Temporary Travel System Setup Mounting Recommendations.

[FTABman0]

I was wondering what size Satellite Tripod to use with my secondary travel system? The setup Is identical to my primary system here at home and consists of a Moteck Digipower SG2100 motor, FORTEC STAR 80cm KU Band Offset Dish Antenna and an Invacom QPH031 LNBF all brand new. I have the pole mount that came with it with the extra supports.(Second Picture)

I will be using my Fortec Star Dynamic for travel because of the ease of use for everyone!

I was going to mount it to a wooden pallet, (I have a small one but big enough to support the 80 CM, my 90 CM is on it now!) lag screw it to the pallet but I really do not want to travel with a wood pallet! I was looking at the 3’ tripods and the 5’ ones. Other than the obvious in taller size does any member have either height tripod mounts and the results with setting them up and using them OR some other way for a fast travel system setup that would not be too complicated meaning some neat cool way to set a temporary system up without a tripod.

I want to use it camping, cookouts and barbeques, car shows and at our family cabin.

Want to see what you guys use or what you would use without a satellite tripod for fast and easy temporary setups.

BUZZ IN with your ideas, experiences with a tripod mount, love to hear any new ideas or raves on the tripod owners!

K E V I N

 

[jayelem]

I can only imagine the amount of interest that a temporary setup can generate at the places you mentioned , would love to hear what kind of reactions you get from curious onlookers.

I wonder if you could get away with sandbags to weigh down your tripod if winds are calm.

 

[FTABman0]

I can only imagine the amount of interest that a temporary setup can generate at the places you mentioned , would love to hear what kind of reactions you get from curious onlookers.

Hey jayelem, been awhile since you chimed in on one of my posts! How have you been? Don't know about the sandbags, one reason I would love to hear from tripod owners, the wind factor. I know the ones the sponsors here sell have where you can bolt them down on the feet bottom! I seen one that had ground stakes, and ones that accommodate the smaller dishes with an anchor in the middle, the big ones can be modified for an anchor in the middle, this is The Satellite Guys! The tripods are not much in cost might just get one to try.

When I do get something for the travel setup I will be sure to let you know on the reactions side of it. I would be a great way to spread the word about legit FTA!

jayelem, again nice to hear from you again on a post of mine! Have a great morning!


K E V I N

 

[Anole]

two ideas:

I see tripods as a negative. :rant:
It's just a problem, looking for a solution. -

What about bolting the dish to the side of your vehicle?
Is it stable enough for tracking the birds? Would it work for a fixed dish?

Also, there is no real reason to put the dish up in the air.
You could have it quite low.

What about using a wheel & tire as the base?
Make up a little plate that matches the wheel bolt pattern, and assemble it on site with your spare?
Maybe a plate with holes, with the motor mounting pole welded perpendicular to the middle of it.
Should be heavy . . . and low.

edit:
And for a portable system, I'd rethink the QPH031.
... or at least add support struts to it... but all that just makes it heavier.

 

[SatelliteAV]

When traveling or displaying I use heavy duty PA speaker tripod stands Tripod Link and water filled ballast bags available from photogrpahy stores. Also carry a few cup blocks to place under a leg to plumb the stand.

 

[FTAsquirrel]

Here is a Tripod system That might work also.
Satellite Dish Motors-FTA

 

[FTABman0]

What about bolting the dish to the side of your vehicle?
Is it stable enough for tracking the birds? Would it work for a fixed dish?

I really don't think that I am going to "Bolt" the thing to the side of my classic car!

Hope that was a joke from you ol Green One!

Leaving the motor on and setting it up stationary would not be a task. I leave everything together when I take it places and just take the reflector off and motor off the mount (whatever one I use at the time) to load things up. It has been easy that way but I really have not traveled too far with it so far. I use a 19 inch HDTV LCD flat screen TV so travel space is great there, the receiver does not take up that much room and the reflector is the biggest part to stow and travel with.

Also, there is no real reason to put the dish up in the air.
You could have it quite low.

No, I agree I really do not want it high in the air for someone to trip over or knock it down, but have a little height for stubborn areas if needed.

What about using a wheel & tire as the base?
Make up a little plate that matches the wheel bolt pattern, and assemble it on site with your spare?

That is another great Idea Anole! I might look into that!

That is a great idea! We used to have something similar to that back in my radio days for our remotes and our 2 way Marti! 25' Telescoping Mast, It was a mount that we pulled the van onto that had the antenna on it. 25' is a bit too high! Maybe a fabrication is in order, it would be great on level pavement but not good on uneven ground & buying one is not practical, and they are way too expensive since they run over a grand!

And for a portable system, I'd rethink the QPH031.
... or at least add support struts to it... but all that just makes it heavier.

Does not nesscerily have to be the Invacom, that is just what came with the second system I bought for travel.

When traveling or displaying I use heavy duty PA speaker tripod stands Tripod Link and water filled ballast bags available from photography stores. Also carry a few cup blocks to place under a leg to plumb the stand.

Brian I have two light bar tripods for my Mobile DJ system, they are a bit tall though, from the pictures in the link you sent they look almost the same as those. I wanted to try to fit things more "Travel" size if possible. My lighting trusses are over 10 feet in the air so the tripods I have can go that high. Great idea though and I did think about that but the ones I have are too big & tall.

I will just wait for more ideas and someone that owns tripod mounts to buzz in with their experiences with them to see if I want to go that route yet. Anyway, Thanks Brian and Anole for the great Ideas I have thus far! (Hint rv1pop,)he has to have ways to set them up the temp way!

I always wait, read the pros and cons before I commit to buying anything that has to do with electronics or associated with. Saves you headaches in the long run!


K E V I N

 

[mikelib]

Here's What I use

Since I live in an HOA community I move my FTA set up in and out of the garage and I lock down the tripod with a bucket of sand. It works fine; check out the pics. I lift the bucket of sand about an eigth of an inch off the ground and let it hang the weight of the sand in the bucket holds the tripod very well. I took the set up to my daughters house in NC and used their bucket filled with sand. If you go camping a bucket of water would work too.
Mike Lib

 

[FTABman0]

Since I live in an HOA community I move my FTA set up in and out of the garage and I lock down the tripod with a bucket of sand....
Mike Lib

Great pictures Mike, looks like a 90 CM dish! Is that a 3’ or a 5’ tripod? Any issues with wind? I take that the sand is all you use for weight and nothing bolted on the feet of the tripod. Well now, since you have a tripod setup, what is your take on using one, or the Pros and Cons (if any!) on using it?

K E V I N

 

[mikelib]

Great pictures Mike, looks like a 90 CM dish! Is that a 3’ or a 5’ tripod? Any issues with wind? I take that the sand is all you use for weight and nothing bolted on the feet of the tripod. Well now, since you have a tripod setup, what is your take on using one, or the Pros and Cons (if any!) on using it?

K E V I N

Yes that’s a WSI 90 cm, and a 3-foot tripod and a Home Depot bucket with around 20 lbs of sand. I was playing around with C-Band that why the conical ring on the LNB. I usually use the Ivacom LNB that does both linear and circular reception. I bought the FTA motorized system from Galaxy Marketing a couple of months ago. Love the FTA hobby.

Pro’s
You can move the tripod to get the best LOS.
Wind not an issue when tied down correctly.
Can be adjusted with a little effort.

When I set up the tripod I line up my most south sat 74W, I tie the tripod down and I check 72W and 79W. Every once in a while the NBC mux on 72W needs a kid in the tripod leg for a good SQ. Then the motor will track from 15W to 125W.

Cons
Level, Level Level.
The mast on the tripod must be level and the legs must put on a level surface or shimmed.

Good luck on your set up.

Yes the neighbors think I’m weird, they are always passing comments.

 

[FTABman0]

Yes that’s a WSI 90 cm, and a 3-foot tripod and a Home Depot bucket with around 20 lbs of sand…….

I figured it was a 90, great Pros and Cons there Mike, I just might get one of the smaller tripods to try and rig something like you did for ballast. You got a great little setup there for sure.

I just want something that will not take too much time in setting up, easy to move around and not too much room to haul around for travel use for when you are traveling; you know you need all the room you can get!

Yes the neighbors think I’m weird, they are always passing comments.

I know what you mean there, mine think I talk to aliens or at least are Listening to them!

Are you having much luck with that C-Band LNB and conical ring? WSI has a great deal on the rings right now; I do not have a big enough dish to try a Conical Ring.

On the HOA thing I know how that can be, I had to take down my 10 foot C-Band BUD last month!! :rant:

They did say I can have a 6 Foot though guess it is not as bad as it can be!

Sure a very nice setup there you got and I really appreciate the commits and your suggestions on the tripod mount! :up

K E V I N

 

[Anole]

stealth bucket:

Yes the neighbors think I’m weird, they are always passing comments.

Well, if instead of a RED bucket, you used a gray one... or camo ... they might not even notice it.

 

[Smith P.]

Perhaps he like to chat with neighbors and choose the color purposely.

 

[rv1pop]

I have lost track of my milage at the moment but do not know if I would want to take the time to set (or carry) up a motorized setup. As well as a tripod, I use the off-set pole that came with my dish from SatellieAV as it has the ability to square the pole up. Then with two 2 X 10's to bolt to the base (bolts come up through one 2 X 10 so it is quick hook up to the base), I can clamp the boards to (around) most any fence post, picnic table, bumper or tire (I use long racheting clamps), or the RV ladder (shorter clamps).

I suppose the motorized would not be too much harder to set up, once you got the feel of it .

I carry milk jugs to make the tripod steady. Empty, they are light and can be crushed to take up less space and full of water, they weight about 8# each. Water is easy to get and dispose of, where as sand is not in some places, and weighs a bunch to carry.

My thoughts, adapt it if you wish. BTW, this was easy to try to home first. Just be sure your 2X10's are long enough to go across your tire, but not too long to clear the fender wells. I am glad I discovered that at home. Cutting two boards with a hacksaw would not have been fun!

 

[mikelib]

Oh No it's the color of my bucket that makes me strange to my neighbors, and I thought it was my aluminum foil funnel hat that I use when I’m adjusting the dish. You do need the foil hat so that you don’t get any radiation or strange satellite signals caught in your hair.

 

[FTABman0]

As well as a tripod, I use the off-set pole that came with my dish from SatellieAV as it has the ability to square the pole up. Then with two 2 X 10's to bolt to the base (bolts come up through one 2 X 10 so it is quick hook up to the base), I can clamp the boards to (around) most any fence post, picnic table, bumper or tire (I use long racheting clamps), or the RV ladder (shorter clamps)...........

Thanks for the suggestions POP! I figured you had a tripod setup but also figured there were other ways you have set them up for everyplace you go is never the same and different! The mount platform you described might be a great way to go; I will defiantly build one to try for sure! :up

Thanks for your suggestions on and what you use, just wanted to hear advice from the guys that move their systems around or travel with them for suggestions on how to keep it solid and secure but simple and fast to setup but easy to travel with since room is always the factor when traveling around. I need the space mainly for essentials and less entertainment if you know what I mean! The TV experience it just a plus luxury!


K E V I N

 

[FTABman0]

.... and I thought it was my aluminum foil funnel hat that I use when I’m adjusting the dish. You do need the foil hat so that you don’t get any radiation or strange satellite signals caught in your hair.

:haha Mike :haha

I had always thought that the “Tin-Foil Hat” was to keep the Aliens from reading your mind!

K E V I N

 

[Elchucko]

I am a full time RVer and have a Motosat D3 system with a Hughesnet 74cm dish on the roof. It is great but is useless if a campground has a large shade tree next to the camping spot. A couple of years ago I picked up a second Direcway dish at a dump. While looking for a decent tripod I came across this one (see attached) on eBay. I paid $80 for it (used). It is the perfect portable system. The feet have small spears to pierce the ground. Once assembled and the heavy Directway/Hughesnet dish is installed on it, the turnbuckles on the guy wires are used to make it perfectly plumb. Within a few minutes I am on the satellite and ready for the internet. The dish, tripod and all the wiring are stored in a Thule luggage carrier on top of my dually pickup. It also has the side lnbfs for Dish Network. The whole thing can also be used FTA.

Although I have never tried it, it should be steady enough for a motor. I don't know who makes it, or if it is still being made. It is extremely lightweight and without a doubt, the best tripod I have ever owned or used.

 

[FTABman0]

I am a full time RVer and have a Motosat D3 system with a Hughesnet 74cm dish on the roof.

WW Elchucko, that looks like the Cadillac of tripods!

The turnbuckles & guy wires on that thing is something else! That is the ultimate mobile mount gear! I checked out the Motosat manufacture site, really impressive stuff there for Internet Receiving gear and dishes. Be nice to find a used tripod like that one for sure! :up

It is a bit big though for just traveling around without a RV though. I really need something small enough to fit into my classic car trunk for easy transport to and from car shows. My trunk space on the old gal is 14.7 cubic feet with full-size 15 inch spare in there. Now on the other hand, it would be perfect for the barbecues and outside family reunions and such I attend all the time.

Might look into that for sure! This is what I wanted, the true RV people suggestions on that they use for they got to have the fastest and easiest way to set up dishes. But I also welcome any idea too! :up

I truly appreciate your Buzz in on the post. I am just throwing around ideas first before I commit to buy something that may not work.

So far all the suggestions here are great ideas and I wanted more than one to try. That is very cool! I still might go with a smaller tripod mount anyway for fast easy setups for car shows and think about something like this or other post suggestions for a more elaborate setup when needed!

Great ideas guys, keep them coming! Thanks again for the suggestions and photo share Elchucko, I am envious of that tripod monster!

K E V I N

 

[Elchucko]

It is a bit big though for just traveling around without a RV though.

The tripod is not really that large. It splits in two. The black pipe splits right above the yellow legs, making it only about 3 feet long when disassembled.