How heavy are these large satellite dishes? (and tips on taking them down?) - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: XOIIO
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 20, 2014, 02:28:35 pm
content: Well, a lucky star is shining down today, I have always wanted one of these, and here is an opportunity to get one free! He moved into the house and doesn't want it XDI'm going to get it tomorrow, not sure what time, the guy is going to call back with an idea of the tools I need. Apparently the tripod is cemented down, I am guessing there are some sort of connections at the bottom that bolt it into some holders, and the legs aren't cemented in.I'm just wondering if anyone knows how heavy these things are, and how difficult it is for one person to disassemble it. I have a feeling being short might be a disadvantage here, but I'm going to go for it. I've used small one foot satellite dishes for picking up wifi better, I bet this will work many times better. It will also be a chance to crack open the electronics and see what's inside.Something tells me some people will think I'm crazy for wanting one of these though, lol, I'm not even quite sure just how big they are across, but I'll manage to get it in my truck one way or another.edit: heh, it would be great to get a black van and mount this on the roof aimed sideways, and park outside people's houses lol.

author: Stonent
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 20, 2014, 02:50:31 pm
content: Most of that kind are wedge shapes oriented in a circular pattern. So you'll be taking screws out and breaking it down smaller. The outer ring may separate into smaller pieces also. Bonus if it has a motor or servo assembly for remote rotation and positioning. Back in those days changing stations would sometimes involve changing sattelites.

author: XOIIO
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 20, 2014, 02:52:06 pm
content: Quote from: Stonent on April 20, 2014, 02:50:31 pmAh, cool, if it was in wedges that would be great. I doubt that kind has motors but that would be a huge bonus, pretty neat that changing stations involved changing satellites.

author: SeanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 20, 2014, 05:19:47 pm
content: Standard 1/2 inch drive socket set, and a set of spanners as well. Include 10, 12,13,15,17,19 and 21mm if possible, and take as well a hacksaw with spare blades, a hammer of at least 500g, a 2kg hammer and cold chisel ( often the mounting bolts are enclosed in concrete to protect them) and if you have it a small angle grinder with 5 disks, all steel cutting and probably 2 masonry cutting ones. You will need a good ladder as well as you are short to reach the bolts on top of the dish sections. When finishes taking it apart either knock the bolts into the anchor or cut them off so people do not stub toes on them. With that big a dish you will need help as the pieces are awkward to carry, and you will need 4 hands to hold them in taking them down.

author: XOIIO
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 20, 2014, 05:27:57 pm
content: Quote from: SeanB on April 20, 2014, 05:19:47 pmWell, I don't plan on breaking the concrete, I don't have any sledgehammers or any other large hammers, I do have a socket set laying around. Is the hacksaw for if I was for breaking off the concrete as well? I have one but I'm unsure how many blades.Also, the second picture I didn't look at, figured it was receiving equipment, but it has a box type thing, something that says VonWeise Satellite Actuators, so maybe it does have the big servos/motors! (it's the thing on the back of the pole sticking out the back.)

author: SeanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 20, 2014, 05:56:47 pm
content: Hacksaw is if any bolts have rusted solid, and you do not have enough force to twist the head off. If you do not have at least a 1/2 inch drive socket set you will break the set. I tend to take along a breaker bar for the socket set as well, as it can undo almost any bolt, or break the head off. I have broken the bars as well, but Gedore has a lifetime guarantee on them. Smaller sets I have broken sockets, ratchets and the extensions as well.

author: orion242
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: April 20, 2014, 06:20:52 pm
content: Quote from: XOIIO on April 20, 2014, 02:52:06 pmPretty sure that is a linear actuator hanging off the back of it.

author: XOIIO
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 20, 2014, 06:23:26 pm
content: Quote from: orion242 on April 20, 2014, 06:20:52 pmYeah posted that after looking closer at it, I figured it turned left and right, but maybe it just needed to tilt up and down to change.

author: SeanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 20, 2014, 06:33:25 pm
content: That is a polar mount, so the linear motor actually turns the dish to follow an arc. This allows it to track a line in the sky that is the arc at your particular longitude that you will find all the geosynchronous satellites in. Other options need 2 motors with an Elevation Azimuth mount that can track almost any satellite within it's coverage area, mostly used to do things like weatherfax or to track the signal from the ISS.

author: XOIIO
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 20, 2014, 06:42:24 pm
content: Quote from: SeanB on April 20, 2014, 06:33:25 pmAlright, cool, maybe it has both, no way to tell from the image. I wonder if I could maybe use an aurduino and get it to track something like the space station, that is something way more complex than I have ever done before though, and who knows if the space station still transmits stuff that the public can get. I'd probably need a different receiver too.

author: Richard Crowley
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 20, 2014, 06:45:51 pm
content: IF you want to be able to re-assemble the pieces into a functional reflector, you will need help if you want to be safe. Those things are big (3m or 10ft for C-band TVRO) and they are NOT as light as you might think ,even if made from aluminum. Of course, whether it uses metric or inch hardware depends on what country you are in (?).Your main issues will be:1) Rusted hardware. Be sure to take plenty of (i.e. duplicate) tools so you can use a socket or closed end-wrench on EACH side of a bolt/nut. And absolutely take some rust-breaking fluid to make it possible to remove the hardware without cutting or smashing it.2) Size and mass of the pieces will be awkward to handle by yourself when disassembling. I would say it is NOT safe to do this single-handed. Get help. And, of course, take a ladder as well.If you do NOT want to be able to re-assemble the pieces, take an electric reciprocating saw and a whole pack of blades. You might get enough from scrap aluminum(?) to pay for your gas.Of course, modern semiconductor technology has rendered those "Big Ugly Dish" (BUD) antennas obsolete. Improvements in transmitter effeciency at the satellite end up in space, and improvements in signal-to-noise ratios for the receivers here on earth (along with digital vs. analog technology) mean that we don't need near the amount of receive signal strength to recover reasonable noise-free signals.

author: XOIIO
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 20, 2014, 06:53:35 pm
content: I'm in Canada, I do want to keep it in good enough shape to reassemble it, I have a socket set and an adjustable wrench or two so I can get one on each side of the bolts. I don't have rust breaking fluid, and to be honest I'm basically flat broke so I won't be able to by any.Of course those are pretty obsolete, but a nice big parabolic dish might be handy, you never know, could be good for sniffing wifi from a whole neighborhood lol. If nothing else it will make for some nice parts and scrap if needed.

author: GreyWoolfe
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: April 20, 2014, 07:03:27 pm
content: when I have large bolts to break loose ( like lug nuts), I use a 3/4" socket wrench with a 4 foot piece of electrical conduit as my breaker bar. as TheBorg says-resistance is futile.

author: Rory
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 20, 2014, 07:06:43 pm
content: Worked on a few BUDs over the years. Here are a few things I've learned putting them up and taking them down.Mesh dishes are very fragile. Pad them well when you transport them, otherwise you'll find they will dent and bend quite easily. Remember, even minor bends, dents and warpage affect the performance. You should consider building a transport frame or crate from 2x4 lumber and padding materials. This will keep it safe in transit and storage before you put it together.Do not try to transport the dish in one piece unless you have a large truck and a wide-load permit. Ever see a dish alongside the road? I have.Take the dish off the polar mount assembly as a unit, use 3 people at a minimum, two to hold the dish while the third removes the mounting hardware. Clear a space to the side so you can set the dish down on the ground before you take it apart. Remove the linear actuator before unbolting the dish from the mount. Be careful to ease the dish all the way to the extreme end of its rotation, so that it doesn't slam down with a bang.Measure the distance from the feedhorn to the dish, and record the focal length so that when you build a new feedpoint for it you won't have to fiddle with the mount. When you separate the gores, mark where they join so they go back together in the same arrangement as when you took it apart. You will probably find the j-hook tubes have corroded together and will be very difficult to separate.Come with lots of penetrating oil and prepare for a lot of frozen hardware. This thing has been sitting out in the weather for decades, the sacrificial plating will have been corroded away on most of the bolts.On the two big bolts holding the dish to the mount, it helps to apply heat from a propane torch to get the nuts to loosen.Watch out for stinging insect nests in the LNB housing behind the feedhorn!

author: Rory
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 20, 2014, 07:13:11 pm
content: One last thing. If you can't get competent help, don't even attempt to do this by yourself. A little gust of wind and these things can mess you up pretty bad.

author: XOIIO
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 20, 2014, 07:14:36 pm
content: Alright, good tips rory, thanks. (won't quote the post as it's long)I have no propane torch or penetrating oil, I have a couple of long pieces of electrical conduit I was going to use to make an interesting camera mount with but I'll cut a section or two off for a breaker bar, and I also have a fairly hefty crowbar for anything else tricky. didn't think that the mesh would be fragile, I'll bring some old blankets/sleeping bags.I imagine the guy will probably be able to lend a hand, if not I have a family member who probably can.

author: Rory
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 20, 2014, 07:41:09 pm
content: Sounds to me like you're not prepared to do this safely. Take a word of advice, if you want to keep your fingers, or your friends' fingers, talk yourself out of it. This isn't something you can do in an hour or so, it will take the best part of a day, and there will be that big bolt that just won't come loose, usually the top one that's holding everything together. This is not an easy job. Without the right tools, and it sounds like you don't have them, you will likely mess up and either get someone hurt or damage the thing.There is a reason that you see these dishes sitting unused in peoples' back yards - they are really difficult to safely take down unless you know what you're doing, and nobody wants them anymore, so they can't be gotten rid of except to starry-eyed geeks. And I have seen them taken down, disassembled, in a pile back behind peoples garages, where they end up getting stepped on, parts lost, etc.

author: XOIIO
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 20, 2014, 07:59:34 pm
content: Quote from: Rory on April 20, 2014, 07:41:09 pmWell I pretty much have everything except the penetrating oil and blow torch, I am pretty good with mechanical stuff, if it does seem too risky I'll definitely pull out, I am thinking that it may be simpler to disassemble the sections of the dish then take down the receiver part of it, though I haven't done this before, not sure if that is possible, besides, if I am able to do it, it's something new I will know how to do, and a bit more experience which may come in handy later.Even if the dish itself gets damaged (which don't get me wrong, would be a shame), I can crack open the electronics and I will also have the motors/actuators for it.One thing that just occurred to me is how it will be hooked up to power. It looks like it is disconnected based on the length/amount of wires hanging off the back of it, but how are they usually hooked up? I am going to ask the guy whenever he returns my call, but do they just head off to an outlet usually?

author: XOIIO
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 20, 2014, 09:24:47 pm
content: Alright, the guy doesn't think I would be able to do anything to the concrete anyways, I guess he has access to a jackhammer or something so he can do it himself later, so I can just take the dish and other parts and leave the big stand, won't be able to stand it up I think unless I find another stand but eh, I'll have the parts for now, and the cables are all cut, so sounds like it's good to go.

author: janoc
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 20, 2014, 10:59:00 pm
content: Also try to not do it on a windy day ...Back in the day I had the "pleasure" to install a 160cm dish (pretty small, nothing fancy as the one you have!) and when the wind started to blow into the dish, it almost blew me off the roof! These things can concentrate more stuff than just radio waves!

author: XOIIO
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 20, 2014, 11:11:43 pm
content: Quote from: janoc on April 20, 2014, 10:59:00 pmWell luckily it's low down, and it's been pretty dead wind-wise lately, should be dead tomorrow as well, and I don't have it yetI'm definitely going to do a teardown of the receiver part of it when I a) make a new channel, b) figure out a name for that channel, and c) find a good way to suspend my camera above the desk.

author: VK5RC
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: April 20, 2014, 11:29:26 pm
content: Remember antenna gain goes up with diameter but so does directivity, depending on frequency, that dish may have to point pretty accurately, I am about to use a 3m dish for amateur radio earth-moon-earth communication (if it all works!) at1.2GHz, I recall my dish has a calculated view of 3 degrees.An amateur radio op VK3UM has a really good programme that will do some of the calculations for you and if you want to test your system (pre-amps, focus point/dish squint/ dish feed horns etc ) a good technique is to test against 'cold sky' to 'sun' noise.http://www.vk3um.com/eme%20calculator.htmlThere are quite a few Hams who have some good sites about high gain dishes, rotation control, ultra low noise amps etc if you are interested, google "Earth-Moon-Earth" or EME and quite a few will pop up. e.g.http://www.w1ghz.org

author: NiHaoMike
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 20, 2014, 11:31:13 pm
content: If you have no use for the dish itself, an amateur radio operator interested in moonbounce or radio astronomy might be interested.

author: XOIIO
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 20, 2014, 11:33:10 pm
content: Quote from: NiHaoMike on April 20, 2014, 11:31:13 pmMaybe, there isn't much in the way of that around here from what I have seen though.

author: XOIIO
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 21, 2014, 09:52:20 pm
content: Tah-dahh!It took an hour and a half (and almost passing out because I didn't drink enough water earlier since I had some pc work in a hot apartment, spell only lasted a couple minutes), no ladder so I was climbing and doing acrobatics to hold onto the back frame, the actuator was strong enough to give me a bit of support.They welded the receiver/bar in place, so we took the whole thing down, unfortunately had to lean it on the receiver a bit, but it only broke the plastic where the screws held it in. The guy brought out an impact driver so taking the dish apart was the quickest part actually, lost of bolts, a bit of back pain, but it was pretty damn fun. The big bar was cemented in place so if I want to mount it up a bit I'll probably use one of those rounded garden surround type logs that are pressure treated and make a sturdy frame out of 2x4's, it will be easier to assemble at ground level, and I would only have it tall enough so that I could angle it horizontally and no further.the actuator works, it's a fairly chunky 36v dc motor,my 30v power supply can move it fine, the whole length of the bar is 31 inches retracted, 45 extended, its somewhat slow but it seems pretty dang strong. It moved the dish left and right, no up/down motion.I'm just glad to lean back and take a break lol, I don't know how much the damn thing weighed, I'll weigh one of the sections and the middle when I unload it from my truck and let you know, but it was pretty heavy. (first picture is before it was in the truck)I am pretty tempted to get a base so I can put it together if I want lol, I might cut the bar off, though if it can go straight up I can put it together and take it apart that way easily, don't know if it can, but it should be dooable with one person. receiver looks fairly interesting, I'll try and crack it open to see the insides, I'll probably take pictures or possibly a video if I can rig the camera up right, but most likely pictures.I had a moment of panic when we were rolling it from behind the garage, barely past the shed, to the open yard, where it looked like the weight was squishing the whole thing oval shaped, luckily it was just the angle I was seeing it at. There is for sure one finger sized hole but I think that's it, and the hole is right beside, if not slightly under one of the bars. (it got poked by the square frame as we took it down)

author: XOIIO
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 21, 2014, 11:21:21 pm
content: Alright, got it unloaded, not precise but I had guessed the weight at 180, after weighing the pieces, the middle was 25.25 pounds, and each section was 27.5, so it came to 190.25 pounds, sure felt like a lot more though. It was indeed a 10 foot dish (or possibly 10.5, maybe 11) with the center in place)I've got a few more pics of all the sections, the condition of a few of them, and the receiver if you guys are interested. We did only put a small hole in it. There were 3 other small tears but they were stitched up with wire a long time ago. The pole for mounting needs to be a shade under 3.5 inches.The receiver is surprisingly small, I don't know why the dome on the outside was so massively over sized. Should be fun to crack open though, wish I had an oscilloscope to hook up to it and see if I could grab any signals.

author: tom66
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 22, 2014, 12:32:27 am
content: What type of signal is that for? Satellite TV? Even the first IF of satellite TV is in the GHz band; you're going to need a pretty fancy scope to see it.

author: XOIIO
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 22, 2014, 12:41:59 am
content: Quote from: tom66 on April 22, 2014, 12:32:27 amAh, didn't think of that, I figured I'd keep my eye out for a cheap or free old analog scope, but you are right, it's for 3.4-4.2 GHZ, though the output frequency is 950-1750 mhz.I know dick all about scopes, I would know more but I left an old techtronicks (if that's the right spelling) scope in the garage over winter, come spring, it was totally dead :/edit: just popped open the lid on it, under the screw cover there's a circuit board. probably some RF voodoo, but under the round cover I was expecting some fancy stuff, it's basically just empty with a couple little wires sticking in from the sides spaced apart a bit. Quite the anti climactic result lol.edit 2: oh yeah it's a twin output C band LNBF (I'm guessing the LNFB stands for the type of receiver).I'm curious, how much did these big dishes cost new? I imagine they were something only people with a decent bit of money could have.

author: tom66
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 22, 2014, 01:45:40 am
content: LNB = low noise buffer, I think. Possibly F is frontend. There will be more. There should be a mixer, local oscillator and IF filter, at the very least.It's Tektronix.

author: XOIIO
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 22, 2014, 01:56:09 am
content: Quote from: tom66 on April 22, 2014, 01:45:40 amAh, alright, thanks.Oh yeah here is another shot of them all unloaded, they are quite nice little things to have sitting around, someone artsy could probably make interesting stuff with them.

author: Rory
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 22, 2014, 01:59:59 am
content: Now for some reminiscing about BUD technology...LNBF = Low Noise Block (Downconverter) Feedhorn. In the early days you could get the LNA (Low noise amplifier), usually a GaAsFET or HEMT, Downconverter (a combination mixer/local oscillator), and feedhorn mixed and matched depending on the receiver you used not to mention how much money you were willing to spend.In the first couple of generations the receivers used a fixed 70 MHz IF (which was great for FM TV with a Gunnplexer) with a tunable oscillator in the downconverter that drifted all over the place with temperature changes. There were actually a pair of wires that ran up along the cable to tune the oscillator. Cheap receivers had no or crappy AFC so you had to occasionally tweak the fine tuning when the channel drifted too far off frequency. Then somebody, either Drake or Scientific Atlanta, I think, came up with using low loss RG6 coax and a tunable higher IF in the receiver, with a fixed LO in the downconverter, hence the 950-1750 MHz IF. The satellite box next to the TV is basically a wideband tunable FM video receiver, connected to a descrambler device. Early units had a separate control box for the linear actuator that had presets for each of the satellites. Later receivers have the control circuitry built into the set top box.If you look in the feedhorn you may find a little servo motor that rotates the feed probe to adjust for horizontal or vertical polarization... satellites had channels with odd channel numbers in one polarization, even channels in the other. Adjacent satellites sometimes had opposite polarization on channels so smaller dishes with broader beams could separate them apart. More expensive LNBFs had dual feedpoints so both polarizations could be received simultaneously, like in CATV headends and commercial installations like lodging establishments. Essentially the idea was to line up the feed probe with the antennas on the satellite.BTW, I did most of my installations in the wilderness of SE Alaska in the 80's, then later had my own BUD living in the country until DISH network got affordable.

author: XOIIO
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 22, 2014, 02:17:02 am
content: I haven't taken the circuit out of the feedhorn (I'm guessing that's the antenna bit I'm talking about, and have a picture of on the table?), there is a little box on the board but I think it's one of those older style adjustable resistors (or perhaps a potentiometer, never looked into the on board ones) but the antenna wires inside it look like they are through metal holes, I don't think there will be a motor in there.I bet putting up those dishes was a fairly nice job, it was hard taking it down, but still fun, nice view at the top, and was outdoors.As to putting them up, did you do it this way? (I'm just guessing but it seems to make sense). I figured you would put the bottom 3 sections on the frame/mount for the pole, hooking them together, then the metal ring at the center, securing it into place to the 3 sections, then proceeded to put the last 3 top sections up one at a time? That's how I'd do it, unless you guys had a flatbed with a crane to lift it up in one piece.Interestingly I can't find much if any info on pricing of those things but I found a forum for satellite dish fanatics it seems, I can probably find some more obscure info there. Something I would like to find is an adapter from full sized coax to the small one used on desktop wireless card external antennas, then it would be easy to stick one up there and have it reach a decent distance.

author: Rory
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 22, 2014, 02:36:32 am
content: You're going to have to come up with your own feedhorn if you're going to try sniffing distant wifi, C-Band is above 3 GHz while wifi is around 2.4 GHz. I was wondering if a USB wifi dongle on the end of a USB extension cord would be sufficient, maybe mount it 1/4 wavelength in front of a reflector, facing the dish. Not real sensitive but maybe the gain of the dish will make up the difference.In the USA using a high gain antenna on Wifi is technically verboten, unless you are using it strictly as an amateur radio link with no encryption, and only using it to link with other hams. Not being from the Great White North, couldn't tell you about your case. Just don't get caught and annoy your neighbors.

author: XOIIO
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 22, 2014, 02:47:32 am
content: Quote from: Rory on April 22, 2014, 02:36:32 amWell, I have one of those extended antennas on the small coax cable, I think its a 5db gain one, with a magnetic base, I could just whack it in the middle where the old feedhorn used to be (maybe even inside it with the antenna sticking out) and it should work fine, I imagine the dish will bounce 2.4ghz fine as well.I did use a USB dongle on the small dish but the extended antenna worked much better, I just need a USB dongle that I can plug one into to hook a laptop up to it.

author: Rory
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 22, 2014, 03:36:06 am
content: The mesh dishes were light enough that they could be preassembled on the ground then lifted up into place by a small team. The trick was to use a drift pin/marlinspike in the axis boltholes to hold the dish in place on the mount before slipping in the bolts - it's a lot easier than fiddling around with bolts in misaligned holes. Especially in 40F rainy weather.The fiberglass dishes were a lot heavier and if we couldn't get access to a bucket truck, sometimes we built a tripod or a-frame out of wood poles and hoisted the dishes up with a come-along or a chain hoist and fabric strap harness. I helped put up a couple of 5-meter Anixter dishes this way, took a couple of days to assemble and erect.Part of my full-time job at that time was to build and maintain LPTV stations for the Alaska Satellite Television Project, 2 channels per site usually, one for educational TV and the other for, as we joked about, soap operas. At that time HBO transmitted their downlink signal in the clear (unencrypted) on the same bird as our channels, and several times we would have to go out to the village by float plane, retune the receiver back to the educational channel so the kids could get their Sesame Street, then fix the lock on the shack door. After that, sit at the dock with a fishing pole trying to catch salmon while waiting for the flight back.I also occasionally moonlighted putting in home dish systems for a friend of mine, usually doing the hookup/dish alignment/test phase, following a crew of construction types... ran lots of dual RG6 with control wires from the dish into the house.

author: XOIIO
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 22, 2014, 01:44:33 pm
content: Man those fiberglass ones do sound like a pain. Interesting that you guys put the others up in one piece though, that's pretty neat.Oh yeah, I have eyes on a new target if the Canadian government ever dies and this becomes un owned property (the one here is actually on a tower sort of building.)lol.

author: BTO
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 22, 2014, 02:59:05 pm
content: Your in Lucki do this all the time for a livingOK, this is what you need1. Make sure you car has a Tow Bar2. a Small Trailer and some rope3. Yourself and a Freind or two (don't do it on your own, Unless you've taken down at least 20 or so of these things and you know how to do it yourself...... I still use 2 Guys to takeDown C Band Dishes)now, you have 2 ways to go about thisYou can1. Disassemble the entire dish and Support Postor2. You can Seperate the Dish itself from the support postif you choose Number 2,then.. Load the dish (Assebled) in the back of your trailer and secure it with the ropesthe rest of the stuff you can just throw in the trailer as wellif you choose to disassemble the whole thingMAKE SURE YOU KNOW HOW TO RE-ASSEMBLE ITto Disassemble it, You'll need 2 Large Shift SpannersSome Power Tools, Phillips Head bits etcthe first thing you do is take the dish down from the support stand, Cut the RG6 Cable that runs from the LNB to the Set Tob Box, before you take down the dish (or Just disconnect it from the LNB)next.. on the ground disassemble it.take off the LNB cover first (3 screws , Phillips head)take off the LNB (3 Screws Phillips Head)this will make the Dish Arms go Loose , Now remove them from the Dishif it has it.. Remove the Centre Plate in the middle of the dishNow remove the metal bit that holds the dish onto the pole from the back, You'll need 2 big Adjustable wrenchesNext.. Disconnect the Wedges from Each other You'll have about 6 or 8 wedges totalnormally you need your cordless drill for this, it takes some timeand.. that's pretty much itre -assemble in reverseDepending on Size, Let's assume it's a 1.8Metre Dish, You could be looking at about 50Kg or soNOW .. CONSIDER THISif you take it down in high winds, Your going to have a problem... BE REALLY REALLY CARFEULLif you drop it, and bend it, You can't just bend it back into shape and expect it to be ok (doesn't always work that way)Use 2 or 3 guys, work Slowly and BE SAFEthe hardest part is..1. When you first remove it from the pole, and you get that free fall feeling from the dish, of having no support.............. you need to control that with a few guys2. Getting it to the ground (thankfully your not taking from a roof, therefore you don't need to worry about your footing on roof tiles)PM me if you need help with thisNOW. REGARDING RETUNINGYou need to know what your doingYou need a Spectrum Analyzer (A Good One, not a shit one) that does DVB-S/DVB-S2You need to know what satellite you want to point toYou need to know it's geostationary orbital postion in the skyyou can look the satellite up on LYNGSATyou need to know you LNB L.O. Frequency, Most Likely 5150You need to know what Frequency you want to scan INyou need to know Your Forward Error correction (FEC)You need to know your symbol RateYou need to know your PolarisationYou need to know how the spectrum looks in Vertical 13 Volts and in Horizontal 18 Volts , otherwise you'll be crossed Polarised and wont know why you can't get a signalthere's a lot to itand if you don't have a spectrum analyzer, Your pretty much , shit out of luckanyway, i hope this info helps youif you have questions... AND I KNOW YOU WILL HAVEPM Mei'm happy to helpi have tonnes of experience in this field,and unlike many others in this industry , i am one of the few who actually knows what to do , How to do it properly and i can explain anything to you,good Luck

author: XOIIO
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 22, 2014, 03:04:49 pm
content: Well, lots of good tips in the post above, but I already have it in my back yard.A hand socket wrench and electrical conduit as a breaker bar worked fine for getting it down lol. No spectrum analyzer, but I'm not going to use this for satellite TV. I also only did it with one other guy. I pretty much did what you said, but half of it XD.

author: XOIIO
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 23, 2014, 02:04:46 am
content: Here's the circuit board from inside, I figured a scan might work better but it's not great. Do you think there is a way to tweak a scanner for a larger depth of field? That would be awesome.Anyways, single sided, the back is metal stuck onto the circuit board somehow, the metal case was where the square shielding pattern was, it was just a plastic screw to hold the board down. The metal case seems to be magnesium. The two antenna "sticks" are soldered in put also have a very fine wire connecting them to what seems to be a small magnetic device from what I am guessing.

author: XOIIO
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 23, 2014, 02:15:46 am
content: Hmm, wouldn't want to do this to my own printer/scanner (as its a fairly nice one though it only does 600 dpi max) is to remove the glass and maybe rig a thin grid of wires or some way to lay the board so that the actual board part is where the glass would be, then it would be in focus and the larger components would be too close. Depends on the clearance though but that might work.

author: BTO
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 23, 2014, 11:09:12 am
content: Cool, You took it down yourself, Good Workregarding that Sexy piece of hardware in Canadaif they ever die, give me a PM and i might just join you in taking it down LOLthat' would definitely be an experience