Maybe my first BUD - Questions

[1badtwo]

Hi Guys -

I have the opportunity to use the old BUD at my office. It's been abandoned for at least 10 years. It would need to be completely re-wired as the original actuator cables are turning to dust. I won't be moving it, I can use it at it's current spot. The mesh looks good to me, I saw one maybe 1" dent from probably hail at some point. I'm wondering if I should look at swapping the LNB with something else? I took a bad picture of the LNB but I got the model number ACS-740. A little google-in and I see this is a Norsat LNB? Any thoughts on this? Also for actuator wiring I did some reading and see mixed reviews on AWG size. Could I get away with 18AWG sprinkler wire if I'm running between 100-150 feet?

Anyway the dish is branded Zenith - I did some reading and it seems these were Winegards? Looks like an 11' footer to me.


What should I do to the actuator before I try putting power back to it? Are they serviceable/need greased/cleaned?

Pics attached! Also pics of a KU they told me to take home if I wanted.

 

[stanleyjohn]

Looks like a nice BUD!Dosnt look like that much work will be needed.Thats a good reliable actuator on the dish!Looks like a old type LNB which uses servos so i would replace that with a new c-band LNB or a c/ku band combo like a 741 if you want to use both bands.Dont know what kind of receiver you have! im guessing an old analog type which should be replaced.Im sure many here will chime in to help! welcome aboard.Update!! Im no expert here! Anole probably knows alot more on LNB's than i do!Dont change out the LNB till you know what you got.

 

[Anole]

Hell of a find.

- measure straight across the dish, edge to edge. Don't let the tape droop. You have a fine 10' dish!
- the reflector is of perforated metal, not mesh. I've never seen an old perf Winegard that didn't look great. Probably aluminum perf(?)
- I see what looks like an ortho feed, with two C band LNBs. You struck gold. Probably Chaparral
- I didn't look up the LNBs. Probably first class.
- the little dish is a Channel Master (Andrew). Measure it horizontally for size. Probably 1m (39").

I'm jealous! :up

 

[waylew]

Yep 10' Winegard just like the one in my back yard.Also that's not a polarotor,that's a C band ortho mode :up.
Anole types faster than I do.

 

[FaT Air]

Nice dish. Where you located? I'll be right there 'n take 'er home.(LOL)
Are you going to take the BUD down and relocate it?? just wondering.
The existing feed/lnbs can be used with a multiswitch. Preferably modified to supply 18v to both of the LNB's. This will allow the FTA receiver to select which polarity it's looking at. (IT"S AN ORTHO)
The alternative is a new LNBF. Will switch without any other parts added.
Might even go with a dual band (C & Ku) as it's a perf dish. small holes. Should work well.

As for the actuator, it can be taken apart, cleaned up and relubed. Search for a thread OR- It may be good to go(??)
One could try a battery. (24v drill battery> anything from 12 to 36 volts) Listen to it. if it nice and quiet? If it groans, it needs to be overhauled. They all are similar when it come time to refurb them. Long screw and a nut. Usually the screw gets rusty and wears out the nut. Clean and relube usually suffices unless the nut is really bad. But they can be replaced.

Wiring - coax. I'd at least cut the ends off, with around 6 inches of the wire removed and install new connectors. I'd opt for replacing the whole run if it's more than just a short term experiment.
Actuator- The motor should draw 2 amps max at 24-36v. How much resistance does 200 - 300 ft of 18ga have, and how much voltage 'drop' is going to be experienced. If the motor voltage drops too much, might not have the power to move it. I'd definitely want all the motor voltage I can get. (within a reasonable wire size) 14ga here on the motor leads. (~50ft run)
The actuator sensor, (reed switch) can use much smaller, 22 - 20 ga, as there's hardly any current.
Is there an old receiver (IRD) there to use to power the actuator??
Ahhh- the little 30 inch DTN dish. I got two. I installed a hobbyest grade Ku LNBF's on them. A little small, but they work well. May that one is larger. Measure horizontally across just above where the arms attach to the dish.
(Just in case, you need to know - I'd take the BUD's little cousin home also)

 

[Anole]

If you want a dual band LNBF, I've got a new one here in a box I'll happily trade for your C-only ortho & LNBs. :up

Alternately, get a motor for the little dish and use it exclusively for Ku.
Leave the BUD as is on C band only.

 

[mmewrench]

You are right about the ACS 740 being made by norsat. It is essentially an 8520. I used one for a while and it is very stable. I wouldn't replace them if they work.

Looks like the actuator is a Von Weiss V76-5 which is 48 pulse per inch. Perfect for ku if you chose to add it.

 

[primestar31]

WOW!

That's a nice yearly bonus for anybody! Great dishes for your first ones!

You can fix that dent with a block and body hammer if you really want to, but trust me, the little dent damage will make no discernable difference to your signal level.

 

[1badtwo]

Thank you all for the comments - I will try and reply back each at a time...

Stanleyjohn -
It was a 4DTV setup at one time. A DSR-920 Motorola that lost its UID. So it's only good as a mover, but I don't think thats the route I will go.

Anole -
I'm pretty sure my tape was tight, although I was trying to hold the tape and take a picture so I will go back on the roof next week and measure again. I will measure the KU also, I wasn't that interested as I already have a 80cm Fortec on a STAB HH90, and I was excited about the BUD. It will definitely come home with me though, I wouldn't let them trash it! I wonder if my STAB HH90 could handle this KU dish as I'm sure its better quality then my Fortec. I will do my research on the ortho vs a C/KU and get back to you. I like having KU at home, so I'm thinking I may want KU @ the office also.

FaT Air -
I'm in mid/northern ohio. I wont give you the address because I'm afraid you'll scale the roof and unbolt that sucker late one night! Thank you for the battery tip, I'll take a DeWalt drill up there with me and see if she moves! I will be doing all new coax and actuator wires, currently the RG6 that is there is going down two floors and abandoned somewhere, for me to use they will have to go into an entirely new spot. I will get a more accurate cable length and see about going to a bigger wire for the motor power. Will snag the DTN dish and NPRM and bring home, I'll put it next to my 84E Primestar in the basement.

mmewrench -
Thank you for the exact model numbers, I will use those to find more information specific to the parts!

primestar31 -
Thanks! I do get some nice perks through my job, but hooking this up will probably be the one I enjoy most. I have told the operations guys the last 2 years that I was going to get around hooking it back up. They are doing a re-roof this year and said if I wasn't going to use it they were going to take it down and scrap it. I said if the bosses want it gone I'll disassemble it and bring it home. They told me they'd leave it if I would use it!



I think I'll try and get G or V-box and a microHD or a PC Tuner. I might look at a TBS MOI or some type of Linux PC running DVBBlast to get the feeds over IP to my desk. Not too good with Linux. Also I heard SatelliteAV might have some type of network tuner at some point. I may just get the V/G-Box and take my Prof 7500 from home to work to play. I'll update this thread with anything new! Thanks again guys!

 

[waylew]

You were measuring the length of the petal which is longer than the radius of the dish.Either measure the actual diameter,edge to edge,or measure from the button hook to the edge in the same plane as if you were measuring the whole diameter.

 

[1badtwo]

Making some progress, been pretty busy. Picked up an SWA-48 and did Pendragon's 18V mod to it. Found a spool of 1000' Belden lying around. Just need some wire for the actuator and sensor!

 

[1badtwo]

Can anyone give me input on this RG6? This is what I have a 1000' spool of. http://www.belden.com/techdatas/english/633948.pdf

Would this be suitable for a >300ft run or should I get something else? What is the difference between RG6 and RG6/U?

 

[turbosat]

I'd take it-solid copper conductor according to the specs, around 3db loss at 200'. Are you having to run over 300' to your dish? At those lengths something else might be called for, like RG-11, but I will defer to other opinions here. Haven't had to run anything that distant yet!

 

[waylew]

Being as you already have it,try it and see if it works satisfactorily.Just run it above ground first to try it before you bury it.At that distance rg/11 would be preferred tho.Besides signal attenuation you also have to consider excessive voltage drop for the LNBs.It looks like pretty good cable so it may work just fine.The "U" means general utility at least according to Wiki,see this ;

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RG-6

You'll also want run at least 2 if not 3 runs out to the dish,you never know.

 

[1badtwo]

Thanks guys!

It's about ~275 feet. The plan is to use the whole spool so 3-4 total runs. I'm trying to track down some 12AWG for the motor, but a 500' spool isn't cheap. It's all going on a roof and inside 1 1/2" conduit for UV protection, plan is to put 3-4 RG6 lines in there 12/2 AWG and 3 Cat6 lines for other needs. I don't think it will be too packed.

Also for my modifed multiswitch for the orthos, should I be mounting this closer to the dish or closer to the receiver? Any difference? I can do either easily.

 

[FaT Air]

If I read the specs right, 8db loss @ 900Mhz/100 ft Kinda high. (300ft =24db)
And the specs show nothing above 900Mhz. (So -Don't think it's meant for satellite, as it says 'Surveillance CCTV)
What I'd do is 'try it' (one run) and see if it works OK before committing to three or four runs. Compare to the receiver located near the dish on a short run of coax.
If that don't work put- inline ampllifiers?
Think I'd look for Belden 7915A*, Com-scope 5781**. Something that's 3Ghz rated(less loss) loss is still fairly high- *18db loss @1000ft@ 1Ghz **18.22db loss @ 1000ft@ 1Ghz. Or like, been mentioned, RG-11.(Best bet)

 

[markbone100]

300ft RG6 is too long, need to run RG11

Check with the local cable company. Sometimes you can get a reminant spool for free

 

[stanleyjohn]

With that kind of distance have you figured out how to do the dish/satellite alignment job using the motor set up?

 

[1badtwo]

Thanks guys, I may just order some RG11 to be safe.

With that kind of distance have you figured out how to do the dish/satellite alignment job using the motor set up?

The dish should already be aimed correctly, but if I need to tweak it I'd be using a birdog, laptop/prof7500 and a vbox since I cannot find a gbox anywhere.

 

[Anole]

It's about ~275 feet. The plan is to use the whole spool so 3-4 total runs. ...
It's all going on a roof and inside 1 1/2" conduit for UV protection, plan is to put 3-4 RG6 lines in there 12/2 AWG and 3 Cat6 lines for other needs. I don't think it will be too packed.

Also for my modifed multiswitch for the orthos, should I be mounting this closer to the dish or closer to the receiver? Any difference?

If you put the multiswitch downstairs, you'll need a minimum of four coax runs.
Since each exceeds 250 feet, a 1,000 foot $pool won't do the job.

If you put the switch somewhere close to the dish, you only need as many long runs as you have receivers.

Just work out how to power the switch, and protect it from the elements.
I'd explore methods of powering the switch nearby, and not running it 275 feet.

Lastly, and this is not my area of expertise, I wouldn't try for a 275 foot cable-pull!
.