Free-Dome!

[PSB]

What with the rain today I had a chance to work on a pet project! The Free-Dome!

Its an 18 1/2" (3 1/4" deep) Prime focus dish with a radome protecting the dish and LNB, right now I am using a DBS LNB but hope to add a Linear Ku LNBF when ever the rain stops!

I plan or removing the LNBF cover to compensate for any signal loss caused by the radome!

Pictures below! Maybe an idea for folks that are not allowed a satellite dish (Or another satellite dish!

I also plan on working with an inverted dish to make a Low Pro version!


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radome

 

[WyldCherry]

hehe that looks like one of those white capped mushrooms

 

[PSB]

MMmmmm Mushrooms :

 

[WyldCherry]

oh yeah love them mushrooms.

love this site you guys come up with the neatest looking Dishes I have ever seen.

 

[fulszjep]

free dome

I have seen a dish like this in florida being sold. I like the idea because you could put it on the ground.

 

[PSB]

I also hope that the radome will keep the worst of the Minnesnowta winter weather off the dish!

 

[docj2005]

hey pete..... it looks more like some alien space ship land ... i think you need to paint it black so it doesnt stand out

 

[Mr Tony]

cool

 

[PSB]

Fungi Dome

hehe that looks like one of those white capped mushrooms

Fungi Dome!

Camo Dome!

 

[WyldCherry]

hehe good one

 

[grusome]

So, other than DVB sats, what will this dish receiver? Does it work with the weaker Linear Ku sats?
grusome

 

[digiblur]

And the Photoshop contest begins!

 

[Mr Tony]

So, other than DVB sats, what will this dish receiver? Does it work with the weaker Linear Ku sats?
grusome

its an 18" dish so DBS is really the only option. Would it get KU? some really strong signals but I wouldn't run out and get one for KU

 

[WyldCherry]

where did you get it.

 

[PSB]

where did you get it.

I know the best dumpsters in town

Adding some more pictures of whats inside the FreeDome! Including a linear LNB. I am getting Linear signals now but just started so I will post my results later! No skew needed as the dish is on a Poor mans H to H mount

One or two of the pictures are not actually a FreeDome! See if you can spot them! I also raised the elevation to show what it would look like in southern states!


VERY cloudy today!

--------------------------------

GBN on AMC 6 65% signal Quality.

 

[WyldCherry]

hehe not going to let that mushroom comment die are you hehe.just curious on where you had gotten it.would be fun to play with.

 

[SatelliteAV]

Perfect candidate for Rain Shield! Without a product Like Rain Shield, your signal will drop faster than the raindrops during a storm!!! Your LNBF cap shouldn't need to be removed ..... Interesting that they chose a prime focus. Seems that on that small of dish the loss would be quite high from the LNBF shadow!

 

[PSB]

They? This is not a real product! Rather a mix and match of components I botched together

The dish is designed for DBS signals so the LNB shadow is not really an issue, I have since switched to a linear LNB. With this design you have no choice but to remove the LNB cover (and indeed feedhorn) in fact its sawn off then fit the LNB into the blue feedhorn!

Starting to get some half decent linear signals now!

Every little helps

 

[WyldCherry]

wow thats some real handy work.I thought you actually purchased that

 

[PSB]

Nah! The dome is also sawn down and I even managed to drill a hole right through my finger when drilling the 4 holes that keep it in place!

Even the stand is from an old fan, have a few of them as they are EXACTLY the right size for DBS dish