Please help me decide

[aadham]

Hi all

I have two dish upgrade choices for which I'll be most grateful if board members would kindly help me decide to choose from.

1- (USED) 4.1m Paraclipse Classic series, truss-ribbed mesh dish with H-H motor. The dish is in good condition. This one is priced approx. $210 incl. installation.

2- (USED) 2.3m Paraclipse Hydro series dish with H-H motor(needs maintenance). I'm told the dish is in good condition as well. This one is priced at $240 plus installation.

I've asked around locally (and even in neighboring countries) to find out what to expect but unfortunately I received conflicting feedback.

My current dish is a solid 1.8m PF Jonsa coupled with 0.4dB LNB.
I'm located in Amman-Jordan (35.56E - 31.57N).

Apart from the price difference, my question is, which one should I go for?

THIA

Ayman

 

[Razor]

Hi Ayman

Since option ONE is nearly twice the size of option TWO that is the one I would go for.

There is a guy on here called Channel Hopper who is very good at this type of question, maybe he can give you a more definitive answer.

Ray.

 

[aadham]

Thanks Ray for the quick reply

Waiting for CH's response.

 

[PaulR]

You need to find out whether the mesh is for C band or Ku band.

The C band mesh has much bigger holes than the Ku band type and will, quite literally, let the higher frequency Ku band signals go through.

PaulR

 

[aadham]

Thanks PaulR

The mesh is for C/Ku. Detailed specs maybe found here.

Thanks again

Ayman

 

[rolfw]

If the quality is comparable between the two dishes, I would go for the larger one. The larger of the two looks similar to the one Robbiewright has in Cairo.

Set up one of the Jonsa 1.8M dishes recently and was unimpressed with the build quality, so you should achieve a huge benefit from your upgrade.

 

[aadham]

Thanks Rolfw

It seems that all feedback is in favor of the larger dish.

I guess I'll go for it, then. If all's well, I'll post the results.

Thank you all for your time.


Ayman

 

[rolfw]

You know that we want to see the photographs when set up as well Ayman, thinking of starting up a forum dish album.

 

[aadham]

No problem m8
I have thought of this. Hopefully it will be installed next week.

BTW, my Jonsa is almost 8 years and it's still doing a good job, with few rust spots on the outer edge, but it seems the newers ones aren't as good as the old ones.

Thanks again m8.

Ayman

 

[rolfw]

Just been having a look at the Hydro specification, looks like a very nice dish, i would guess that a very important factor in the choice has got to be how well the larger mesh dish is put together and whether the performance improvement of size will be proportionate.

Interesting to see what our large dish specialists would say.

 

[aadham]

I'm thinking that if I were to consider the 0.8 factor (mesh vs. sold) the 4.1m mesh should be equal to 3.28m. However, as Dr.Dish pointed out sometime ago that if the dish was poorly manufactured/installed one should expect a 0.6 factor, thus the 4.1m would be equal to 2.46m.

If the above is not correct I'd appreciate a response.

Thanks

Ayman

 

[Channel Hopper]

Sorry for the late reply

The hydro dishes are highly regarded among the people that install large dishes, as are the mesh versions

I very much doubt you will see much difference in the response at Ku band of either dish, but the C band will be greatly enhanced on the larger of the two

The 'maintenance' aspect of the 7.5' motor is not clear, does it work or not ? This may be a costly deciding factor

Regardless, to get the whole kit installed at the prices suggested (asssuming the man knows his stuff) seems like a real bargain. I would buy both systems, have them both installed, carry out the relevant tests, and then sell the one that is not required

(But then I would probably end up keeping both )

Whatever

 

[anton]

I dare to butt in with a question as it is a little on topic (big dishes).

@Channel Hopper
Do you have any experience with Patriot and Prodelin dishes? (something I am trying to decide) If yes, how do you grade them and how do they compare- both cca 3m solid. The Prodelin seems to have one disadvantage in that it requires two LNBs, one for H, one for V polarization, multiswitch and all that. On the other hand maybe this could result in better performance?
@aadham
How on earth can a 4m be that cheap? I know it's used and mesh, but still.

 

[aadham]

Hi CH
Thanks for the reply m8. I appreciate it.

The maintenance is about -as the installer stated- "greasing" the motor! It will not cost much, but all in all, the cost is expected to reach the cost of a new one.

As for the mesh, I'm only hoping to to be able to get the weaker Ku signals from Thor/Hotbird/Both Astras and Pas10, and get some C band tps which according to coverage maps need larger dishes to receive.
How much -theoretically- additional gain should I expect with the new mesh in Ku?

@Anton
Some of the mesh dishes around here are installed in expats homes, and when the time comes for them to leave elsewhere some would virtually give it away or at the very least just charge peanuts for it, as is the case with the 4m.

 

[Razor]

Don't forget to post the Photos.

Where all waiting...Like junkies waiting on there FIX.

 

[geoffreys]

Hi CH
Thanks for the reply m8. I appreciate it.

The maintenance is about -as the installer stated- "greasing" the motor! It will not cost much, but all in all, the cost is expected to reach the cost of a new one.

As for the mesh, I'm only hoping to to be able to get the weaker Ku signals from Thor/Hotbird/Both Astras and Pas10, and get some C band tps which according to coverage maps need larger dishes to receive.
How much -theoretically- additional gain should I expect with the new mesh in Ku?

@Anton
Some of the mesh dishes around here are installed in expats homes, and when the time comes for them to leave elsewhere some would virtually give it away or at the very least just charge peanuts for it, as is the case with the 4m.

Wow! If you have any more 4m dishes around that price let me know, I'll come over to pay you the cash and collect it. And I am NOT joking. Or you bring it over here, I'll reimburse you reasonable pre-agreed amount for your airfare + cost of dish .
Geoff
Cyprus

 

[Razor]

How much would a 4m dish be in Cyprus,..Geoff ?

 

[geoffreys]

How much would a 4m dish be in Cyprus,..Geoff ?

Well a new one is about CYP3000. You don't see any second hand ones, although I was offerred a good second hand 1.8m dish for about half the new price.

There are far more expats (from Europe, mainly UK) living in Cyprus than in (say) Jordan, which explains why second hand dishes in Jordan are apparently so cheap compared to Cyprus

I wonder what a new 4m dish would cost in Jordan?

Best Regards,
Geoff

 

[aadham]

Hi geoffreys
Ever since the end of nineties large dishes have vanished from the local market and smaller Taiwanese (Jonsa) and -recently- locally made (just trash) dominated the market. The exception is the Paraclipse Hydro 2.4m.

Larger dishes (usually mesh) were priced between $4000-$6000. Those were usually Orbitrons Paraclipses or Perfect Tens. Above Hydro series currently costs $700+ in addition to installation costs.

Old large mesh dishes can still be seen on rooftops in Amman, but many are suffering from missing few panels, or are warped or rusty.

I've been trying -for about a year- to get me a solid dish that is larger than 1.8m to no avail. Apart from expensive Hydros, none exists.

This is why I resorted to local sat shops to get me a larger dish even if it were mesh. I've come across three or four options in the last couple of months until I got this one.

I'll have a word with the guy who got me this one, and see if there any similar catches, and I'll let you know of the details then.


Good luck

Ayman

 

[aadham]

Hello again

Someone recommended this feedhorn (Model ESR-124H-1) to go with the mesh dish.
I have a good 0.4dB lnbf. Would it work with the mesh dish, or do I have to install the above?

THIA

Ayman