what are the better quality 30 to 36" dishes?

[Technojunky]

I bought my dish from sadoun, and for the money I paid, it is probably OK. One thing I don't like about the Fortec dish is the design of the adjustments. I saw a design that had screws to make fine adjustments. So one you get your dish in the ball park, you fine tune it with the screws, then lock it down. The problem with the Fotec dish is in the fact that when to tighten the screws, you can change the focus of the dish enough to pull it off by 20 to 30 % of signal, or quality. So who makes the better dishes? the plus on the Fortec is the strength of the LNB arm, it can hold the heaviest of LNB's with no problem. Jm

 

[Mr Tony]

winegard is a good dish...real sturdy

 

[PSB]

The one meter Winegard dish have a great reputation but they can be hard to find! And costly!

 

[Technojunky]

As for sturdy, the Fortec is that. I am interested in all-around characteristics, sturdy, and easy to make fine adjustments to. A good design would have two ways to adjust it, once being course, the other being fine.

I see the Winegard dishes being praised in a lot of web posting. How is their design in the fine tuning area?

I will look for their web page, if they have one. maybe they have a drawing of the design.

 

[bigOleB]

The winegard 76cm is a great first dish for any FTA'er

Although 90cm - 120cm is better, but like others have said, "It is hard to find a 1.2m Winegard"

 

[digiblur]

I know exactly what the OP is saying. The Fortec is a good dish except for the adjustments. The adjustments are made for a 18" DBS dish, not a 36" KU FSS. You get the signal at 90% quality then you tighten, let go, and boom 55%. I don't know how many times I sat there and contemplated taking the dish down to weld on a few pieces of metal to mount a bolt to run the elevation up and down instead of the stupid two bolts on each side thing. Very very poor design IMHO. I missed having the bolt that you slowly tightened or losened to change the elevation like my 8' BUD had. Maybe someone will come up with a good design one day if the FTA "movement" keeps catching on.

 

[saidias]

I live 40 miles from where winegard is headquarted. If any wants a 76cm or 1 meter, let me know, I can pick them up directly from there factory and ship. Might be cheaper....dunno....

 

[Technojunky]

I tried to buy one over the internet today and they want $35 to ship it. He claimed that it was the size of the box that made it cost so much.

Digiblur, finally, a person who knows exactly where I am coming from. So what does OP stand for?

In any case, I have thought to get the welding equipment out and do just that. JAM

I live 40 miles from where winegard is headquarted. If any wants a 76cm or 1 meter, let me know, I can pick them up directly from there factory and ship. Might be cheaper....dunno....

 

[PSB]

OP = The Original Poster (I think)

 

[rkrenicki]

I tried to buy one over the internet today and they want $35 to ship it. He claimed that it was the size of the box that made it cost so much.

That is exactly right.. the box needed to safely ship a dish that large, exceeds the USPS and UPS Girth requirements, and is considered an oversize package, thus being charged for the 70lbs rate, rather then the actual weight.

I have shipped an 80cm dish in the past, and it barely was under the girth requirements (by like 2" combined), anything bigger than that, would have crossed the line.

For example, the USPS website dictates the sizes as follows:

Package - Use “Package” when the length plus girth (the distance around the thickest part) of a package equals 84 inches or less. Most packages fit within this category.

Large Package - Use for packages when the length plus girth (the distance around the thickest part) of a package is more than 84 inches but not more than 108 inches.

Oversize Package - Use for packages when the length of the longest side plus the distance around the thickest part is more than 108 inches and less than or equal to 130 inches. Items over 130 inches are not mailable.

Lets say, you wanted to ship a dish from Connecticut (where I am) to California.. a satellite dish box is 30 inches x 30 inches x 10 inches.. that would be 124 inches in girth, which falls under the Oversize package definition. Assuming it was 20lbs, the USPS would charge $120.72 for Parcel Post

If that box were 28 inches by 28 inches by 10 inches, it falls under the normal box catagory, and would only cost $25.39 for parcel post.

Here is UPS's prices:
All prices are UPS Ground, assuming from 06385 to 90210 and 10lbs
28x28x10 $21.82 (Billable weight 30lbs)
32x32x10 $44.59 (Billable weight 70lbs)
38x38x10 $93.41 (Billable weight 90lbs)

http://www.ups.com/content/us/en/resources/prepare/oversize.html

 

[digiblur]

That is exactly right.. the box needed to safely ship a dish that large, exceeds the USPS and UPS Girth requirements, and is considered an oversize package, thus being charged for the hundredweight rate, rather then the actual weight.

I have shipped an 80cm dish in the past, and it barely was under the girth requirements (by like 2" combined), anything bigger than that, would have crossed the line.

Hundredweight doesn't have anything to do with package size. This is for LTL shipments all going to one consignee.

To put all of this in layman's terms.... the box is too big and requires extra handling. The oversize boxes (OS1's and OS2's) most likely will not go through automated sorting systems, belts, etc which is why the extra cost of the shipping.

 

[rkrenicki]

You are correct, I used the wrong term. I knew it was billed as a heavier package, due to its unweildyness (in this case, 70lbs, not 100lbs).. I have already edited my above post for more clarification.

 

[Anole]

fine adjust & no shipping cost

One thing I don't like about the Fortec dish is the design of the adjustments.
I saw a design that had screws to make fine adjustments.
... So who makes the better dishes?

Certainly an educational thread, but no answer to the original question.

I've only run across small dishes that adjust like the DBS dishes (and the Fortec above).
Seems like there would be a market for something with a few fine tuning screws.
Or, would a design of something like that be a project worth discussing?
If so, it would be in another thread.
(a little torch-work isn't beyond the average experimenter)

As for the problem with shipping, wouldn't it be nice to find a registry with all the "local" dealers?
(say, within 50 miles, or whatever you are comfortable with.)
He gets large loads of dishes delivered to him for a reasonable price.
It would be nice to drive by and pick one up without having to pay shipping.
Problem I have found, even in a very active area, is that none of the little dealers want to pass any of that savings to the customer.

 

[ken2400]

Freecycle.org is your friend. I found a 1 meter Primestar about two weeks ago. I had to drive like 35 mins to get it.

I bought my dish from sadoun, and for the money I paid, it is probably OK. One thing I don't like about the Fortec dish is the design of the adjustments. I saw a design that had screws to make fine adjustments. So one you get your dish in the ball park, you fine tune it with the screws, then lock it down. The problem with the Fotec dish is in the fact that when to tighten the screws, you can change the focus of the dish enough to pull it off by 20 to 30 % of signal, or quality. So who makes the better dishes? the plus on the Fortec is the strength of the LNB arm, it can hold the heaviest of LNB's with no problem. Jm