Where to point dish when not in use?

[iafirebuff]

OK, here is an odd question. Where should I point my dish when it is not in use? This past winter when it would get real windy, I usually pointed it to 43w to help keep the wind resistance low on the dish. But I was thinking, is there anymore stress on the dish in one position over the other? My motorizedsetup is about 3-4 feet from the side of my house and about 4 feet up. so the wind is alot less in this area. Thanks for the input!

 

[Mr Tony]

I usually keep mine on G10 and havent had any issues. I use to put it on SBS6 because that was the first satellite I would blind scan first at night

 

[iafirebuff]

Thanks! I will prolly just leave it at G10, as that is what I watch the most.

 

[starman345]

Mine is up next to the house too, it usually doesn't get too much wind but when a big blow is forecast, I unbolt the pan from the mount and take it inside. Only 4 bolts, takes about a minute. If you're talking a big c-band dish, that theory doesn't apply

 

[iafirebuff]

Now that's not a bad idea! That would be real easy to do too. Thanks, I will keep that in mind!

 

[linuxman]

I usually park my Big Dishes at my TS satellite. They seem to have the least wind resistance there because the profile is less unless the wind is coming directly from the South.

Even if the wind is from the south, they are at a 45 degree angle rather than face into the wind.

 

[iafirebuff]

Interesting... I suppose it makes more of a difference on the big dishes

 

[Mr Tony]

I unbolt the pan from the mount and take it inside. Only 4 bolts, takes about a minute.

I use to do that then quit because it really didnt do any good. Just made the neighbors wonder

 

[starman345]

I use to do that then quit because it really didnt do any good. Just made the neighbors wonder

I know what you mean, I am always out there playing with the dishes, the neighbours come over and scratch their heads and ask what I can get on those things,,hehe, probably doesn't help that I'm also a ham radio operator and the wires and antennas associated with that adds to the curiousity. I"m lucky I have good neighbors, most of the time when they see me out there they just grin and wave.

 

[Hermitman]

If snow is forcasted, I run my dishes over to F4. That way there's less snow buildup. Otherwise, I leave them on the satellites I watch the most. Never had any problems with the wind.

 

[Tron]

Left both my motorized and fixed dishes up in a Category 1 hurricane in 2005. They weren't affected, although I watched them carefully, thinking they were going to fly off the roof at any moment.

For the monster Katrina that came later that year, I naturally took both down from the roof. I did leave the non-pen roof mounts up, however, and they stayed put (even stayed aligned )