Another one for the Arsenal: Gibertini OP 125 L

[archive10]

Found this in the local "loot". Originally priced at £20, it was put as "Free for collection" after a few days.
Couldn't resist picking it up even though it was a 100km round trip through heavy rush-hour traffic. Got it home with no probs, even though it was just strapped to the roof-bars in a couple of minutes...




(While on the motorway, I did try and visualise several times what it would look like in the rear-view mirror when the dish came flying off, revolving around itself, and finally going straight through the windshield of the car behind...)

Anyway, a new owner of a house got the dish with the house, and just wanted to get rid of it.
So I did him a favour and removed the dish with as little disturbance as I could

For the price it is in very good condition. The rim of dish has some dents and bends in it, but overall it looks alright. I am sure it will do 28.5E here...




Feedarms and LNB holder seems alright too.

Although the feedarms seems different than the ones @Llew has.
Looking at the Gibertini web-site solves the mystery, as Llew apparently has the OP 125 LP (for professional) with a more heavy duty feed arm.



Nevertheless a very heavy dish! I suspect that I got the steel version (not the aluminium).
Went and looked it up: It is much heavier than the comparable Channel Master 120 (almost 5 kg heavier!)

QUESTION: How can I see what type of 125 I have?
(Answer: Weigh and and find out, I know, I know, but is there a way to tell by looking at it??)

Not sure when or where it will go up, though.
Although I do now that they can be fitted onto an SMW OA-1050 polar mount, which I happen to have one of...
Will probably try out as-is just for fun, once I get my new mounting base finished...

 

[Captain Jack]

Looks the same as my old one from around 2005. The dish is actually aluminium, it's the back plate/bracket that is steel and weighs almost the same as the dish

 

[Archive-8]

Looks like the 1.25 I have. Nice score.

 

[Llew]

Good find st1. Yes, the difference between the two Gibbys is in the backplate as well as the LNB arm.

Yours comes with the Az-El adjustment section part of the backplate, whereas I need a separate bracket, making the whole polar mount assembly heavier (and indeed more expensive).

I wonder why they stopped making the AzEl part of the dish assembly? Different manufacturer perhaps.

 

[timo_w2s]

Yeah that looks like the same as the one I installed at our holiday cottage in Lapland last year. That backing plate is heavy!

Glad it didn't come off on the motorway. I made a heavy wooden frame for mine and then wrapped it in cling film and I still had visions of it flying off on the motorways during our 800km drive...

 

[archive10]

Yeah that looks like the same as the one I installed at our holiday cottage in Lapland last year. That backing plate is heavy!

I could take this to the summer cottage - but I already have CM120 there doing the duties of 28.xE...

Hmm. Maybe it would go on an H2H motor. I seem to remember several others doing this on this forum and elsewhere.
The Dark Motor seems a popular choice, and their ads keep going on about dishes up to 1.4m
But honestly, the dish is almost 20kg with mount. Even the CM120 weighs less with mount (not the Az/El but the pole-mount).

Doesn't this put too much of a strain on the Dark Motor drive mechanism?

 

[Captain Jack]

As long as it's sheltered and at ground level, it should be OK. Mine lasted years on an original Moteck 2100 motor.

 

[Archive-8]

As long as it's sheltered and at ground level, it should be OK. Mine lasted years on an original Moteck 2100 motor.

Did you have to use the stab rings to attach the dish to the motor?

Or is the motek shaft able to take the pole clamp?

 

[Tururu]

Espero que sea la OP125L (121x130cm, 16Kgs), como sea la OP130 (138x123cm, mala, pero mala, ya no se fabrica, en todo caso es toda metalica, nada de aluminio, OP130 son 18KG, 10 Kg de soporte y 8KG de plato.

Primero ver como esta y si merece la pena, antes de hacerme ilusiones, la OP130 tiene un defecto, no esta centrada la señal al 100% sobre el LNB y puedes mover este trazando un circulo de 10cm si perdida de señal.
Tengo mas señal en la antena de 90cm (98x90cm) apuntando a 28'2ºE beam UK que con la OP130 (138x130cm) desde Madrid (España).
-----------------------------------------
I hope it is the OP125L (121x130cm, 16kgs), as the OP130 (138x123cm, bad, but bad, no longer manufactured, in any case is all metal, all aluminum, OP130 are 18KG, 10kg of support and 8kg plate.

First look like this and if it's worth, before my hopes, the OP130 has a defect, the signal is not focused 100% on the LNB and you can move this drawing a circle 10cm if signal loss.
I have more antenna signal 90cm (98x90cm) beam pointing to 28'2ºE UK with the OP130 (138x130cm) from Madrid (Spain).

PS:

 

[archive10]

I hope it is the OP125L (121x130cm, 16kgs), as the OP130 (138x123cm, bad, but bad, no longer manufactured, in any case is all metal, all aluminum, OP130 are 18KG, 10kg of support and 8kg plate.

Hmm.. you had me worried there for a couple of minutes.
I went and measured, and the reflector is indeed 130x121 cm.
So it is an OP125L... phew!

 

[archive10]

Hmm... must be careful with those Thread Titles in the future.
This is how this very thread is displayed in Firefox...

 

[Pipedream]

I am going to have a go at mounting my new gibby 125 on a 1224 motor this weekend. Will have to make a new bracket for the back.

 

[Archive-8]

I am going to have a go at mounting my new gibby 125 on a 1224 motor this weekend. Will have to make a new bracket for the back.

When you get a chance, can you take some photos for us, please?

 

[Pipedream]

When you get a chance, can you take some photos for us, please?

No problem if the weather is fine I will get it done this weekend.

 

[Llew]

I did that with mine once on a Gibby 1.25, and one windy day had to watch while the dish whipped the 1224 round past one of its its stop points. Inspecting the motor after removal showed the driving cog had become unmeshed with the main gear teeth.
Only a complete stripping down and rebuild enabled me to use the motor again, but not on the Gibby of course. I should mention that it was in a relatively high and exposed position; maybe OK to use the combination at ground level, as CJ has found.

 

[Captain Jack]

Yes, with exposed locations, it can get a bit 'whippy' but it was absolutely fine in a sheltered garden on 1.5m Gibby.

 

[CROSSBONES]

When you get a chance, can you take some photos for us, please?

Of the arse

 

[Pipedream]

Just beat the weather

 

[Lazarus]

Proper job

 

[John]

... Looking good PD, nice job. Just wondering, did you string it after tightening the reflector up on to the back plate, mine showed quite a bit of warping