New Mini-BUD C-Band Install (It Can Be Done!)*

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Christopher Cromwell

SatelliteGuys Pro
Original poster
Jun 9, 2014
632
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Lexington, KY.
Today, I will try to post my successful Mini-BUD C-Band project. Unlike my previous thread, I took a TON of pics as I went along to prove that everything is secure and working. *=depending where you live.

To begin, we have this ginormous box that barely held together during the long trip from L.A. Thankfully the dish did not get bent up. :)
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This unopened bag of hardware shows only one size of U-Bolts, they look much larger than the 2 5/16" variety; as confirmed by the eBay seller. Arron ( the eBay seller from AV Satellite Sales told me that if I need the right size U-Bolts, GO TO LOWES!!! WOW! What a revelation for the ages!! (sigh!) :)
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Before we go much further, I have to address a few items with this modified original Dish Network. As Titanium did correctly mention, I was not supposed to put a bolt down at an angle but straight through from a different direction. But since it is locked in place for the most part, I will leave well enough alone. I am using a 2.5"OD galvanized steel fence post over the original smaller pole mount. Why am I using a 2.5"OD post? Because! When your local Lowe's store only carries what they have in stock, despite what the website says, a Clear Thinking Person merely adapts to the situation at hand and makes do; instead of fighting and demanding with the poor store clerk. So that's what I am using for MY project.
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So Anyway, I need to get this 2.5"OD 16 gauge steel fence post leveled better.
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After I get the post level and tightened down, I am using an extra pole brace I had stored in a closet. Since a 30lb dish is going to sit on this roof mount, any additional bracing is a good thing I think. Yes Boris! I am indeed using "A Wooden Peg", I know all about how much you HATE this with a passion with arrows and circles, I GET IT!!! I had to resort to wooden shims because the clamp for the dish brace I bought is far too big. But I got it tightened down and secured, so this is what I am using for MY dish project.
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I used large 3" long lag screws and roof sealant to secure the brace to the roof. Yes Boris, the "Wooden Peg" is still there, I know! I really hope some positive comments will follow soon.
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As per Titanium, I cut strips of Tread Tape to place on the pole to prevent slipping when the dish is placed on the pole.
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This is the Thread Tape I bought at Lowe's. Why did I buy the 2" wide variety instead of 1"? Because!! When the smallest size the store has on the shelf is 2", instead of 1" like the website says; a Clear Thinking Person will merely cut the wide strips in half! No big deal!
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In case you have wondered, the steel post mount I am using is 1 1/2" tall. I was told that I shouldn't go too much taller than this.
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The instructions now indicate that I am supposed to all of a sudden stop what I am doing and order the correct optional C-Band Clamp. Well, too late now! The eBay listing never said anything about this earlier. So now a Clear Thinking Person merely needs to adapt the current C-Band clamp that was obtained earlier with the LNB. Studying the illustration, all I have to do is drill a small hole through the existing C-Band clamp I already have, eliminating the long additional wait and money spent for a special order clamp.
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I drilled a hole through the side of the existing C-Band bracket I already have, so the required bolt can fit through it. Yes, I cracked the plastic a little, but it is on there tight using a machine screw I had laying around. This is just for illustration purposes, I am just beginning to put everything together properly.
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This dish assembly continues.....
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Adding the bracket for the pole mount.
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Bracket is coming together......
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The LNB support arms are assembled together, to show what the Titanium LNB will look like on it; using the existing modified C-Band LNB Bracket.
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Closeup look.....
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The U-Bolts that came in the giant box measure 3" wide, as confirmed by Arron earlier on the phone. Let's see if they will fit on a 2.5"OD pole, since a particular someone on this forum told me that, "I have a serious misunderstanding about how this GeoSatPro dish is supposed to work or go together."
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We will find out in Part 2 of my New Mini-BUD C-Band Install, since I can only post 20 pics at a time to prove to everyone that I'm not as clueless as I seem......
 

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If your plastic C-band bracket that you cracked breaks, it is only about $5 for the metal one, I have that same dish.


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So far the plastic C-Band bracket hasn't broken, I even removed the screw to add on an additional bar for more LNB's to fit on it for a future science experiment; for another thread. Anyway, nothing fell apart, it's all back together. :)
 
Good job on the mount.

You are correct to use the 2 U-bolts sent with the dish. My suggestion was to simply add a third U-bolt to secure the post clamp, which isn't included in the bolt pack with the dish.

The LNBF placement is critical on the miniBUDs. Check to be sure the original KU LNBF clamp places the center of the KU feedhorn at the same height as the center of the c-band feedhorn. If not, T134 has a microBUD project that used washers as shims to raise the clamp height.

Interesting to apply the tape to the post instead of the clamp. Never considered that method. :)

Good Luck with the project.
 
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