Winegard for possible rescue

[Jason S]

Saw this Winegard today, it appears to be a 10' and in need of some TLC.

I asked the property owner if they would let me know should they ever decide to get rid of it. His response was that I could have it.



It's missing a mesh panel, several panels need some straightening and the actuator doesn't have a motor on it. Otherwise, it appears to be in fairly good condition.

Anyone have thoughts on it? Is there any advantage the Winegard would have over my current SAMI (10')?

 

[FaT Air]

Don't know if there's any advantage to be gained, but IMHO, a backup isn't a bad Idea. Could, probably, re-use your existing mount if disaster strikes.
(you get hail? I've seen some Al dishes trashed by 6 in hail, rare, but it's happened)
Plus, the time spent rehabbing it into 'condition' is a past time in itself.
FWIW: I'd grab it, if close enough, Just for the polar mount. A 1.2, would then 'hang out' there. (I've got plenty of spare panels for my BUD available)

 

[fred555]

I love Winegards. Assembly and disassembly is very easy, compared to a KTI which is the most royal pain of a dish to assemble/disassemble. Looks like a Quadstar, Unbolts into 4 sections.
I have a Quadstar and its my favorite.

 

[Lone Gunman]

I've got one of those dishes that's listed in my signature that I bought new in 1988 and I'm still using it, dish mover and all! The only thing I've done to mine maintenance wise is replace the nylon nut in that Von Weise mover with a brass one and I did that to a spare mover also.

The one on that dish in the picture looks like an old Super Jack, which is/was a decent piece but if the motor is gone, then water in the gear housing has probably killed it! I think there are some of those still around and you can still buy the Von Weise and also Venture movers for that dish. Not sure about finding that mesh though someone on here has to have gotten it somewhere before.

 

[bpalone]

Hello, I'm JasonS and I'm an addict.

You sure that you would still have a place to sleep?

I agree, go ahead and get it if you have the room to store it and work on it. And, still be allowed in the house. Could be a fun project trying some different material for the missing panel. Might even look around, it could be laying around some place near the dish. Probably not servicable, but would be a start or part of a template to cut new material.

 

[fred555]

Get two buds so they don't get lonely:

Winegard Quadstar on the left.
Reminds me to take some recent photos.

 

[armadillo_115]

You won't need a ladder or bucket truck to take it down.
I'd get it as long as it passes the string test...heck,for free I'd get it anyway.

 

[FaT Air]

If the rest of the dish is in good shape, don't think one missing panel is going to 'kill' performance, Only inflict a slight limp.
Put it up fixed on 99(?) while awaiting another actuator.

 

[Claude Greiner]

Considering the panel is damaged, I don't think it's worth saving unless you have an identical one to swap parts with

 

[Jason S]

Yes, my name is Jason and I'm still an FTA addict...

From the photos posted and discussion, it seems the general consensus is this Winegard C-band dish would be a good rescue. Thank you all for the responses, they're very much appreciated!

a backup isn't a bad Idea. Plus, the time spent rehabbing it into 'condition' is a past time in itself.
FWIW: I'd grab it, if close enough, Just for the polar mount. A 1.2, would then 'hang out' there.If the rest of the dish is in good shape, don't think one missing panel is going to 'kill' performance, Only inflict a slight limp. Put it up fixed on 99(?) while awaiting another actuator

I'm thinking along the same page. I don't necessarily need another C-band dish now, but don't really want to pass on good 'parts' either (backup or otherwise). It's definitely close enough. As for 99W, that is exactly what I had intended for the 7.5' I have currently as a spare. It looks like it needs retrieval and then a decision on what I'll do with it.

I've got one of those dishes that's listed in my signature that I bought new in 1988 and I'm still using it, dish mover and all! The only thing I've done to mine maintenance wise is replace the nylon nut in that Von Weise mover with a brass one and I did that to a spare mover also. Not sure about finding that mesh though someone on here has to have gotten it somewhere before.

Since replacing with the 10' SAMI setup, I have a spare 7.5' Echostar/KTI dish setup with a 24" Von Weise that I recently rebuilt using parts from two actuators. I had reviewed your Von Weise upgrade (btw: very ingenious and informative) and I'll probably go that route if/when my current rebuild has issues. When refurbishing the 7.5' dish, I found perforated aluminum sheet locally to replace missing mesh. I must mention in that rebuild thread for the 7.5' on Satelliteguys, Turbosat graciously offered up a source for mesh.

I love Winegards. I have a Quadstar and its my favorite.
Get two buds so they don't get lonely

Luckily, I haven't had to disassemble any of my C-bands, yet. I have two buds (10' and 7.5'), now we're looking at three buds - a 50% increase in buds, but only a 20% increase in dish numbers. The 7.5' is currently sitting until time allows moving/positioning. However, it's not a bad thing to have a spare 10' dish - just in case...

You won't need a ladder or bucket truck to take it down.
I'd get it as long as it passes the string test...heck,for free I'd get it anyway.

Yes sir. I've got an okay on it. Being relatively close, free and nobody saying it's a poor performer - it looks like I'll be retrieving it.

Hello, I'm JasonS and I'm an addict. You sure that you would still have a place to sleep?
I agree, go ahead and get it if you have the room to store it and work on it. And, still be allowed in the house.

Repairs wouldn't be a problem. At this time, the better half doesn't have an issue with a rescue. It's fair to say that the wife and kids get to watch the system more than me ... I'm fairly safe for a place to sleep, at least for now (I checked my answer to be sure). There is a heat lamp in the dog house if it comes to that...

 

[richyrich]

Well, rescue or destroyed made new sounds just like what the new ones cost; value is wise; say 5k$ after labor; movement; repair-ring. Myself, I have no tree's to keep the wind off one; but the pictures I find are free also; not one cent paid for their use; and i watch football with them too.

Yes, my name is Jason and I'm still an FTA addict...

From the photos posted and discussion, it seems the general consensus is this Winegard C-band dish would be a good rescue. Thank you all for the responses, they're very much appreciated!

I'm thinking along the same page. I don't necessarily need another C-band dish now, but don't really want to pass on good 'parts' either (backup or otherwise). It's definitely close enough. As for 99W, that is exactly what I had intended for the 7.5' I have currently as a spare. It looks like it needs retrieval and then a decision on what I'll do with it.

Since replacing with the 10' SAMI setup, I have a spare 7.5' Echostar/KTI dish setup with a 24" Von Weise that I recently rebuilt using parts from two actuators. I had reviewed your Von Weise upgrade (btw: very ingenious and informative) and I'll probably go that route if/when my current rebuild has issues. When refurbishing the 7.5' dish, I found perforated aluminum sheet locally to replace missing mesh. I must mention in that rebuild thread for the 7.5' on Satelliteguys, Turbosat graciously offered up a source for mesh.

Luckily, I haven't had to disassemble any of my C-bands, yet. I have two buds (10' and 7.5'), now we're looking at three buds - a 50% increase in buds, but only a 20% increase in dish numbers. The 7.5' is currently sitting until time allows moving/positioning. However, it's not a bad thing to have a spare 10' dish - just in case...

Yes sir. I've got an okay on it. Being relatively close, free and nobody saying it's a poor performer - it looks like I'll be retrieving it.

Repairs wouldn't be a problem. At this time, the better half doesn't have an issue with a rescue. It's fair to say that the wife and kids get to watch the system more than me ... I'm fairly safe for a place to sleep, at least for now (I checked my answer to be sure). There is a heat lamp in the dog house if it comes to that...

 

[Jason S]

Update on the Winegard...

I ran into the landowner late last week and he asked "When are you going to come get the dish?"

So decided I better get a move on and go get this thing. During our conversation, he offered to help take the dish down, he even said he'd bring a skid-steer over to try and pop the pole out of the ground. Then said, if the pole wouldn't budge, he'd cut the pole off at ground level with his torch- Definitely a generous offering on his part.

This weekend and the next few days are a no-go, since he's busy planting corn. There's a chance of rain on Tuesday (which could pause planting), so maybe Wednesday I'll have a Winegard.

 

[primestar31]

Loosen the bolts holding the dish polar mount on the pole, Two guys can then lift the dish and mount off WHOLE. Set it aside far enough that it doesn't get in your way.

Then, wrap a chain around the bottom of the pole, and around the skid-steer lift bucket. If it's done right, it'll pull tight and hold without just sliding UP the pole. Once that's done, dig around the cement a little at least to loosen things up, then he can lift the bucket, and pop the pole out of the ground. I have replanted these in a slightly larger hole as-is, and just added a little cement to tighten it all up at the new site. Of course, my soil is sandy-loam, which makes that fairly easy. Just spend time to make SURE it's leveled, stable both North/South AND East/West and can't move before adding new cement.

 

[Jason S]

Finally got the Winegard rescued...

The landowner and his father helped me and had a skid steer waiting. With all the help everything was down, disassembled and in the trailer in about an hour.

I got the pole, but not the base. The pole was clamped into a tripod base that had been buried over time. As the donors had other things going on, I didn't pursue the rest of the base. I can weld a mounting plate or tripod mount to the pole whenever that time comes.

So here are the photos of the disassembled, rescued Winegard at its' new home:

The four segments of the dish:

The worst of the four segments:

Arms, polar mount and feedhorn & scalar and cover:


Feedhorn and scalar:


LNB's:


Feedhorn throat:


Polar mount and ring:

 

[fred555]

Finally got the Winegard rescued...

The landowner and his father helped me and had a skid steer waiting. With all the help everything was down, disassembled and in the trailer in about an hour.

I got the pole, but not the base. The pole was clamped into a tripod base that had been buried over time. As the donors had other things going on, I didn't pursue the rest of the base. I can weld a mounting plate or tripod mount to the pole whenever that time comes.

So here are the photos of the disassembled, rescued Winegard at its' new home:

The four segments of the dish:
View attachment 115700
The worst of the four segments:
View attachment 115701
Arms, polar mount and feedhorn & scalar and cover:
View attachment 115702

Feedhorn and scalar:
View attachment 115703

LNB's:
View attachment 115704 View attachment 115705

Feedhorn throat:
View attachment 115706

Polar mount and ring:
View attachment 115707 View attachment 115708 View attachment 115709

I've got one of those 10 foot Winegards and I love it.
If you need any pictures of parts or anything shoot me a PM.

 

[Jason S]

I've got one of those 10 foot Winegards and I love it.
If you need any pictures of parts or anything shoot me a PM.

Very much appreciate the offer. I'm not sure how long before I get to rebuilding this dish, so photos may come in handy. I took a camera, but got too involved with the tear down to take photos.

I must say that thus far, there is so much about this dish that is very well thought out. For example, the ring on the polar mount is above and beyond what is on either my KTI/Echostar or SAMI.

 

[fred555]

Very much appreciate the offer. I'm not sure how long before I get to rebuilding this dish, so photos may come in handy. I took a camera, but got too involved with the tear down to take photos.

I must say that thus far, there is so much about this dish that is very well thought out. For example, the ring on the polar mount is above and beyond what is on either my KTI/Echostar or SAMI.

I agree. The Winegard was my first BUD, so easy to assemble and well thought out.
My second bud was a non sectional KTI, I think there is a thread around here with words like
%^&## and &&#(#(# when I was assembling it, not fun.

Just shoot me a PM if you need anything at all.

 

[fred555]

Oh, I forgot, Congrats on the great new dish!

 

[O'Doyle]

great find! enjoy the the re-hab and post some more pictures along the way!

 

[Jason S]

great find! enjoy the the re-hab and post some more pictures along the way!

Thanks and I'll do that.