Birdview project w photos

[linuxman]

he used a spare Birdview reed switch he got off another unit.

I actually ended up with a triangle shaped reed switch that I borrowed off of an HTS linear actuator that I had laying around here spare.



The cylindrical shaped switches might be the easiest to attach to the bracket, but any switch that is designed to pick up the magnetic pulses will work as long as they are secure and within grabbing distance of the wheel.

[Lone Cloud]

Too bad. When I got my current dish, it had a broken actuator on it. I went to the dump one day and got rid of it. Maybe I could've gotten the switch out of it.

Anyway, I'm posting the dish I'll be replacing. Can anyone tell me what kind it is?

Like I said once, the guy I got it from dropped it off his roof trying to take it down alone. It was way out of round and bent up. It took a lot of hitting wih a rubber mallet, peening, cranking on a come along and then finally stringing a thin guy wire across it to make it round. I get a bunch of stations with it now.

[linuxman]

Too bad. When I got my current dish, it had a broken actuator on it. I went to the dump one day and got rid of it. Maybe I could've gotten the switch out of it.

I rarely ever throw anything away if it has to do with satellite equipment.

When we moved all our stuff out in preparation for a possible flood, my wife asked me what we were moving all the junk for? I told her it was not junk!!! It was some of my most valuable possessions, and we are moving it so it won't get wet and ruined.

[gabshere]

i bought some of the sensors ( glass reed-switch capsules ) off ebay 10 for $6.50 shipped
i've yet to get to the testing stage. but if you need a few for a project , i can send them .... was hoping to double up my count and then maybe start repairing a couple of dead reed sensors i have. this would be a good cost effective method as the sensors for my superjack new is $14.50 shipped .....

main thing about this site i love is we are in to finding methods ( and sharing them) that will work to repair and prolong the life of our BUD's

[Lone Cloud]

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Thanks much for the offer. Actually I'm trying somethinga little bit out there. I'm making a reed switch.

I started out with an old 6 volt battery with those springy wire contacts on them. First thing I did was cut the contact off the battery and verified it was magnetic. Then I straightened the wire out (not so easy) and then I started flattening out a 2 inch section of it with a ball peen hammer. Pretty soon I had a 2 inch by 1/8 inch wide piece of electrical contact material. Then the critical part - to determine if the peening destroyed the springy characteristic. It didn''t.

I mounted the thing in a white nylon spacer I made the contact adjustable and have it at about 1/32nd of an inch apart. My next step is to figure out the best material to cover the end with. It has to do two things- transmit magnetism through it and contain some inert gas ( I have some Argon for a hobby heliarc welder I have).

I'll post progress pictures in a day or so.

[Lone Cloud]

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I am not making a lot of progress at all.

If I can't make this motor work on the ground, I sure ain't gonna install it.

No matter what I do, the motor move less than a click every time I hit the G-Box button.

I'll try a few more things, but the option of mounting the Birdview on my current rig looks more and more attractive.