It's starting to look like mid December around here.

[highskies]

Except it doesn't feel like mid December weatherwise tho. lol..
What I mean by the title of the thread is this, usually the leaves on the trees start falling late October. And finally, around mid December, all the branches are leafless. Well it's starting to look that way now. For the past month it seems, trees on my property and my neighbor's property have been shedding leaves like crazy. Everyday I rake up new huge piles. The ground is covered in leaves pretty much everyday when I wake up. BTW, is this normal for this time of year? I don't ever remember anything like this in the past.

So what does any of this have to do with FTA? For one thing, because of these aforementioned trees and the leaves on them, I can't really see anything much east of 87 W via my BUD. So I'm thinking, maybe a good time to see if I can locate 72W. So does anyone know of a strong C Band signal on that bird I could try? It doesn't matter if it's even encrypted, because I'm only wanting to locate this bird first, then I would do a blindscan. In the past, I have gotten signals at 72w in mid December. But it's been a few years since I've even tried. From what I recall, my Bud seemed to be pointing almost directly east when it found this bird from my location. If I also recall, 72 w is close to the end of my jack, how far it can extend. Speaking of that, tho I do have the limits currently set, I'm not entirely certain if the limit would hit before or after 72 w. Does anyone know a way to tell how close you are to the dish falling off the jack, so that you could set the limit just a tad before this could happen?

 

[rv1pop]

Stay warn... No trees, no leaves, but almost freezing last night. 99 degrees on Monday. I am still fixing the foundation for my BUD pole.

 

[FaT Air]

The oak trees in the back have been aborting acorns, leaves and even whole new growth twigs with a few leaves for the past month. Just been too dry. I mowed a few days ago. First mowing since the first week of July.
72W - 3937 V 2824 DVB-S2 mpeg4
Dish wont fall off the end of the jack, but you may "flop over" if your actuator is on the west side of dish. Geometry of the triangle formed by the polar axis pivot and the actuator. The actuator gets too close to the polar axis.

 

[toucan-man]

Fall colors are showing up already. Hopefully a beautiful fireworks display of color this year. The year we moved here the fall colors were Vermont-like. Haven't seen Vermont around here in a long long while.

 

[riffjim4069]

I may be wrong, but I think the early fall colors may be a result of the drought-like conditions many have experienced this summer. Of course, I have this totally bassackwards. Regardless, I have noticed one of our less healthy trees already dropping leaves and changing colors in VA. After a couple of very mild winters, I am expecting to "get socked" this year. We shall see.

 

[Mr Tony]

we had an early spring and now a drought so yeah leaves are changing

When the OP said "its starting to look like mid-december I thought "snow"??

 

[KE4EST]

Same here, and I thought the same thing, that Ice said. We had a very early spring here so these trees started early, so now their cycle is ending.

 

[highskies]

Dish wont fall off the end of the jack, but you may "flop over" if your actuator is on the west side of dish. Geometry of the triangle formed by the polar axis pivot and the actuator. The actuator gets too close to the polar axis.

Yes that's what I meant..flopped over, because it's actually happened to me a few times. And looking at the dish, the actuator is on the west side. Are you saying that if it were on the east side, it couldn't flop over? Regardless of where one might live, can one have the actuator on either side, and it still tracks just the same?

 

[FaT Air]

Doesn't matter what side the actuator is on. It tracks the same. The actuator only pushes or pulls it along the arc set by the polar mount. If the actuator is on the east side flop over would occur with the dish aimed to extreme west. I needed to go closer to the horizon on the east side, so I moved the actuator to the east side of the dish. With it on the west side, I could only go 139W to 72W (safely). Now I can get to 53W and still go west to 139W without worry of flop over.

 

[TreyWingbat]

I thought leaves changed colour due to there not being as much sunlight in the autumn months (relating to photosynthesis), and it has nothing to do with an early spring or drought conditions. In fact, a drought may delay the changing of the colours of the leaves, as the tree may not be able to make as much food to store up for the winter due to the drought, so it might be trying a little longer in making food (for a couple more weeks anyways) before needing to shed the leaves.

 

[highskies]

Doesn't matter what side the actuator is on. It tracks the same. The actuator only pushes or pulls it along the arc set by the polar mount. If the actuator is on the east side flop over would occur with the dish aimed to extreme west. I needed to go closer to the horizon on the east side, so I moved the actuator to the east side of the dish. With it on the west side, I could only go 139W to 72W (safely). Now I can get to 53W and still go west to 139W without worry of flop over.

I appreciate the info. This sounds exactly like my situation. As of now, I can see 139w. But a few clicks west of that, that's as far as the dish can move. So I see your point, that if I put it on the east side, I would likely be facing a flop over a few clicks west of 139w. Would that be correct? And the fact that I too can probably only see to around 72w before the dish might flop over, I too should be able to see a little further east of that if I put the actuator on the east side, maybe see all the way to 53W like you. Would that be correct? Is there anything interesting on C Band between 72W and 53w?

 

[highskies]

I thought leaves changed colour due to there not being as much sunlight in the autumn months (relating to photosynthesis), and it has nothing to do with an early spring or drought conditions. In fact, a drought may delay the changing of the colours of the leaves, as the tree may not be able to make as much food to store up for the winter due to the drought, so it might be trying a little longer in making food (for a couple more weeks anyways) before needing to shed the leaves.

These particular trees that I mentioned, the leaves don't seem to be changing colors or anything. They just seem to be shriveling up and falling off the trees. But this is not the case all over Texarkana tho for some reason. Plenty of trees around here look like they haven't lost a leaf one.
Maybe some satellite god is looking out for me, lol. First lightning fells a major part of a tree that has been blocking birds for ages, and now these trees are almost bare of leaves, to where I might actually be able to pick up some signals that I couldn't before.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

When we drove to Springfield, Mass yesterday I noticed while I was driving that a lot of the trees were changing colors already.

Kind of early but with the strange weather we had over the past year itsnot unexpected. Last year around this time we had Hurricane Irene, and then on October 29th Blizzard which knocked out power for most of the state for a week because the weight of the snow on the trees which did not yet drop their leaves caused trees all over to come down. It looked like a war zone here!

 

[highskies]

and then on October 29th Blizzard which knocked out power for most of the state for a week because the weight of the snow on the trees which did not yet drop their leaves caused trees all over to come down. It looked like a war zone here!

I know from past experience what you mean by a war zone. Don't recall the year, but it was in the month of December I believe. Texarkana and surrounding areas were hit with a major ice storm. I can still hear these trees falling today. It was real eerie. And it literally looked like a war zone around here. I think we, meaning my wife and I, were without electricity for two weeks or more. Some were without electricity for a month or better...some longer than that I think. I think it was mainly caused by trees falling on power lines. This city with in limbo at the time. No way to buy gas. No stores open..nothing. But I do believe Super Walmart was open part time during this, since they had back up generators. But I don't think there were any ways to get fresh supplies in. I was thinking at the time, there's going to be a lot of looting going on, people frantic, etc. But I don't recall it ever getting to that point.

 

[rv1pop]

Winter

I do not like where this is going!

 

[Kraven]

HUH? I'd a damn heat wave in these parts. Can't wait for 10 feet of snow outside so I can turn off the AC.

Cheers, K

 

[highskies]

72W - 3937 V 2824 DVB-S2 mpeg4

I entered that signal in as a new transponder in the S9 menu, and with the 4dtv remote I then went east from 87w, which was where I was currently sitting, and before I got to my east limit, the lock light on the front panel of the S9 lit up. I then stopped there, stored that position in the 922, then scanned that signal with the S9. 3 chs scanned in...WRBJ, WZRB, and WAZE. all of them are playing fine. So am I at 72w then? I'm assuming I am, but just want to be certain.

 

[Anole]

There is some general rule if you live west coast, your actuator goes on the east side to get all those low eastern birds.
And if you live on the east cost, put the actuator on the west side to easily swing down to those low western birds.

Well, that'd be a great rule 'cept for two things:
- what do you do in the middle of the country? (where is dividing line?)
- what do you do for far-eastern Atlantic birds, even if you live on the east coast?
(there are no really far-western satellites).
Clearly, the middle of the US is not the middle of the bird cluster (it's east a few states)
...unless you don't want the far-eastern, circular birds.

Kind of a personal choice & compromise you have to make.
Luckily, there is a solution: big ol' Horizon-to-Horizon mount for your BUD
That, or two BUDs, one with an actuator on each side.



iPhone 4

 

[highskies]

There is some general rule if you live west coast, your actuator goes on the east side to get all those low eastern birds.
And if you live on the east cost, put the actuator on the west side to easily swing down to those low western birds.

Well, that'd be a great rule 'cept for two things:
- what do you do in the middle of the country? (where is dividing line?)
- what do you do for far-eastern Atlantic birds, even if you live on the east coast?
(there are no really far-western satellites).
Clearly, the middle of the US is not the middle of the bird cluster (it's east a few states)
...unless you don't want the far-eastern, circular birds.

Kind of a personal choice & compromise you have to make.
Luckily, there is a solution: big ol' Horizon-to-Horizon mount for your BUD
That, or two BUDs, one with an actuator on each side.



iPhone 4

I guess I live in about the middle of the country, since I'm in Texas. Currently I have my actuator on the west side. I can currently see from 139w to 72w. I'm pretty much at the limits of my actuator on both ends. In your opin, if I decided to put the actuator on the east side, what would my view of the arc likely be? And as far as an Horizon-to-Horizon mount for my BUD, probably isn't going to happen any time soon. Work has been pretty slow around here lately, and now I'm closely watching my dimes and pennies.

 

[Anole]

I'm not an actuator guy, so I shouldn't speculate ... Too much.
But you'd probably do several more birds to the east.
West? Don't know if you'd still get 139.
Best advice would to be make a list of satellites you insist on seeing, and those less important.
If you are willing to experiment, document your results for the next inquisitive member.

As for getting a nice H-H, they come on BUDs you find in the wild.
See my signature for two I found close to home (the Ajak 180 came on free perf dish)


iPhone 4