Best 1.2m Dish?

M

mapperuo

Specialist Contributor
My Satellite Setup
2x 1.8m Raven (7e Fixed, 30w-45e)
2x 1.5m Gibby (23.5e / 13e)
2x 1.2m Gibby (10e / 30w - 45e)
3x 1.1m Generics (15w / 0.8w / 28.2e)
My Location
Fife, Scotland
Hiya

Been reading the forum a lot and it seems a Channel Master (now Raven?) 1.2m could be the best dish at that size? If thats correct, where do people get them from? I've googled and found a certain superstore site that does a full package - just curious of any other outlets before I price a setup up.


Thanks
 
Best bet is to look on flea bay, those dishes are really sturdy and there are plenty of used ones out there in good condition for much less than a "certain superstore"
 
I did have a ponder on ebay, Most are pick up only and Im in Scotland.. :o The certain superstore isn't out of my price range Im just looking for other options. I dont suppose Raven themselves have a direct outlet?
 
Depends how desperate you are for one, I'm sure one will pop up on flea bay that might be closer to you. Also you could try looking or requesting for one on different satellite forums.
 
Don't discount the Gibertini OP125, really good performer.
 
Open to anything for sure. The appreciation for the Channel Master on here is pretty high though so assumed that was a best one. Ill take a peek at the Gibertini, Thanks
 
Looking at the gain values between that listed and the Channel Master gain I could find online, the difference seems to be very minimal. Certainly food for thought.
 
Still none the wiser which is the best one . We should get all and do a on site test ...

They are probably the same .
 
Be interesting to find out. It looks like you could get that Laminas one on a diseqc motor where as the Channel Master needs a polar mount? Cheaper with a diseqc assuming the gain is pretty much the same.
 
mapperuo said:
Be interesting to find out. It looks like you could get that Laminas one on a diseqc motor where as the Channel Master needs a polar mount? Cheaper with a diseqc assuming the gain is pretty much the same.
Click to expand...
The Laminas is mounted on a diseqc motor. The motor seems to cope with turning it fine, however the clamp which holds the dish to the motor stub could be better. We had some very high winds before and after the New Year and it turned the dish on the motor stub slightly. Easy enough to realign but annoying. The mount could be modified with an additional clamp I think which might cure the movement but putting such a large dish on a diseqc motor is always going to cause some problems in high winds unless you site it in a really sheltered spot.
 
mapperuo said:
Hiya

Been reading the forum a lot and it seems a Channel Master (now Raven?) 1.2m could be the best dish at that size? If thats correct, where do people get them from? I've googled and found a certain superstore site that does a full package - just curious of any other outlets before I price a setup up.


Thanks
Click to expand...
Is there a reason why you are going for a 1.2m ? It is ony just outside the usual planning restrictions, so if you are wanting to get a good signal off everything out there, why not go up a couple of sizes ?

I know where you can get a 1.5m for the same price as the 1.2m by the way
 
Gibertini 125cm, Channel Master 120cm and the hard-to-get Fibo 120cm dishes are one of the best. Fibo is the best performing due to a secondary reflector but can warp after a while, so need care. Gibby is a very good performer and can go on a DiSEqC motor...just. Channel Master is fibre glass and will never warp - very, very sturdy.

You won't go wrong with any of these dishes. I don't have any experience in Laminas, so cannot advise on that.
 
Channel Hopper said:
Is there a reason why you are going for a 1.2m ? It is ony just outside the usual planning restrictions, so if you are wanting to get a good signal off everything out there, why not go up a couple of sizes ?

I know where you can get a 1.5m for the same price as the 1.2m by the way
Click to expand...
No specific reason at all. I was shopping around on Amazon/eBay and 1.2m seemed to be the largest they do before you enter four figures - I'm clearly shopping in the wrong place for specific hardware like this :D. Could you point me in the correct direction for the 1.5 and I shall take a look? Thanks


Captain Jack said:
Gibertini 125cm, Channel Master 120cm and the hard-to-get Fibo 120cm dishes are one of the best. Fibo is the best performing due to a secondary reflector but can warp after a while, so need care. Gibby is a very good performer and can go on a DiSEqC motor...just. Channel Master is fibre glass and will never warp - very, very sturdy.

You won't go wrong with any of these dishes. I don't have any experience in Laminas, so cannot advise on that.
Click to expand...
Understood. Extremely helpful to get hands on recommendations so thank you.
 
Captain Jack said:
Gibertini 125cm, Channel Master 120cm and the hard-to-get Fibo 120cm dishes are one of the best. Fibo is the best performing due to a secondary reflector but can warp after a while, so need care. Gibby is a very good performer and can go on a DiSEqC motor...just. Channel Master is fibre glass and will never warp - very, very sturdy.
Click to expand...
Agreed. They are all pretty good for catching the signal, but the Channel Master is in a class of its own mechanically.
 
The Channel Master would certainly win hands down in terms of engineering and quality. The bracing built into the dish is much more extensive than on my Laminas though my dish has yet to show any sign of splitting or cracking. Luckily there is little to zero air pollution here.

It's worth pointing out that you can get a 1.8M Laminas dish (with an AZ/EL mount) for less than €1000. A polar mount pushes it just over that figure. A 1.5M would set you back less than €500.
 
I suggest an all metal dish just in case you need it for KA band in future, though aligning it may be fun. Gibertini 1.5m or similar.
 
hexah said:
I suggest an all metal dish just in case you need it for KA band in future, though aligning it may be fun. Gibertini 1.5m or similar.
Click to expand...
Fibre dishes don't work for Ka? I can understand there being an issue with mesh dishes, but why fibre? Thanks :)
 
Captain Jack said:
Doesn't fibre have mesh inside? Fibreglass itself won't reflect signals...
Click to expand...
Er, yes of course - that would explain it..... I hadn't actually thought about how a fibre dish was constructed. Thanks Captain Jack :)
 
Back
Top