What is this?!

[jogon64]

Does anybody know what this is for? I had never seen something like it.

This is a 1.2m (I think) dish used by a chain of drugstores where they get their own tv channel Atv off of 58w in Mexico.

The dish is solid but this wall surrounding 1/3 of the perimeter is mesh.

Sorry for the picture Q but all I had was my cell phone.

BTW what kind of receiver would they be using to get this channel, because I´ve been inside this stores and all they show is this one channel.

 

[guapoharry]

Looks bigger than 1.2 to me.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

Looks like a TI shield on the side of the dish.

 

[jogon64]

What´s TI?

 

[AcWxRadar]

What´s TI?

TI is Terrestrial Interference.

Basically, radiation noise from numerous sources. One being simply the "heat" that concrete and block brick buildings or streets and parking lots would give off. Other sources are electrical transformers, power lines, metal buildings, neon signs, flourescent lamps, etc, etc. A LNBF can actually detect some bands of this "backrgound" radiation or noise. If the "noise" is strong enough, it can interfere with the actual desired signal by obscuring it in the clutter of the noise.

A similar analogy is when we get old and our hearing isn't what it used to be and we are in a large auditorium with lots of people talking, chairs scooting on the floor, silverware clinking and a band playing. It is more difficult to hear the person talking to you across the table.

That "screen" on the side is likely blocking some form of this TI from a nearby source. I would bet that there is either a large concrete building or a power transformer on that side of the dish. Or as Scott mentions in his post below, possibly another ground based antenna like a repeater tower or antenna for a radio station etc.

RADAR

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

Terrestrial Interference. Other nearby tranmission towers which could overpower the satellite signal being recievd, such as by a microwave tower or something like that.

 

[John Popper]

what drugstore chain (que farmacia?) uses that if you don't mind me asking

 

[Tron]

TI can be more of an issue with a prime focus dish such as that one, and probably is the reason for the "shield".

 

[jogon64]

Farmacias del Ahorro, John here in Monterrey. I´ve been paying attention to their dishes at several locations but have only seen this one with the TI shield.

Guapo, perhaps you are right, it does look more like a 1.5m

 

[Tron]

Most likely, there is something causing them interference at that particular location, and someone learned that if they shield that side of the dish, it will block out the source of the problem.