bignick said:
Hi Guys
I'm about to fit my first set of extension petals to a 2.4 Famaval next week. If anyone has any advice or hints and tips on fitting them and any adjustments afterwards then I would appreciate it.
The dish has the wide adjustable feedhorn with quad invacom just now and is on a fixed mount.
Cheers
Nick
I'll try and be brief
1/ Tip the dish onto it's back if you can (ie pointing skywards) not sure if you can do this with a fixed mount.
2/ Fit all the petals but leave all bolts loose so they hold in place.
3/ Tighten the bolts between the petals first before the ones between the dish and petals. This is because the holes that are on the dish side of the petal is oval shaped allowing for a bit of "play". This should also pull the shape together.
4/ All the time while tightening the bolts check that the surface of the petal flows smoothly onto the dish. You may need to tip the dish back down to check this.
I have fitted over 30 of these dishes now with petals and even still sometimes they are a B*st*rd to get to fit right.
With the extra weight of the petals the dish becomes unstable in the wind and tends to wobble. We fit steel wire from the bottom of the back mount (not the dish) and tighten with a Turnbuckle fitted to a hook bolt fitted into the ground. This does not need to be tight as what it actually does is stop the dish lifting.
We then fit the same arrangement on either side of the back mount and this stops side to side wobble. We also use these "adjustments" to peak the dish as when you tighten the turnbuckle the dish pulls to one side or the other.
Can't think of anything else but if my gibberish does not make sense let me know and I will send pictures.
Good luck
Triggs