Looking at a new 1.2m

[Panavision]

WSI WS1247 1.2m dish versus GeosatPro 1.2m dish... I want to get a sturdier dish than my current Fortec Star 1.2m. I'd like to use it for Ku-band as well as a mini-bud. Which one do you guys recommend? Is there another option that's better than these?

Thanks!

 

[Bongu]

From my experience, the Fortec Star 1.2 is the quality standard the others are always compared to. What specifically are you looking for when you say you "want to get a sturdier dish?"

 

[Anole]

limited opinion

The elevation adjust on the Fortec 1.0 meter and 1.2 meter dishes are awful.
Several years ago, I brainstormed with one of our members who had one, and he wound up adding a screw-adjust for elevation.
Can't remember what the problem was; maybe the way it was all constructed so we couldn't add a screw below the dish.
Anyway, many folks have come up with great ideas to fine tune elevation on a variety of dishes.

Even back then, the GeoSatPro 1.2m dish had a very nice elevation adjuster built-in.
So, between those two, I'd go with SatelliteAV and his dish, any day.
Haven't really looked at the Galaxy offering (see our hardware reviews), nor evaluated all the dishes for metal thickness, so that's really all I can say.

 

[Panavision]

I was just saying I'm looking for a sturdier dish because a member described the Fortec Star as being flimsy and paper-thin. I've read positive reviews for both the WSI and Geosatpro dishes and just wondered what folks thought about each. My size-limit is 1.2m (which is strictly enforced by my wife). I want to get the most possible out of this size. I want to be able to get more C-band. I appreciate everyone's input. Best-case scenario would be an Andrews 1.2m with polar mount, but these look very hard to come by.

 

[Anole]

Yes, and Andrew/ChannelMaster/Primestar 1.2m would be excellent.
Though, they generally come on a fixed-mount.

As for the 1.2m size limit (four feet), try the trick I suggested for another member, recently.
Get a 6' or 8' BUD, and stick your tape measure to the center and check the distance to the edge.
"See dear, four feet!" - :up

 

[Panavision]

Excellent suggestion, Anole! If only she hadn't seen my current 1.2m dish. I suppose I could, over the course of several years, increase the size of the dish I bring home, until I've got a 9m beast capable of pulling in the weakest DVB-S2, 9/10 signal! She might be on to me by then.

 

[Mikey11]

Fortec are very good quality dishes, I'm not sure you will find anything better, good luck

 

[SatelliteAV]

Fortec are very good quality dishes, I'm not sure you will find anything better, good luck

I would certainly beg to differ...... For what it is worth.....

The Fortec Star 1.2M dishes were cheap and flimsy with lightweight elevation bracket / mast clamp assembly and poor finish. We were the largest Fortec Star distributor in North America for several years, yet we refused to distribute their dishes due to the poor quality and light weight construction. Fortec Star no longer distributes dishes in North America, so this information is probably moot unless one is still available through old stock.

If Fortec Star dishes are the "Quality Standard" that other dishes are measured to, we certainly do not have a very high bar!

Panavision, Of course we think that our dish is great, but we will let other members provide the reviews! LOL!

 

[brentb636]

I was just saying I'm looking for a sturdier dish because a member described the Fortec Star as being flimsy and paper-thin. I've read positive reviews for both the WSI and Geosatpro dishes and just wondered what folks thought about each. My size-limit is 1.2m (which is strictly enforced by my wife). I want to get the most possible out of this size. I want to be able to get more C-band. I appreciate everyone's input. Best-case scenario would be an Andrews 1.2m with polar mount, but these look very hard to come by.

Another fine choice would be a Patriot dish, but they're not easy to find either. There weight makes them more of a challenge for a motor, too.

 

[tdti1]

Ya man Fortec dishes a are pretty crappy, I gave my 1.2 meter away years ago when I replaced it with a Patriot 1.1m and never looked back

 

[Mikey11]

I would certainly beg to differ...... For what it is worth.....

The Fortec Star 1.2M dishes were cheap and flimsy with lightweight elevation bracket / mast clamp assembly and poor finish. We were the largest Fortec Star distributor in North America for several years, yet we refused to distribute their dishes due to the poor quality and light weight construction. Fortec Star no longer distributes dishes in North America, so this information is probably moot unless one is still available through old stock.

If Fortec Star dishes are the "Quality Standard" that other dishes are measured to, we certainly do not have a very high bar!

Panavision, Of course we think that our dish is great, but we will let other members provide the reviews! LOL!

You must be talking about the grey fortec dishes, the white ones are good quality

 

[tdti1]

Mine was white it was crap like all there dishes haha.

 

[Panavision]

Yeah, I was thinking about Patriot a little bit. I know that at least one professional unplinker uses a fly-away Patriot for his work all over the world. Obviously, I can't afford a fly-away, but the company is reputable.

 

[Mr Tony]

I have had 3 Fortec dishes....all white

-elevation off by at least 5 degrees
-bolts rusted within a couple months requiring replacement
-pain in the ass to use with a motor

all and all a bad decision I made getting a 90cm dish a while back.

 

[Bongu]

I have had 3
all and all a bad decision I made getting a 90cm dish a while back.

I will stop recommending them.

The units sold by SatelliteAV look to be well made.

Sent from my Timex Sinclair using SatelliteGuys

 

[Auric]

Going back to what Anole said, if you can get away with measuring from the center out, go for it. I have an ASC Signal 1.2 & honestly I got a lot of C band, but the slightest wind would pixelate it very bad(I live on a hill so it's always windy)...I had about 20 good watchable C band channels. Out of those I watched 4. The 3 CW's & one sports on 121, which is gone now

I found a 10' BUD & now I have a lot of C Band. My ASC Signal dish is back to Ku only

 

[Panavision]

I got lucky and was able to find an Andrew 1.2m very close to me. I still have some fine tuning ahead of me, but for the most part, it's ready! I used Ziploc's plans to make the mount. The motor doesn't seem to have any trouble driving the dish from east to west.

 

[brentb636]

I should be so lucky as to find an Andrew dish hanging around ! Gotta keep looking though !
Good job.

 

[Lak7]

You could explain that a Bigger Dish keeps you away from the Pub.

 

[brentb636]

You could explain that a Bigger Dish keeps you away from the Pub.

Not likely that'd happen !!!
I have a lovely daughter in Seattle, who celebrates Father's Day, my birthday, and all other occasions by sending me gift cards to the New Holland Microbrewery. I can't let her down and let those gifts go un-appreciated, that wouldn't be right !!