Newbie ?: Are the CM 1.2m's too much hassle?

[Natedawg63]

Hi All... Just getting into FTA because I want to ditch cable service... I have been researching dishes for the last week+. I def want a 1m - 1.2m disk. I can get a CM 1.2 shipped to me very affordable, or other options are the SatPro and Patriot, which get very good reviews.

I like the idea of a CM because it is a composite material, should last a LONG time. Only hesitation is it seems like getting it set-up with proper polar mounts can be a hassle. I really do not want to fab anything to get it set-up, but like the idea of being able to experiment with C-band along with Ku with this nice dish. I live at:

Lat: 33 N
Long: 86 W

Will I be able to track down the parts needed to get a CM up and running or is it better to go with a steel dish?

Kind Regards...
Nate

 

[Anole]

1.2 meter dishes

I also like the molded composite dishes.
And that is what I would go with.

However, if you won't fabricate anything and insist on motorizing it, then that's a problem.
I assume you are comparing it to the 1.2 meter GeoSatPro dish.
I have no info about the Patriot 1.2 m at this time, but there is another thread on them which looks promising.

Given your restrictions, and what I know (or think), I'd go with the GeoSatPro 1.2 and one of the big motors Sadoun sells.
Consider the 280 or the 380.
The alternative is a whole kit with a polar mount, screw-jack motor, and Vbox 3000 controller.

I've also been seduced, intrigued, and sometimes entertained by the idea of C-band on a small dish.
We have several members running 1.2's and they seem happy.
Recent experiments with 1.0 meter dishes proved workable, but not much more.

I've also gone on safari, hunting the elusive 180cm offset Prodelin.
But, yesterday I bagged an 8½ foot solid dish, so my interest in the small stuff has evaporated.!.
If ya want C-band, get a proper dish. People are happy if you'll take 'em away.
And if you take -that- advice, then a 1.0 meter Ku dish makes plenty of sense.

Well, that's one opinion. I'm sure you'll get plenty of input on the subject. - :up

 

[Natedawg63]

I have a WANTED: ad in a local Trader publication for 4' Channel Master satellite dishes... I live near lotsa rural land, so I am praying that someone has a dish with a pole mount already attached that I can pick-up or get for little of nothing... The pub comes out every Thursday, so maybe I will get lucky and find one. Guess I can keep my eye out on Ebay also.

Nate

 

[turbosat]

Welcome Natedawg , what part of AL are you in, sounds very close to my coordinates!

 

[1captain]

will try to give you my findings on these types of dishes Nate.

now on the tech side a metal dish should perform better than a composite dish, reason why is that the IF signal has to go threw the composite material before it bounds back to the lnb, an their is a slight attenuation in this process. but all is not true in a real world. I have found that a composite dishes work better, than any stamped steal, or hydro dishes, by a fair amount, same size for size. now a composite with all of its webbing on its back side will hold its parabolic shape true for several years of its life, an from day 1 are a lot more accurate than any hydro or stamped steal dish right out of their factory.

now when it come to receiving signals size does matter, along with dish performance, an in my book I would pick a composite dish for C or Ku any day of the week, for their long life performance. an yes they are costly to build an ship over stamped dish, but are worth it in the long run. now if you are on a budget yes go with stamped steal, or if you don't care about price then pick a composite. now I have both types here for both bands an the composite's all are better performers.

 

[Natedawg63]

I am in Central Alabama - South Talladega County.

I am hoping someone replies to my wanted ad on a 4' CM... that would be ideal if it already has the polar mount. I think there is a Jaegar mount that will work also. Will jus have to keep an eye out for a mount solution. Thanks for the replies.

Nate

 

[turbosat]

Nate, I'm about 30n of Bham, but I don't have what you need. Maybe you'll get a reply to your ad, but I would keep an eye on some of these closed-down car dealerships, might get lucky!
I don't think Primestar used the 1.2M dishes much in our area, I've never seen one, but plenty of 1m, which are great for ku but I never tried c-band on one.

 

[Anole]

The chance of finding a 1.2m dish in the field on a Polar mount is about zero!
That's why adapting one to a big H-H motor is more attractive.

Same problem with the Prodelin 1.8m dishes.
They were installed for use on a single satellite.

We have talked about the Jaeger mounts in the past, and they didn't seem to work out.
Whether it was shipping cost, price of the unit, reliability, or service, we dropped the discussion.
Try searching back (no more than two years) and read what the fellows came up with.
Maybe one year.
I don't know who started the thread, but I posted to it. No, I post too much...
Sadoun talked about a group purchase, and since he doesn't post that much, it should be easy to find.

 

[Natedawg63]

May just go with a Patriot 1.2m for ease of setup and stick to Ku band. That way I can use a Stab or similar motor. Can get one of those shipped very reasonable.

Nate

 

[Natedawg63]

Another Option:

I decided to go ridin' down in the boondocks to look for abandoned BUDs and saw no less than 6, 8' - 12' BUDs in peoples yards/fields. I stopped by an old family friends house that has a 2-piece 10' BUD and he said he would give it to me. He has had this one since the c-band Sat craze hit in the late 70's if I remember correctly. I rapped on it, sounds like metal but it has a fiberglass coating on it? It has stood up well, only the old pig-iron polar works on it are rusted. It has a Venture actuator/motor on it and he said he still has all the original receiver, motor mover that came with it. He said when it was first installed "everything was FREE", like HBO etc... then they started charging a subscription fee for everything and it has been sitting ever since.

Would this make a good candidate for a digital c/ku band dish. I thought I read these "older" dishes are more desirable now? Since it would be free, I would invest in something like this for it:

Digital Upgrade: "Consumer Digital"
INCLUDES ADL RP-3 C/Ku Feedhorn, with standard digital LNBs.:
YOUR CHOICE OF ELECTRONICS
Astrotel 15-degree C-Band and 0.5 dB Ku-Band LNBs @ 1000 KHz stability -OR-
Pansat 17-degree C-Band and 0.6 dB Ku-Band Digital LNBs.
269.00 plus shipping & handling

ASTROTEL High Stability Digital Upgrade: "Semi-Professional"
INCLUDES ADL RP-3 C/Ku Feedhorn, with 500 KHz High-stability digital LNBs:
ASTROTEL 15-degree C-Band and 0.5 dB U.S. Ku-Band.
Usually the answer for cleaning up signals for critical digital reception,
especially on MPEG-2 and 4DTV receivers.
319.00 plus shipping & handling

Guess what I don't know is will I be able to receive signals like DN satellites with this type of set-up along with reg c and ku FTA? Not the most knowledgeable about all the hardware. I would probably have to invest in a new steel polar mount and new "legs" for the feedhorn since the ones on it are pretty rusty.

Jus looking for thoughts if I should snag this freebie or invest in something else?

Nate

 

[Natedawg63]

Did some more reading and it seems what I am after is a Motorola 4DTV receiver + HD decoder and quality digital C/Ku band LNBs for free channels and subscribe to whatever other premium channels I want. The Motorola receiver can control the dish motor that way. Need to do more reading and see what BUD owners setups are. I had rather have uncompressed digital signal vs compressed signal like DN uses.

Nate

 

[turbosat]

I think most of the digital feeds you can subscribe to with a 4DTV are compressed also, to some degree. Somebody who has one can comment on that. But I would think the majority of them will still look better than that overcompressed DN channels, esp the standard def ones. 4DTV is old hardware now, late 90's, came out when there was still some belief that people actually wanted the picture quality and choice of programming providers. Most settled for 'packaged and easy' and went to the tiny dish providers.

 

[Natedawg63]

Thanks... But if I wanted to do a pay package, like HD movie channels... I would need a 4DTV receiver?

Another friend heard I was looking for a BUD and offered me his 8' mesh dish, which is alot newer than most of the ones I saw that are solid disks. I went over and looked at it, in very good shape. Has a actuator on it that looks like it has a single coax that is used to control it, maybe not 36v? Can't rem the name that was on it or the name on the feedhorn cover - shoulda jottedthem down.

I think I am gonna tryout the mesh first, since it comes apart in 4 sections and would be easier to take apart, reassemble. Will prob still have to update the feedhorn/LNBs to do Ku/band. If I want to do HD c/band and ku/band... Any suggestions on receivers?

Thanks

 

[turbosat]

The 4DTV with the HDD200 High Def decoder is prob what you are after, they're found from time to time on ebay, and sometimes here (check the Equipment for Sale section, front page)
You question might be better posted in the C-band forum for more exposure. Sev members here have those receivers and can tell you more about what channels are available and the PQ.
Really not a lot of HD on free to air, fulltime yet, PBS is about all, with some occasional sports feeds. You'd need blindscan to find those feeds.