I found a Solid Dish!!!

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Hey VoomVoom, You say that you're still have the Tenna-Rotor. I'm still learning here, is that the actuator that you are speaking of? Also something that is different from yours and the one I'm trying to get is that I see you have tension cables attached (last image) to the feedhorn and the feedhorn support arms. Was that standard? Or something you added? Did any cover go over the feedhorn?
When this dish was installed, they didn't have servo motors (polarotors) to change the polarity, the Tenna-Rotor was used to turn the feedhorn assembly 90 degrees to watch the opposite polarity, from H to V or V to H.
Those tension cables did not come with the dish, I added them probably 10 years ago trying to align (center the feedhorn over the dish) the support arms that were bent and I couldn't get the sweet spot just right? It was a wasted effort, as the problem turned out to be wasp. I should have paid more attention....
There was a cover at one time, I removed it in an attempt to squeeze more signal, by taking the elbo between the feedhorn and lnb off. It did improve the numbers when looking at numbers, but I couldn't see a difference with my eyes. But, every little bit helps....!
Also it does look like both mounts. Yours and the one I want to get are pretty badly rusted. Maybe it's just prone to rust after a few years. What do you think of getting the mount "Powder Coated" to reject the rust?
I need to overhaul the whole dish. I haven't taken care of it as good as I should have in the past. I'm now retired and have more time, but mostly I'm more willing than I used to be.
You'll have to ask others about paint or painting. The only thing I know about painting, "I Don't Like It"...!!!!
Did you put that dish up? If so, was it heavy? Wondering how you took it down and put it up??:clap
Tom :D
The Dish System was bought new for around $3200, in it's day. My brother-in-law, my dad, and me put it together almost 30 years ago. It was very heavy then, I'm sure it's gotten heavier with age. I've never taken it back down, but I have up-graded the electronics several times over the years. And hope to continue to make needed improvements when they become necessary.....
 
Thanks for all mof your info

When this dish was installed, they didn't have servo motors (polarotors) to change the polarity, the Tenna-Rotor was used to turn the feedhorn assembly 90 degrees to watch the opposite polarity, from H to V or V to H.
Those tension cables did not come with the dish, I added them probably 10 years ago trying to align (center the feedhorn over the dish) the support arms that were bent and I couldn't get the sweet spot just right? It was a wasted effort, as the problem turned out to be wasp. I should have paid more attention....
There was a cover at one time, I removed it in an attempt to squeeze more signal, by taking the elbo between the feedhorn and lnb off. It did improve the numbers when looking at numbers, but I couldn't see a difference with my eyes. But, every little bit helps....!

I need to overhaul the whole dish. I haven't taken care of it as good as I should have in the past. I'm now retired and have more time, but mostly I'm more willing than I used to be.
You'll have to ask others about paint or painting. The only thing I know about painting, "I Don't Like It"...!!!!

The Dish System was bought new for around $3200, in it's day. My brother-in-law, my dad, and me put it together almost 30 years ago. It was very heavy then, I'm sure it's gotten heavier with age. I've never taken it back down, but I have up-graded the electronics several times over the years. And hope to continue to make needed improvements when they become necessary.....
Thank you for all of the information that you have sent to me about this satellite dish. I know that your post will come in handy for me when and if I do get this dish. I see that from your post you put it up new and in its day went for a pretty penny. I think it’s still a real find AL. If I do get it, I'm going to take my time with it in getting it up. As far as the mount, it’s pretty well rusted so I do plan on getting it to look as if it’s brand new again. You say that I have been asking others about paint or painting. This is true. I'm not asking about painting it with some weird type of paint job like those images of all those psychedelic dishes. I think that my question about painting a dish got some how confused. In painting a satellite dish, why is it that most mesh dishes are painted Black and the solids are painted White? Does one color for a dish make it better to receive a signal over another color? What if you paint a dish the color of Green so that it will blend in with the trees so you get less static from neighbors in a restricted community? What if you just want to paint it a bold color and let it stand out? The heck with the neighbor! You want to see it from Google Earth! If so in doing this does one stand for losing valuable signal input by painting it a different color? I rather paint it now then let Rust take it from me AL.

Thanks again,
Tom:D
 
Tom I'm not a painter and have no desire to become one. I can't/won't answer questions about something I know so little about. I'm sure someone on this Forum can help with those questions? There's nothing wrong with painting the dish, but I believe there are certain types of paint that will hinder the signal gain, which is something I'm sure you want to avoid? So, the color of the dish may not matter, but the type of paint used might matter. And, I think it would be a good idea to paint the pole and polar mount, but get that rust off first. It probably won't matter what kind of paint is use for them. I have a 10' fiberglass dish I did move and I painted the pole/mount and was going to paint the dish, but after power washing the dish, I felt it looked good enough to leave well enough alone.

Here are some pictures of it, taken a couple of months back:
Don't know if you can tell, but the pole/mount was painted, after I sandblasted it. And the dish was just power washed, and looks good to me. You could be as lucky?
 

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Voom - great lookin' dish. - :up

I've read some threads where members gave their dish a good scrub, and they wound up looking pretty good, too.
Power washing was certainly sufficient.
Might have been less labor-intensive, as well. - ;)

Don't know how you did the sandblasting, but now that the mount is repainted, it is also gorgeous.
 
hey tom. how are ya? i was just wondering if you've found ne thing out about the dish's yet? ne calls from them. well hope u get those dish's that would be nice ! good luck:hungry:
 
Update on dish, 04-05-08

hey tom. how are ya? i was just wondering if you've found ne thing out about the dish's yet? ne calls from them. well hope u get those dish's that would be nice ! good luck:hungry:
Hello Steve and everyone else,
I finally got a hold of the couple and spoke to them last Thursday evening on the 3rd. Seemed like a nice couple and I asked them if they were going to do anything with the satellite dish. I looked at it and noticed that there were cables that were just hanging and thought it wasn't being used. From looking at the actuator, that doesn't look like that has been moved in months.

He claimed that the wired that were cut were just old wires and that there were new ones connected to the dish. I wasn't going to start looking at the wires to prove that I was right. That wasn't my place.

I did tell him that I was interested in it and wondered if he would consider letting it go. He said he still enjoyed the dish but wondered how much I was willing to offer for it. I told him that I was talking to some friends and that they suggested I give him 150$$ for it. I told him that I was seeing it in person and would like to offer him what he thought it was worth. We got to a price of 300$$ for it but he would have to think and talk it over with his wife. I told him that I wouldn't want to be waiting long for a decision and aggreed that I will know by the end of this weekend.

So now it's 8:46 pm on Saturday ans I haven't heard from him as of yet. I may get it, I may not. This is the first time I've seen a solid dish around here. He told me that the dish use to be on top of a bank building 3 stories up on the roof. He said that they are hard to come by. So I hope I do get it.

If not,,, I may ask VoomVoom and LinuxMan to PLEASE keep an eye out for some. :clap I will come the distance to get one. :hungry:

Thanks,
Tom
 
This is the first time I've seen a solid dish around here.
Just my opinion, but it is not a solid dish.

It is fiberglass over mesh, and although it may be good as in Al's case, this one might not be.

To me, and again, just my opinion, he would be paying me to haul that thing away.

There are too many out there you can get free.

If you just want a dish, drive on up to St. Louis, and I can get you 4 or 5 in one afternoon. :) They may be mesh, but they will be pretty decent Unimesh, Perfect 10s, or others, but there are plenty around.
 
Just my opinion, but it is not a solid dish.

It is fiberglass over mesh, and although it may be good as in Al's case, this one might not be.

To me, and again, just my opinion, he would be paying me to haul that thing away.

There are too many out there you can get free.

If you just want a dish, drive on up to St. Louis, and I can get you 4 or 5 in one afternoon. :) They may be mesh, but they will be pretty decent Unimesh, Perfect 10s, or others, but there are plenty around.
Hello Fred,
Ok I stand corrected that its not a solid dish. You would know!! lol As far as around here... I thought that one was a solid.... Not so! So that makes none around here. Fred I may take you up on that offer if you don't mind by coming up there. I'm supposed to get my new truck on the 14th of this month. It will have to be after that. I've seen some of the finds you have come up with Fred and there beauties. I said of this one that it was dirty and neglected. So if I can come back with a Birdview or a Solid I will be grinning from ear to ear. I think the trip would be just under a 1000 miles one way.

Thank You!

Tom
:D
 
So if I can come back with a Birdview or a Solid I will be grinning from ear to ear.
HaHa, I didn't say Birdview or solid. I said a mesh. Unimesh, Perfect 10, Winegard, and one I passed on Friday morning. It is a nice 10 foot mesh and a mount I haven't seen before, but I just don't have room for any more.

I know where there are a couple of solid aluminums, but they are unknowns, and I now pass on those too.

I have four 7.5' and two 10 footers in my warehouse dis-assembled. They are all good dishes. One is a brand new KTI all there except for the support arms.

But we can get you some fresh ones from people who begged me to take theirs away.
 
That trip might be $300 in gas alone!
I've read some other Florida residents talk about a surplus place down there somewhere.
Not sure if it was near Cape Canaveral or further away, but some sort of dish bone-yard....
It might be worth your time to track it down.
 
If you want that brand new KTI 7.5 footer, I paid the out of business installer $15.00 for the sections, and he later found the mount and new bolts all boxed up and I gave him $20.00 for them.

I would take $50.00 for it, and you can still order the support arms from SAMI for that dish. They bought out KTI a few years ago. If you want a brand new one, that would be a way to get one.
 
You didn't say Birdview or solid.

Yeah Fred I read my post after it was up. I guess I kinda got excited that it could be a solid or a Birdview from seeing what you have gotten lately! Too bad they are not as plentiful down here as it is up your way. Seems all I find down here are garbage that you guys say they would have to pay me to haul it way! :(

Thanks,
Tom
HaHa, I didn't say Birdview or solid. I said a mesh. Unimesh, Perfect 10, Winegard, and one I passed on Friday morning. It is a nice 10 foot mesh and a mount I haven't seen before, but I just don't have room for any more.

I know where there are a couple of solid aluminums, but they are unknowns, and I now pass on those too.

I have four 7.5' and two 10 footers in my warehouse dis-assembled. They are all good dishes. One is a brand new KTI all there except for the support arms.

But we can get you some fresh ones from people who begged me to take theirs away.
 
Believe me, I know all about getting excited over a dish. :)

Right after I got my first 10 foot Winegard free, I bought a 7.5' Perfect 10 from an ex-dealer. I sort of regretted it after I started finding so many for free.

But that dish is the one that had the ADL patent infringing Co-Rotor on it, and it was worth every penny I paid for it, just to get my hands on that particular Co-Rotor. I didn't even know what I had at the time, but WOW, what a signal getter. :D
 
dish bone-yard

That trip might be $300 in gas alone!
I've read some other Florida residents talk about a surplus place down there somewhere.
Not sure if it was near Cape Canaveral or further away, but some sort of dish bone-yard....
It might be worth your time to track it down.
Thanks Anole, I will do an Internet Search for that and see what I come up with. I've been checking with Craigh's list and coming up with nothing. So I hope this pans out. Hmmmm.. I got excited on the 12 footer and was told it was garbage. I thought this one was a solid (Hey I'm still learning here) and got excited about it. That turns out not to be a solid and not worth the effort to get. Guess I need all the Help I can get!
Thanks,
Tom:eek:
 
Northwest of St Louis

Thanks Fred! For all of your help. I even went on MS Virual Earth looking in your area for dishes,Just to see how many I could find. Found a few but not 100% sure they were dishes and not anything else. You may see me up in your area. Going to check out what Anole said too about Dish Bone Yard too.

Hey check out the thread Satellite Dish Cranes in action. I found a some photos of them the other day.

Thanks,
Tom

Believe me, I know all about getting excited over a dish. :)

Right after I got my first 10 foot Winegard free, I bought a 7.5' Perfect 10 from an ex-dealer. I sort of regretted it after I started finding so many for free.

But that dish is the one that had the ADL patent infringing Co-Rotor on it, and it was worth every penny I paid for it, just to get my hands on that particular Co-Rotor. I didn't even know what I had at the time, but WOW, what a signal getter. :D
 
One man's garbage is another man's gold.
I don't think your fiberglass dish is junk, but I wouldn't pay $300 for it, either.
Problem is, a lot of these owners remember the thousands of dollars they cost new.
Well, they're not new now... many want to get rid of 'em.
And they have to pay to have someone take down the dishes and haul 'em away.
So, -free- sounds like a very attractive price.
Then, you haul it home and regret later if you got a dog. - :rolleyes:
The mounts and LNBs are often worth the effort, if you are building up a supply like Linuxman is.
I'm waiting for him to open The Satellite Shop, any day now. ;)
 
couldn't find anyting listed

That trip might be $300 in gas alone!
I've read some other Florida residents talk about a surplus place down there somewhere.
Not sure if it was near Cape Canaveral or further away, but some sort of dish bone-yard....
It might be worth your time to track it down.
Thanks Anole.... couldn't find anyting listed for surplus satellite dishes. Thanks again. Something will come my way for sure. Will just have to forget about this dish just like the 12 footer. Oh Well back to the drawing board!
Tom
 
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