Bird View setup

[skewed]

As most of you will know I just scored a birdview 8 1/2 solid. After reading Kevinv's post about converting it to work I am getting a little apprehensive to say the least. How much trouble is it going to be to convert it to be used with a viewsat and more importantly how much money? I recently "found" another complete system that I was told I could have if I remove it, it has the receiver and the controller and dish. But if this thing is going to be a pain I don't think I am going to mess with it. I know how much fun the feeds are but I was really wanting to get some more "regular" channels from it(c-band)/ and since I know of no place where someone is willing to tell me what hidden jewels I would find it is starting to appear that the trouble of setting it up is not going to out weigh the end result. I am only aware of one site that speaks of these things without having to be in a special club with a special hand shake and possess a little orphan annie secret decoder ring to get told about these channels.

Also I know that these dishes point a little different than the smaller ones, but as far as a site survey goes what do I look for when trying to figure out what spot to mount it? Does the direct focal point dish point "straight" at the sat, or is it like the smaller ones that points more down(south) of where the sat is? I don't know if I said that right. I can only put the dish in my back yard, it will be about 35 ft from my house pointing right at it. I am thiking of setting up a 36" with ku to test the arc at the spot where I want to mount it. To see if the house will interfear. If it does then all deals are off anyway as I caint even imaging how to put this thing up on a 20ft pole.

 

[linuxman]

Where do you live?

I am sure one of our members would be happy to drive for quite a distance to take that Birdview off your hands if you don't want to go to the trouble to re-hab it.

Seriously, it does take a little work, and it will take a little money, but the results are un-beatable.

Don't let Kevin's post scare you away.

 

[Anole]

I don't think he was anywhere within striking distance of me.
Else, I'd be warming up the car right now.

If you want to do a site survey to see how your line of sight is to multiple birds, get a list of satellites, then use...

ThisBUDsForYou and his soda straw inclinometer
http://www.satelliteguys.us/free-ai...a-straw-inclinometer-line-sight-pictures.html

Delta Charlie had some variation on the idea, too
http://www.satelliteguys.us/free-air-fta-discussion/146479-15-min-duct-tape-elevation-gauge.html

No kidding. If you're withing a couple of hundred miles, I'll make arrangements. - :up

 

[14karat]

Skewed, if you decide to get rid of it (and you said there are two?) I may be VERY interested...
Based on your location, your dish elevation should be such that you won't have any line of sight problem with your house (but not being there, I can't say for certain!)
Is the 2nd system you found also a Birdview? Any chance of getting photos of it?

 

[kevinv]

As most of you will know I just scored a birdview 8 1/2 solid. After reading Kevinv's post about converting it to work I am getting a little apprehensive to say the least.

I didn't mean to scare anyone . However while I was replying to the other poster about converting his Birdview, even I was thinking "Oh boy, this is gonna take some work."

The Birdviews, with their horizon-to-horizon mount and proprietary receiver/DLNA system were unlike the more common dish brands out there. That makes them a bit more difficult to convert.

 

[N0EXE]

I agree with Fred, get it up. You won't find a nicer dish. We are here (and maybe there?) to help.
To do a quick site survey, grab a compass and find the clear spot in the yard. The fewer things in the way the better. As far as elevation angle, there are calculators online for your exact elevation. Mine here in Wisconsin is just under 40deg for the Clarke Belt. Your dish will aim straight at the satellite.
As far as the 'hidden jewels', I think part of the fun is looking, you know, treasure hunting.

 

[Lone Cloud]

I'm using FTA, including Viewsat with my 8 1/2 Birdview solid.

There is some modification necessary. The aluminum scalar plate has a hole that is a little too small for modern lnbs, I drilled mine out. I basically decided i didn't want to take the scalar plate off for machining, because I didn't feel comfortable getting it back exactly where it was supposed to go.

After I tried one drilling /reaming method and another, I got a good hole saw a little bit bigger diameter than an lnb. I drilled a hole through a small piece of plywood, and c-clamped the plywood onto the scalar, so as to hold the hole saw dead center. I used a 1/2 inch corded drill and a lot of oil. It took me maybe 15 minutes to drill it out.

As far as the reed sensor conversion, I ended up basically using linuxman's method as he describes it on this forum. For the magnet wheel I went to Lowe's and got a black 4" pvc endcap. After I cut the sides off of that and was left with the black pvc disk, most of the work involved measuring it carefully with calipers to make the 24 magnets 1/24th apart.

I ended up buying the reed switch from my local Radio Shack.

With the precision needed to get it right, I think it would take a couple of weekends to get this reed switch conversion working. Mine has worked flawlessly since I got it together.

I did have to enlarge the plastic box the dish motor is in. I did that by adding some lengths of 1/2" pvc between the box and the steel thingie it mounts on.

I'm happy with the result and I'm not just saying that because I want to justify the effort. I'm getting more satellites and more stations than I did before and the motor turns quickly.

That's about as realistic as I can get. Maybe a month of weekends. Then you are up and running.

 

[Anole]

Lone Cloud's comments above are better, but here's my take on the subject:

The Birdviews, with their horizon-to-horizon mount..

Heavy duty, H-H mount. Ya clean it, ya lube it, stuff in a new magnet wheel, and it's good for another 20 years!

....and proprietary receiver/DLNA system were unlike the more common dish brands out there. That makes them a bit more difficult to convert.

Ya throw out everything but the scalar (I'd keep it; some didn't), and start over.
Linuxman even used a CK-1 from SatelliteAV for a while.
However, being a perfectionist, he got a few more points with different solutions.
I got myself a Ck-1, and am just waiting for a dish. - :up

 

[kevinv]

Ya throw out everything but the scalar (I'd keep it; some didn't), and start over.

DEFINITELY keep the scaler ring. A while back, Skyvision sold an adapter plate that was designed to replace the Birdview scaler. The user could then attach any feedhorn/scaler combination of their choice. I tried this, and could never get a decent signal using the common scaler rings that everyone else on this forum uses. Came to the conclusion that the original Birdview scaler should be left on the dish. Just have to get the center hole bored-out a bit larger (unless you use the Pico feed that I use...which I am trying to find pics of to better illustrate).

 

[phlatwound]

.....As far as the reed sensor conversion, I ended up basically using linuxman's method as he describes it on this forum. For the magnet wheel I went to Lowe's and got a black 4" pvc endcap. After I cut the sides off of that and was left with the black pvc disk, most of the work involved measuring it carefully with calipers to make the 24 magnets 1/24th apart....

...I did have to enlarge the plastic box the dish motor is in. I did that by adding some lengths of 1/2" pvc between the box and the steel thingie it mounts on...

Lone Cloud, do you have any pics of your magnet wheel modifications?

I am going to modify mine also, and working with plastic sounds easier than aluminum, if it will work.

And why did you have to enlarge the plastic box, was it to get clearance for the modified magnet wheel?

 

[linuxman]

Lone Cloud, do you have any pics of your magnet wheel modifications?

I am going to modify mine also, and working with plastic sounds easier than aluminum, if it will work.

And why did you have to enlarge the plastic box, was it to get clearance for the modified magnet wheel?

Because the magnet wheel that Skyvision used to sell was only 2-3/4" diameter and just does clear the cover. That's why I stuck with the Skyvision size.

A 4" wheel would stick through the cover.

 

[phlatwound]

Because the magnet wheel that Skyvision used to sell was only 2-3/4" diameter and just does clear the cover. That's why I stuck with the Skyvision size.

A 4" wheel would stick through the cover.

Ah so! So 2 3/4" it is, unless I want to change the cover mounting.

What are your thoughts on using plastic for the magnet wheel? I know you didn't but wasn't sure why, it would be pretty easy to cut/drill a 2 3/4" piece of plastic out with a hole saw/drill bit.

 

[skewed]

I will try to get some pics up of the one that I have and the one I can get. By the time I get home from work it is dark and I forgot this weekend. The one I can get is suppose to be complete, but hasent been used in a while. I will try to do a survey of my site and see. I promise that if I cannot use the dish/dishes I will post it here to help someone else out. I live in new Iberia, louisiana. if you want to google it it is zip 70563. I'm not much for patience when it comes to this and as I said if I find out all it will bring is more of the same, with just more feeds without some type of steady programing I may just pass on it for now. I think I can get a few more dishes that might be a little easier to convert. I really was not ready to mess with this until spring but I may start if not alot of money is required. My wife and I are still struggling from doctor bills and fixing broken things around the house. I pretty much blew this years allowance on my 36" with the motor and receiver.

 

[ACRadio]

...and here I am stuck with a BirdView HH mount, and nothing to do with it....

 

[14karat]

Ouch... 431 miles... 6hrs, 46min.
But, that's better than ACRadio... 803 miles 12 hrs, 49 min...
<sigh>

 

[linuxman]

Ah so! So 2 3/4" it is, unless I want to change the cover mounting.

What are your thoughts on using plastic for the magnet wheel? I know you didn't but wasn't sure why, it would be pretty easy to cut/drill a 2 3/4" piece of plastic out with a hole saw/drill bit.

Sorry I mis-spoke before. I looked back through the old thread started by bryan.lynch and the magnet wheel from skyvision was 3-1/4" across, and that is what I followed.

Plastic/PVC should work fine as long as it is pretty rigid. I might have tried that if I had thought of it at the time. Glue might actually work better than with aluminum.

Let me know how it works out.

 

[Anole]

luck of the draw

...and here I am stuck with a BirdView HH mount, and nothing to do with it....

...and here I am way over on the other coast!
I'd put a 6' Prodelin on a Birdview mount, if I had it!

 

[N0EXE]

I am working on my magnet wheel today, my Birdview had the mod when I got it, but, go figure, the one piece that I broke when I took it apart was that magnetic wheel. Could you guys post some pictures of the wheels you made?

 

[phlatwound]

I am working on my magnet wheel today, my Birdview had the mod when I got it, but, go figure, the one piece that I broke when I took it apart was that magnetic wheel. Could you guys post some pictures of the wheels you made?

Here is the thread where Linuxman built his:

http://www.satelliteguys.us/c-band-satellite-discussion/124870-birdview-reed-sensor-kit.html

I'm hoping Lone Cloud will post some pics of his efforts also, I'm going to start on mine soon, looking for magnets now.

 

[ACRadio]

...and here I am way over on the other coast!
I'd put a 6' Prodelin on a Birdview mount, if I had it!

I would too, but I ended up with an 8 ft Channel Master SMC to be used for KU...

Actually I have 2 Birdview HH mounts with one original mounting pole I would like to sell to put the money towards the finalization of the farm if anyone is interested. One has been converted to reed and the other still has the pot and would better be used for parts.