This is somewhat a response to the Three Dog is a Hypocrite topic. I have not yet met Three Dog. I want his reward for doing his radio show a favor without being asked.

My stats:

Level 4

S 6
P 4
E 4
C 4
I 6
A 10 + ( used intense training, base 9 )
L 7 ( will use intense training to improve it to 8 )

Energy Weapons 70 ish ( Tag )
Repair 30 ( Tag )
Explosives 25 ( Tag )
Everything else 15-20 ish

I don't know what happened, but tagged skills are not improving at twice the rate. Patch 1.7 must be the culprit.

All mods used:
Martigen's Monster Mod ( spawns set to 1-2 per spawn point )
Ammo box, medic box, toolbox respawns
My nuka machine respawns ( all nuka cola machines respawn )
Expanded Vendor Inventory
DK_BulletTime
Sprint
Ultra Realistic Wasteland Lighting
Female Power Armor ( I don't wear power armor, this so that I can tell the six of someone wearing power armor )
Female T51b Armor
Female Tesla Armor
My merged patch

My weapons: A lousy 9 damage laser pistol from Super Duper Mart, some frag grenades and mines and 3 bottlecap mines
Armor: Vault 101 security armor and eyeglasses
Difficulty: Very Hard
Companions: None right now, but may add a modded companion, specifically Kelsey companion 3.13
Other restrictions: Cannot pick up stimpacks just lying around, they must be purchased from vendor or come from medic box. Weapons and ammo lying around can be picked up.

Do I have what it takes to repair the dish so that I can get Three Dog's reward key? Won't I need a key or Science to to use the elevator up to the dish? I cannot lockpick a 25 skill requirement. Is it imperative that I find Dr. Li for Three Dog to reward me? I just want to go straight to the DC tech building, but I don't know if the dish will even be there because the quest has not been given.

If I can't get Three Dog's secret reward then I will murder him. Do I have what it takes at this point?

I don't think so, with all of those mods. I'd wait about 3 or so levels.

All tagging a skill does is add 15 points to it at the start, it has no effect on the skill after that (and never did, you're thinking of Oblivion).

On VH, with that weapon/armor setup...no, you probably won't make it. There is a good bit of fighting involved, and I don't think you'll be able to get through it until you have some better gear. As for the secret reward, I don't remember it being anything worth worrying about if you can't get you hands on it.

I don't care if it's one cap or a used piece of Three Dog's kleenex, I want it for a trophy.

Getting there was so difficult that I had to lower difficulty to Hard and add a mod that increased the damage of all energy weapons ( because energy weapons are a disappointment in FO3 ). Now the lousy laser pistol does 24 damage instead of 9, a little less than a combat shotgun. Had to use a minigun up close and dk_bullettime to kite some insane health abominations. Did you know that there are 2 stealth boys on pedestals in the Museum of Technology? When I ran out of energy cells the stealth boys were enough to snatch the dish and get the motherfusion out of there. I'm at level 5 or 6 now. Again, lowered difficulty to Hard. Bottlecap mines and 13 frag mines helped. It also helped that the supermutants carried food that restored health.

Unfortunately, the DC monument elevator wants a user key. I hope it's not Three Dog that has it.