What are the differences?

[flyfish]

If I upgraded to a Mercury and got a larger dish--39in, would I see any differences in signal strength, quality, or number of channels?

[rainman]

the bigger dish usualy will get you better signal. more area for collection of the signal.

[bobkat]

Yup, the difference in going to a larger dish is amazing. I used to put up 30" dishes and get a decent signal on T5, AMC4 and others, but when one day I threw up a 33" the signal level increase blew my mind... only thing is some folks hate a dish that's too big. Higher wind load too.

kat

[rainman]

hey kat in my book they don't make a dish to big.LOL

[schnerd]

Rainman: I just finished installing a new corotor assembly and realigning my 10' dish (added Ku capability), which is mounted such that at it's lowest point in the arc the feedhorn is 13' off the ground. I distinctly recall standing on the ladder thinking "Geez, I'm glad this thing ain't any bigger..."

[rainman]

thats when you find yourself a bucket truck like the electric company use.LOL

[wejones]

Originally Posted by schnerd

Rainman: I just finished installing a new corotor assembly and realigning my 10' dish (added Ku capability), which is mounted such that at it's lowest point in the arc the feedhorn is 13' off the ground. I distinctly recall standing on the ladder thinking "Geez, I'm glad this thing ain't any bigger..."

Well, mine isn't that high, but I know what you mean. Where I used to live, I needed to get to the feedhorn while the dish was high in the arc {can't remember why}, and I had an old Dodge Van at the time, and a 20' ladder. I moved the van up next to the dish, and chained the ladder to the back of the van and was able to climb up the ladder to get to the feedhorn. (It wasn't up 20', but was up high enough that I was pretty nervous.)
More recently, where I live now, I often need to do fine tuning to my feedhorn, again while the thing is high in the arc. Now, however, I have a tractor with a front end loader. I've found that I can move the bucket up to the dish, and a 6' folding "V" ladder up next to the bucket, to allow me to climb into the bucket. I can then put all my tools in the bucket with me, and it gets me up pretty close to high enough, to do what I need to do on the feedhorn, without fear of falling off a ladder. Although I think I have some slow leaks in my hydraulics, as my bucket slowly lowers, and I have to occasionally get out and raise the bucket. I wish I had told my wife to take a picture of me up on this contraption.
My recent adjustments are going to have to be repeated though, because what I had failed to realize, was that the problems I was having were caused by a pine tree that had grown about 10' since the dish was installed, and I didn't realize that the bottom half of my dish was being shaded by the pine tree at this point in the arc, so my dish got better reception when the feedhorn was slightly cocked toward the upper half of the dish (kind of like an offset dish lnbf). I eventually realized this, and tried to re-center the feed, but I really need to go back and re-align the thing on a satellite that isn't shaded by the pine tree, and/or cut down the darn pine tree (my wife has now given me permission).

[bobkat]

Originally Posted by rainman

hey kat in my book they don't make a dish to big.LOL

I'm going to take a picture of this sports bar in Toronto; it has the biggest C-band monster I've ever seen. Got to be at least 18 feet in diameter. Forget the Von Weisse actuator - we're talking Detroit Diesel here...

kat

[rainman]

Originally Posted by bobkat

I'm going to take a picture of this sports bar in Toronto; it has the biggest C-band monster I've ever seen. Got to be at least 18 feet in diameter. Forget the Von Weisse actuator - we're talking Detroit Deisel here...

kat

now that sounds more like it. except let's use a cummins not as noise as the detroit.LOL

[bobkat]

Originally Posted by rainman

now that sounds more like it. except let's use a cummins not as noise as the detroit.LOL

OK, or maybe a katerpillar.... (In John Deere Green of course... )

kat

[rainman]

defintely in John Deere green. LOL