DIY C-band dish

[Phalaenopsis]

Also, I found another c-band dish by a nightclub. I’ve looked on google street view and it’s been there for a long time. Also, it’s always overgrown during the summer. Should I call them asking for it? Is it an 8 or 10 footer? Here are some pics I took earlier today of it.

 

[KE4EST]

Yes ask them. Never hurts to ask.
Looks like a 10 footer.

 

[Phalaenopsis]

What tools/ reaches sizes would I need to disassemble it?

 

[pacificrim]

I just took down the same dish. It was all 1/2" and 7/16" to take the dish parabola off the ring mount. Most of the bolts will break. That's a good thing - you should buy new stainless nuts, bolts and washers. I cut the pole just below the mount and at the base for a favor to get the pole down for the house owner. Take it home and bath the mount in penetrating oil and take it apart and clean it up, reassemble and you'll be good forever.

I got both my big dishes from nice old ladies who didn't want anything for it. In each case, I just said "hi, I'm me and could I have that old dish? Are you still using it?". They both said "No, you can have it". Simple. No trade of money took place. I showed up with help, got it out of there and left no debris.

My guess is these are our wives in the future. Old man is gone and you can have it.

 

[Phalaenopsis]

Thanks for the info, I got the dish for $300 and I’m planning to take it down in a week or two. I’m new to FTA and I have had huge problem aligning my Ku band dish on galaxy 19. I finally aligned it 3 months later. Would the c band dish be way easier to align than ku band? I’m thinking it’ll be easer because it’s a bigger dish. They told me this dish was put up in the mid 90’s and would the actuator still work? Thanks.

 

[Horsepower]

If at all possible I would take the whole thing at once. Get some help and move the whole thing. It looks like it is not high off the ground.

 

[Phalaenopsis]

I’ll take it apart in panels Is c band easy to align to a satellite?

 

[wvman]

A video of what?

If you had a video of it, you could put it on YouTube under "Epic BUD Fails." You'd probably get a half million views. Hell, I'd give you a thumbs up!

 

[primestar31]

If you had a video of it, you could put it on YouTube under "Epic BUD Fails." You'd probably get a half million views. Hell, I'd give you a thumbs up!

How could I have a video of something I've never done?

 

[primestar31]

I’ll take it apart in panels Is c band easy to align to a satellite?

Since you insist on taking it apart, I suggest you take a LOT of photos of it from all angles before tearing it down. I also suggest that you take a permanent marker, and number the panels and make marks so you can fit it back together EXACTLY how it was put together originally.

Oh yeah, and you'll most likely break the majority of bolts, so be ready for that.

 

[Phalaenopsis]

Well, I have to take it apart. It won’t fit into my Jeep and it’s kinda far away.

 

[Titanium]

A home depot truck, moving cube truck or utility trailer rental once the dish is on the ground would be my vote. I never disassemble a dish unless it is absolutely necessary. If the pole is preset at your home, the relocate can be only the time to remove from pole, load, tie down, transport, untie, lift onto pole and crack open a beer...

 

[IntelPennny4]

I'm with titanium on this one I wouldn't disassemble it. I got two and ask my neighbor with a truck to go get them. I set my pole first then went and got dish to bring back to set on pole. Idk about this video thing but I have a funny story more like made me upset. I spent a lot of time aiming my 8 footer or as some of yous say 7 1/2 footer at 101w and got it all set and was working good. Had someone come mow my lawn and they hit it with there mower well let's say they don't mow my lawn anymore. Never could get it to aim back on again so I bought a 10 footer lol. Anyways yeah get a truck man

 

[wvman]

How could I have a video of something I've never done?

I was joking of course. I failed to get that point across.

 

[wvman]

I'm with titanium on this one I wouldn't disassemble it. I got two and ask my neighbor with a truck to go get them. I set my pole first then went and got dish to bring back to set on pole. Idk about this video thing but I have a funny story more like made me upset. I spent a lot of time aiming my 8 footer or as some of yous say 7 1/2 footer at 101w and got it all set and was working good. Had someone come mow my lawn and they hit it with there mower well let's say they don't mow my lawn anymore. Never could get it to aim back on again so I bought a 10 footer lol. Anyways yeah get a truck man

All of my dishes are on poles that are 10 foot above the ground. Since they are on a bank that's 2 feet higher than ground level below, I have no problem mowing under them. It makes it necessary to roll the dish all the way down in order to work on the feed, but how often is that necessary? It sounds as if they may have bent your dish. Hopefully, I will remain healthy enough to mow my own lawn. Don't have any kids, so that option is out.

 

[dl76]

There not to bad to take apart, i would label what panel goes were. Every dish i have got. I took apart. The 10 foot i got up now. Came 60 miles from where i live. I did not touch elevation or anything on it. After i got it painted. I put together like it was. Extended my acutator half way out. Then swung dish left or right to get signal on my true south. Once i got signal i tweaked the lnb skew until i got 80 percent signal and 90 percent quality. I may have got lucky. The installer who orginally installed may have knew what he was doing.

 

[Greg Mueller]

I'm betting you could disassemble it with a 7/16" open end and socket. (if you are lucky)
Take some Crescent wrenches of different sizes along just in case.
Take some blue painter's tape and a felt pen and put the tape on the edge of the petals where they meet and mark them "A-A" "B-B" etc so you know how it was before you took it apart.
Take off the feed horn and it's supporting poles first.
You will need a wife/helper to hold things so you don't bend them as you take it apart, although I have done it alone when I was just after the mount.
Take a stepladder with.

The bolts are probably rusted solid, so count on buying some nice new bolt/nuts/washers to put it back together. I like stainless. Try McMaster-Carr.
Take your time.
When you get it all in a pile at your house spray it down with some "30 Seconds" to get the years of mold/mildew off.

My conversation......
"I was wondering about that old satellite dish you have out there."
"Do you still use it?"
"Do have any plans to use it in the future?"
"Would you like me to take it away?"

If they say you can have it be prepared to remove it right then and there.
They might change their minds if you leave and come back and try to hit you up for some cash.
I had a number of people say they want some $ amount for it and I just walk away. I have driven by years later and it is still there.

Above all, have fun.

 

[Phalaenopsis]

I stopped by today and took more pictures and talked them down. They originally wanted $300 but after negotiating they let it go for free. I wanna take it down now but my wife refused to help me until spring. So, unfortunately I’ll have to wait.I think it’s in pretty good condition, a bit rusty though. Does anyone know when these KTI dishes were made?

 

[Greg Mueller]

you did good
You can lick that rust no problem

 

[Brct203]

It looks pretty good to me! and it seems that the feed is a corotor (a bit hard to see in the picture). watch out for some dings in the mesh where those branches landed, but that looks like a great find! I agree with Greg, that rust should not be a problem. It appears to be just superficial. Congratulations!