I *may* have found an 8 1/2' perf Birdview

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Phottoman

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While driving on a road we use daily, Phottoette suddenly popped up with "I think I just saw a terrestrial dish." I stopped and asked where and she directed my back almost a half mile. Half hidden behind a couple of trees she pointed out a perforated dish facing almost due West. No wonder she thought is was a terrestrial dish.

We got out and climbed over a chain blocking the driveway and walked back into what looked like abandoned property, nothing was on the property at all other than a hole in the ground where someone had pulled a trailer out, and the cement patio, a lot of dead bushes and plants. We walked around to the back of all this and there she sat, an 8 1/2 foot perforated Birdview.

We walked around it several times and we didn't see anything like damage. We went to the closest neighbor and he supplied us with a phone number, but it seems that that number was disconnected some time ago.

I went back the next day to ask if I had written the number down wrong, and spoke to the wife of the man I'd talked too, and she instead of having a phone number suggested I talk to the owners brother. She pointed at a house a couple of miles away, and told me the brother lived there.

I drove over to the house pointed at and finally someone came out. It was the wife of the brother. I told her I was looking for the owner of the property and why. I gave her my card and asked that she contact the brother and ask what it would take to get that dish off their property. She said she would be in touch with her brother-in-law that night and pass on the message.

That was a couple of weeks ago and I was getting antsy. I don't want to bug anyone about this, and I have no idea how things will work out, but in the meantime, Phottoette found the owners Phoenix address and composed a beautiful letter to him giving my cell number and email address asking him to call. This was mailed yesterday (Saturday) and hopefully he'll have the letter by Tuesday.

Wish me luck.

Here are a couple of pictures of the dish as it stands now.

And I know there must be a thread on this somewhere, but HOW do I disassemble this thing to get it home? Are the bolts on the back bolted to welded nuts on the bowl that is welded to the dish? Can I take the dish off the motor that way and how much will it weigh, and how much will the motor weigh?

Thanks for any help, and again, PLEASE wish my luck. This dish will look beautiful planted in my growing dish farm.

Photto
 

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NICE! Hope it works out and becomes YOURS. If I remember right, the dish has the nuts welded to it. Remove bolts. The declination is adjusted by putting washers between dish and mount as needed(upper or lower mount locations). Think they were set for Kansas (BV HQ BITD) The dish itself isn't that heavy, just awkward. The motor/mount is quite heavy, and awkward. Disassembled 2 back in 86-87 so the owners could take them with them when they moved ND to Colorado.
 
An EXCELLENT find, and while we installed many back when I sold them, in my area its hard to find them! I can find more of the white solid ones here!

As the story goes, the "perf" ones were mainly for looks, and easier to sell when the "looks" were important. They don't have any different wind-load, or performance on C or KU band according to the company when the perf dishes were new in the mid 1980's. Should be a nice dish for you!

Good luck! Hope you can own and use it!
 
...That was a couple of weeks ago and I was getting antsy. I don't want to bug anyone about this, and I have no idea how things will work out...

I know that feeling.

Wish me luck.

Luck wished.

I've never spotted a Birdview of any type here in southwestern Wisconsin. I have found 3 perforated dishes, but all are made of steel. Sort of a poor man's Birdview perf.
 
The declination is adjusted by putting washers between dish and mount as needed(upper or lower mount locations). Think they were set for Kansas (BV HQ BITD)
I don't think I'll have a problem with setting it up once I (IF I) get the go-ahead. It is less than a mile from there to here.

This "MIGHT" be the fourth dish I have rescued, and since none were more than 30 miles from me when spotted in the ground, I haven't had to change a thing on any of them.

I have tons of questions on this dish, but I'm going to hold off until I actually have it in hand before asking (or at least am told I can have it).

This is the second Birdview I have come across. The first was a solid, and I recall it was the first I asked about, but once I told the owner what I was going to do with it, he changed his mind and decided to keep it and maybe bring it back to life himself. I don't see that happening this time, the property IS abandoned for living on, too many thieve in this area for him, and I doubt he .....

No sense wishing, I'll just wait till he contacts me.

Thanks for the encouragement guys. I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

Photto
 
The Birdview would be nice, even for DSR 410 use! Just converted (my second) one today to W-5 readiness, will be putting thread up about that in case anyone is interested. Hope you get the coveted B'view. If I can be of any help, let me know. Been a long time since I sold 'em, but...installed two here in West Central Michigan at our radio station for fun, and happy to lend any info.
 
NICE! Remove bolts. The declination is adjusted by putting washers between dish and mount as needed(upper or lower mount locations).

I don't remember ever having to remove any bolts directly attached to the dish for any adjustment. Used dishes move from location to location fairly easily if you have the manpower by leaving the motor system (and sometimes the cap) attached. To make adjustments, loosen the bolts attached to the top cap, (for the diagonal support arm) and move the whole MOUNT up or down. One will allow it to pivot, the others simply hold tension on it for tweaking and final tightening once you have the proper setting.

Other than the initial assembly of the dish and drive, I cannot remember a time we have EVER tweaked a birdview with any kind of washers or shims at the back of the dish.

If you try to remove any rear bolts on the dish to mount you may find them breaking, or the part INSIDE the dish rear that accepts the bolts twisting or breaking, then you have trouble. In Arizona, however; the corrosion issue probably doesn't exist like it does in Michigan as shown on the back of the white dish picture.

Loosen the topcap bolts on that crossarm to swing that dish up and down for adjustment. You'll do FINE!
 

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