My next Project C Band Mesh

[T4Runner]

Well, thanks to Toucan again, I now have another 7.5 ft dish. However, it was after sun down when we could get together and I did not do a good job of tying it down in my pickup bed. It started lifting and I had to pullover and stop about 3 times and by the time I got it home, I saw I mangled the struts tying it down, but the mesh is clean and straight. I will replace the struts with 1/2" EMT with the ends flattened. Thought I would show you what I found when I removed the LNB cover. Not a surprise, except for the number of nests. Course the dish must be 20 to 30 years old?

 

[turbosat]

Holy cow! Those nests are huge, I would've hated finding those the hard way. Even with the bee suit I still have, from several years of beekeeping, those would have eaten somebody up.
BTW those suits are no good for wasps either, learned that the tough way too. Wasps have much longer stinger, and it isn't barbed like a honeybee's, so they can sting repeatedly.
And will!

 

[KE4EST]

I seen that when I got my last dish. Good thing is was October and not sooner.

 

[johann12]

I had the honor to get rid of about 15 nests like that where I work 2 month ago. I started out with wasp spray, but the new sprays are not as potent as they used to be and the wasps are still trying to come after you.
I ran out of spray after about 4 nests, so I used a 10 foot EMT pipe.
You hit the nest down, then throw the pipe to ground and run. Works very good and I got all of the nests in a very short time. Most of the nests looked like that in the picture.
It is to bad, you can not this with LNB/LNBF setup like that.

 

[T4Runner]

No live wasps. Been dead quite awhile. But there must have been a gazillion in there at once at one time! Got the struts made today. Pictures tomorrow. I will replace the LNB with a LNBF. I may hang it on my existing five ft solid metal c band. Has the same polar mount.

 

[Pismire]

Starting fluid kills the live critters dead instantly. Learned that trick from an old farmer that I got an 8 footer from.

Sent from my Xoom using Tapatalk 2

 

[T4Runner]

That doesn't sound like it gets me far enough away.... When dealing with wasps, I buy the 25 ft spray cans at LOWES hardware by the gross. I always have at least 3 or 4 cans on hand to spray them here. I have more than my share of the little rascals...

 

[toucan-man]

If the nest is in the open it seems that you can spray a heavy stream of water at them and they won't retaliate. I remember when a man tore down an old farmhouse for a friend, he waited for a rainy day, because he said those little buggers would otherwise come after him in the cab of the excavator. Might be an old contractor's tale, recounted here for what it is worth.

 

[T4Runner]

Okay. Struts made out of 1/2" EMT cut to 48" lengths and ends flattened, bent and drilled to the exact same length and angle as the original struts I mangled hauling it home. New bolts and new plate for the LNBF, but I used the old plate for the LNB cover which fits nicely. I took time ensuring all four struts meet the plate at the same dimension, so am hoping the plate is centered; looks okay to the naked eye, but I know measurements are always the proof. I may spray paint the four struts, but I hate to paint the galvanized EMT. Guess it doesn't matter.

I have not tested the existing actuator yet, but I have a new SuperJack II on the 5 ft dish I am replacing.

 

[T4Runner]

Here's the pictures

 

[primestar31]

What brand dish is that?

 

[Anole]

Okay. Struts made out of 1/2" EMT cut to 48" lengths and ends flattened, bent and drilled ...
I may spray paint the four struts, but I hate to paint the galvanized EMT. Guess it doesn't matter.

If you tap my avatar, there's a picture of a failed mini-bud experiment.
All three of my struts were 1/2" EMT, too.
After flattening, bending, and drilling, I gave them an alcohol scrub to get off finger oils.
Then i bundled 'em all together inside my trash bin, and shot 'em with paint.
Used 99-cent can of gray primer, and applied four light coats.

 

[T4Runner]

What brand dish is that?

The LNB cover said LASER, and it's a 7.5 ft mesh. Pretty solid and looks identical to my other C Band, but it's only to replace my 5 ft until I found that 10 ft+ dish...

 

[T4Runner]

If you tap my avatar, there's a picture of a failed mini-bud experiment.
All three of my struts were 1/2" EMT, too.
After flattening, bending, and drilling, I gave them an alcohol scrub to get off finger oils.
Then i bundled 'em all together inside my trash bin, and shot 'em with paint.
Used 99-cent can of gray primer, and applied four light coats.

I tapped your avatar and then clicked the photos at the bottom of the page, but said something about not able to access. Probably wont paint them, but time will tell.

 

[primestar31]

Some of the Laser dishes were made by Perfect Ten, I believe. Yours looks exactly like one. Here's the assembly manual for them that I uploaded, including the 7.5ft model:

http://www.satelliteguys.us/downloads.php?do=file&id=329

I found out when I assembled my Perfect Ten, that if I didn't follow the instructions TO THE LETTER, the dish didn't pass the string test, and had issues with centering the feed.

 

[T4Runner]

Some of the Laser dishes were made by Perfect Ten, I believe. Yours looks exactly like one. Here's the assembly manual for them that I uploaded, including the 7.5ft model:

http://www.satelliteguys.us/downloads.php?do=file&id=329

I found out when I assembled my Perfect Ten, that if I didn't follow the instructions TO THE LETTER, the dish didn't pass the string test, and had issues with centering the feed.

Now you remind me about the string test! LOL. I have done that before, and in fact did one for the twin of this from another source I bought last year. But it was after dark and late the night I bought this one. Thank you for the manual, I suppose I'll string test it tomorrow maybe.

 

[primestar31]

The biggest issue I found, is you should NOT install the middle center plate until AFTER you put the polar mount on your pole, set the mount elevation so the dish would point almost straight up at the sky, and then install the 4 petals on the polar mount, and bolt them (not tightly yet!) to the outer ring. If you do it before, it won't pass the string test. Then place and bolt the center plate, and it'll pull them all into perfect alignment. After you do the string test, you can then tighten the outer ring bolts.

Did that make sense to you? If not, read the instructions, it explains it well. I assembled and disassembled my dish 4 times before I discovered I needed to follow those instructions to the letter to get it to be right. Once I did, it's now 100% dead on the money, perfect!

 

[T4Runner]

The biggest issue I found, is you should NOT install the middle center plate until AFTER you put the polar mount on your pole, set the mount elevation so the dish would point almost straight up at the sky, and then install the 4 petals on the polar mount, and bolt them (not tightly yet!) to the outer ring. If you do it before, it won't pass the string test. Then place and bolt the center plate, and it'll pull them all into perfect alignment. After you do the string test, you can then tighten the outer ring bolts.

Did that make sense to you? If not, read the instructions, it explains it well. I assembled and disassembled my dish 4 times before I discovered I needed to follow those instructions to the letter to get it to be right. Once I did, it's now 100% dead on the money, perfect!

Thank you Prime, it will be awhile a the rate I'm moving this week. Yes, I think I understand. I will download the manual again, on my laptop this time. I tried i on my IPAD, and it failed.

I will do the string test first....

 

[T4Runner]

I'm replacing the 5ft dish that is second from the left.

 

[jaytee4320]

Nice job T4Runner; Just wondering how you lifted the dish onto the post? I just acquired a 10ft mesh and it needs to mount on a post 10ft high. How would I best do this without 10 guys and a horse?lol
Thanks
Joe