Adapting IRTE Stand for use with 2.4m Dish

[gap30]

Hi all after some advice, I currently have a 2.4m CM languishing in the garage whilst waiting to purchase a polar mount/stand/king post whatnot

I have the chance to purchase this stand which was previously used for a 1.8m tin foil dish ie fortec star petal

Could this be adapted to take my 2.4m dish? Looking at the stand on SSS I actually think the stand I am proposing to purchase looks substantially better and would obviously need 'strengthening'

My biggest concern is height as the stand on SSS is 1.6m high, not sure on the height of the stand I am purchasing but looks about 1m high to me

Or am I trying to do the undoable

 

[moonbase]

@gap30

If it is the IRTE stand from a 1.2m dish I would be a bit wary about using it on a motorised 2.4m dish without some extra bracing.
The weight of a 2.4m CM dish and the wind load on it could put strain on the bolted joins of the struts and feet that fix to the central pole.

Points to consider in comparing the IRTE stand with the SSS stand would be the thickness of the struts, central pole wall thickness and the footprint area of the three feet.
I think the SSS stand has thicker steel struts and wall thickness of the pole, it certainly has a larger footprint from the three feet.

If you wanted to increase the height you could get an extender made up from two lengths of suitable I/D and O/D round steel tube welded to a steel plate in the middle.
Drill a few holes in the lower section of the extender and weld some nuts over them. The steel plate in the middle can sit on top of the pole and be secured by bolts through the nuts.

It will probably work with modification but I am not really 100% confident about the robustness of the stand and mount for a 2.4m CM dish.

'ere, cop for this picture, it illustrates the logic of the pole extender, in your case it would be equal I/D and O/D both sides of the central joining plate.

.

 

[Channel Hopper]

The polarmount system you have is for the petalised IRTE dish

The stand will be fine, the polarmount will need a set of tapered bearings fitted since the plain ones are known to be troublesome.

You will also need to adapt from prime focus to offset declination with a set of additional metal brackets out front.

 

[gap30]

Would the circular piece have to be removed and a square section similar to the SSS polar mount added?

Also do you have a link to the tapered bearings?

Thanks

 

[gap30]

I have the polar mount with a fabricator now who is going to construct the frame for me

I am weighing up my options now on the base for my stand this is the current situation, I am debating on coming a foot higher than the current floor level, I will dig down till I reach something solid-ish then shutter it out and fill with concrete

Or would I be better just finishing the concrete at floor level? Thing is my back garden is not the biggest and I need to be 'over the houses'

One thing that is bugging me, the pole is detachable from the bracket is there not a risk of the pole spinning? Also I have longer poles so the height issue is not so much of a worry

Last image is standing at the back fence looking towards the house

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[stephan94]

where is the south?
in which direction does the antenna look in the photos?

 

[gap30]

0.8w is more or less directly opposite the house to the right a midge

The existing dish is currently pointing at 10e going anti clockwise is 0.8w more or less facing the house

I am 2 houses left of the green icon on that screenshot you can see existing dish

dishpointer — Postimages

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[moonbase]

@gap30

If the concrete pad is going to be on the lawn then there are a couple of options that I personally would consider, none of which are at ground level.

A concrete pad protruding above the ground will allow for rainwater to run off it but you then have visibility of the concrete unless you mask it somehow with a surround and a few plants in pots or something similar. If you are not bothered about the appearance of the concrete pad protruding above the ground then it is a good option.

You could pour concrete into the hole to a height of about two inches below ground level which just about allows for enough thickness on top of the concrete to fill with topsoil to ground level and sow lawn seed on it. This completely hides the concrete. With this option, you could use threaded studs fixed in the concrete and drop the tripod stand onto the studs to suspend it marginally above the ground. This option also gives you threaded adjustment to get the pole vertical.

With respect to the pole spinning it depends on how tight you can clamp the two collars at the bottom of the pole and just above halfway up.
As it is, if that tripod stand and the collars are from an IRTE 1.2m dish I personally would not use them to mount a Channel Master 2.4m dish without some degree of reinforcement.
Nor would I use the tripod and collar assembly as it is with another pole to mount a Channel Master 2.4m dish.

'ere, cop for these two pictures below to see the difference in quality between an IRTE meccano stand and a proper stand designed for a decent sized dish.

.

 

[jeallen01]

I have the polar mount with a fabricator now who is going to construct the frame for me

...One thing that is bugging me, the pole is detachable from the bracket is there not a risk of the pole spinning? Also I have longer poles so the height issue is not so much of a worry...

Assemble the mount on the pole and get it pointed in the "right direction", tighten the clamp, drill a hole right through the clamp and the pole, fit a decent quality galvanised bolt through the hole and with a nut on the end - that should stop any chance of the clamp slipping around on the pole.

 

[gap30]

@moonbase

I was going to build a planter of some sort ie make the slab and go around it with decking timber for example and paint it

Another option I have is to concrete a pole into the ground like my existing one BUT my existing pole is not level it was level when I poured the concrete but after the concrete dried it was slightly out of plumb really annoyed me

I wedged it with bricks put two bars through it so it would not spin there was NO reason for it to move, it was bang on when i poured the concrete, I have fitted plenty of dishes on poles with T and K brackets or stands they are always level

Thats my thinking with the stand at least you can level it no problem

The stand I am just going to take my chances

 

[jeallen01]

@moonbase

I was going to build a planter of some sort ie make the slab and go around it with decking timber for example and paint it

Another option I have is to concrete a pole into the ground like my existing one BUT my existing pole is not level it was level when I poured the concrete but after the concrete dried it was slightly out of plumb really annoyed me

I wedged it with bricks put two bars through it so it would not spin there was NO reason for it to move, it was bang on when i poured the concrete, I have fitted plenty of dishes on poles with T and K brackets or stands they are always level

Thats my thinking with the exhaust clamps at the top of the pole; attach a pair of long support rods/bars a

Before concreting the pole in-place fit 2 appropriately-sized car exhaust clamps near the top and set at 90 deg to each other, and attach a long metal (maybe wood?) bar/strut from each bolt to ground (or possibly to adjacent fence posts or buildings) at about 45 deg to the horizontal. Make sure the pole is absolutely vertical in both planes and then firmly anchor the struts in place to the ground.

That should prevent the pole tilting as the concrete dries, after which you can remove the struts - or maybe even leave them in place to prevent later movement/tilting?

 

[moonbase]

The stand I am just going to take my chances

Good luck, I hope it works out for you.

 

[Channel Hopper]

I have the polar mount with a fabricator now who is going to construct the frame for me

I am weighing up my options now on the base for my stand this is the current situation, I am debating on coming a foot higher than the current floor level, I will dig down till I reach something solid-ish then shutter it out and fill with concrete

Or would I be better just finishing the concrete at floor level? Thing is my back garden is not the biggest and I need to be 'over the houses'

One thing that is bugging me, the pole is detachable from the bracket is there not a risk of the pole spinning? Also I have longer poles so the height issue is not so much of a worry

Last image is standing at the back fence looking towards the house

Cannot post images saying too large

IMG 20220505 134253 — Postimages

postimg.cc

IMG 20220505 134307 — Postimages

postimg.cc

IMG 20220505 134417 — Postimages

postimg.cc

The same IRTE post and base clamp was upgraded from a welded post and fixed tripod in the early 90's, I have installed perhaps fifty of both types and neither has moved in the wind, though I ave only installed up to 1.8m petalised on them, not the 2.2 extender panelled version.

For a dish of 2.4m (and of fibreglass reflector weight) I would use the same base tripod, but weld two struts behind the installation just under the polarmount collar, extended into bases of their own to counter the forward mass and stabilise when east and west of 0 degrees.

 

[scopus]

Personally I would not put a CM 2.4 on anything less than a 6.5 inch diameter pole, the wind load in a gale will be horrific..

 

[gap30]

What have other members of the site got their 2.4 CM's mounted on

 

[scopus]

What have other members of the site got their 2.4 CM's mounted on

No idea, but the weight combined with the wind loading, one mighty beast. The winds we get in the winter now you can never be to strong. You'll need a fair bit of concrete too..

 

[John]

Personally I would not put a CM 2.4 on anything less than a 6.5 inch diameter pole, the wind load in a gale will be horrific..

I would agree i'm afraid - here's my 2.2 mtr ground King post for my 2.2 mtr dish.
150mm square 5mm box section / 25mm thread long reach threaded rod into a submerged 'cage' into at least 1 cubic metre of concrete below.
.................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

 

[gap30]

Well i have a blank canvas nothing is 'set in stone' excuse the pun

I can get the fabricator to knock up anything I want as long as the polar mount can be adapted to fit it

 

[moonbase]

What have other members of the site got their 2.4 CM's mounted on

Forum member "Channel Hopper" mentioned in a forum topic that he had mounted his CM 2.4m dish recently and then took it down.
Perhaps he has some pictures of it mounted so you can see what type of stand he used or is planning to use when he re-installs it?

As for what any other members may be using, my guess is that it will be more robust than the IRTE tripod assembly you are planing to use.
In addition to the O/D of the pole, the wall thickness is also a consideration. If I remember correctly the wall thickness of the pole and of the feet/struts is not that substantial on the IRTE stand you have?
A quick measure with a vernier caliper will provide the thickness.

I have got a Precision 2.0m prime focus spun aluminium dish mounted 'ere on a tripod stand that is way better build quality and more robust than that IRTE setup.
In addition, I do not consider the stand as overkill for the Precision dish and would not take a chance putting a CM 2.4m dish on it.

 

[gap30]

The SSS tripod stand is confusing does not look too substantial and is a meccano stand

I would take any advice given on here 100 times over believe me