McGuyver has inspired me to...

[PopcornNMore]

Seeing pictures of McGuyver's multifeed satellite dishes has inspired me to do the same this Fourth of July weekend.

I am thinking about doing the following setup and would appreciate any comments or suggestions:

Rinker Dish Farm
SAT 1: 240cm (95-GC3-C), (99-G16-C), (99-G16-KU), (103-AMC1-C)
SAT 2: 180cm (83-AMC9-KU), (91-G17-C), (91-G17-KU), (99-G16-KU)
SAT 3: 120cm (89-G28-KU), (97-G19-KU), (103-AMC1-KU)
SAT 4: 65cm (125-AMC21-KU), Motorized (61 to 160)
SAT 5: Primestar (125-AMC21-KU)
SAT 6: DirecTV (101-DirecTV4S/8-DSS)
SAT 7: Dish Network (110-EchoStar10/11-DSS), (119-EchoStar14-DSS), (129-Ciel2-DSS)
ANT 1: UHF Terk TV32 (Digital Pittsburgh Locals)

I have approx. 14 additional satellite dishes stored in the garage if needed.

I will be pouring a 42" x 42" concrete pad to support the 240cm C-band dish this week and will install the dish this coming weekend. I'll be sure to post pictures.

 

[Dishman Dan]

That plan sounds very ambitious! I do not seem to get much done due to working too much and I need some inspiration. I have to bring a truck down to Midland in the next week or two - maybe I better look you up!!!

 

[guapoharry]

SAT 4: 65cm (125-AMC21-KU), Motorized (61 to 160)

160?

 

[PopcornNMore]

160?

I meant 127 for the KU band range. I used the 160 from Lyngsat's website for North and South America.

 

[PopcornNMore]

How deep should I make the 42" x 42" concrete pad to support the 240cm dish from WS International? I am figuring around 2 feet should be plenty.

 

[FaT Air]

Mine is 5 x 7 ft (approx)x 6 in and holds a 10ft steel mesh bud and the pole doesn't go into the ground- the BUD is bolted to it.

 

[PopcornNMore]

Mine is 5 x 7 ft (approx)x 6 in and holds a 10ft steel mesh bud and the pole doesn't go into the ground- the BUD is bolted to it.

Thank you! This means that even if I only dig about a foot I should be good.

5 x 7 feet is huge. Do you have a picture to share?

 

[rv1pop]

You need to go below frost line -- here that is over 3 feet deep. County says 42 inches for pole building posts and my c band post came up from 3 feet... so I will go to 4 feet when I redig it.

 

[PopcornNMore]

You need to go below frost line -- here that is over 3 feet deep. County says 42 inches for pole building posts and my c band post came up from 3 feet... so I will go to 4 feet when I redig it.

If I were to make the 4' x 4' concrete pad 4 feet deep it would take over 120 (80 lb) bags of high strength concrete. At roughly $4 per bag it would cost $480 almost double what the dish cost.

Most people recommend 4-6" like FaT Air suggested. Even if I made it 4" using 10 (80 lb) bags it would weigh over 800 pounds. At that weight I don't think it's going anywhere. After all the dish itself weighs less than 100 pounds.

 

[turbosat]

Popcorn, its a Hole, not a cube lol. Just dig out a hole , with your auger or post-hole diggers. Bell-shape it out at the bottom, if you can, and pour in the mud. I never need that much here, but its very rocky. Most of mine come out less than 24" or so in diameter, but they are usually wider at the bottom, and filled in partially with rocks, scrap metal, rebar, wire or whatever else I got lying around. If you want to make it a pad on the top of the ground, do that, but it won't take digging out a giant square unless you're in pure sand.

 

[PopcornNMore]

Popcorn, its a Hole, not a cube lol. Just dig out a hole , with your auger or post-hole diggers. Bell-shape it out at the bottom, if you can, and pour in the mud. I never need that much here, but its very rocky. Most of mine come out less than 24" or so in diameter, but they are usually wider at the bottom, and filled in partially with rocks, scrap metal, rebar, wire or whatever else I got lying around. If you want to make it a pad on the top of the ground, do that, but it won't take digging out a giant square unless you're in pure sand.

Turbosat the dish won't be mounted onto a pole using a polarmount. Instead it uses a "sit 'n spin" style stand mount.

 

[FaT Air]

Ok, found the pics I put in another thread
http://www.satelliteguys.us/free-air-fta-discussion/214870-concrete-pad-8-dish.html
It's a floating slab, but hasn't moved in years, been there around 20, and its survived many 50 mph winds also.

 

[PopcornNMore]

Thank you FaT Air for the photos. Last night I purchased the concrete and assembled the wooden frame. Today I cleared the area and poured the concrete. I am sore and tired. I made it 6" deep by 4' x 4'.

Photos will be posted within new thread "Rinker 2010 Dish Farm Thread" within the main FTA area.