OTHER United States Postal Service Ku band dish

[ILoveSats]

My local post office has a beautiful KU Band Satellite Dish on top of its roof. I decided to have a conversation with the postmaster and ask if this satellite dish is still in use. He told me, believe it or not, that that dish was installed brand new over 30 years ago. He continued by telling me that at the time workers installed Outlets throughout the post office and the dish was supposed to do something beautiful and wonderful things. Sadly that day never came! The equipment was not used at all!

After hearing this story I asked if it was possible to obtain the dish? The postmaster told me that it is very difficult to acquire government property and that he didn't even know who to suggest to follow up with.

I've read a lot of guys telling others on the Forum that they can go to places like gas stations, banks and even people's backyards and acquire satellite dishes. Now that I think about it I've never heard anybody talk about the post office. so either the postmaster is correct and everybody knows that and it's impossible to get this piece of government property through legal channels. However, I thought this might be a good topic for the Forum and wanted to find out if any hobbyists out there have been successful in obtaining a satellite dish such as the one in the picture from the United States Postal Service?

Would certainly love to hear what others have to say on this one.

 

[navychop]

You have time on your hands in the middle of the night?

 

[primestar31]

You have time on your hands in the middle of the night?

Yeah, that's likely a felony, because it involves government property. Shouldn't even be laughed about, much less suggested on a forum.

 

[primestar31]

My local post office has a beautiful KU Band Satellite Dish on top of its roof. I decided to have a conversation with the postmaster and ask if this satellite dish is still in use. He told me, believe it or not, that that dish was installed brand new over 30 years ago. He continued by telling me that at the time workers installed Outlets throughout the post office and the dish was supposed to do something beautiful and wonderful things. Sadly that day never came! The equipment was not used at all!

After hearing this story I asked if it was possible to obtain the dish? The postmaster told me that it is very difficult to acquire government property and that he didn't even know who to suggest to follow up with.

I've read a lot of guys telling others on the Forum that they can go to places like gas stations, banks and even people's backyards and acquire satellite dishes. Now that I think about it I've never heard anybody talk about the post office. so either the postmaster is correct and everybody knows that and it's impossible to get this piece of government property through legal channels. However, I thought this might be a good topic for the Forum and wanted to find out if any hobbyists out there have been successful in obtaining a satellite dish such as the one in the picture from the United States Postal Service?

Would certainly love to hear what others have to say on this one.

Forget it. Until the government themselves decides to "surplus" it, you can't get it because it's government owned.

 

[navychop]

Yeah, that's likely a felony, because it involves government property. Shouldn't even be laughed about, much less suggested on a forum.

Hence the

 

[NYDutch]

Years ago at our mountaintop property in the Adirondacks, we leased a cell tower and dish site to American Tower. I was gifted a government owned 15' Hughes dish by the contractor installing the replacement 22' dish. The crew even installed it to replace my '10 dish. The key was that their work order called for disposing of the old dish locally. The installation was a thank you for the hospitality my wife and I provided them during the job supplying coffee, cold drinks, and occasionally sandwiches.

 

[ILoveSats]

Kindness is key.

 

[Hyper Casey]

"The postmaster told me that it is very difficult to acquire government property and that he didn't even know who to suggest to follow up with."

This alone tells me you should move on, he is not willing to work with you.

 

[ILoveSats]

OMG! You’re late to the party you haven’t read any of my most recent posts have you???

 

[a33]

Well, the recent 'posts' are in fact new 'threads'; if I understand you correctly.

For us to keep track, opening separate threads is not the easiest way to let us follow your experiences.
So I can quite understand Hyper Casey 's reaction...

Nonetheless: keep up the good work!

Greetz,
A33

 

[ILoveSats]

Well, the recent 'posts' are in fact new 'threads'; if I understand you correctly.

For us to keep track, opening separate threads is not the easiest way to let us follow your experiences.
So I can quite understand Hyper Casey 's reaction...

Nonetheless: keep up the good work!

Greetz,
A33

Hi a33,

Thanks for your input. I understand that following multiple threads can be a bit challenging. However, I'd like to point out that my more recent threads, dated September 3rd and 4th, provide updates on my journey in acquiring satellite dishes.

In response to your comment about the difficulty of following separate threads, I believe it's important to create new threads for new developments. This is especially true when the information is not directly related to the original post. Keeping everything in one thread could make it harder for people to find the most current information. Additionally, older threads may not get the attention they once did, causing new, relevant information to be overlooked.

I appreciate everyone's interest in my satellite dish endeavors, and I encourage you to check out my latest threads for the most up-to-date information. Specifically, I'd love to hear your thoughts on the two different satellite dishes I recently acquired. I've posted some technical questions in those threads and would greatly appreciate any expertise or advice you can offer.

 

[a33]

In response to your comment about the difficulty of following separate threads, I believe it's important to create new threads for new developments. This is especially true when the information is not directly related to the original post. Keeping everything in one thread could make it harder for people to find the most current information. Additionally, older threads may not get the attention they once did, causing new, relevant information to be overlooked.

I'm afraid I have quite the opposite opinion, here.

I believe it is important to give follow-up information on threads that are started once, so that they don't remain "open-ended". So that the 'new developments' can really be seen as developments, as new stages in the context where the development(s) began. That would be important, for the people to find. Not only for newbies, looking for information; but also for helpers, to assess the context of the questions/problems.

So for me, it would be quite OK if looking for a dish, finding a dish, transporting a dish, setting up a dish, checking focal point position of a dish, and alignment problems with the dish, would all be in one thread, that you started.
The fact that the thread title then maybe doesn't apply anymore, is inevitable in a forum like this. Many threads start with a problem definition, where the true cause turns out to be quite different from what the thread title suggests. That is not a big problem, I guess; with a google search, relevant topics usually can be found.
But I do agree with you, that for instance a question about receivers would be best in a separate thread.

After someone posted in a thread, the thread automatically is put on top of the threads list of the forum. So no chance of overlooking, I would say. The relevant, most current information of a thread/subject, is thus always easy to find.


So it seems my reasoning is quite different from yours...

Greetz,
A33.

 

[ILoveSats]

Hi A33,

I appreciate your perspective, but I have to respectfully disagree. While it's true that updating a single thread can provide a comprehensive view of the journey, it can also make it cumbersome for new readers to sift through a long thread to find the most current information.

Additionally, not all developments are directly related to the original topic. For example, my initial thread was about acquiring a dish from a post office, but my latest acquisitions are from different sources and involve different technical questions. These are distinct topics that warrant their own threads for clarity.

The forum's design does push updated threads to the top, but that doesn't negate the benefit of having separate threads for separate topics. This makes it easier for both newbies and experts to find and provide targeted advice.