Advice Needed Badly packed dish - Is it damaged?

[intracube]

I had a delivery today from a UK shop and was frustrated to find all the items in a single oversized box without any padding. Along with the dish, there were several heavy loose items including a 5kg 100m cable drum.

The dish doesn't look visibly dented under normal lighting and feels smooth to the touch. But with a point light source on it, quite a few dents and marks become visible.

The last image is as close to the PoV of the LNB that I could estimate (without installing the arm).

Should I be concerned about its performance with weaker signals?

Is this something other people would accept?

 

[Lazarus]

Terrible. Sorry.

Is it even a genuine Triax? The Logo is dissimilar to what's printed on my TD110 and other Triax dishes I've seen.

 

[hvdh]

No, I would not use it for weak signals, bin it, and never purchase a dish again at that shop.
Hope it was cheap. I don't recognize the Triax logo layout, is it imitation?

 

[Archive-8]

Give the shop some grief... It's not fit for purpose.

 

[intracube]

I've contacted the shop and will see what they say.

Hope it was cheap. I don't recognize the Triax logo layout, is it imitation?

£35. Triax have changed their logo in the last year or so, from the twin water-drop shape to the [T] design. So that's probably not an indication either way.

 

[Terryl]

I'd file a damaged shipment claim with the shipper.

 

[Channel Hopper]

I had a delivery today from a UK shop and was frustrated to find all the items in a single oversized box without any padding. Along with the dish, there were several heavy loose items including a 5kg 100m cable drum.

The dish doesn't look visibly dented under normal lighting and feels smooth to the touch. But with a point light source on it, quite a few dents and marks become visible.

The last image is as close to the PoV of the LNB that I could estimate (without installing the arm).

Should I be concerned about its performance with weaker signals?

Is this something other people would accept?
View attachment 109953 View attachment 109954 View attachment 109955 View attachment 109956 View attachment 109957

Is it from one of our sponsors ?

 

[PaulR]

That's unacceptable. I'm not sure that I would even accept money off instead of a replacement.

 

[intracube]

Is it from one of our sponsors ?

Apologies for not replying sooner. Yes, it was Systemsat.

After looking into it further, it seemed likely the dents were cosmetic - much less than 2 to 3mm that would cause problems at 12GHz (several sites gave the same figure). One mark right in the middle was symmetrical, so probably part of the manufacturing.

I was also concerned the dish might have been twisted which wouldn't be so obvious, but it seemed to perform as expected on 28.2E and later on the weaker TPs at 5E got a decent lock.

The first pictures near the focal point were obviously a worst case example, but I've learned that Ku frequencies are more forgiving than visible light - 2.5cm vs 1μm wavelengths.

This was from a different angle:


If it was a £100, it would've probably gone back. But I wanted to get on and use it, so they agreed to a partial refund. Emails back were fairly quick and polite but no apology as such - just that they'd pass on the feedback to the packing team...

So apart from the hassle and extra testing, it's now resolved.

 

[RimaNTSS]

The first pictures near the focal point were obviously a worst case example

What do you mean by "focal point"? Focal point of the dish is located in front of it, not on the surface of it!
TRIAX is well known Danish company. Personally for me it is well known because they do not know exact data about their products. For example, they do not know exact offset angle of antennas they make. Those dishes also known because of the poor mounting mechanism and not well built feedarm.
But, from users I've heard, those dishes are pretty good painted therefore they do not rust so much. So, overall, it is so-so dish..... that is IMHO.

 

[intracube]

What do you mean by "focal point"? Focal point of the dish is located in front of it, not on the surface of it!

I mean the camera lens was at the same position as the LNB feedhorn.

I was sceptical about the mounting bracket but it actually works quite well. The metal is lubricated with something at the factory so it's easy to slide and adjust elevation. There's just enough friction so you can take your hands away without having to tighten anything - it won't slip down.

The weak point is the narrow mounting plate on the back of the dish - it looks like it could be a problem in high winds. It should be twice as wide as it is to spread the load.

The LNB arm doesn't have any parts where water can collect, unlike some of my other dishes which have rusted, and it's aluminium anyway.

The painted finish scratches quite easily. I've already marked the back surface but hopefully it won't rust.

 

[Channel Hopper]

The weak point on the Triax dishes I have installed is the warpage of the reflectors straight of the packaging and the loosening of the rivets after a few years of high winds.

You are also supposed to get the cables down the boom arm , but I find a quad virtually impossible unless it is ct55.

 

[jeallen01]

CH

Thanks.

Hopefully picking up a used TD110 next weekend - but I will check it VERY carefully before I accept! Otherwise I will refuse and request an ebay refund! (would be a pity because I "won" that dish, another TM5402 M3 + other bits for £45!;) )

 

[Channel Hopper]

I have two of the originals lying in the garden doing nothing but looking more like the foliage with each season. The warpage can be straightened out once on the pole, the rivets need drilling and decent replacement bolts, but by then you may as well get another dish.

 

[intracube]

The weak point on the Triax dishes I have installed is the warpage of the reflectors straight of the packaging and the loosening of the rivets after a few years of high winds.

I have two of the originals lying in the garden doing nothing but looking more like the foliage with each season. The warpage can be straightened out once on the pole, the rivets need drilling and decent replacement bolts, but by then you may as well get another dish.

Interesting, my TD64 doesn't have any riveted parts.

One other negative point is the back mount doesn't fit the contour of the dish well, so when the nuts are tightened the dish surface deforms around each bolt head. One or two washers with each bolt fixed that.

Fortunately, it's going in a sheltered spot in the garden.