My antenna's stock.

[RimaNTSS]

This is 1,2m plastic Echostar on polar-mount. Antenna's working area 1214x1316mm, offset angle 22,7*, opening angle 80,4*, F/D ratio =0,59, weight 11kg. Interesting that working area has no holes for mounting bolts. Mirror attached to polar-mount by 4 not penetrating screws.

 

[RimaNTSS]

French company Visiosat making different dishes (my T90, toroidal also has labeled Visiosat). This one is one of their products. Parameters almost identical as Channel Master 1,2m antenna has. Small lower part of antenna is cut-off. Dimensions 1200 x 1300mm, offset angle 22,6* and opening angle 75*. relatively heavy- 13,4kg. Interesting construction of LNB-holder. Very solid dish. Of course, all nuts&bolts should be changed to INOX. Was quiet dirty when I got it, but after some incentive washing, looks OK again- that is a beauty of old good products (Made not in China).

 

[Corrado]

Thanks for sharing all the pictures.

 

[RimaNTSS]

As I've mentioned earlier, Gregorian-type antennas perform about 10% better than simple offsets. That is why those systems are more sophisticated and also more expensive I've got this Delta Star 1,2m dish some time ago and was very happy about it's performance. Now I put aside this antenna just to free space on the balcony for another installations. Main mirror of the dish is 1200 x 1350, offset angle 27,3* and opening angle 85,5*. Dish is maybe 20 y.o. , made out of aluminum. After string test, I was pretty surprised to see that antenna is in perfect shape, not bended at all. Good dish, IMHO.

 

[RimaNTSS]

This one is also very old. 120cm PFA made by Kathrein. Aluminum. Very nice and balanced polar-mount. Dish came with original LNB, which is, of course, outdated and should be changed to modern one. Installed it, played little bit and then removed, now it is laying at the attic.

 

[RimaNTSS]

This dish is known very well to everybody, as it is Classical. Of course it is famous Channel Master 120. Parameters also well known, but just to be consistent: Offset angle 22,6*, opening angle ~80*, F/D=0,6, weight 10kg.
Antenna is so durable that nothing happens to it over the years, it does not change shape (like metal dishes do), it performs always as new. From time to time it needs some washing. All nuts&bolts ASAP should be changed to INOX, this is to prevent rust going inside the paint, they are almost unwashable (at least I do not know way how to completely remove rust). Have said only good, but I should say also my doubts: seems that producer made feedarms and LNB holder in such a way that LNB is not located in antenna's focus and does not point to the right point on the antenna's surface. This is not a big problem, can be fixed. Feedarms , not much but obstructing sat signals, see on the picture which I made during last Sun-outage period.
I have 4 such antennas, so will preserve my right not to post here till 8th May when I go to next size range of mirrors.

 

[RimaNTSS]

Next antenna size is 1,4m, and this one is plastic antenna. From Passport data I know it has F/D ratio 0.6. and size 140cm . Similarly as 0,9m and 1,1m antennas this one is good for making multifeeds on it and also very light. Did not have a chance to install it, maybe this summer.

 

[RimaNTSS]

In 90-ties Swedish company SMW made several interesting dishes. One of them is SMW-OA-1400 "Jumbo". This is something between PFA and offset. Has offset angle 13*, but LNB is still between Antenna surface and satellite. Man who was selling antennas had more than one such a dish, so I took 2 of them.
Antenna's opening angle is 112*. I did not have a chance to install this antenna, but my friend have it on his roof. He is not so happy about performance, I think it is because he does not have original LNB (which I have ) and he uses simple universal Ku-band LNB. Dimensions of the mirror are 1420 x 1460mm. It weights only 10,3kg. Made out of ABS plastic with reflecting layer inside (no mesh).

 

[RimaNTSS]

Once I was building a fence around my property (mostly to prevent wild and domesticated animals coming to close), so I went to place where they had metal pipes and spotted some dish laying around. I payed for it something like 5 or 10 bucks and brought dish home. It did not have any mount, just 3 feedarms and LNB holder. Dish is 150cm PFA. After some time friend of mine gave me back-ring and polar mount from another antenna. I drilled several holes in the dish to match holes in the back-ring . Of course, such a metal ring added lots of weight to whole construction. Cleaned and painted everything . Same friend who gave me polar-mount made new feedarms and LNB holder out of INOX . Installed dish, got it on the arc , enjoyed for some time, bot not so long, cuz I got another 150cm dish (better one ) will show it tomorrow.

 

[bobvick]

Are you in Great Britain? Your antenna collection is nice. Wish we could get some of the great FTA programming you can get on this side of the "pond."

 

[RimaNTSS]

Right now Brussels, but majority of my "toys" are in Latvia

Your antenna collection is nice.

How do you know?! I did not show you all my antennas yet (better ones are to come )

 

[bobvick]

How far west and east can you "see" from your location? Just curious. Here, in the southeastern USA, I can get from about 139W to about 30W maybe a little farther east.

 

[RimaNTSS]

In Brussels, from balcony I can get ~55*E-30*W. Back in Riga my usual arc is 90*E-30*W, but it is also possible to get 96,5*E-45*W when mentioned satellites 0,9* and 2,5* above horizon. But clear LOS is vitally needed.

 

[RimaNTSS]

I hope admins do not mind if I post so many pictures.....
This is my another 1,5m PFA. I found it better than one showed yesterday, first of all because of weight, and secondly, it has original polar-mount. I got it from chap living not so far away. It was in cellar laying for quiet a time and I think he was happy I picked his antenna. There were couple of LNBs and actuator in the set. . Of course, dish is old and was rusty , so I took everything apart , cleaned, changed nuts&bolts to INOX ones, painted. Replaced feedarms to INOX threaded bars, changed LNB holder to custom made one. . Initially installed combined C/Ku LNB , but results were so bad than I stopped at GI-209P LNB, which is specially designed for PFAs.
I also made small rain/snow umbrella for polar-mount (guess what I used to make this umbrella )

Of course, made maintenance to actuator and adjusted it properly, so antenna can get arc from 90*E-30*W, there is also possibility to get further East and West, will probably make it one day.
Also made adjustable mechanical stop for antenna, so it can stay in fixed position even actuator is removed

 

[danristheman]

You must have big dog house to put all those satellite dishes when the wife gets mad at you for having those. Picking on you little bit rima but those are nice dishes.

 

[RimaNTSS]

danristheman Everything is not so difficult here: I do not touch wife's dishes in the kitchen and she does not care about my dishes
OK, 1,8m now.....
I have got my first 1,8m dish quiet a long time ago, it was advertised as 2m aluminum, but in reality it was smaller and made of usual metal. Condition of mirror and polar-mount was not so great and, of course, I've decided to make new polar-mount and do some maintenance to the mirror. All nuts&bolts were changed to INOX and new back-frame made. Will not post pictures as dish looked like when I got it (to not have too many pictures uploaded to server), but there are some pick after renovation. And, yes, to make it look even better and scary neighbors, picture was aerographed on the face of dish. Picture was so nice and expensive that I did not use this dish for a very long time, so ATM it is in the garage as an element of design

 

[danristheman]

Rima I like to pick on married guys little bit being hen pecked. You should have eye ball painted on your dish so you can look down on the people that hate satellite dishes. Keeping an eye on the neighborhood watch.

 

[Jason S]

OK, 1,8m now.....
I have got my first 1,8m dish quiet a long time ago, it was advertised as 2m aluminum, but in reality it was smaller and made of usual metal. Condition of mirror and polar-mount was not so great and, of course, I've decided to make new polar-mount and do some maintenance to the mirror. All nuts&bolts were changed to INOX and new back-frame made. Will not post pictures as dish looked like when I got it (to not have too many pictures uploaded to server), but there are some pick after renovation. And, yes, to make it look even better and scary neighbors, picture was aerographed on the face of dish. Picture was so nice and expensive that I did not use this dish for a very long time, so ATM it is in the garage as an element of design

I really like the polar mount setup you have on that one. The artwork is pretty neat too.

 

[bobvick]

From looking at Lyngsat and your part of the arc that is visible, I bet you have plenty to keep you busy with all the FTA in Europe. Too bad we have very little in comparison in North America, especially on Ku anymore.

 

[RimaNTSS]

I do not really care about amount of FTA possible to receive in my area. In fact, we do not make big differentiation between FTA and encrypted channels. My goal is just to be able to get signal, even without lots of watching TV. I like to do some hardware stuff, that is the point.
Polar mount for my antenna in previous post was made by friend of mine specially for this, particular antenna. I agree, it is great piece of equipment.
My next 180cm PFA antenna looks like one I presented yesterday, I think it is exactly the same model. It came with polar-mount and 18' actuator. But it is still stored in my garage and I did not even install it, so, have nothing to wright about it more, just couple of pictures....