scored a free DISH TurboHd satellite dish! Any FTAers using one of these for anything?

[edugamer]

It is missing the lnb which probably doesn't matter much, I imagine the stock one was circular anyway. It turned out to come with a bunch of other cool freebies as well in material! pole attached, another J-pole attached, and I think there is a ground wire attached idk it is in the bacement now. I was having a tough time getting the collar nuts to loosen up the other day. There looks like there is also some kind of rubber scimment (spelling?) holding the collar to the 6ft or so pole it is on. I am curious why they had a extra Jpole for another dish, maybe it was used for some kind of FTA thing who knows. The lady who brought me it said DISH swapped it out and they don't take back the old dishes so she was stuck with it.
Need to fix up the pole a little as it has some sharp edges along the bottom. Looks like it was removed via hacksaw or something. I am thinking of keeping most of the stuff around for orby or FTAing. Would this dish pull in 97w ok with an appropriate lnb?
Would the one currently driving my slimline fta dish work? It looks like dish does things a little different than the slims, which was one of the reasons I was interested in getting it. First time owning a DishNetwork dish. How many modders own this and can report back any success would be happy to hear!

 

[edugamer]

if it turns out to be too small for 97w, should it be fine for orby if and when I get that? I imagine yes, as there dish they offer is only a 25"er or so from what I read. I expect this one will be even nicer to point for that as it gives you a really nice setup for the elevation and what not.

 

[comfortably_numb]

It should be ok for the DVB-S feeds on 97 and 95. It's undersized for DVB-S2.

 

[cookies]

Here's one I'm using currently, probably similar to what you picked up. I also got it free from a neighbor that knows I'm into "crazy satellite stuff." Note the extension I had to fabricate to move the lnb away, it's just a piece of flat bar scrap bolted to the stock arm.

 

[harshness]

I'm not sure the jury is in yet, but many suspect that the multi-slot DBS dishes aren't true paraboloids and as such, can't be compared by overall sail area to dishes that have a unique focal point.

According to Titanium's detailed run-down on the Orby TV professional installation, the Orby TV dish is 18x27. The DISH dishes are perhaps multifocal and are the same sail area or smaller than the Orby TV dish.

 

[Ypsiguy]

The Winegard 30" is a really good, yet very affordable dish.

Solid Signal has it on sale for $36 bucks right now.

Winegard 30in DISH Satellite Dish with D-Shaped Tube (DS-2177) from Solid Signal

 

[comfortably_numb]

The Winegard 30" is a really good, yet very affordable dish.

Solid Signal has it on sale for $36 bucks right now.

Winegard 30in DISH Satellite Dish with D-Shaped Tube (DS-2177) from Solid Signal

That is an excellent dish. Depending on what they charge for shipping, it might be better to purchase it via their Ebay store (shipping is included in the price).

 

[c-spand]

The Turbo HD and the DTV pizza pan dish were the first modified ones i tinkered with. The Turbo HD could actually pull in 87w really well. Had to extend the lnb arm a bit. With DTV pizza pan i could pull in 97w really good and 91w but not all tps. Good fun and takes a bit of time to do but helped me learn alot.

 

[Ypsiguy]

That is an excellent dish. Depending on what they charge for shipping, it might be better to purchase it via their Ebay store (shipping is included in the price).

They are local for me so I pick it up on my lunch breaks and save the shipping. I bought a second one for this coming summer's satellite project.

My current one aims at E16 and picks up the channels I want from my Dish Flex Pack.

 

[danristheman]

Here is what I did to a turbo hd dish. Look for something better I say I was at 97w ku.

 

[Brct203]

I have a TurboHD dish, it was originally used on the Eastern Arc (61.5, 72.7 and 77W). I removed the LNBF block and put in a regular linear LNBF with the typical metal and plastic bracket, and used a piece of PVC board to extend the arm.

As for the result:
Good for 95W
Not good for 97W (I think it was too much interference from adjacent satellites, not so much a problem of signal strength. There was no DVB-S2 on 97W back then so can't comment on that part)
Good for the old RT/NHK on 103W and probably for the current TP as well, but too small for NBC
ok for 30W except for the Argentinian channels

 

[Ypsiguy]

I have a TurboHD dish, it was originally used on the Eastern Arc (61.5, 72.7 and 77W). I removed the LNBF block and put in a regular linear LNBF with the typical metal and plastic bracket, and used a piece of PVC board to extend the arm.

As for the result:
Good for 95W
Not good for 97W (I think it was too much interference from adjacent satellites, not so much a problem of signal strength. There was no DVB-S2 on 97W back then so can't comment on that part)
Good for the old RT/NHK on 103W and probably for the current TP as well, but too small for NBC
ok for 30W except for the Argentinian channels

Thx. That tells me that SES3 Tr 22 is a very hot one. I am planning on aiming at SES3 this coming year with a 76cm Winegard dish.

 

[harshness]

Not good for 97W (I think it was too much interference from adjacent satellites, not so much a problem of signal strength.

This perhaps supports the multifocal assumption.

 

[edugamer]

The Turbo HD and the DTV pizza pan dish were the first modified ones i tinkered with. The Turbo HD could actually pull in 87w really well. Had to extend the lnb arm a bit. With DTV pizza pan i could pull in 97w really good and 91w but not all tps. Good fun and takes a bit of time to do but helped me learn alot.

nice!

 

[edugamer]

View attachment 141667
Here's one I'm using currently, probably similar to what you picked up. I also got it free from a neighbor that knows I'm into "crazy satellite stuff." Note the extension I had to fabricate to move the lnb away, it's just a piece of flat bar scrap bolted to the stock arm.
View attachment 141668

mine still has a plastic fitting at the end of the arm. It has a slightly wider mouth than the metal arm its attached to. Do you know if this should suffice?

 

[edugamer]

That is an excellent dish. Depending on what they charge for shipping, it might be better to purchase it via their Ebay store (shipping is included in the price).

thanks! Good to know incase I ever need an extra disk. A bit broke now lol, actually saving up for a used moteck and a 6footer someone is offering me very inexpensively. I blew my money off on a sat finder v8 last week lol. Hoping to get a chance to play around with that this weekend.

 

[edugamer]

It is missing the lnb which probably doesn't matter much, I imagine the stock one was circular anyway. It turned out to come with a bunch of other cool freebies as well in material! pole attached, another J-pole attached, and I think there is a ground wire attached idk it is in the bacement now. I was having a tough time getting the collar nuts to loosen up the other day. There looks like there is also some kind of rubber scimment (spelling?) holding the collar to the 6ft or so pole it is on. I am curious why they had a extra Jpole for another dish, maybe it was used for some kind of FTA thing who knows. The lady who brought me it said DISH swapped it out and they don't take back the old dishes so she was stuck with it.
Need to fix up the pole a little as it has some sharp edges along the bottom. Looks like it was removed via hacksaw or something. I am thinking of keeping most of the stuff around for orby or FTAing. Would this dish pull in 97w ok with an appropriate lnb?
Would the one currently driving my slimline fta dish work? It looks like dish does things a little different than the slims, which was one of the reasons I was interested in getting it. First time owning a DishNetwork dish. How many modders own this and can report back any success would be happy to hear!

Thanks for all the info guys!
This is great to know what it can do!

 

[c-spand]

mine still has a plastic fitting at the end of the arm. It has a slightly wider mouth than the metal arm its attached to. Do you know if this should suffice?

Nice work. Plumbers tape and muffler brackets. Looks professional. I think i made mine out of a piece of wood and plumbers tape.