8.5 feet vs 12 feet

[cyberham]

Suddenly I am swamped with C-band dish opportunities. I can make a day trip and pick up an 8.5' mesh dish or I can make a 1-night overnight trip and pick up a 12' dish. I'm assuming the 12' dish is mesh and able to be dismantled into pieces, but I must verify. I think I could haul the 8.5' using my own SUV so no truck rental is required. The 12' would require a one-way Uhaul truck rental with associated mileage and gasoline costs. Is the extra cost and trouble to get the 12-footer worth it? I presume installing a 12' dish is extra trouble as well. But I feel that bigger is better.

 

[gabshere]

get both that gives you options down the road . the 12 ft is probably going to be the best dish ( here size usually matters)

Is the extra cost and trouble to get the 12-footer worth it? I presume installing a 12' dish is extra trouble as well. But I feel that bigger is better.

look at it like this that 12 fter has 25% larger surface area for gaining signal. so on those weak signals 25% more is better

it would take more time but i bet you could take the dish down to a smaller more movable sections that your SUV or maybe a small trailer would handle it.

 

[catthepatch]

Bigger is better, go for the 12! You can always take a day trip on short notice if so inclined. The 12 may disassemble enough to all fit into your SUV. Could you get away with just a trailer rental? Good Luck!

Happy Testing!!!

 

[cyberham]

Get both?? You are not a friend of my wife! Though the 12' is free for the taking. Waiting on the 12' owner to give me data on how many pieces it breaks down into and their size. Also waiting on a picture. Another option might be to strap it to my roof rack. Though I need to drive with it for over 250 miles so not sure that's a good plan. Both, eh? I never thought...

 

[gabshere]

well i didn't say you had to put both up just keep it available borrow or renting a trailer for your suv might be another option

 

[JAS]

When I got my 12' Orbitron way back when. It came in several packages and was shipped by UPS Ground. I have moved it 3 times and is quite easy to disassemble and reassemble. Hopefully the one you are thinking about can be disassembled far enough to fit in your SUV.

 

[toucan-man]

While we're waiting for cyberham to get his answer, do 12' mesh dishes typically break down into 8 segments? A 10' dish broken into 4 pieces will fit into the back of a full size pick-up truck with a cap on it. I have been wondering about 12 footers.

 

[cyberham]

I have no trailer hitch on my RAV4. So cargo either goes in it, or on it. I think it's technically a CUV (cross-over utility vehicle), a little smaller than a real SUV.

 

[stogie5150]

I have no trailer hitch on my RAV4. So cargo either goes in it, or on it. I think it's technically a CUV (cross-over utility vehicle), a little smaller than a real SUV.

if you have a V6 RAV 4 it will pull 3500 pounds. Might be worth it to invest in a a hitch. Every dish I have was brought home with a 2006 Chevrolet Equinox V6 and a 5X10 trailer. It CAN be done.

OH, and get BOTH of them.

 

[JAS]

The longest part on mine are the 4 perimeter angles (makes up the outer ring ) They are about 9'.

As to how many segments. I guess it depends on the manufacture. Mine is over 20 parts when disassembled

 

[cyberham]

if you have a V6 RAV 4 it will pull 3500 pounds. Might be worth it to invest in a a hitch...

I have the V4 Base model so it can only pull 1500 lbs. But a trailer might be a good idea. I can rent one locally for 2 days for just $60 including insurance. Much cheaper and nicer riding in my vehicle than a Uhaul truck. Of course there is still the $400 hitch installation. This free dish is getting expensive.

 

[stogie5150]

I have the V4 Base model so it can only pull 1500 lbs. But a trailer might be a good idea. I can rent one locally for 2 days for just $60 including insurance. Much cheaper and nicer riding in my vehicle than a Uhaul truck. Of course there is still the $400 hitch installation. This free dish is getting expensive.

I bought my hitch off Amazon for 110.00 and installed it myself. If you have basic hand tools and knowledge you can do it, easy. If you considering harvesting dishes, you have enough knowledge and tools to do your own hitch.

 

[brentb636]

Echo Stogie's advice. If you get a hitch that's designed for your vehicle, it goes in pretty easy ( can't say you won't get dirty, though ) .

 

[cyberham]

The owner has informed me the 12-footer is a Paraclipse in great shape. He says part of a panel came out a while back, but he has the piece. The dish does not come apart, so it would need to be transported assembled. It needs to be removed from a pole 17-feet high. It seems like a wonderful dish for $0.

 

[Pixl]

Cyber,

Do you have a Cband at this time?
The 8.5 ft. is a nice startup dish and will serve you many years. I have a 8ft. and can get most anything the big boys are seeing. Less than 8ft you will have some disappointments. The 8.5, if in good shape will do the job, easier to transport and handle. The worst thing is to not get either.

 

[cyberham]

I have never had C-band. I've wanted it since 1998. I owned two 10-footers in past, but never had the situation to install them. I already recognize this Paraclipse is more than I could manage on my own and with my lack of experience. I am planning to go get the 8.5-footer soon and stay in touch with the Paraclipse owner so I can go see it, at least, next time I visit his town 260 miles from me.

Pictures of the 8.5':

 

[Pixl]

Cyber, that dish looks good from the pictures, Go for it. Welcome to Cband. You will be pleased.
First thing you want to go for living in Canada is the very good programs on 107 C from the CBC.

 

[madmadworld]

if your wife say only 1 big dish hold out for a 10' at least.
Paraclipse are not that heavy but the edges are very weak and can not be layed on it edge with out it bending.
plus they are button hooks mostly unless moded and then was it moded right ? great dish if your good with them. and it should come apart but you will need 3 good men.

you will miss some feeds with any thing less than a perfect tuned 10'
good luck
ps. remember your always saving thousands of $ over the original price

 

[Bongu]

I managed to fit a 10' KTI inside a Subaru wagon. I don't see a need to go with a U-Haul even with a 12'. The mount may weigh a ton so think about how you will move that. I did have to fold the rear seats down, but that was all I had to do once I disassembled the dish.

Sent from my Timex Sinclair using SatelliteGuys

 

[brex2001]

I transported my 12ft Paraclipse in the 6ft x 8ft bed of my pickup, business end up. The polar mount is heavy but just use your leverage moving it.

You really don't want to break this one down if you can help it - get help. Someone else here suggested a good way to "fell" the pole with the dish attached - cut through until the weakened pole can be pulled down with ropes from the back.

Oh yeah - and get them both! Don't let them become art projects.