real snug so the pressure on the nuts inside the dish back isn't too great. They are just tack welded into place.

As low as that dish is to the ground, I wouldn't bother with the dish crane. Just follow the instructions and lift it off, but that is just me.

 

[eureka79]

Tom has a Birdview!!

Everyone,

Please congratulate Tom on his first Birdview! After driving some 20 hours from Florida to Texas, Tom and his buddy managed to make short work of taking down the dish in 95 degree Texas heat. Hopefully the dish will work well for him and the trip will have been worth it. And hopefully the heat won't have made either of them any crazier than they were when they started the trip

But crazy or not, I applaud :clap their efforts and wish all of you much luck in your birdview hunting adventures!

Beth

 

[linuxman]

But crazy or not, I applaud their efforts and wish all of you much luck in your birdview hunting adventures!

Congratulations Tom!

Looking forward to some great pictures.

 

[voomvoom]

Congratulations Tom...! I yelled at you when you almost drove by, but you had your mind somewhere else. I can't imagine where? Maybe you were just ignoring me? You were only about 190 miles from me when you got on I-10. You should have heard my Rebel Yell.... Yaaahhhhh... Hooooooo......!!!!!

 

[thomas34461usa]

Back Home in Florida

Hello everyone,
We left the Plano Texas area around 5:30pm (Eastern time) Saturday and got back home to Florida around 8pm on Sunday. We had a small problem in Louisiana with one of the trailer tires losing air because of a bad stem. We had to put air in it between stops till we got to a stop that had a super Wal-Mart with Auto repair. Once that was done we started back on the road and tried to make up for lost time.

When we got to Plano Texas I had brought my Camera to take pictures of the take down. We started looking at the Birdview dish and follow Fred’s instructions. There was no plastic cover on the back of the mount. I hope that I can get a replacement cover for that as well as the missing Feedhorn cover too?? Well, we got into it and before we knew it we were taking it down and trying to beat the heat and at the same time the heat of Texas was beating on us! That’s when I realized hey I didn’t take any photos! I still have it packed in the trailer so I will take some pictures of it in its custom made crate for shipping it. I will take some before and after picture of it as I clean up the dish. I will also take photos of the Birdview as it comes back together again in working order. I promise and sorry I didn’t take any when we took it down. The heat really did a number on me and it was getting the best of me.

Fred I’m also going to take some close up photos of the gears so you can see the condition of them and maybe you can advise me on them and also point me towards a place where I can get replacement parts for the missing plastic gear box cover and plastic feedhorn cover. It looks like it is set up for only C-Band too.

A special Thank you goes out to Beth and Steve for their hospitality and the give of the Dr. Pepper Soda, Hot Texas Chili Jalapeno peppers and the special hand made Long distance travel award for getting a Birdview Dish. Love it!

Thanks everyone.
Tom

 

[linuxman]

Fred I’m also going to take some close up photos of the gears so you can see the condition of them and maybe you can advise me on them and also point me towards a place where I can get replacement parts for the missing plastic gear box cover and plastic feedhorn cover. It looks like it is set up for only C-Band too.

I doubt you will be able to find a cover for the gears, so you will just have to make one. It doesn't have to bolt on, but if you can find some plastic pieces that have a flange, you can drill holes in it and start the frame of one. All you need is something to keep the worst of the weather off the electric parts. The gears can be greased periodically.

As to the feed-horn cover. The OEM covers don't work with a Co-Rotor on it. Too short. The new one I got from the dealer in Nashville was a one of a kind find. I made the one on my Perfed out of a 5 gallon bucket and cut it off at the 4 gallon mark. Works perfect. I used some L shaped aluminum and made 3 brackets to hold it to the scaler. It has been hanging on through some heavy snows and pretty good storms.

Congratulations on the award, and we will look forward to pictures.

 

[thomas34461usa]

Covers

I doubt you will be able to find a cover for the gears, so you will just have to make one. It doesn't have to bolt on, but if you can find some plastic pieces that have a flange, you can drill holes in it and start the frame of one. All you need is something to keep the worst of the weather off the electric parts. The gears can be greased periodically.

As to the feed-horn cover. The OEM covers don't work with a Co-Rotor on it. Too short. The new one I got from the dealer in Nashville was a one of a kind find. I made the one on my Perfed out of a 5 gallon bucket and cut it off at the 4 gallon mark. Works perfect. I used some L shaped aluminum and made 3 brackets to hold it to the scaler. It has been hanging on through some heavy snows and pretty good storms.

Congratulations on the award, and we will look forward to pictures.

Thanks Fred,
That sounds like a great idea of making one out of a 5 gallon bucket and adapting it to fit the needs for a feedhorn. I will try to take some pictures of the dish, pole, and the mount where the gears are located today. I'm still feeling tired from making the trip to and back nonstop. So it will be after a brief nap! lol

I’m also enclosing in this message a photo of your mount and what appears to be where the plastic cover goes. I’m hoping that I’m right in thinking that. I may know better after I take a look at it closer in the trailer later today. If I do have to fabricate one myself, do I glue two sides to a bottom with a flange on the ends of it to fit onto the mount? Do you have any ideas as to how to make one? Or maybe one can be made of light weight aluminum?

Thank you very much,

Tom

 

[linuxman]

I’m also enclosing in this message a photo of your mount and what appears to be where the plastic cover goes. I’m hoping that I’m right in thinking that. I may know better after I take a look at it closer in the trailer later today. If I do have to fabricate one myself, do I glue two sides to a bottom with a flange on the ends of it to fit onto the mount? Do you have any ideas as to how to make one? Or maybe one can be made of light weight aluminum?

That is the plastic cover. It attaches with 7 bolts around the top. It does not attach to the dish itself. Can't think right now of where to start on making one. Aluminum or plastic would be the best bet for materials. Might get a gutter guy or aluminum siding guy to make one with a metal brake. That would be easiest.

 

[thomas34461usa]

Birdview Images

:upHello everyone,
It’s Tuesday afternoon and I’m still trying to make up for lost sleep! It was a long trip to get there and to come back, but well worth it. Not only did I get my first Birdview Dish, but I also met such a gracious and kindhearted couple! It was an indeed pleasure to meet the both of you Steve and Beth!

Today I went out to try to clean up the dish using soap and water to get off the years of grime that was on the dish. Some came off. I’m thinking that I will have to take it to a car wash and use the pressure gun to get it to a clean state. The decal of the Birdview logo is mostly missing. I have been trying to find a decent image on the Internet to duplicate for this dish.


I have taken some photo’s of the Birdview on the trailer in its custom packing crate. Thanks go to Fred for that idea. It kept it snug on the way back here to Florida from Texas.

I took other photos too of the feedhorn, mount, and support pole. It looks like its set up for only C-Band. I’m missing the Feedhorn cover, however Fred has suggested in making one of a five gallon bucket and cutting it off at four gallons in size. Sounds like a great idea, unless I come up with a feedhorn cover for a Birdview that will hold a Chaparral Corotor II??

I tried to get close ups on the mount and to show the motor and the gears. Hope that it looks ok to you guys. I think I stated here that its missing the plastic cover that goes over the gears. Fred also suggested in having one made up from a place that makes aluminum gutters. If any of you have a photo of this type of cover I sure would appreciate it, knowing that these companies would want dimensions for such a cover. Thanks in advance for that request.

I didn’t get the use of that Dish Crane from the former owner of the satellite shop. So I had one made up to my specks. Turned out I didn’t need it to take off the Birdview since it was not that high off the ground. Plus my buddy is about 6’5’ tall! Lol
At any rate I will be using it to erect the dishes going up the tall poles I have because of tall Pine trees in my neighbor’s yards. The support pole for the Birdview I cut down with a grinder with a cutting disk. The sides appear to be thin. Can it be welded onto another cast iron pole to increase the length in it without damaging the thin walls of the Birdview support pole?

Oh yeah Al, I think I heard your rebel call has I was getting into Alabama? Thanks!! Sorry I missed your other call as I was on I-10! lol :up

Thanks everyone.
Tom

 

[linuxman]

Well part of your work is done already.

Your dish has the scalar adapter for a Co-Rotor/Polarotor already installed, and you have the reed sensor magnet kit already installed, but it looks like your wheel has 10 magnets. More than half your work is already completed, unless you want to try for more magnets than you have. It makes a big difference in accuracy.

If the motor and gears work then all they need is some cleaning and a lot of grease and they will be fine.

The pole on the dish I got in Nashville had already been cut at the ground and welded once with a piece the same thickness, and it held fine for 10 years. I would suppose you could weld it to a thicker pole, but I wouldn't go down on the diameter size at all.

You can get the dimensions for the cover yourself. Just measure the top flat steel on the mount it bolts to, then measure the area needed for the flange and distance between bolt holes, the distance away from the gears etc which will match up with the flat ring around the mount in the center.

The cover needs to be split where the ring is so that it can be slipped on and off. Nice crate.

Looks a lot like mine.

I want to see it up and operational in a week.

 

[thomas34461usa]

operational in a week

Well part of your work is done already.

That’s good to hear!

Your dish has the scalar adapter for a Co-Rotor/Polarotor already installed, and you have the reed sensor magnet kit already installed, but it looks like your wheel has 10 magnets. More than half your work is already completed, unless you want to try for more magnets than you have. It makes a big difference in accuracy.

How many magnets should one have for top performance and accuracy?

If the motor and gears work then all they need is some cleaning and a lot of grease and they will be fine.

It’s pretty nasty in there. The grease has a lot of dirt mixed in and is caked on all around. I plan on scraping and blowing out most of the grime as best as I can then grease it up with what I think is called “White Grease” if that is the best I can use?

The pole on the dish I got in Nashville had already been cut at the ground and welded once with a piece the same thickness, and it held fine for 10 years. I would suppose you could weld it to a thicker pole, but I wouldn't go down on the diameter size at all.

I’m planning on going back to the Well Digging Company near me and getting another matching pole and having them welded together.

You can get the dimensions for the cover yourself. Just measure the top flat steel on the mount it bolts to, then measure the area needed for the flange and distance between bolt holes, the distance away from the gears etc which will match up with the flat ring around the mount in the center.

I’ll follow those instructions, they were what I had already been thinking. What is bothering me is what you say of having a split in it.

The cover needs to be split where the ring is so that it can be slipped on and off.

If I do go ahead and go to an aluminum dealer and have them make me a cover for the gear box. Won’t the split in the cover become hard to work with after a while? I don’t want it to bend the wrong way or start to let in extra dirt and grime. Wonder how I could make it using Plastic as you also suggested?

Nice crate.

Looks a lot like mine.

Yes it is nice, and I did follow from your photos of your crate.

I want to see it up and operational in a week.

So do I however I have to see what time frame the welder has and the well digging company has for a schedule. When I do put in the new pole in the ground…. How many feet should I separate them from the other dishes. Right now my two poles are about 11’ feet apart. Should I make it further away from the others?

Thanks,
Tom