1.2m (4ft) dish for $148 shipped

[FTA4PA]

I've seen this 1.2 meter listed on eBay for a while now. It's $148 (shipping included) from China. I don't need a four footer myself but the price may be right for someone else so I thought it was worth posting. Best price I've seen in the U.S. is around $275 shipped. Obviously it's still best to acquire a used one locally if possible but it is an option. Seller has 100% positive feedback and there are some reviews for it. Three are positive, one is neutral for loose items in the box that damaged the dish in transit. It's not a polar mount but if you're handy you could make one for it. Currently 6 available. If interested better get it before the steel tariffs go into effect.

C Band 120cm (4 feet) Prime focus dish antenna /satellite dish | eBay

 

[Brct203]

Interesting that they advertise it as a C-Band dish... And I notice that it's made of 6 petals, probably not ideal for Ku reception as that could affect the accuracy of the reflector (maybe that's why they advertise it as C-Band?). But the price is definitely attractive.

 

[KE4EST]

Same thing as those $69 specials from a few years ago. The one I had is long gone. They will rust and rot through in a year.
I have heard of people that coated them in that spray truck bed liner and similar things. Extremely flimsy too.
Agreed not a good choice for Ku, and not much better for C in NA.

 

[FTA4PA]

Here is some more info. The company that sells it is Sea Fortune International Limited. They say the dish is by Jonsa and it is galvanized steel coated with a polyester powder coating. Claims to be 15 years rust free. As I said just throwing it out there for those who may not have options locally or the cash for a more expensive dish from the US. I have no experience with it myself. Here is the web page for the dish on the company site.

http://www.hddna.net/productshow.asp?id=843

 

[Titanium]

Jonsa was the OEM manufacturer of the FortecStar dishes through 2008 and and for some of the WSI dishes. Jonsa manufactures both quality and cheap models. The missing information for this model is the panel thickness, efficiency/accuracy and if galvanized steel under the poly coat.

The tariff should not affect finished imported products, but I am sure there will be repercussions....

 

[danristheman]

Boy I am glad that I found mine at the dealership its aluminum petal design.

 

[FTA4PA]

The missing information for this model is the panel thickness, efficiency/accuracy and if galvanized steel under the poly coat.

The link I posted above does state they are galvanized steel. It gives an efficiency of 70% or greater (don't know if that is good or not?). It does not state the panel thickness.

 

[KE4EST]

Boy I am glad that I found mine at the dealership its aluminum petal design.

When do we get to see pics of yours up and running?

 

[Titanium]

Sorry! Missed that. Good that are galvanized. I would enquire on the panel thickness. That is the main way they cut product cost.

 

[Phalaenopsis]

Is it an offset or prime focus?

 

[Phalaenopsis]

Is it an offset or prime focus?

Never mind

 

[FTA4PA]

Sorry! Missed that. Good that are galvanized. I would enquire on the panel thickness. That is the main way they cut product cost.

I just sent the seller a question regarding panel thickness.

 

[Magic Static]

Probably .02thin gauge

 

[danristheman]

When do we get to see pics of yours up and running?

I have it cleaned up just waiting on warmer weather to paint and need a mount for it plus lnb arms worked on.

 

[Phalaenopsis]

Id buy one, but hows KU performance on it?

 

[FTA4PA]

I just sent the seller a question regarding panel thickness.

The seller replied back and said the panel thickness is .4mm. By comparison a GeosatPro 90cm dish, which is highly recommended on Satellite Guys, is .7mm thick so it seems pretty thin for a 1.2m dish?

 

[bcwmachine]

0.4mm = .0157" or slightly thicker than tin foil.

 

[FTA4PA]

0.4mm = .0157" or slightly thicker than tin foil.

Actually a bit thicker than tin foil at just a hair over 1/64" but yes pretty thin.

 

[Jim S.]

How does one go about installing a dish with one of these circular mounts anyway? I've been tempted at times to buy a 6-footer for C-band experiments, but the only thing I could think of would be strapping it to a pallet with lots of cinder blocks, and I'm thinking that it would take a lot of cinder blocks, plus eventually the pallet would rot or the straps would rust out. I don't have any concrete surfaces I could bolt it down to, nor do I have the tools to do so if I would.

 

[FTA4PA]

How does one go about installing a dish with one of these circular mounts anyway? I've been tempted at times to buy a 6-footer for C-band experiments, but the only thing I could think of would be strapping it to a pallet with lots of cinder blocks, and I'm thinking that it would take a lot of cinder blocks, plus eventually the pallet would rot or the straps would rust out. I don't have any concrete surfaces I could bolt it down to, nor do I have the tools to do so if I would.

Never used that style myself, always put my dishes on a pole with either a polar or stationary mount. I have seen pictures of them fastened to decks or porches. One could also construct a mounting platform from pressure treated wood and fasten it to that (weighing it down of course). Other than that the only way I see would be as you mentioned a flat surface like a pallet or the ground with a lot of weight or by pouring a small concrete pad at a location on your property that has a good view of the arc.