Need a suggestion about new dish

[Andyboy90]

I have a 10ft mesh antenna in storage which i am very eager to set up but due to cold Canadian winter I really cannot do anything because the ground is frozen. I recently got a used 1.2m Channel Master dish from a local seller which helped get my toes wet with C band. The dreaded winter will last for atleast another 5 months and I really cannot wait this long. I am well aware that thin metal dishes manufactured these days are no match for older mesh or aluminum dishes. I was looking on ebay and found this dish.
2.4 m, 8 ft , Satellite Dish, Prime Focus, C/KU, with integrated mount. NEW! | eBay
Atleast this dish will help me play with C band until i can do a permanent install next summer. Is this a good idea?

 

[RimaNTSS]

I personally think it is not very good idea. After couple of storms this "beauty" will become a propeller. You better look for used "old style" antenna, preferably fiberglass.

 

[comfortably_numb]

1.2m Channel Master dish from a local seller which helped get my toes wet with C band?

Just curious, what were you able to receive with the 1.2m? I am awaiting delivery of a new GeoSat Pro 1.2 meter and am planning to experiment with C-band on that dish also.

 

[Andyboy90]

Just curious, what were you able to receive with the 1.2m? I am awaiting delivery of a new GeoSat Pro 1.2 meter and am planning to experiment with C-band on that dish also.

I see that you are located in Missouri so your results will definitely be better than mine because of stronger beams. I was able to get NHK on 58W, on 91W i was able to get BYUTV, word network and Classic arts and on 99W i got the lesea mux. I did get a radio TP on 105W and some weather stuff on 107W

 

[comfortably_numb]

I see that you are located in Missouri so your results will definitely be better than mine because of stronger beams. I was able to get NHK on 58W, on 91W i was able to get BYUTV, word network and Classic arts and on 99W i got the lesea mux. I did get a radio TP on 105W and some weather stuff on 107W

Thanks for the info. I'm excited to start experimenting. I like the Arts Network. Would be great to get that here.

 

[wvman]

I have a 10ft mesh antenna in storage which i am very eager to set up but due to cold Canadian winter I really cannot do anything because the ground is frozen. I recently got a used 1.2m Channel Master dish from a local seller which helped get my toes wet with C band. The dreaded winter will last for atleast another 5 months and I really cannot wait this long. I am well aware that thin metal dishes manufactured these days are no match for older mesh or aluminum dishes. I was looking on ebay and found this dish.
2.4 m, 8 ft , Satellite Dish, Prime Focus, C/KU, with integrated mount. NEW! | eBay
Atleast this dish will help me play with C band until i can do a permanent install next summer. Is this a good idea?

It sounds to me like they are saying you should expect damage during shipping. " Panels thickness: 0.8mm", that's about twice the thickness of a standard business card. It's probably to keep shipping weight down. Sadoun Satellite sold dishes similar to these, and no longer import them. I wouldn't be surprised to find they got tired of calls complaining of damage during shipping.

You may want to contact DH Satellite. They have solid, spun aluminum dished from .6 to 5 meters, with thicknesses from 0.5mm to .110mm. Of course, you'd have to set a pole, but the other one sits on a mounting ring and needs a flat surface to attach it to. I priced an 9 foot spun off DH and it was just over $1000.00 and included a tuned feed. Just a suggestion.


Home

 

[Andyboy90]

Thanks for the info. I'm excited to start experimenting. I like the Arts Network. Would be great to get that here.

Its nice to get started with a minibud but speaking from experience its not worth it in the longer run. When it starts raining or snowing the signal fades away. I am planning on motorizing my channel master and setting it up for Ku band. I really like the NBC stuff on 103 and PBS on 125

 

[Andyboy90]

It sounds to me like they are saying you should expect damage during shipping. " Panels thickness: 0.8mm", that's about twice the thickness of a standard business card. It's probably to keep shipping weight down. Sadoun Satellite sold dishes similar to these, and no longer import them. I wouldn't be surprised to find they got tired of calls complaining of damage during shipping.

You may want to contact DH Satellite. They have solid, spun aluminum dished from .6 to 5 meters, with thicknesses from 0.5mm to .110mm. Of course, you'd have to set a pole, but the other one sits on a mounting ring and needs a flat surface to attach it to. I priced an 9 foot spun off DH and it was just over $1000.00 and included a tuned feed. Just a suggestion.


Home

I will contact DH and see what kind of deals they have. I am not keeping my hopes high because $1000+ outrageous international shipping price+ import duty will probably add up to a price i am not willing to spend just because i cannot wait a couple months.

 

[Andyboy90]

I personally think it is not very good idea. After couple of storms this "beauty" will become a propeller. You better look for used "old style" antenna, preferably fiberglass.

Unfortunately there are not a whole lot of c band dishes in my area. Will this dish last for couple years atleast. We get high winds for very few days a year and during that time i can just lift it and place it in the shed

 

[RimaNTSS]

Andyboy90 I understand your eagerness but, if I were you, I would not spend 350 bucks plus shipping to get this piece of ..... equipment. Especially if you already have nice CM 10ft C-band dish. Spring is not so far away, so you better do some planing and preparations for new install.

 

[Brct203]

I agree with RimaNTSS... There's better stuff you can spend $350 on, once you get the big dish installed. Like an ASC-1, maybe a meter like the one Titanium sells.

as for C-Band on the smaller dish, I tried that too. I was also able to get Arts and The Word on 91W (The Word was quite strong and reliable). I was not able to get NHK on 58W, but I was getting the BBC radio mux on 55.5W. Also, I got one of the radio mux on 105 (3707MHz if I remember well), and occasionally some Mexican channel Telesur on 113W. I got the Luken mux on 99W. And most surprisingly, AFN Prime on 34.5W was very easy despite being on a Global beam (it's no longer FTA though). Also got Rede Genesis on 40.5W. Those last 2 required the dielectric slab as they are circular polarization.

All in all, only The Word, AFN Prime and to a lesser extent, ARTS and Luken channels, were watchable.

Now something weird... I started the miniBUD stuff with a 90cm and an old Fortec Star Mercury II receiver, which is limited to DVB-S and MPEG2. That was good enough for ARTS SD. Then I bought an Amiko miniHDre and got an old fiberglass 120cm dish. The Amiko would see the transponder for ARTS HD (but not lock), but would not see the ARTS SD transponder at all! All this to say that with such fringe reception, minor variations of equipment can have surprising results

 

[Theseeker]

I would suggest you look locally I can bet you will get one at a cheaper price maybe even free. Look around on buildings and in yards and don't be afraid to ask if its available

 

[Andyboy90]

I agree with RimaNTSS... There's better stuff you can spend $350 on, once you get the big dish installed. Like an ASC-1, maybe a meter like the one Titanium sells.

as for C-Band on the smaller dish, I tried that too. I was also able to get Arts and The Word on 91W (The Word was quite strong and reliable). I was not able to get NHK on 58W, but I was getting the BBC radio mux on 55.5W. Also, I got one of the radio mux on 105 (3707MHz if I remember well), and occasionally some Mexican channel Telesur on 113W. I got the Luken mux on 99W. And most surprisingly, AFN Prime on 34.5W was very easy despite being on a Global beam (it's no longer FTA though). Also got Rede Genesis on 40.5W. Those last 2 required the dielectric slab as they are circular polarization.

All in all, only The Word, AFN Prime and to a lesser extent, ARTS and Luken channels, were watchable.

Now something weird... I started the miniBUD stuff with a 90cm and an old Fortec Star Mercury II receiver, which is limited to DVB-S and MPEG2. That was good enough for ARTS SD. Then I bought an Amiko miniHDre and got an old fiberglass 120cm dish. The Amiko would see the transponder for ARTS HD (but not lock), but would not see the ARTS SD transponder at all! All this to say that with such fringe reception, minor variations of equipment can have surprising results

I cannot get anything west of 58W because it gets too close to horizon. I actually saw the similar pattern with ARTS. ARTS HD is stronger for me than ARTS SD. With light rain or snow i lose the lock on SD

 

[comfortably_numb]

Luken channels, were watchable.

Would definitely like to get Luken nets. I like the Heartland channel.

 

[Brct203]

Would definitely like to get Luken nets. I like the Heartland channel.

hey sorry I mixed up the names... I meant Lesea. Luken (on 87W) would be a lot more difficult, being DVB-S2 and 8psk.

 

[wvman]

I will contact DH and see what kind of deals they have. I am not keeping my hopes high because $1000+ outrageous international shipping price+ import duty will probably add up to a price i am not willing to spend just because i cannot wait a couple months.

I never thought of the duties and shipping to Canada. It could be quite expensive, but I'd call them to see what they say. Never know.

 

[wvman]

Would definitely like to get Luken nets. I like the Heartland channel.[/QUOTE

Heartland is a good channel. I watch it a lot. I like Larry's Country Diner and it has some good interviews with some of the old country stars. I wish they would replay old shows like Hee Haw.

 

[etlam34]

Were you able to get cw on 91w with the 1.2m?

 

[etlam34]

Personnaly i would love to get that 8 foot dish that you posted the link. I have a 4 foot dish just like that model , it took me 2hrs to set it up, it’s easy to work with, it takes me a few minutes to find and peak the signal using the sathero 200 satmeter. But the major inconvenience for canadian winters is having a lot of snow. You will constantly have to remove the snow from it and maybe re-adjust it sometimes. Plus it might rust very fast! These dishes are meant to be placed on the ground. The thickness of the dish makes it really fragile , so mine is spending the winter in the shed. I’m using 60 kilos of salt bags to make sure it stays put.

 

[Andyboy90]

Were you able to get cw on 91w with the 1.2m?

I was not able to get CW on 91W no matter how much I fine tuned everything. I know everyone advised me against it but the ebay seller gave me a sweet deal on shipping so I ordered the 8ft dish. I really want to get into C band and this was my only option for now so I will settle for the "cheap" dish until summer 2019. It doesn't hurt to have two C band dishes. Hopefully this one would last for couple years. the only thing I am worried about is the reflector accuracy. does anyone has any experience with these dishes?