Unimesh dish

[Jason S]

So in considering adding a second dish, I stopped at a house to ask about their dish and if they wanted to part with it.

They said they were renting and had no idea what it was for. They allowed me to look at the dish and take photos. I left my phone number with them and asked if they would talk to the property owner.

Everything appears to be there, but I'm sure that there will be quite a bit of work to do on it. The mesh has quite a few small hail dings. I didn't have a tape measure on me but it looks like the dish is around 7' in diameter, but I'm not sure. I attached poor quality cell phone photos.

If the property owner says "take it"...

Would the hail dents be a big problem to massage out or are they small enough to not really be a problem?

Would this be a decent setup to for a C-band beginner, especially versus trying a mini-bud?
Any other thoughts/suggestions?

 

[phlatwound]

Those little dents will not have much of an effect on performance, and you can probably massage most of them away if you like. My most-used BUD is covered with much worse dents, and it works well.

And yes, a MUCH better setup than a mini-BUD. Get the pole too if you can.

 

[boba]

That looks like a 7.5' dish. Most of what they made were 10' & 7.5'.

 

[Jason S]

Thank you for the replies phlatwound and boba.

For now, I'm waiting to hear from the property owner... I've got my eyes on some alternative dishes if I don't get a response.

 

[FirstClass]

I'm a novice who has questions about a possible unimesh dish.



Are these two images photos of a 10' unimesh dish?
I'm about to pickup this free antenna and the owner was unsure of size and manufacturer.
And if it's a ten-footer - would the four sections (after disassembly) fit on a 4' x 7' trailer? Face up or face down for transport?

This is my first attempt at dish recycling, so thanks in advance.

 

[FaT Air]

Hard to tell if it's a 10 or not. Even if it's only 7.5, it's a nice dish. If the price is right, get it. Can always keep looking for a ten if it doesn't perform well enough for you.
They should fit. If it's a 'flat bed' style trailer, and you don't have to transport it far, take it whole. Face up supported by old tires at 3 or 4 points. (remove the actuator first) Take the back roads to avoid traffic. (you'll be a bit 'over-width if a 10) A couple more 'pairs of hands' and it should be a 'cake walk'.
Don't know if that cement base is salvagable(moveable) so make a new base, with the 3 bolts for 'plumbing' the pole, so it's ready upon arrival. (Mine is on a 'floating slab' with similar pole attachment)

 

[FirstClass]

Fat Air - Thx for the reply. I've seen photos of whole dishes being moved with antenna facing up resting on top of a tire, etc. But the trip is 75 miles one way and I'm only one guy so disassembly is the only option.

You mentioned the base and 3 bolts for plumbing the post - does that suggest the post as it is - is sitting on top of the slab and not buried in 3 feet of concrete? That would mean I can take the post and all with little effort.

 

[FaT Air]

That would mean I can take the post and all with little effort

Yup. Just unbolt it and make your base, with the same spaced bolts protruding, and you're set.

Pic and details from my own 10ft BUD. Concrete 'floating slab' measures approx 4.5ftx8ft 6 inches thick.
homemade "T" bolts wired to rebar structure in center of slab.
If you opt for a 'pillar' for a smaller 'footprint', like a 3ftx3ft, make sure the bottom of the concrete goes down below the frost level. If not, it's going to move a lot, requiring numerous seasonal adjustments.
Notice- pretty 'clean' for bolts that have been in the weather for almost 30 yrs- I WD40 them a couple times a yr.

 

[jdc270]

Before I would take dish apart, another pole that fits mount can be fastened to the trailer & dish set down on it! Can make a tripod out of wood too! Strap it down & drive!

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