Ideal size for exploring

[D4ftpunk]

Hi All,

Thanks to everyone's help here I have currently a 45CM MULTYTENNE + a 70CM TechniSAT motorised setup. With those I can pickup pretty much everything I need from 50W to 53E.

I recently took delivery of an aluminium tripod that shoves into my garden and on it I've mounted a cheap Technomate 65cm dish I had laying around. My question is... If I were to buy a larger dish for that (and blind scan some transponders) what can I get that my existing setup isn't going to give me? I feel like the horizon is already my limit!

I'm eyeing up a 1m or 1.2m triax (as that's all I can find). Do I need to go much much bigger to make a difference from 70/80cm?

 

[Lazarus]

If you're anywhere near (or likely to pass through) North Yorkshire, I have a Triax TD110 clogging up my loft space ....

 

[D4ftpunk]

If you're anywhere near (or likely to pass through) North Yorkshire, I have a Triax TD110 clogging up my loft space ....

Depending on the outcome of this thread. What would you want for it?

 

[Lazarus]

Nothing at all.

IIRC it was only around 50 sovs when I bought it about 15 years ago!

It's undamaged and complete.

 

[D4ftpunk]

That’s very kind of you! Justifies the drive really. How far north we talking?

 

[Lazarus]

7 miles north east of Thirsk.

 

[D4ftpunk]

Thats quite the journey for me, but would be a fun road trip! let me find a day in the next week or so. Its 1.2m x 1.2m (just wanna measure my car) ?

 

[Lazarus]

Height is 116cm and Width 108cm (Measured at the outer edge of the lip)

Not sure where you live, but don't bust a gut to get here - It's been taking up space for several years so a wee while longer won't matter!

 

[D4ftpunk]

have sent you a PM! Thanks

 

[D4ftpunk]

hmm it doesn't let me... please message me and I'll reply, thinking of next Tuesday (1 week tomorrow).

 

[Lazarus]

Just checked - my PMs are enabled - you might not have enough Posts to have that feature authorised?

I'll try sending you one .....

I can be here next Tuesday, though.

Not sure how far you need to travel, but if you'd rather find sonething more local to you, we have a Wanted section here.

 

[Lazarus]

Ok, that's all good. Arrangements in hand with personal details restricted to PMs.

 

[Channel Hopper]

I have same just south of Heathrow, also gratis and sitting under a hedge. They don't rust and are a good beginner's tool.

But from the thread title, unless you have trouble neighbours what is your size problem ?

 

[D4ftpunk]

I have same just south of Heathrow, also gratis and sitting under a hedge. They don't rust and are a good beginner's tool.

But from the thread title, unless you have trouble neighbours what is your size problem ?

I live about 20 minutes from you. But a road trip very north is committed and equally gets me out the house for a day! Thanks though.

The size issue is clearance between the single story flat roof and the second story windows. Barely fit my technisat 75ish cm dish there.

I'll be using the Triax 1.1m on a tripod I have on the grass of my garden for temporary things like blind scanning transponders and random feeds that come from time to time. Doesn't take long to re-align each time I mount it. I bought a TBS5927 for the actual scanning (rather than my box) as it supports very low symbol rates and blind scans.

 

[Lazarus]

I live about 20 minutes from you. But a road trip very north is committed and equally gets me out the house for a day! Thanks though.

The size issue is clearance between the single story flat roof and the second story windows. Barely fit my technisat 75ish cm dish there.

I'll be using the Triax 1.1m on a tripod I have on the grass of my garden for temporary things like blind scanning transponders and random feeds that come from time to time. Doesn't take long to re-align each time I mount it. I bought a TBS5927 for the actual scanning (rather than my box) as it supports very low symbol rates and blind scans.

As per PM, it's all cleaned up and checked over ready for you

 

[Channel Hopper]

I live about 20 minutes from you. But a road trip very north is committed and equally gets me out the house for a day! Thanks though.

You could always tell the other half you are on the expedition , take what's here inside an hour , then enjoy freedom for the remainder.

 

[D4ftpunk]

As per PM, it's all cleaned up and checked over ready for you

Thanks @Lazarus for this. It was a long expedition indeed, but got the dish home safely.

I initially set it up on a £30 eBay tripod, this basically worked fine for a single LNB setup, I'm using a TBS5927 with Linux and have pretty much already automated the feed hunting (still playing around with that bit and may put a little automated webpage up with new feeds and telegram alerts)...

but I'd like to motorise it to get more than one sat (@Lazarus also kindly gave me a motor) and I think my tripod is going to A) be too wobbly and doesn't have adjustment to make the vertical pole 0 degrees (unless I put random stuff under the legs).

Does anyone know if the maxmind tripods are effectively the same as the cheap aluminium one I have? or are better? Or can recommend a more sturdy one that'd handle a motor and also has more adjustment? Else I feel I'm gonna have to make some kind of jig.

(the dish will likely always be needing to be ground mounted on grass / patio due to spousal policy).

 

[Lazarus]

How about summat like this .........

 

[D4ftpunk]

I did think about that, but I wouldn’t be able to adjust the “vertical ness” if that’s a word… of the pole if it was on uneven grass.

 

[moonbase]

I did think about that, but I wouldn’t be able to adjust the “vertical ness” if that’s a word… of the pole if it was on uneven grass.

Shim the pole to vertical with steel washers between the square plate and whatever it is anchored to.