Setting up 10' unimesh

[Titanium]

The digital age equivalent to the Bird Finder is installing the dishpointer app on a smartphone or tablet. The app overlays the selected satellites in the arc over the camera image.

This screen capture shows that the lowest unobstructed satellite to the east would be 72w and 103w is last satellite on the west edge before the tree blocks the satellite signal.

 

[Shicks4]

Sometimes it's easier to ask for forgiveness than it is to get permission. Seriously though, most cities have trashed the zoning laws pertaining to BUDs because there are so few of them left. If I was closer to you, I'd check your site for you. I have a Bird Finder that actually has a polar mount built into it. You set it up like you would your dish, and then you can sweep the entire arc to see if trees, buildings or hills are blocking your view.

That little device pulled my fat from the fire several times when I was surveying a location with a lot of trees or other obstructions. I thought about selling it several times, but I hesitate each time and decide not to. When I was setting up dishes in close quarters, I never left less than 6-7 feet between the edge of the dish and the obstruction, that way it can see over a roof, fence or other obstruction. You have to take into consideration how tall the obstruction is.

yeah the structure is north of the dish, so it will be behind it. I just wanted to ensure the dish was far enough away from the building to keep from hitting it when i go to the east and west end of the arc. though in normal use it would see more westerly use then east. according to dishpointer i should be ok with all satellites except maybe 139w as there is a tree in that area but according to the obstruction estimate it should be ok. doesnt mean the tree wont grow though.

 

[wvman]

The digital age equivalent to the Bird Finder is installing the dishpointer app on a smartphone or tablet. The app overlays the selected satellites in the arc over the camera image.

This screen capture shows that the lowest unobstructed satellite to the east would be 72w and 103w is last satellite on the west edge before the tree blocks the satellite signal.
View attachment 121106

I agree, the app is good, but there's one hitch here in WV. There are a lot of places in this state without cell service. I've used the app myself, and I liked it, but if you happen to be in a dead zone, it can't update the data. I don't have to worry about that with my Bird Finder.

 

[Titanium]

In the case off no cell service or data, Dishpointer allows the user to manually enter the location longitude/latitude and use internal compass.

 

[wvman]

yeah the structure is north of the dish, so it will be behind it. I just wanted to ensure the dish was far enough away from the building to keep from hitting it when i go to the east and west end of the arc. though in normal use it would see more westerly use then east. according to dishpointer i should be ok with all satellites except maybe 139w as there is a tree in that area but according to the obstruction estimate it should be ok. doesnt mean the tree wont grow though.

Yeah, tree growth can be a problem. As long as you have a fair amount of clear space below the actual satellite position, it will be several years before it becomes a problem. The length of the pole can remedy some problems. I used 3 1/2 inch O.D. schedule 80 drill steel or gas line and left the threaded end up. That way the dish could be raised up by threading a collar and short piece of pipe onto the existing pole. In 30 years, I only had to add a piece to 2 poles. Fixed the problem both times and didn't affect the strength of the pole.

I had one customer who had a tall tree on his neighbor's property and when we installed the dish, it blocked one satellite, but at the time it didn't have anything much on it he wanted to watch, so we went ahead with the installation. Then, the 4DTV came out, and wouldn't you know it, the satellite they used to update the receiver was on that satellite. He got lucky though, his neighbor let him top the tree.

 

[wvman]

In the case off no cell service or data, Dishpointer allows the user to manually enter the location longitude/latitude and use internal compass.

I'm old, and old habits die hard. I've did that a couple times, but I always took my old Bird Finder with me just in case. I usually find their location using Google Earth before I go to their house and take the data with me, but I don't do much of that anymore. I wish there was a version of Google Earth that was in real time. It would be useful, but it would cost a fortune. Some of their maps are several years old.

 

[Shicks4]

The digital age equivalent to the Bird Finder is installing the dishpointer app on a smartphone or tablet. The app overlays the selected satellites in the arc over the camera image.

This screen capture shows that the lowest unobstructed satellite to the east would be 72w and 103w is last satellite on the west edge before the tree blocks the satellite signal.
View attachment 121106

I have a similar app on my iphone though i havent used it at the location of the dish yet I did use dishpointer to kinda look and see though. I know to the east i have issues twards the end of the arc and there aint much i can do about it save a tornado coming thru and cleaning the town out. but the good news is according to lyngsat there isnt much id be interested in in that direction anyways. I can see for sure from 70w to 135w (maybe 137w depending on the tree) as there is nothing in the way. Also i did plant a pretty long pole. the center of the dish will be 9' off the ground so the bottom lip will be about 4' off the ground at my true south position. and i put the post 6.5' south of the structure so i am pretty sure it wont hit the building once i swing it over to 137w. even if i had the dish pointed due west there should be 1.5' between the building and the dish. Less once i put the 12' up. nearly finished stitching the tears in the panels, and beating the hail dents out and the new lnbf showed up today so ill finish these panels up attach the lnbf and hopefully by friday i can have one of my guys help me stick the dish on the pole. Tomorrow I hope to pick up the old satellite receivers of my dads, and hope it still works at least good enough to move the dish. pretty sure ill be able to bench test it in the shop so ill pretty much know weather or not ill have to order an asc1 right away or not. Im sure dad is smiling down from heaven right now cause he loved his c-band dishes.

 

[RimaNTSS]

Another nice (and free) application for Android phone is Satbeams Finder.
http://www.satbeams.com/mobile

 

[KE4EST]

Another nice (and free) application for Android phone is Satbeams Finder.
http://www.satbeams.com/mobile

Am I missing something? It appears this one is 10Euros a year. ???

 

[RimaNTSS]

There is completely free version downloadable directly from PlayShop (use your android, look for Satbeams Finder). And same program with some additional futures is for the money.

 

[KE4EST]

OK, I got you!! Thanks

 

[wvman]

Several years ago, some outfit came through here offering no money down financing on BUD's. The average system cost upwards of $5000, and the interest rate was through the roof. I looked at one of their contracts, spoke to my local banker, and after looking it over, he said there was no pay off on the loan due to the interest rate. They installed a ton of these systems, and almost ever time, they told the customer they needed a tall poll, like 15 to 20 feet. The attorney general got ahold of it, forced the finance company and dealers to repay the customers.

A lot of them got disgusted and stopped using them because they would go in and out when the wind blew. I had a multitude of them given to me free to get them out of their yard. I offered to correct the problem by lowering the dish, but they'd had enough and wanted rid of them. Most didn't need the tall pole to begin with. It was a dirty trick to get an additions $400 out of them to stick in their pocket. I picked up 3 or 4 of these systems a week until I got tired of taking them down. I made some real money off them after putting a different receiver with them.

I hated Echostar's receivers. Horrible power supplies. Just thought I'd share that with you. I don't know if any of the former dealers in here had a similar experience or not.

 

[wvman]

In the case off no cell service or data, Dishpointer allows the user to manually enter the location longitude/latitude and use internal compass.

Did you by any chance get a shipment of new receivers in? I thought I might play with a different one for the heck of it?

 

[armadillo_115]

I can see for sure from 70w to 135w (maybe 137w depending on the tree) as there is nothing in the way.

Shicks4, you won't be missing much west of 135w anyway. IMHO.

I rarely go west of 107w myself. But you never know when something might go ITC, so it's nice to have the capability when needed.

Maybe missed it ... What date did you pour the cement and how much did you use ?
A 12 footer needs a good chunk of concrete, which requires time to fully harden. Friday may be too soon to mount the dish ... even a temporary 10 footer.

The experts here can better address that. I was impatient to mount my dish too soon...but they talked me out of it. The extra wait wasn't as bad as I thought it would be.

 

[Brandon Currin]

Shicks4, you won't be missing much west of 135w anyway. IMHO.

I rarely go west of 107w myself. But you never know when something might go ITC, so it's nice to have the capability when needed.

Maybe missed it ... What date did you pour the cement and how much did you use ?
A 12 footer needs a good chunk of concrete, which requires time to fully harden. Friday may be too soon to mount the dish ... even a temporary 10 footer.

The experts here can better address that. I was impatient to mount my dish too soon...but they talked me out of it. The extra wait wasn't as bad as I thought it would be.

I've installed a bunch of steel poles over the years in various depths and amounts of concrete, but some go kinda over kill with the amount of concrete suggested, unless you live with some soft soil or dirt, you'd need on average 2 maybe 3 bags of 80lb quick-crete concrete for a 10 or even 12 foot dish at a depth of 2 or 2-1/2 feet in most hard soil/dirt... Curring time is average 2 days with mild weather and not much moisture, 3 days with some humidity and 4 when it's been wet, rainy and cold at night..... But that is just my 2 cents on this, not saying anyone is wrong or anything

Sent from my ASUS_Z00AD using the SatelliteGuys app!

 

[Shicks4]

Actually I went over kill, I used 3500 psi concrete because we were already putting post in for a commercial fence (8' tall). I put the pole for the dish in 4' deep in a 24 inch diameter hole and put a 3' x 3' pad on the top 5 inches thick. And it was concrete from the plant not quick create. We do lots of concrete in the area and I'm very confident it's set enough for a dish as we have the fences up already and it was pretty windy today and it was rock solid and that thing is a huge wind sail.

 

[Shicks4]

Does anyone know anything about a ma-com dish positioner model H1? I know its a dinosaur but im wandering how to clear the memory on it. I looked and looked online and cant find any information about it.

 

[Shicks4]

well even without figuring out how to clear the memory i was able to move the positioner over to manual and get the dish moved to its peak and set its true south. Then i clicked the motor west searching for 99w. My meter would pick up a signal and lock for a second then lose signal. So i started adjusting the fine tune bolt first down with no improvement then up. As i started up a 1/8 of a turn at a time the meter started catching a signal with quality more frequently. Then, my meter started flickering.................. dead battery . So ill go monkey with it some more tomorrow.

 

[wvman]

Does anyone know anything about a ma-com dish positioner model H1? I know its a dinosaur but im wandering how to clear the memory on it. I looked and looked online and cant find any information about it.

Check these guys out. If anyone can tell you, they would be a good bet. http://www.rewindmuseum.com/vintagesatellite.htm

 

[Shicks4]

Well I think im going to have to put this project on hold for a little while until i can purchase an asc1 positioner. Had an issue with the new lnbf (which is being taken care of) so i decided to try with the original polorrotor that was on the dish. Mind you i have no way to adjust polarity, and it appears when the dis was taken out of service it was in a horizontal position. I was able to get a pretty solid lock on 99w, but could get no signal from any other satellite on the arc, so that means i gotta reset my south position and try again. I still havent been able to find any thing about this old positioner my dad had left over and in storage but i cant get it to do much other then bump the dish east and west. There is an old digicypher 2 receiver that appears to have the ability to move the dish and skew, but it looks like it has gotten wet and i havent been brave enough to plug it in yet. I have a pretty busy weekend ahead of me and probably wont get to mess around with it until sunday maybe.