ProSat Communications Systems Button Hook 10' mesh dish

[mjac]

This is what I know about the dish.
The dish was new approx 20 years ago and is pristine condition. It was used for 4dtv until 6 years ago when the owner went to Direct TV.
It is approx 10 miles miles from my TN home which will probably mean no adjustment in the mount will be needed. You tell me.
I have been driving by this dish for several years and finally stopped and asked about it. Long story short, its free for the taking! I get the 4dtv receiver also although I don't know which one it is. I have to cut the pipe off flush with the rather large concrete pad it's embedded in.
I am going to take it down tomorrow. Sorry no pictures, but I'll get some tomorrow.

Anyone know anything about this dish?
Thanks

 

[Anole]

I recommend a cut-off wheel on a hand grinder for taking down the pole.
It's also best for those hard-to-remove bolts - just cut right through the nut!
Second choice is a sawz-all.
It'll work well, but is hard to get down on the ground, or maneuver into place for the hardware.

Guess we'll see your pictures tomorrow -
With luck, one of the ex-dealer/ex-installers here will know your dish and offer up some encouragement.
From what I've read, old button hooks -can- be restored for a few more decades of life.

The existing alignment is a good starting place.
You'll still need to do a proper align to get it on the arc, IMO.
C-band isn't so bad, but Ku on those big dishes is touchy.

 

[shankle]

Hi Mjac,
I have an antique 10' button hook dish which now is in pristine condition.
It should last me for years if a tree doesn't fall on it.
I have placed guy wires in about 2' from the edge of the dish and this has steadied
up the lnb. Since I am a novice at this my thanks goes to Fat Air for his excellent
help.
Best of luck

 

[phlatwound]

There is nothing inherently wrong with a buttonhook, they just get some badmouthing because they can be prone to feed alignment issues.....but so can other feed support types.

If it is structurally, mechanically and parabolically sound, and properly aligned, it should work well.

And as far as it not needing adjustment just because it is located nearby..... if it was aligned well before you take it down, it is possible and likely that the dish will be fairly close (if both poles are plumb) but you will want to check your angles once you get it hooked up and going.

If nothing else you can sometimes improve performance by adjusting your declination to the "Modified" value, rather than the "Standard" declination figues.

 

[mjac]

Could it be a SAMI?

Maybe it's a SAMI or at least that what is says on the cover, or hood whatever it is called. I couldn't see that yesterday. The sticker I did see yesterday does say ProSat. Maybe that is who installed it?
Anyway it measures 10.5' out to out.
Here are a few pictures.

 

[Anole]

Very clean !
And that's a robust mount.
I'd only look at how to properly lubricate it for the next decade of use.
Maybe ask the previous owner - he obviously took very good care of it.

As for the Modified Polar Mount Tracking Angles Phlatwound mentioned, I refer you to the Geo-Orbit web site.
Read the entire page until you fully understand it (took me several times).
Then, the chart is at the bottom of that page.

 

[mjac]

Not so sure it is a SAMI now

I have learned that SAMI routinely sold their labeled feed/lnb covers to others, so the dish ID is still a mystery. I am going back to the removal site to pick up the 4dtv receiver today. I can only hope the PO has found some documentation.

Anole,
Each fastener I put a wrench on came off without a struggle and most were stainless steel. Amazing.
Thanks for the link.I was was wondering what modified value declination was all about.

phlatwound,
I put a level on the existing pole before I cut it off and it was spot on plumb. I matched marked each part that moved before I disassembled it so I should have a good starting point. Getting it going again maybe a while I as have to head south in a few days to take care of a mailing project.

What will I need to operate the lnb? I took the blue cover off expecting to find it full of crap but to my surprise it was also in pristine condition. I believe its called a co-rotor and I have zero experience with such things. Or should I scrap it and go with something else? Can I expect the old receiver to move this and the dish around? Recommendations welcome.

 

[phlatwound]

Wow, I would say you found a keeper there. :up

I have never seen a SAMI that looked anything like that, and that is a very distinctive mount.

Haven't seen him around lately but you might try shooting a PM to 1captain, I would bet he knows exactly what that dish is.

And yes, your 4DTV receiver (if functional) should move the dish and change polarity on that corotor. You can always go with a voltage-controlled LNBF and move it with a G-Box also, if it was me I would go with what ya got first, bet it works.

 

[truckracer]

I have a two Sami dishes and my mounts are junk compared to that mount LoL...
O corotor is an old design that is excellent in feedhorns.

 

[mjac]

Thanks guys the help. I'll call 1captian when I get back to Florida. I don't have his number with me We live in the same neighborhood.

 

[ACRadio]

Possibly a 10 1/2 foot Raydx.....

 

[mjac]

For those of you following along, the receiver turned out to be a model 922. No remote...........yet. PO is going to look some more for it. I'll bet she finds it.

 

[mjac]

Possibly a 10 1/2 foot Raydx.....

Thanks. I searched this site for 10.5' Raydx and found dish and mount pictures in several threads. Close but not quite, especially the mount.

 

[mjac]

And yes, your 4DTV receiver (if functional) should move the dish and change polarity on that corotor.

How do I tell if the 922 receiver is functional?
Presently, here in TN I do not have the remote or a working dish to connect to.
Is there some sort of bench test I could perform?

Alternatively, I could take it with me to Florida and hook it up to the stationary 6'er I have pointed to 99.0 W. The motor on it is not hooked up due to LOS issues. Would that tell me anything about the 922?

 

[phlatwound]

How do I tell if the 922 receiver is functional?
Presently, here in TN I do not have the remote or a working dish to connect to.
Is there some sort of bench test I could perform?

Alternatively, I could take it with me to Florida and hook it up to the stationary 6'er I have pointed to 99.0 W. The motor on it is not hooked up due to LOS issues. Would that tell me anything about the 922?

I'll preface my answer by stating I know basically NOTHING about 4DTV receivers, I owned one for a couple months but bought it to resell, and didn't play with it much, just verified it worked and had good ID.

That being said, I think you can have 2 levels of functionality on your 922, full or partial. Full would require a good Unit ID/good battery (and would allow reception of 4DTV programming) but I think you can still use that receiver for a dish mover/polarity-servo switcher just by hooking it up like an old analog receiver. But you may need a remote to be able to perform even the "partial" functions, not sure.

I know with my old Toshiba 1820 (which is what I use to move my BUD and polarotor), I can move the dish and switch polarity with buttons on the front of the receiver, but need a remote to do any advanced programming. If you have front panel controls you could hook up your corotor on some short leads and go from an even to an odd (H to V) channel and see if it turned the servo.....same deal if you have an actuator, short leads and select different satellites and see if it operates the motor.

Btw, 4DTV is going through a big transition right now, so you might want to do some reading in the 4DTV forum here if you want to subscribe to that service in the future. And any 922-specific questions might get more attention (and knowledge) over there also.

 

[mjac]

I'll preface my answer by stating I know basically NOTHING about 4DTV receivers, I owned one for a couple months but bought it to resell, and didn't play with it much, just verified it worked and had good ID.

That being said, I think you can have 2 levels of functionality on your 922, full or partial. Full would require a good Unit ID/good battery (and would allow reception of 4DTV programming) but I think you can still use that receiver for a dish mover/polarity-servo switcher just by hooking it up like an old analog receiver. But you may need a remote to be able to perform even the "partial" functions, not sure.

I know with my old Toshiba 1820 (which is what I use to move my BUD and polarotor), I can move the dish and switch polarity with buttons on the front of the receiver, but need a remote to do any advanced programming. If you have front panel controls you could hook up your corotor on some short leads and go from an even to an odd (H to V) channel and see if it turned the servo.....same deal if you have an actuator, short leads and select different satellites and see if it operates the motor.

Btw, 4DTV is going through a big transition right now, so you might want to do some reading in the 4DTV forum here if you want to subscribe to that service in the future. And any 922-specific questions might get more attention (and knowledge) over there also.

Thanks.
I am taking the 922 home tomorrow and will try some of your suggestions if I can get the receiver to cooperate. It appears it maybe stuck in a self diagnostic mode. I wanted to check out the actuator anyway.
The 4dtv service will be on the back burner until I get moved to TN full time but I did go to the forum and asked some questions re: the receiver working. I have been given some things to check out.
Thanks again,
Mike

 

[phlatwound]

Thanks guys the help. I'll call 1captian when I get back to Florida. I don't have his number with me We live in the same neighborhood.

You're welcome, hope you can get that unit up and running.

Please tell Mike I said hi, have enjoyed viewing several of his projects. He is a master fabricator and probably has as much hands-on dish install experience as anyone around, quite the guru. He needs to hang out here more. :up