Thinking about adding c-band... possibly.

[shmew22]

Well... my switches should be here monday from sadoun... And i've been contemplating setting up a c-band dish since there is more programming there i could get. problem is, i can't put up too big of a dish. So i been looking at the WSI 6 footer and a esx242 dual output lnbf from galaxy. I'd like to motorize it so that i can get even more on the one dish. So i guess my questions are if the dish is a good one to start out with (ease of use etc) and if that lnbf would be a good one. Also, how difficult will it be for a noob to setup their first motorized and cband setup in one fowl swoop? Side note: will an actuator be all i need to motorize the c-band dish? Thanks for the help guys.

 

[stanleyjohn]

A 6 foot dish with a DMX741s tuned just right will get you a good amount of what FTA has to offer

 

[Anole]

I think a bigger dish would be more appropriate.
How 'bout an eight foot solid or perforated spun aluminum?
And let's have it on an H-H motorized mount, while we are at it!
Might as well look for the good stuff. - :up

If you go with a little dish, probably best to use a single band LNBF.
It'll perform better on C-band than a dual band LNBF, and be easier to adjust.
As for a choice between the 242 and the C2, I can't say.
We really do need a shootout between those two LNBFs.

To drive the motor/jack/actuator, you'll need a Gbox or Vbox.
See my signature for which I recommend.
See the discussion in the Hardware Review department for why.

And if you do go with the Galaxy bargain dish...
Required reading for anyone setting up the 6' WSI/Galaxy dish:
http://www.satelliteguys.us/248617-finally-17.html#post2514175

 

[shmew22]

I'd love to put a up an 8-10th dish! However due to some restrictions, can't. I'll read those links and hopefully that'll answer alot of questions. Thanks guys!

 

[turbosat]

Matthew, bigger is usually better in dishes!, go for the biggest you can find/buy. Will mean more stable signal for your c-banding adventures.
ps , I think the term is "one fell swoop", I never knew what the hell it meant either, 'all at once' maybe, lol.

 

[surfster]

Im new and i want a bigger dish but I pick up a lot of cool stuff with my 6 footer and a dmx 741.
PS I move mine by hand; I like 91W : )

 

[shmew22]

Wow!. After reading about all of Dee's problems, it sounds like i better stick with a bigger dish, especially since im new at the game. I'll see if i can do some convincing and get the go ahead for a 8-10footer, got my eye on a couple. Ill see if i can post some pics tomorrow and see if you guys can gimmie a heads up on what i should try and get my hands on. There is a solid one around the road here and a black mesh one about the same size on into town. sadly that's the only two i have spotted around here. Also, can some of the older lnbs and motors be used with newer stuff? i assume it all depends on what the dish comes with...

 

[shmew22]

ps , I think the term is "one fell swoop", I never knew what the hell it meant either, 'all at once' maybe, lol.

Yea, hellifikno how its spelled. lol. just a phrase i picked up from teh elders around here. haha

 

[Anole]

There is a solid one around the road here and a black mesh one about the same size
...
Also, can some of the older lnbs and motors be used with newer stuff?

Yea, post the pictures and the sizes right here in this thread.
I'm sure you can get some choice feedback on which would be best.

I never worry what feedhorn it's got; on old dishes it's a corotor at best, and I won't use one.
If the motor is functional, that's gravy. If not, you get a new one. Big deal.

 

[Dee_Ann]

Wow!. After reading about all of Dee's problems, it sounds like i better stick with a bigger dish, especially since im new at the game. I'll see if i can do some convincing and get the go ahead for a 8-10footer, got my eye on a couple. Ill see if i can post some pics tomorrow and see if you guys can gimmie a heads up on what i should try and get my hands on. There is a solid one around the road here and a black mesh one about the same size on into town. sadly that's the only two i have spotted around here. Also, can some of the older lnbs and motors be used with newer stuff? i assume it all depends on what the dish comes with...

I hate to say this but, bigger is better.. I'm sure that a very experienced installer could set up a 6' dish and make it work but I had horrible luck with it. I ended up with a 10' dish and even that is a bit touchy though I would bet it's not really aligned properly.

So take your wife out to a nice dinner and sweet talk her into a bigger dish. She'll thank you for it once you show her all the old time goodness on 87.

 

[shmew22]

Well, I have some sad news. I just drove by the house that had the black mesh dish, and it's gone today. it was there just two days ago, so thats kind of a pain. But I'll stop and get a pic of the solid dish on my way home. And I might drive around a bit and see if I can't hunt down another mesh one.

 

[shmew22]

So take your wife out to a nice dinner and sweet talk her into a bigger dish. She'll thank you for it once you show her all the old time goodness on 87.

not married Dee, haha, still a broke college student livin with the folks, so I guess I could take them out to dinner though lol.

 

[shmew22]

Here's a quick pick I took from the road. Not the greatest but that's the best I got right now.

 

[Tron]

Don't worry, Shmew22. Dishes are like buses. If you miss out on one, there will be another one along soon (paraphrase from a Gomer Pyle episode, yes I've been watching too much MeTV )...

 

[andrew_h]

I'd love to put a up an 8-10th dish! However due to some restrictions, can't. I'll read those links and hopefully that'll answer alot of questions. Thanks guys!

Bigger is probably better, but I've had good experience with 6' - and I'm new as well. I use 6' WSI (unmotorized), and ESX242.

 

[shmew22]

well... still havn't had much luck tracking down another bud...yet. I'm making a long venture from our place to the deeper south of ky... barren county... hopin i can find one (or more) to bring with me on the way back. haha. or at least find one to go back and get later. On a side note... i bricked the living crap outta my 8000 couple days ago and it just aint comin back (usb force load, serial, all the factory/cleaner files i could find here and nothin). So i bought me a Manhattan and i can't wait to get it! All the good comments about it here have convinced me to get it and give it a shot.

 

[turbosat]

Good ol Barren County-my home for 2yrs or so, 2000-2002. I don't remember finding any good dishes up there when I was running around Glasgow and Cave City, but I never did venture out much further than that. There's a lot of roads I never did drive on , some nice country though!

 

[shmew22]

I actually spotted 10ish on the way up here! All solids except for one lone mesh one. And they were all different lookin. Button hooks, tri support arms, quad support arms, some that had mounts coming out of the dish itself. I was kinda amazed at all the different ones... Gonna see if I can get my grandpa to stop through for me and get one or two don't have a truck myself. Lol

 

[shmew22]

There's a lot of roads I never did drive on , some nice country though!

it is amazing out here!

 

[shmew22]

Got my manhattan today! Hooked it up, swung my dish to 101 and I'm watching pentagon in HD!!! Whoo! Well I have talked the folks into a BUD finally and I just gotta talk around and get me one.