Rescued a Winegard 2076 from death by garbage truck yesterday...

[Tron]

Well, I was out running errands yesterday afternoon, and happened to spot a large garbage pile stacked for pickup at the curb. I stopped immediately when I saw a large dish atop the pile. The occupants of the house were in the process of moving, and had stacked a bunch of things they no longer wanted. I asked them to be sure it was out for the trash, and they said to please take it. There were a couple of old D* dishes as well, but I left those as my priority was the 30" Winegard 2076.

They had been using it to combat rainfade on their D* service. It has a dual output DSS LNBF, which I'll replace with a stacked LNBF which is on order. The Invacom QPH-031s don't play well with this dish, as they are too heavy for the LNBF holder. The dish was a bit warped, but I've worked it out and it looks fine and sits flat. I'll do the string test to be sure.

My first FTA dish was a Winegard 2076, so this feels like getting an old friend back ...

 

[Magic Static]

Nice catch! That was/is my first FTA dish also. But I might disagree with your assesment of the Invacom LNBF. I've had one married to my Winegard for ever.


Although the thought about the size has crossed my mind and I made a couple mods

 

[phlatwound]

Nice save indeed, and it was small enough that you didn't have to roll it home!

I did similar to what MS did on a Fortec (added side support arms) to help it carry an Invacom quad. Made them out of a couple of elements from a battered OTA antenna.

 

[hwm]

NIce catch. It's easy and cheap to build side support arms....

...for the lnb arm from 1/2 inch thinwall electrical conduit. The necessary holes in the dish edge were pre-drilled at the factory on my DS-2076 dishes.

I can post a picture if needed, but it's pretty easy to figure out. Getting the angles correct on the hammered-flat ends of the conduit is the only tricky part. It helps to have the dish right there with you at the workbench when you get to that part.

 

[Mr Tony]

My first FTA dish was a Winegard 2076, so this feels like getting an old friend back ...

8 years later I still use a Winegard 2076

 

[Cosmokramer11]

my 2nd dish was a Winegard 76CM it played fine with my QPH31

 

[DK_Sat]

I got a Satellite KU system from Craigslist for $20 Winegard 76CM dish , 2 ku lnbs , Fortec star receiver.

 

[Tron]

It is a great dish, and will consider adding fabricated supports in the event that I end up using a QPH on it. I had tried the Invacom on my previous 2076, but the weight would always cause trouble. It probably is a moot point, though, because I'm trying to go 100 percent bandstacked in my system.

Nice save indeed, and it was small enough that you didn't have to roll it home!

Nope, this dish fits nicely in the back of my station wagon! In fact, it would make an excellent choice for FTA on the go (RVers, camping, etc.)...