Thread: Polarotor or lnbf?

I'm hoping to put up my 12 footer in the next few weeks to replace my 7.5.

The 12 came with a Polarotator and feed. I have an lnbf on the 7.5. I've read again and again that you can't beat the former, not that the latter doesn't work well.

I've got a gbox to drive the existing dish that I bought more for the wife so that she could change channels and send the dish where needed. But I'd need to drop that for the analog box to run the polarotator and then give her the channel/satellite chart again and she'll remind me of her feelings on that change.

What's a guy to do?

There is a third choice.
Thinking about orthomode feedhorns
If you're looking for C-band only, it's quite reasonably priced.
If you insist on dual-band, then ya might get to scrounging. -
(I found a used one, modestly priced)

But, the extra size of your dish may be all you need.
And if C-band is the game, get an inexpensive C2 or DMX242 and try it.
If that gets the job done, you're home free.

I've thought about going orthomode. Trouble right now is having to squeeze pennies until they bleed these days.

Only looking for C-band. Just not much on Ku that excites me except for PBS and I've got a 1 meter for that. Where the 12 is so big I want to fool around with it as infrequently as possible.

The CalAmp 25k lnbf I have works great for me. My current config will pull in several S2-9/10 transponders without issues until it rains, fogs over, or snow piles up.

Like just about anybody else around here I want to squeeze every last ounce of practical performance out of things where feasible. If I thought that I might gain another 5Q out of it.... But like you said, the 12 footer is a 12 footer. 44sq.ft on the 7.5 versus 113sq.ft. That's getting on to triple the size.

I think I know what I'm going to do for now.

since you will have a bigger dish , i would stick to whats easiest the gbox and the lnbf

at least see what kinda signal you will draw with the 12fter as compared to the 7 1/2 fter .

but that dosn't mean you can't set the 7 1/2 ft back up with the prorotor & analog

BTW did I tell you that I can predict the future? My wife says no. :-)

I had a wideband corotor for years on my 10' bud but could never seem to scan in all channels. I finally changed my feed about a month ago to a c/ku band lnbf and poof, almost 99% signal quality on all my sats. Go figure, with Norstar lnbs the feed cost me almost $400 the lnbf cost $40 and is outperforming it.

I agree for 1/10th the price go with a lnbf...

I have no problem with 9/10 fec feeds with my geosat c2