New user - old Birdview

[bombu]

I've ordered the LNBF and receiver. Thanks very much to all of you who helped me out! I will continue here once I have made some progress.

 

[bombu]

I

I've ordered the LNBF and receiver. Thanks very much to all of you who helped me out! I will continue here once I have made some progress.

I'm back sooner than I had anticipated. Here's a picture of the gear box. It has a helipot precision potentiometer and plastic (nylon?) gears. I expected metal.

There's still the other half of the box yet to be opened.

 

[Titanium]

I

I'm back sooner than I had anticipated. Here's a picture of the gear box. It has a helipot precision potentiometer and plastic (nylon?) gears. I expected metal.

There's still the other half of the box yet to be opened.View attachment 181943

Like the rest of the hardware on the Birdview, welcome to "old school", original install, components from the 1980's.

Do you still have the original positioner controller to power and move the motor? You could upgrade the multi-turn potentiometer to either an optical sensor or reed switch, but really the 1st question is how you plan on controlling the dish position?

 

[telstar_1]

That's normal, those used nylon gears. Probably a 10k 10-turn pot. Not worth trying to convert to reed switch.

 

[bombu]

That's normal, those used nylon gears. Probably a 10k 10-turn pot. Not worth trying to convert to reed switch.

Yes, I'm pretty sure I have the original box that moved the dish. Can I find it is another question.

I've been assuming that if I did get the dish movement motorized again that I would use the original controller. But I haven't been very hopeful about that being doable. I've mostly figured that I would just leave it pointed at one satellite. But those nylon gears look to be in good shape. I'll keep messing around with it. It looks like it's going to take some doing just to get the rest of the mounting cleaned and lubed enough to move at all all, which I probably have to do anyway, unless it happens to be aimed at a satisfactory satellite now.

I've got room enough so it might be more expedient to look for more old dishes to add later.