When I was about 15, my dad and I volunteered to help strip cable and waveguide off giant dishes in a decommissioned radio-free zone north of Boulder. The material was donated to a local amateur radio club and was mostly recycled as scrap metal.

I was given some wrenches, a harness, a few carabiners and some rope. I have to say, hanging off those bottom supports with nothing below me was one of the most exciting times of my life!

The dishes have considerable value if dismantled carefully and relocated for a current C, Ku and Ka band teleport operator (two way satellite services). Will likely need new feeds and all electronics. A new 16.4 meter C-band earth station dish is $165,000+.

Probably not that much? A scrap company would probably do it for free.