Dish indentification

[FLCountryman]

Hello all, I just moved into a house with a large dish and hope I can use it for FTA , can anyone tell me where to look to identify it?

Thank you

 

[sergei]

My first guess is it's a Raydx dish but I can't enlarge your picture to see the mount that good. Take a picture of the dish and mount and size it to 800x600 so it can be enlarged. My second choice would be a Winegard dish. Can't help about FTA since I haven't gone that way yet, not until this summer. The size of the screen will be the main factor for FTA and KU signals.

 

[FLCountryman]

Thanks , I have some other pictures , I just made that on smaller so i did not upload a huge picture, here are some other picture, the wire mesh at the largest point is 1/4 " and it has three cables coming from the feed horn.

Thank you

 

[sergei]

That looks like a Raydx mount and dish setup for sure that is just newer than what I have on my dishes. More than likely it just has a C-Band feedhorn, but you not going to know for sure until you pull the cover off.

 

[FLCountryman]

what is the best way to get to the feed horn? . should i put a ladder on the dish or try to spin the dish around to aim the feed horn over the roof?I don't have anything to control the motor yet either.

 

[1ADAM12]

Get a Coolsat receiver off of eBay and buy a Gbox from sponsor and your in business.
Why mess with the dish?

 

[kirara386]

what is the best way to get to the feed horn? . should i put a ladder on the dish or try to spin the dish around to aim the feed horn over the roof?I don't have anything to control the motor yet either.

For my ten footer, I move the dish to the lowest position I can, and then I use an eight foot ladder (one that supports itself) to get up to the feedhorn. It takes a bit of getting used to be once you do it a few times it's not too bad. I wouldn't recommended leaning anything up against the dish, as it may warp the dish or mess up your alignment.

As for moving the dish, a gbox/vbox or an old analog receiver work for that.

Edit: From the pictures of you dish it looks like it's up pretty high, which makes it much harder to get to. You're probably going to need a really tall ladder or if you think it can be done safely you may have to access it from the roof as you were thinking. Do you know approximately how high off the ground the dish is?

 

[sergei]

what is the best way to get to the feed horn? . should i put a ladder on the dish or try to spin the dish around to aim the feed horn over the roof?I don't have anything to control the motor yet either.

I would not do anything until you get something to move the dish with as the Raydx dishes are really heavy and they can get away from you if your not careful and they can be a handful for one person especially on the roof. I think you have an 8 footer if I counted the panels correctly and compared to mine. Get the control box or and old analog receiver to move the dish.

 

[Phottoman]

As a last resort to moving your dish, you might want to try this, if nothing else is available.

There is usually only one bolt holding the motor to the end of the actuator. Back that bolt off till you can move the motor (JUST the motor, it'll spin or turn without moving the actuator arm).

Remove the motor.

There will be a flat piece of metal sticking out.

I don't have anything to move either of my ten footers, but when I clamp a vice grip on that flat piece of metal, I can spin the vice grip and turn the inner tube to move the dish.

I would add pictures if it wasn't so cold outside right now, but if pictures are needed, I'll add some later in the day.

Spin the vice grip till you can reach the lnb or at least till you can reach it standing on a ladder as stated above

Photto

 

[FLCountryman]

The dish is 14' off the ground from the lowest point on the dish, The dish measures 8'6" across the middle at the widest point. It points directly away from the roof, so I don't think that getting to it from the roof will be a good option. The only reason I want to get to the feed horn is because I don't have any ideal what it is and what it can be used for. I have an old pansat 2500 I used to use with a small dish but I never had a dish that had a motor on it and its all new to me. I didn't want to buy a bunch of equipment if the dish isnt worth using. I wanted your opinions before I start spending money.

 

[sergei]

The dish is 14' off the ground from the lowest point on the dish, The dish measures 8'6" across the middle at the widest point. It points directly away from the roof, so I don't think that getting to it from the roof will be a good option. The only reason I want to get to the feed horn is because I don't have any ideal what it is and what it can be used for. I have an old pansat 2500 I used to use with a small dish but I never had a dish that had a motor on it and its all new to me. I didn't want to buy a bunch of equipment if the dish isnt worth using. I wanted your opinions before I start spending money.

My question since your pictures doesn't show it how far is the actuator extended or is it fully retracted. Also what's your zip code which also might give some ideal on your dish position.

 

[FLCountryman]

It is on the south side of the house. the zip is 34237.

 

[kirara386]

Is the dish also missing one of it's mesh panels? I noticed that it looked as if one was missing in your first set of pictures and the shadow of your second set of picutres seems to indicate that a panel is missing as well.

If the dish is on the south side of your house you most likely won't be able to get to the LNB from the roof as the dish would always be pointing away.

 

[sergei]

From what I see if you remove the singe bolt next to the rubber boot on the actuator tube it should rotate back towards the roof to the right. Just don't take the tube off as it will make it real hard to hook back up also but you might need to loose the 2 nuts on the actuator tube that hold it to alone it to move it back out of the way because it might hit the dish screening or the frame, make sure you tighten it after moving it. Or take some rope and use it to keep the end of the actuator down and away from the dish. If you have a dish mover or a battery just retract the actuator.

And watch out for your AC coming into the house that's on the roof because to me that really too close for that dish, touch that and your toast!

Also for safety take a C-Clamp or two and some rope clamp it to the dish rim to help prevent it from accidentally rotating the wrong direction.... just encase the wind gets it.

 

[FLCountryman]

Yes it is missing one of the mesh panels. I think I will be able to make one. It is close to the electric.

 

[sergei]

You might be able to get a panel from SkyVision that might work for you, link is below.

Skyvision Satellite Equipment

 

[FLCountryman]

Thanks , I did find a piece of mesh from sky Vision , they want $66.00, Is that high ? Also I got the motor to move with my battery charger, Here is a picture of the LNB .

 

[Ironsides]

Pansat 2500

Fl, you can use that Pansat 2500 I think to control your polarity if memory serves me by the pic that blue box on your lnb is the servo, that controls the polarity. So all you need is a dish mover and you are in business. As for the FTA part you should have no troubles using that dish for C-Band FTA once you've repaired the missing panel. $66 isn't that bad but you might could look around and find something cheaper.

You know me, cheap is always better but if it works correctly that might be the best route to take as it might be and exact fit. I hate to spend any money cause I never have any! HA!

 

[Corrado]

That's definitely a Raydx dish. I have a 10' completely disassembled and stored away. The aluminum polar mount is really rugged with all stainless steel hardware used throughout the dish.

 

[FLCountryman]

thanks guys, how does the STB work the servo? the wires going to the motor and servo have been cut in the attic so I will have to run wire to the STB. I will be shopping around for the mesh, the kind we have here at hardware stores is different, I don't have much money to spend either, but I want to do it right the first time.