Rescue dish from employer?

[kittyhas1000legs]

I work at one of the big pharmacy chains, and I finally got to ask one of our field techs about the dish on our roof. I found out a couple of interesting things:

-Only older stores have dishes (the first 4,000 or so).
-they're typically 6-8 feet with a heater
-The LNB is L-band (or so he says)
-Transactions and insurance billing are usually done with a land internet connection. The dishes are primarily for software updates for our servers/workstations/registers so our connection doesn't get too bogged down
-When a store closes, the dishes are thrown in the dumpster.

Of course, I'd love to save one of the dishes. The dish and NPRM on my store's roof are built well enough that they didn't budge when a tornado came through a couple years ago (tiny Connecticut tornado, but still some pretty strong winds). All of the older stores in the area have identical dish/NPRM combinations. I wonder, how can I navigate the corporate bureaucracy and save a dish that still has plenty of life in it? Stores don't close very often, and there are different parts of the company I'd have to deal with such as the District Office, Field Services, etc. Has anyone here saved a dish from a corporate-owned location?

Also, assuming I get permission from the District Manager, just how the heck do I get it off of a two-story roof?

 

[Corrado]

I have rescued two 6' Prodelin dishes with the NPRMs from commercial buildings. I disassembled one of them myself on the roof and brought them down in pieces. The reflector is the most difficult part and I did it by removing the feed arm first and took out 3 of the 4 bolts retaining the reflector and rotated down until the weight was resting on the roof before taking the last bolt out. Once that was down, I took the NPRMs apart completely, all of which fit nicely in a pickup in one load.

http://www.satelliteguys.us/threads/195568-Prodelin-number-2-goes-up?highlight=prodelin

 

[FaT Air]

Find out who does the 'clean up' and talk to them. See if they'd disassemble, with your help, and get it into your trailer. If they want an OK - Shouldn't have to go to corporate HQ but maybe just regional to get an "OK' that can be referenced to by the 'clean up' crew.

just how the heck do I get it off of a two-story roof?

If not carrying it out piece by piece. Rent a Cherry Picker truck*[and operator]? Have the dish/mount taken apart, and rigged for lifting before the truck is scheduled to arrive, so all that is left is to 'pick' and 'place' it all on your trailer.
A double bucket with only one person aboard should be able to lift 200-300lbs off a roof.

 

[Anole]

Yea, those 6' Prodelin dishes on NPRMs are pretty common with the guys.
Be sure you know what you're going to do with it before you snag one.
An offset 6' isn't really ideal for C band, and arguably too large for Ku.
Since they're heavy, it takes an exceptional motor to swing 'em.
And, they come on a fixed mount.

One of the better solutions I've seen, was deployed by Linuxman.
He mounted a number of Ku LNBFs on his. :up !

I lust for one just to steal the NPRM.
Used to want the dish, but wouldn't take one these days.
Of course if you are out of footprint for some Ku bird, this might be just what the Doctor ordered!


I've seen a very few installations that claimed the dish was an 8' offset Prodelin.
Should be great for C band, but has all the shortcomings above, plus even more weight.

 

[xtgold]

they might not even let you up on the roof due to insurance and liability restrictions.
I always wondered what receivers they used for in-store radio.
Burger king has a smaller dish aimed to the north and at the ground,so I know that's not being used.

 

[kittyhas1000legs]

I forgot about the insurance aspect... Maybe I could borrow one if our construction guys' harnesses. For our music, we have a 1-meter Muzak dish next to the larger one.

 

[xtgold]

my 1meter primestar dish came off a radio shack roof,but it was the roofer that took it gently down and put it in the dumpster.

 

[FaT Air]

(insurance)
That's why you go thru with the 'clean up' crew. I would bet they're covered.

 

[Tron]

I would love to have a 1.8 meter Prodelin. It is large for a Ku-Band dish, but will do a great job combating rain fade on those hard to get DVB-S2 transponders.

You will have to fabricate something on the LNB arm, since it is designed for a transmitter and not a normal LNB.