need recommendations for new BUD

[ZetaMale]

I have a 12' Paraclipse that has been hail damaged and needs to be replaced. As I understand it, the mesh for Paraclipse antennas are no longer available. Plus, I've needed to replace one of the feed focal adjustment thumbscrews which I couldn't get from anywhere. So, I'm looking for recommendations for a new BUD. A review from owners would be nice.

 

[Cadsulfide]

Before you trash it try it. Unless the mesh is gone or really, really bad it shoud still be serviceable. I have a 10' CM with a ton of hail dents fixed on 97W for the networks and it works fine.

 

[tvropro]

I like my Unimesh. Winegards are good too. Most dishes made back in the day were good. If you go new Sami and Patriot are still making some nice dishes.

 

[ZetaMale]

It works fine on C-band but Ku is severely degraded.

 

[tvropro]

You may want to put up an offset with a motor for ku.

 

[ZetaMale]

Will my old Dish 500 antenna work with FTA?

 

[Anole]

Ku, the easy way:

Not for any more than a plaything.
How 'bout a nice 1 meter round Primestar, or similar?
That, and a DG380 motor, and you'll rule the roost! -
( or a 1 meter dish from any of our Gold Sponsors [see top of page] )
And with a lot less sweat than all that BUD-work!

 

[tvropro]

Get a 90cm or larger dish if you want good reliability on all channels. 80's are OK but when conditions aren't quite right you'll be mad you didn't get something larger.

 

[ZetaMale]

Hmm. I was hoping to install a small motorized dish on a 20+ foot tower since I'll be needing to clear my neighbors trees. Has anyone tried putting a 1 meter dish on a residential home roof? I would imagine wind loading would be a big problem.

 

[pendragon]

Hmm. I was hoping to install a small motorized dish on a 20+ foot tower since I'll be needing to clear my neighbors trees. Has anyone tried putting a 1 meter dish on a residential home roof? I would imagine wind loading would be a big problem.

I've put a lot of dishes on the roof: 3 x 76cm DBS, 90cm Ku toroid, 1.2m Ku, 1.8m C/Ku and 2.3m C. They all reach above the roofline. We're near the crest of a hill and the roofline is completely exposed, and we do get a fair amount of wind (southeast of Denver). All the dishes are well anchored and so far everything is fine. I had to beef up some of the mounts, but that was only because they twisted on the pole.

 

[ZetaMale]

I've put a lot of dishes on the roof: 3 x 76cm DBS, 90cm Ku toroid, 1.2m Ku, 1.8m C/Ku and 2.3m C. They all reach above the roofline. We're near the crest of a hill and the roofline is completely exposed, and we do get a fair amount of wind (southeast of Denver). All the dishes are well anchored and so far everything is fine. I had to beef up some of the mounts, but that was only because they twisted on the pole.

I've seen some roof mounts that are penetrating and non penetrating. It's hard to believe that some of these mounts will support a 10' dish on a pitched roof (especially the non-penetrating ones). So, what did you use for a roof mount? I'm considering putting something up that'll do at least an 8' BUD. OTOH, I need to check to see if the city will allow me to do this. I'm sure some of my neighbors won't be too happy but that's what they get for putting up trees that block my sat view from ground level. :rant:

 

[pendragon]

I've seen some roof mounts that are penetrating and non penetrating. It's hard to believe that some of these mounts will support a 10' dish on a pitched roof (especially the non-penetrating ones). So, what did you use for a roof mount? I'm considering putting something up that'll do at least an 8' BUD. OTOH, I need to check to see if the city will allow me to do this. I'm sure some of my neighbors won't be too happy but that's what they get for putting up trees that block my sat view from ground level. :rant:

My city's rules are what made me put most of the dishes on the roof! If I plant one in the ground I need to pull a permit because it's an "accessory structure", but attached to an existing structure it's just a TV antenna and anyone can put one up. I did pull permits for the 3m and 3.2m dishes. Otherwise we would have no roof space left.

Anyway I'm kind of lucky when it comes to mounting dishes, because we have plenty of wall space where the roof doesn't overhang. I simply bolt a long enough pole to the wall and mount the dish above the roof.

The smaller dishes were easy, up to and including the 1.2m. They only needed a maximum of a 2" schedule 40 pole (2.375" od). There are galvanized pipe clamps that work fine, and normally I mount these to a 2x7 redwood board that is lag bolted into a stud through the siding with a few others for good measure.

The 2.3m was more challenging. It needs a 3.5" od pole and when I calculated the wind loading I decided for something a bit more robust. I picked up four 12" long grade 8 U-bolts from a truck suspension shop, added some studs in the wall (open anyway since this is a side of the garage) and nailed some 2x12 plates across on the inside. I still put up the usual 2x7 board on the outside and U-bolted the pole through this board, the wall and the plates. It's probably now the only part of the house that would still be standing if we crossed paths with a tornado.

A friend has the same 2.3m but not as forgiving a roof design. We've decided to penetrate the roof with the pole and build a pony wall inside his attic between the roof rafters and the ceiling joists below. We'll probably use the same type of U-bolt to fix the pole to the pony wall.

I've left the 1.8m for last because it's a combination of the smaller and larger dish mounting techniques. Nothing special, however.

 

[Anole]

social engineering:

. . . I'm considering putting something up that'll do at least an 8' BUD.
I'm sure some of my neighbors won't be too happy but that's what they get for putting up trees that block my sat view from ground level. :rant:

Get some pictures (try Linuxman's roof shots ) and show them to your neighbor.
Ask 'em if they'd like you to do that, or if they'd maybe consider trimming their trees.
Never hurts to ask.

Before that, consider inviting them over for some snacks, or a BBQ, and introduce them to FTA.
Maybe they'd be interested, and want to duplicate some of the things you are doing.
Iceberg lubricated his neighbor by inviting him over to see some sports feeds!

 

[ZetaMale]

Get some pictures (try Linuxman's roof shots ) and show them to your neighbor.
Ask 'em if they'd like you to do that, or if they'd maybe consider trimming their trees.
Never hurts to ask.

Before that, consider inviting them over for some snacks, or a BBQ, and introduce them to FTA.
Maybe they'd be interested, and want to duplicate some of the things you are doing.
Iceberg lubricated his neighbor by inviting him over to see some sports feeds!

Couldn't find Linuxman listed in this forum. Can you save me some search time for others?

 

[Anole]

Couldn't find Linuxman listed in this forum. Can you save me some search time for others?

Any thread Linuxman started, is usually full of amazing pictures. -
Here's the one I was thinking of, Best way to get the whole Ku arc on fixed dishes.
It's pretty long. Just scroll through it, looking for roof and parking lot shots.
You'll find plenty of pictures to scare your neighbor! - - :up

edit: that thread doesn't even get warmed up 'till the bottom of Page 7!
Here are a couple of later posts in it, with good parking lot / roof shots:

http://www.satelliteguys.us/free-ai...whole-ku-arc-fixed-dishes-12.html#post1826334

http://www.satelliteguys.us/free-ai...whole-ku-arc-fixed-dishes-13.html#post1847612

 

[ZetaMale]

My city's rules are what made me put most of the dishes on the roof! If I plant one in the ground I need to pull a permit because it's an "accessory structure", but attached to an existing structure it's just a TV antenna and anyone can put one up. I did pull permits for the 3m and 3.2m dishes. Otherwise we would have no roof space left.

Anyway I'm kind of lucky when it comes to mounting dishes, because we have plenty of wall space where the roof doesn't overhang. I simply bolt a long enough pole to the wall and mount the dish above the roof.

The smaller dishes were easy, up to and including the 1.2m. They only needed a maximum of a 2" schedule 40 pole (2.375" od). There are galvanized pipe clamps that work fine, and normally I mount these to a 2x7 redwood board that is lag bolted into a stud through the siding with a few others for good measure.

The 2.3m was more challenging. It needs a 3.5" od pole and when I calculated the wind loading I decided for something a bit more robust. I picked up four 12" long grade 8 U-bolts from a truck suspension shop, added some studs in the wall (open anyway since this is a side of the garage) and nailed some 2x12 plates across on the inside. I still put up the usual 2x7 board on the outside and U-bolted the pole through this board, the wall and the plates. It's probably now the only part of the house that would still be standing if we crossed paths with a tornado.

A friend has the same 2.3m but not as forgiving a roof design. We've decided to penetrate the roof with the pole and build a pony wall inside his attic between the roof rafters and the ceiling joists below. We'll probably use the same type of U-bolt to fix the pole to the pony wall.

I've left the 1.8m for last because it's a combination of the smaller and larger dish mounting techniques. Nothing special, however.

I have an eve/overhang all the way around the house. I've seen an under-eve mount but I'm wondering if anyone has used one and can tell me how well it performs. I suppose attaching a pole to the eve on the end of the house may work.

 

[Cadsulfide]

Well pipe comes in 20' sections, plant one end in the ground and attach it to the edge of the house at the roofline with an homemade bracket. I saw that done here somewhere, I think a dish removal thread.