Moving the dish

[Captain Jack]

And I don't mean motorising it, I mean moving the dish around 1 meter from where it is at the moment.

Consider this photo:



The dish is looking at around 57.5E at the time of the outage last October. As you can see, at least 2/3 of the dish is covered by the neighbour's tree (no, I can't chop it down!), so the plan is to move the dish around a meter towards the sunlight. My easternmost satellite I can receive is 55E, though with efficiency of a 90cm dish.

The dish is sat on a 4.5inch/127mm pole, so, as I can't really extend the base, since there's a drop-off into the rhyne at the end of it, I want to attach some fabrication to 'relocate' the pole.

Something like this:



The question is how to join everything together. I would like the extension to be removable, so the cap will be bolted on the sides. I will make the new pole extension also removable, so I can have different sizes on there. I will also make it adjustable so I can get it perfectly vertical. Various bits and pieces will be welded.

Any advice/constructive cirticisms appreciated.

 

[blademedia]

My first thought are, how much wider has that tree grown, when October comes after moving it you might be in the same position ?

 

[Captain Jack]

It's one of those evergreens - it's pretty fully grown already, mostly vertically, so hopefully it won't cause too many issues in the future. No guarantees, of course...

 

[blademedia]

Ok, you say ditch, presumable its a water ditch ?, if so I would get some pipe Twin Wall Drainage PipeDrainage Pipe and Fittings | Drainage Online

Full over it and move what you have across, that's the way I would go if it was my dish

 

[moonbase]

CJ,

Is the 4.5" king post that is anchored to the base going to be moved 1 metre or is it going to stay where it is?

If I read your post correctly, you plan to place an extension piece on top of the 4.5" king post that consists of a cap over the king post and an extension bar supported by some means then another vertical section of 4.5" pole for the dish mount to sit on?

There is plenty availability of second hand 75mm and 100mm box section on eBay and also steel pipe that will do the job. I have pasted a link to some steel tube that I used for a 4.5" to 3" pole adapter. The seller has various lengths cut to size.

Mild Steel Pipe 127mm (5") x 3mm - 200mm long - Chimney? - Round Tube | eBay

The only issue that I could see with your plan is that strong winds might cause problems if they are at 90 degrees to the direction of the extension bar. However, you should be able to reinforce this with suitable placed bracing at the end of the extension bar to cope with wind from any direction.

Its an interesting project and will put your new welding kit to good use.


Rgds

 

[blademedia]

The only issue that I could see with your plan is that strong winds might cause problems if they are at 90 degrees to the direction of the extension bar

That's my main concern doing it like this

 

[Captain Jack]

Ok, you say ditch, presumable its a water ditch ?, if so I would get some pipe Twin Wall Drainage PipeDrainage Pipe and Fittings | Drainage Online

Full over it and move what you have across, that's the way I would go if it was my dish

Que? I don't understand this at all. Property boundary is where the ditch is, I can't just move it across...

Is the 4.5" king post that is anchored to the base going to be moved 1 metre or is it going to stay where it is?

If I read your post correctly, you plan to place an extension piece on top of the 4.5" king post that consists of a cap over the king post and an extension bar supported by some means then another vertical section of 4.5" pole for the dish mount to sit on?

Yep, that's the plan. The existing NPRM bolted to the base is staying where it is - there's no room for more movement. Correction to my original post: the pole is 114mm/4.5 inches but the cap needs to be 5 inches with decent wall thickness. What you linked to in your post will probably do the job but maybe with 4 or even 5mm wall.

The only issue that I could see with your plan is that strong winds might cause problems if they are at 90 degrees to the direction of the extension bar. However, you should be able to reinforce this with suitable placed bracing at the end of the extension bar to cope with wind from any direction.

It's my concern too, hence the bracing underneath - not quite sure what to make them out of but it will be something substantial.

That said, I have far more concerns from the crappy pole converter from SSS, which is rusting away after only 6 months... If I don't gain anything from the east following this, I'll just put the dish back where it is with another converter (don't forget that the PM needs a 3 inch pole).

 

[blademedia]

I cant see why not, you will have to put a brace there doing it like you suggested the brace will need to be very strong something similar to what's holding the dish in the first place,

 

[moonbase]

...That said, I have far more concerns from the crappy pole converter from SSS, which is rusting away after only 6 months... If I don't gain anything from the east following this, I'll just put the dish back where it is with another converter (don't forget that the PM needs a 3 inch pole).

CJ,

I got a 4.5" to 3" pole converter fabricated by a small fabrication workshop using bits of pipe I bought from eBay. It was a lot cheaper than buying one from SSS and I gave it two coats of primer/undercoat then two top coats of paint so I hope it will last.

3" pole adapter section
Mild Steel Pipe 76.2mm(3") x 4mm - 200mm long - Round Tube | eBay

4.5" pole adapter section
Mild Steel Pipe 127mm (5") x 3mm - 200mm long - Chimney? - Round Tube | eBay

In total the pipe cost £11.55p and the fabricator charged me £35 for the welding including the metal plate that joins the two sections, drilling the holes for the bolts, welding the nuts over the holes and cleaning it all up. If you can do it yourself it becomes even cheaper but unfortunately I have no welding kit or skills so opted to pay a fabricator.

Rgds

 

[Captain Jack]

Looks good - certainly sturdier than SSS's version. I am actually quite angry with them considering quality and the prices they charge.

 

[moonbase]

...It's my concern too, hence the bracing underneath - not quite sure what to make them out of but it will be something ...

.

Its just my limited knowledge, but I think you need the bracing to be coming in at an angle from the sides it needs more than vertical support or almost vertical supports. Something like heavy duty box section with 3 or 4 struts at 45 degrees or 60 degrees to the extension bar?

Rgds

 

[moonbase]

Looks good - certainly sturdier than SSS's version. I am actually quite angry with them considering quality and the prices they charge.

I checked out the SSS price for a 4.5" to 3" pole adapter and was taken aback at the price of just under £200. It was what prompted me to look for a fabricator and some pipe. Its a shocking price from SSS.

If you wish, I can provide you with the details of the fabricator I used? However, I am sure that you could either make one yourself now that you have the kit or find a more local fabricator?


Rgds

 

[Captain Jack]

Thanks MB. I am hoping I can do this myself, considering the amount spent on welding bits! My only concern will be coating the whole thing - whether to get it galvanised properly or make do with primers/Hammerites.

SSS's "baked on" coating is peeling all over the place!

 

[scopus]

I think John, has a similar arrangement to what you are planning CJ, or at least he used to. See if he sees this thread, he might come back with some ideas.

 

[Captain Jack]

Its just my limited knowledge, but I think you need the bracing to be coming in at an angle from the sides it needs more than vertical support or almost vertical supports. Something like heavy duty box section with 3 or 4 struts at 45 degrees or 60 degrees to the extension bar?

Something like this?


The "support arms" would now be welded together box sections, so it's more of a proper platform support on which the dish can rest.

 

[moonbase]

Thanks MB. I am hoping I can do this myself, considering the amount spent on welding bits! My only concern will be coating the whole thing - whether to get it galvanised properly or make do with primers/Hammerites.

SSS's "baked on" coating is peeling all over the place!

CJ,

If you coat it yourself then one option to consider would be to use 2K (two pack) epoxy primer, it bonds to the bare metal strongly and can easily be overcoated. The 2K stuff is available in aerosol cans, all you do is press a button on the base of the can and it then mixes the two components in the can ready to spray. If you do go for this option as a primer, look for a colour shaded primer such as light grey, with the clear version it is not so easy to see areas missing the spray.


Rgds

 

[RimaNTSS]

Alex! If I was in the situation you are, my first option would be to leave it as it is and just live with existing limitations of reception from most-east satellites. But if I was doing relocation of the dish I would probably go in the detection of making new support pole (painted it red) and then maybe add horizontal bar to the existing pole (yellow). As a new base for new pole I would probably do same as I did some time ago.

 

[moonbase]

Something like this?

The "support arms" would now be welded together box sections, so it's more of a proper platform support on which the dish can rest.

CJ,

My structural knowledge is limited, but if possible I would try to get either 3 box sections struts at 120 degrees apart or 4 box section struts at 90 degrees apart and focus them via mitre cuts onto a flat 10mm steel plate that bolts to the underside of the extension arm. However, both "blademedia" and "John" or any of the other experienced modders/fabricatiors will be better placed to advise you.

Also, you will need some type of solid anchorage at the ground end of the support struts. That might be the issue that takes most thought?

Update:
Just read the plan from "Rima", his solution is way better than my botch job.


Rgds

 

[Captain Jack]

Alex! If I was in the situation you are, my first option would be to leave it as it is and just live with existing limitations of reception from most-east satellites. But if I was doing relocation of the dish I would probably go in the detection of making new support pole (painted it red) and then maybe add horizontal bar to the existing pole (yellow). As a new base for new pole I would probably do same as I did some time ago.

Yeah, I do wonder whether the extra 1 or 2 satellites, which I may or may not even receive is worth the effort. Perhaps not, we'll see what my motivation levels are like when the weather is warmer! I definitely need to rework the PM a bit and recreate the adapter to avoid the SSS one collapsing on itself, so I thought it might be an opportunity to slightly relocate the dish.

 

[RimaNTSS]

I definitely need to rework the PM a bit and recreate the adapter to avoid the SSS one collapsing on itself

Could you remind what exactly is the issue here? What is wrong with SSS adapter?