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Finding Dishes for 802.11b Service?

Posted by Cliff on from the roof-ornaments-of-the-eary-2000s dept.

toygeek2002 asks: "With the proliferation of 802.11b, plans like this one are popping up all over. Where is the best place to FIND such dishes? Numerous Google searches have led to dead-ends, and calls to some local satellite TV shops tell me I'm gonna pay a lot for a 2-3' dish. Where's the best place to find old Primestar or other such dishes?"

29 comments

  1. Newspapers? by pipboy · · Score: 1

    One idea would be to look in newspapers i guess... classifieds more than likely, theres bound to be some old dishes there somewhere, Better yet, if one of your friends has one, see if hes willing to sell, or if they know of someone that would sell you one. And for those not willing to buy, junk yards possibly...?

    1. Re:Newspapers? by littlerubberfeet · · Score: 0

      Congrats, user 583474, welcome to slashdot. OK first comment.
      Some friendly advice: Don't troll (make inane or uninformative comments)
      No flameBait (don't try and start arguments)
      and no off-topic things, like references to www.goatse.com
      Advice on Karma: Karma is as Karma does. Don't aim to increase your Karma. Just post intellegently and comment when something is needed, the karma will go up by itself.

      That being said: MOD ME DOWN FOR THIS POST ASSHOLES.

      As for the classifieds, given that most dishes are leased/rented from DirecTV, etc. the small ones will be hard to find. Trade Journals and Industry magazines are a better place to look.

      --
      Sig (appended to the end of comments you post, 120 chars)
    2. Re:Newspapers? by JCMay · · Score: 1

      I didn't know that DirecTV leased hardware. I was under the impression that subscribers bought their hardware, and then subscribed to the service to make their hardware useful. I know our Sony receiver came from Best Buy (not that I'll go back there... Ick), and was bought. My in-laws' receiver was bought.

      I'm pretty sure Dish Network works the same way, since their hardware is available at Sears and Radio Shack.

  2. several options by littlerubberfeet · · Score: 2, Informative

    If you need just a DISH, go to a junk yard. If you need a dish with the boards, etc. You could try a used satelite company. Now, the options there are as follows: A) go retro, get a bigger, cheap dish. B) Find used dishes from companies updating their subscribers and equipment.

    Another option, steal..........

    And what about the dishes used on news trucks? THe small-form ones are very durable, because a lot of the crews don't know what they are doing. Thise would work, and are probably cheap and easy to obtain.

    --
    Sig (appended to the end of comments you post, 120 chars)
    1. Re:several options by unitron · · Score: 2

      If they're broadcast gear, they may or may not be easy to obtain, but cheap? No way. The way that stuff is priced you'd think they were selling stuff for boats.

      --

      I see even classic Slashdot is now pretty much unusable on dial up anymore.

    2. Re:several options by littlerubberfeet · · Score: 1

      Used, the stuff is cheap. You can get an analog pic/sound mixboard for a mere 500 that can handle 8/16 feeds. The dishes come pretty cheap these days as well, especially if you can find an independant station that got bought out to buy from, or a major network updating.

      --
      Sig (appended to the end of comments you post, 120 chars)
  3. Hrmmmm... by terpia · · Score: 4, Informative
    How 'bout Ebay?


    For the paranoid: http://search.ebay.com/search/search.dll?MfcISAPIC ommand=GetResult&ht=1&SortProperty=MetaEndSort&eba ytag1code=0&query=sat%25+dish

    --
    .sig wanted: Must be concise, funny, and display my cleverness.
  4. old dish, eh? by doooras · · Score: 3, Funny

    that's a tuffy

  5. Why not make one by MarkusQ · · Score: 2

    If all you want is the dish, why not make one? Telescope mirrors aren't too hard to make, and a RF dish should be a lot easier.

    -- MarkusQ

  6. Dishes are $50! by xyzzy · · Score: 2

    What did they tell you at the TV store? 18" and 24" dishes can be had for well less than $50 -- I just bought a 3' one for $75. It's just a bent, coated piece of metal.

  7. Re:Dishes are $50! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    just bent? well, maybe... but it has to be parabolic. it's not like you can just step on one end and pull on the other to give it a bit of a curve and have everything work all peachy-like.

  8. you didn't look very hard by elfkicker · · Score: 3, Informative

    These guys look pretty damn good... Hyperlink Technologies

    1. Re:you didn't look very hard by BJH · · Score: 1

      Yep... I found them about a year ago, and they're great. Plenty of options, they provide Orinoco connectors if you need them, and they're reasonably cheap (unless you go for the amplified versions, which are mostly around $500-$700).

  9. Re:Dishes are $50! by zenyu · · Score: 3, Informative

    Yep, I just bought a 2ft one for less than $50 with the Yagi feed. It was a group buy, but even if you buy one it's not too bad. I got mine from dbiplus.

    If you look long enough you might find one on the street on trash pickup night. Just put a 2.4 Ghz Yagi on it and you have a high gain antenna...

  10. Why build? by clark625 · · Score: 3, Informative

    At first it might seem that building your own dish is the cheapest solution--but I really question that. I considered building two antennas for my shot that's about a mile. If you really want something to work, consider getting a real (professional) antenna. They aren't that much more expensive when you factor in your cost in time plus they are almost guaranteed to work.

    I just ordered a couple of PacWireless parabolic dishes (21 dBi) and pigtails. Sure, I'm paying roughly $175 all said and done--but that's much cheaper than my time right now. If you want to buy, look at NetNimble and Electro-Comm Wireless.

    Obviously, it's much more "cool" to have put together your own antenna with a pringles can, a primestar dish, or aluminum foil. I can't doubt that one bit. But my neighbor's aren't going to complain about a (relatively) tasteful dish up on my roof compared to a hacked-up job that's rusting away. Add to that this guy's story, and I was sold: 300-400Kbps for the homemade deal compared to 3.5Mbps with a dish. I can feel comfortable knowing that my link will need to experience a huge amount of interference before it goes down.

    --
    Long, cute, or funny Sigs are just another form of over compensation, used by geeks, nerdz, etc.
    1. Re:Why build? by Chanc_Gorkon · · Score: 2

      With this microwave stuff that 802.11b uses, I agree with the choice of a pro antenna. It's too easy to accidently fry something if your making your own antenna. If it was a 170 dollar Ham 2m handheld, I would say make yer own. But since this stuff is ususally expensive and could possible fry other stuff as well as yourself, well, it makes sense to not go with a build it yerself. Especially if you have no idea how RF works. You could make an antenna that works, but when your neighbor complains about your spurious emissions I dare ya to try and fix it without knowing antenna theory.

      --

      Gorkman

    2. Re:Why build? by dismayed · · Score: 2, Informative
      It's too easy to accidently fry something if your making your own antenna.


      You aren't going to be able to fry yourself with most normal wireless equipment.
      Please read O'Reilly Network: Re: Health isses and wireless. for more information.

    3. Re:Why build? by Chanc_Gorkon · · Score: 2

      I agree. But building your own antenna would not be considered NORMAL wireless. Also, folks who DO want to do this are likely to want to do stupid stuff with Wireles....I don't give a crap WHAT an O'Reilly book says. You CAN get an RF burn at most frequencies at high enough wattages. Also, on a side note, sticking with commercial antenna's almost guarantees you stay in band and you stay with in normal SWR tolerances. You build an new, untested antenna and maybe possibly try to amplify it, you have no idea what kind of laws you probably just broke especially if you aren't knowledgable about the laws (if your a ham, then you know a little, but probably nothing specific....what you know would let you design an antenna that would keep you out of trouble). Lots of folks don't know squat about RF and it's best to stick with commercial stuff in this case. Also, your link was bad too.

      --

      Gorkman

    4. Re:Why build? by afidel · · Score: 2

      You are never going to get a burn of any type from 802.11(x) equipment. No matter how high a gain antenna you add the most power you could possibly by radiating will be something like 1 watt. You step up a 100mW max signal and there is no way you will produce enough signal to even feel let alone hurt you. Hell CB's are 5 Watt max and you can't feel CB's so why should 802.11b be feared.

      --
      There are 4 boxes to use in the defense of liberty: soap, ballot, jury, ammo. Use in that order. Starting now.
    5. Re:Why build? by Chanc_Gorkon · · Score: 2

      You assume a yagi would actually raise your power. No matter what kind of antenna you use, you CAN'T raise the power of your signal. What you DO raise is the gain in a certain direction. Instead of a standard Omnidirectional pattern, you havs a lobe coming from the direction of the directors on the yagi. Your power is raised in one direction, but decreased in the opposite lobe. Your ERP(effective Radiated Power) remains the same. Only way you can raise the power is to run a linear amplifier. That requires more energy to power the amp. I also would not put it past some of the hackers who don't know any better to try that. Still, it's foolish to think you can make a efficient, reliable antenna at those frequencies. Sure it's definitely possible, but is the percieved gain worth it in time and savings? I don't think so.

      --

      Gorkman

  11. Find places without cable... by muleboy · · Score: 1

    Anyplace where cable wasn't possible or allowed, like the trailer park I live in, is a great place to find old dishes. These people are more likely to have been early adopters of satellite TV, because their other choice was antenna. I have already picked up two Primestars, looking at a third, and probably going to be able to get a couple of dishes from a microwave TV company that went out of business when satellite got big, just in my park of 250 homes.

  12. D-Link by rakerman · · Score: 2

    D-Link sells a variety of different types of antennas.

  13. New dish prices by stinkydog · · Score: 2


    You can get a new 24" dish for $55 or an 18" dish for $35 at Parts Express. I don't work there, I just shop there.

    SD

    --
    âoeWho knew something as harmless as willful ignorance could end up having real consequences?â
  14. Make Me an Offer by InitZero · · Score: 3, Informative

    Where is the best place to FIND such dishes?

    When we moved into our new house, the last couple had PrimeStar (one meter dish complete with lnb and receiver), wireless digital cable (from BellSouth, now defunct; 28db gain yagi, 2.4 ghz) and TimeWarner cable. I kept the cable. Everything else is in my shed.

    If you'll pay shipping and a token finder's fee, you're welcome to the dish, lnb and receiver.

    InitZero

  15. 802.11b by Harold+X · · Score: 1

    Hey why do you need a dish for a 802.11b service? Just get yourself a wireless accesspoint and you can use those wireless lan cards =)

    1. Re:802.11b by toygeek2002 · · Score: 1

      The distance I plan on going is roughly 7000 feet :) Can't do that with anything but high gain antennae.

  16. Dishes are dirt cheap but...... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    You might want to check out www.hyperlinktech.com.

    They have a 15 dBi dish for $49.95 and a 19 dBi dish for $59.95

    You might also ask yourself if you really need the kind of gain a dish provides, you can make yourself a 8 to 12 db gain waveguide antenna from a large baked beans (or similiar can) and a $4 connector you can get from radio shack (then you just need get a pigtail to go from that to your card). You can get the pigtails from the supplier I listed earlier along with some LMR-400 cable if you plan on putting the antenna on your roof.

    You can find the waveguide antenna info at http://www.turnpoint.net/wireless/cantennahowto.ht ml

    -Vig

  17. Ummmm.... by oobeleck · · Score: 2
    The side of my house???

  18. Superpass by nmos · · Score: 1

    Check out a company called Superpass. They specialize more in pannels than dishes but their prices and services are good.