Old 10' solid fiber dish......worth salvaging?

[Castenada]

Hi guys

I'm new to dish of any sort but have been reading up on fta for a few days because my wife who is from Peru is pestering me to get her some channels from her home country. I have decided that c-band looks like the best option for us and so started looking around for unloved dishes and found a monster 10ft solid fiber dish behind this guys barn (laying face down on the ground) that he said i could have and even offered to haul it for me. It has a couple small cracks on the rim and the support for the lnb has been bent up. the support is a single arm coming from the center of the dish with 3 arms branching out to hold an alluminum plate that the lnb mounts on. 2 of the 3 arms have been bent due to it laying face down on them but i think they could be straightened without too much trouble. The alluminum plate may be another story because it is almost doubled over on itself. Im guessing the lnb is probably shot too but i probably would have replaced it anyway. There were no markings on the dish itself that i noticed to help identify it.
I know its not much to go on but I would like to get some opinions on whether or not you guys think its worth refurbishing or wheter I should just get the 6 foot motorized dish package from sadoun. I like the Idea of a new tech hobbie as im kind of a geek but is this freebie monster dish gonna be a bigger headache than its worth?

 

[Smith P.]

Pictures, please !

 

[Castenada]

pictures

I will try to get over there tomorrow to get some pics.

 

[truckracer]

The only possible drawback is the wire mesh could be severely decayed inside the mesh.
This can cause poor performance. Also the dish probably has large hole mesh which won't work on ku too well. Give it a shot and see, it may be fine

 

[Anole]

It will be heavy. Hard to move 'n install. Might work fine.
As suggested, you may want to see.

But what Smith said is most important: pictures.
We have folks who'll give you the pedigree of many old dishes. -

There are some old dinosaurs that probably wouldn't be worth the effort to move.
And others, commercial dishes, which might be quite nice.
The term "fiberglass" is applied to several different types, so the picture will tell the story.

Here's the other thing: there's always another dish to find.
Keep on the lookout. Don't take the first you see.
I spent a year... maybe two, looking at everything around.
And then when I found my first BUD, the second found me, that same month!

 

[linuxman]

There should be a lot of dishes in your area.

As Anole says, just keep looking and train your eyes to see them.

They are like hunting mushrooms. Once you find the first one, the rest are easy to see.

If you need help, contact member Phlatwound via PM. He lives near Springfield and could possibly send you in a harvest rich direction.

 

[osu1991]

I can tell you where a nice Birdview solid is outside Miami, OK. It may have been in use, was hard to tell. I have to drive by it whenever I am going between Miami and Grove for State claims. Lots of mesh dishes out in that area too.

It is along Hwy 69 in the 8 mile or so stretch between Miami and Interstate 44.

 

[Castenada]

pictures

as requested here are some photos, i also have the polar mount and lnb

 

[sergei]

as requested here are some photos, i also have the polar mount and lnb

If I were you I'd keep looking.... I think that dish will be nothing less than a big pain in the neck for you to install. That dish has to be really heavy.

 

[ACRadio]

Besides the weight factor it's highly likely that it was laying on an area that probably wasn't level (the ground has irregularities) and this will cause the dish to warp. And since it's a one piece there isn't much you can do to change that. One piece glass dishes were notorious for warping.

 

[Smith P.]

But the SIZE ! Irresistible.

 

[guapoharry]

Are there any pieces to mount a scalar ring / feed horn on?

If not. I'd pass. You ought to be able to find a dish with all the parts.

You might check to see what peruvian channels are available here.

 

[Smith P.]

no big deal to find focal point for such dish, measures and spectrum analyzer will help in that !

 

[Anole]

I'm wondering if the dish originally had a button-hook LNB mount?
That's where there's a pole sticking pretty much out the middle of the dish, holding the LNB and scalar.

You obviously lifted it up onto its edge.
Can you estimate the weight?
Could you and one other adult take it to your truck?
I'm thinking it might require three or four to carry it.

Depending on the dish weight, your ability to transport such a beast, and what sort of yard you have... here's where I'd go next:
I'd flip it over on it's back, and run three strings across the dish, about 60° apart.
Tape 'em down at the edge.
See how closely they all meet in the middle.

Also, you need to be willing to bury a pretty stout pipe into some concrete.
And, you need to understand that if it isn't all it could be, you may some day need to replace the dish.
On the up-side, I'm guessing it'll do C-band better than a 6' dish!
Even if it performs no better than a 7' dish, you'll have something new! - :up

I believe I'd pass on it. From what you've shown, it'd be a big first-project. -

 

[Castenada]

Yes it has a aluminum plate (severely bent) that the scalar mounts to. I have the lnb/scaler with the plate. it does have the "button hook" type mount i guess. there is a single pole coming out of the center to hold the lnb that branches out in three directions.....kinda like a pyramid. You can see the mangled remnants in the pictures. It has a tube with set screw that actually holds this mount allowing it to be adjustable in terms of distance of the lnb from the face of the dish. I thought this might make it easier to refabricate the lnb mount as you could just mount it up and tune it with the adjustment. The dish actually didnt seem that heavy to me. I think 2 stout guys could load it up but three would be safer as its sheer size makes it awkward.

Thanks Anole and everyone else for the help. I am still undecided but have time to decide as i don't think its going anywhere. The comment Anole made about it Probably being better than a 6 foot dish was helpful. That was one of my concerns as I realized that there probably is some warpage. If there's no gain over a 6 ft dish I might as well Buy the system that sadoun put together here C-Band Satellite System
rather than spend a comparable amount setting a 5+ inch pole(still need to measure the polar mount but as I recall it was huge) and probably buying a new lnb and actuator.

sadoun needs to put together a package with some bigger dishes and polar mounts. At present only the 6 footer is motorized.

I think I may get a Ku setup to play with for a while and if i do pick up this monster later then the mesh size wont be really an issue.(does anybody run 2 motorized dishes off 1 receiver)?

Thanks again, you guys have been very helpful.

 

[phlatwound]

There should be a lot of dishes in your area.

As Anole says, just keep looking and train your eyes to see them.

They are like hunting mushrooms. Once you find the first one, the rest are easy to see.

If you need help, contact member Phlatwound via PM. He lives near Springfield and could possibly send you in a harvest rich direction.

Castenada, I would agree that you could probably do a lot better hunting for another dish. I don't know of any specific dishes in your area but I have had success just driving around the Springfield area and looking, also placing an "Dishes wanted" ad in your local Craigslist is free and I have gotten several dishes that way.

I'm not sure if you can run 2 motorized dishes off of 1 receiver or not....but if it can be done, someone here has done it and can help you out.

My C and Ku systems are on seperate dishes and receivers and they work very well.

 

[Sadoun]

sadoun needs to put together a package with some bigger dishes and polar mounts. At present only the 6 footer is motorized..

We will soon. Your suggestion is appreciated.

BTW, that solid fiber dish would work great as a roof over a backyard shed of some sort

Or you can just convert it into a SOLAR WATER HEATER project and track the sun with it. You will for sure get enough hot water for your house and neighbors including a swimming pool. :up

 

[Castenada]

hadn't thought about the solar heater idea......that may be a good plan for it

 

[Castenada]

that sounds like a great idea......and it would give me an excuse tp play with micro controllers again

 

[Auric]

Out of curiosity...I would put it on a pole & point it at some sat like G 18...Like Smith, P mentioned, not a big deal to find the focal point. Hey Sadoun...I check your site all the time for an 8' Polar...Let us know