I am going to start a new thread.
Iceberg! If you think it needs to be merged into my DSR-920 thread, feel free to do so. I am going to have some specific questions about the dish I found today and I don't want to hi-jack Gabshare's thread about his adventures in dish hunting, so here goes. It is related to the 920 thread as far as dish hunting, but different.
I started dish hunting about 11:00 this morning on my way back from being at a client.
I knew where there was an older subdivision about 15 miles away. I decided to swing in there on my way to Lowes. I got in the subdivision and went a block and turned the corner and three houses down, I spotted my first dish. It was a ten foot Unimesh. It was in pretty good shape and was turned all the way to the East. The holes in the mesh were a little too big for my taste. Bigger than my existing Winegard.
Drove down the street and turned on a side street and there was a 7' Unimesh. that one was a little too small for my taste. I didn't talk to the owners of the previous two dishes, but knew I could get them because of how they were pointed, wires cut etc.
Turned a couple of other corners and down the street was a huge dish on the top of a house. There were cars in the drive, so I went up to the door. The wife answered and I said, "I see you have a big dish on your roof". She said hold on a sec. She turned around and yelled down the basement steps to her husband. "Get up here. There's a guy here that wants to talk about the dish". I almost started laughing.
The husband came outside and we started talking. He said it was newer than their previous one which had been damaged so I asked if there was a way to get closer to see it. He took me around to the back porch and said that I could get on the roof better from there. I didn't have a ladder with me and his was an old wooden one so I didn't go up. It was a Winegard and it looked exactly like mine.
I asked if he wanted to get rid of it, and he said "yes, please take it down". I told him that I might come back if I didn't find one easier to get to. He said come anytime whether we are home or not. Just take it with you.
Went to Lowes and ate lunch. Went to another older subdivision, and did the same thing. Went in about a block and turned right, and immediately left and I spotted this dish about 3 houses away. When I looked at it from a distance, I could see right through it. Looked like a silhouette that was see through. Drove down the street and parked in front of the house where it was. Knocked on the door and no one was home. I decided to sneak around back for just a quick peak.
There she stood in all her glory! A full 8.5 foot Birdview dish. I couldn't believe that I had actually found one. I have read bits and pieces about them here, but thought no one around here would buy that kind of dish.
Went back to the car and just as I did the owner came home. We started talking and went back around back to look more closely. I asked a few questions and he answered. Then I asked if he wanted to get rid of it.
He said, "Yeah, I think it is time that I did, there hasn't been anything on C-Band except encrypted stuff for quite a while." I asked if everything worked and he took me inside where he had the original Birdview receivers. Two of them. He said he hadn't turned it on in a couple of years, but guaranteed everything to work.
He said I could have it for taking it down. I almost passed out.
I told him It would take a few days, and he said that would be fine. He said to come on anytime. He didn't need to be there. I thanked him and left.
Drove home and got the camera, paper to write on. Already had a tape in the car.
Here are the pics and then some questions.
First, will this dish pull in great Ku signal? I have read where the holes can't be bigger than a #2 pencil. These holes are almost the same size as a #2 pencil. 1/4"
Second, is this what they call a perforated aluminum dish? The aluminum is at least 1/8" thick.
Third, is the motor on the back compatible with what I think is called a reed-sensor motor?
Fourth, will it work with a VBox II?
5th, will there be less wind resistance with the size of the holes what they are?
6th, I assume the polar mount to be what is known as a true almost 180 degree H-H mount. Is that what it is?
7th, will a Co-Rotor II slide into the existing scaler rings?
That's the questions for now. I told the guy I would take it and would be back for it as soon as possible. I was stunned when he gave it to me. It is built like a tank. I couldn't get it even to shake in any direction. I think I could crawl into it and take a nap and it wouldn't even sag!
If you have any links to information, manuals, specs, assembly instructions etc, please post them.
Finally, if you need a dish of any kind, and don't have the funds to pay a lot of money, get out there and meet people. Don't be afraid to knock on a stranger's door. Trust me, they are usually more than happy for you to take a big dish out of their yard.
Sometimes you get more than the dish.
Iceberg! If you think it needs to be merged into my DSR-920 thread, feel free to do so. I am going to have some specific questions about the dish I found today and I don't want to hi-jack Gabshare's thread about his adventures in dish hunting, so here goes. It is related to the 920 thread as far as dish hunting, but different.
I started dish hunting about 11:00 this morning on my way back from being at a client.
I knew where there was an older subdivision about 15 miles away. I decided to swing in there on my way to Lowes. I got in the subdivision and went a block and turned the corner and three houses down, I spotted my first dish. It was a ten foot Unimesh. It was in pretty good shape and was turned all the way to the East. The holes in the mesh were a little too big for my taste. Bigger than my existing Winegard.
Drove down the street and turned on a side street and there was a 7' Unimesh. that one was a little too small for my taste. I didn't talk to the owners of the previous two dishes, but knew I could get them because of how they were pointed, wires cut etc.
Turned a couple of other corners and down the street was a huge dish on the top of a house. There were cars in the drive, so I went up to the door. The wife answered and I said, "I see you have a big dish on your roof". She said hold on a sec. She turned around and yelled down the basement steps to her husband. "Get up here. There's a guy here that wants to talk about the dish". I almost started laughing.
The husband came outside and we started talking. He said it was newer than their previous one which had been damaged so I asked if there was a way to get closer to see it. He took me around to the back porch and said that I could get on the roof better from there. I didn't have a ladder with me and his was an old wooden one so I didn't go up. It was a Winegard and it looked exactly like mine.
I asked if he wanted to get rid of it, and he said "yes, please take it down".
I told him that I might come back if I didn't find one easier to get to. He said come anytime whether we are home or not. Just take it with you.Went to Lowes and ate lunch. Went to another older subdivision, and did the same thing. Went in about a block and turned right, and immediately left and I spotted this dish about 3 houses away. When I looked at it from a distance, I could see right through it. Looked like a silhouette that was see through. Drove down the street and parked in front of the house where it was. Knocked on the door and no one was home. I decided to sneak around back for just a quick peak.
There she stood in all her glory! A full 8.5 foot Birdview dish. I couldn't believe that I had actually found one. I have read bits and pieces about them here, but thought no one around here would buy that kind of dish.
Went back to the car and just as I did the owner came home. We started talking and went back around back to look more closely. I asked a few questions and he answered. Then I asked if he wanted to get rid of it.
He said, "Yeah, I think it is time that I did, there hasn't been anything on C-Band except encrypted stuff for quite a while." I asked if everything worked and he took me inside where he had the original Birdview receivers. Two of them. He said he hadn't turned it on in a couple of years, but guaranteed everything to work.
He said I could have it for taking it down.
I almost passed out. I told him It would take a few days, and he said that would be fine. He said to come on anytime. He didn't need to be there. I thanked him and left.
Drove home and got the camera, paper to write on. Already had a tape in the car.
Here are the pics and then some questions.
First, will this dish pull in great Ku signal? I have read where the holes can't be bigger than a #2 pencil. These holes are almost the same size as a #2 pencil. 1/4"
Second, is this what they call a perforated aluminum dish? The aluminum is at least 1/8" thick.
Third, is the motor on the back compatible with what I think is called a reed-sensor motor?
Fourth, will it work with a VBox II?
5th, will there be less wind resistance with the size of the holes what they are?
6th, I assume the polar mount to be what is known as a true almost 180 degree H-H mount. Is that what it is?
7th, will a Co-Rotor II slide into the existing scaler rings?
That's the questions for now. I told the guy I would take it and would be back for it as soon as possible. I was stunned when he gave it to me. It is built like a tank. I couldn't get it even to shake in any direction. I think I could crawl into it and take a nap and it wouldn't even sag!
If you have any links to information, manuals, specs, assembly instructions etc, please post them.
Finally, if you need a dish of any kind, and don't have the funds to pay a lot of money, get out there and meet people. Don't be afraid to knock on a stranger's door. Trust me, they are usually more than happy for you to take a big dish out of their yard.
Sometimes you get more than the dish.
