lonely dish

[toucan-man]

Didn't have a camera with to capture it, but I spotted what appears to be a Dish Network dish with a single lnb, attached to a utility pole, on the edge of a farmer's field. The nearest house must be 3/4 mile away. Even if the cable is really going somewhere, why in the heck would anyone choose such a remote place for a dish? What's the maximum length for RG-6 from dish to receiver?

 

[rv1pop]

Is it aimed to the sky? Or at a tower somewhere. I see a lot of those in Eastern Washington for telemetry, weather, power monitoring and traffic cams, and more.

 

[toucan-man]

Is it aimed to the sky? Or at a tower somewhere. I see a lot of those in Eastern Washington for telemetry, weather, power monitoring and traffic cams, and more.

Aimed to the southwest, same as any other DN dishes around here. I'll make some inquiries tomorrow, everybody knows everybody around here, someone might know the story of why it's there.

 

[Cadsulfide]

There may have been a trailer house parked there at one time.

 

[toucan-man]

There may have been a trailer house parked there at one time.

I went back today, I think you're on the right track. Best guess is that someone parks a trailer here for a getaway, we're in a scenic part of state. Anyway, there's a yard light on the pole, the electric meter is in place, just no yard and no permanent structure. (I'm pretty sure the dish is not used by any nearby cows)

 

[Cadsulfide]

Up here in the Red River Valley of the North there is a large influx of migrant labor in the spring to work the sugar beets, and in the fall most return to Texas for the winter. When working for D*sh, I would hang and re-aim a ton of 500's in the spring, often in trailer houses. Most of them get taken when the workers head south, have mounted a dish to the same location several times, finally started using security screws on the mast LOL.

 

[toucan-man]

Up here in the Red River Valley of the North there is a large influx of migrant labor in the spring to work the sugar beets, and in the fall most return to Texas for the winter. When working for D*sh, I would hang and re-aim a ton of 500's in the spring, often in trailer houses. Most of them get taken when the workers head south, have mounted a dish to the same location several times, finally started using security screws on the mast LOL.

That's interesting. You're in North Dakota? Once met a meteorologist that wanted to move to the center of your state. Said it's a great place for watching the weather.

 

[Cadsulfide]

We can see the northern lights a few times in the winter, Sundogs are common. Mars and Jupiter looked very cool this last week. Waiting for the snow to stop so I can fire up the snow blower, 6" last night.

We sent most of it to Minnesota, you're welcome Ice!

No dish trouble so far, even the 10' mesh is working great.

 

[toucan-man]

We can see the northern lights a few times in the winter, Sundogs are common. Mars and Jupiter looked very cool this last week. Waiting for the snow to stop so I can fire up the snow blower, 6" last night.

We sent most of it to Minnesota, you're welcome Ice!

No dish trouble so far, even the 10' mesh is working great.

I've never seen sundogs, I suspect photos don't do them justice. Northern lights I've seen, even near Chicago on rare occasions; do they mess with C or Ku bands?

One question for frozen northerners, I have my DiSEqC in an unheated building. So far, below zero weather hasn't affected it. Can I assume that bitter cold temperatures are not a problem for these switches?

 

[Wescopc]

I have never heard of low temps being a problem for switches.
Bob

 

[Cadsulfide]

I've never seen sundogs, I suspect photos don't do them justice. Northern lights I've seen, even near Chicago on rare occasions; do they mess with C or Ku bands?

One question for frozen northerners, I have my DiSEqC in an unheated building. So far, below zero weather hasn't affected it. Can I assume that bitter cold temperatures are not a problem for these switches?

The lights are always in the northern sky, the dishes can's see them.

Never had a problem with switches and cold, as long as they stay dry.

On a sunny day when it's -20, snow will melt and liquid water will drip down the side of the barn.

 

[Anole]

off topic:

Okay, I gotta admit, that Dish 300 on the power pole is pretty funny. - :up

. . . but . . .

You're in North Dakota?
Once met a meteorologist that wanted to move to the center of your state.
Said it's a great place for watching the weather.

I spent two years of Jr High School in South Dakota.
Weather might have been the only thing to watch... the place was barren! -
And North Dakota... I can't imagine it was any better... nor worse! -

 

[Cadsulfide]

We ND locals like to say about our weather "It keeps the Riff Raff out". We have blue sky, clean water and our kids/women can go anywhere without fear of bad guys.

I see the Bald eagles in my yard each spring and fall during migration. I have a big old owl that nests in my shelterbelt. I know all my neighbors and they know me. If you hear gunshots here, someone got either a deer or a varmit. I've never misplaced my truck keys, they have'nt left the ignition in years. On a normal day I can travel for an hour at 65 mph without seeing another vehicle. People that live to 60 here often make it to 90. We don't have movie stars, personal trainers, plastic surgeons, or bistros. Coffe is coffe. A mans word is still his bond. When we go to town we look everyone in the eye, say "Good Morning" and mean it. No gangs, pollution, overcrowding, earthquakes, brush fires we did'nt set, mudslides, or government interference in our lives. Garrison Keiler once said about this region "Where all the men are strong, the women good looking, and the children above average". High school graduation rate here is near 100%. 1/3 of the population is either a college graduate of has some college under their belt. Who could ask for more?

 

[toucan-man]

Who could ask for more?

I think I'd like North Dakota. From what you describe, I could get me a 15 meter dish, and nobody would say a word.

 

[TRG]

Garrison Keiler once said about this region "Where all the men are strong, the women good looking, and the children above average".

I thought that was Lake Wobegon, Minnesota .

 

[Cadsulfide]

I thought that was Lake Wobegon, Minnesota .

22 miles east of here, LOL

 

[bebopdeluxe]

When I was visiting Minnneapolis, alot people I met were "from" ND.

 

[Cadsulfide]

The big problem here, as in all rural areas, we are losing our young people from a lack of decent jobs or economic opportunity outside of agriculture. If you are not "Born" into farming, you'll never raise the million in capital you need to get started in it. Farmworkers outside of the immediate family are not famous for their great pay scales. The kids go off to college to conquer the world, and see little economic future for themselves at home.

Amazingly enough, our largest population growth demographic outside of the cities, is those folks comming "home to retire".

Me, I left the Rustbelt 6 years ago to come here and love it.

 

[Cadsulfide]

I think I'd like North Dakota. From what you describe, I could get me a 15 meter dish, and nobody would say a word.

You're welcome anytime. I'll keep a pot of coffe on...........

 

[Pepper]

Actually, Lake Wobegon is where "all the women are strong, all the men are good looking, and all the children are above average," according to the wikipedia article anyway. That's how I remember GK saying it each week.

[ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Wobegon"]Lake Wobegon - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia[/ame]