Thread: Independent Performance Testing of several 75-90 cm Offset antennas

Now on my website at

www.global-cm.net/antennatests052406.html

Independent carrier-to-nose results from testing on the following antennas:

Paraclipse 90 cm Millennium round offset antenna
Primestar by Channel Master 84-E Elliptical offset antenna
Primestar by Channel Master 75-E Elliptical offset antenna
Patriot 85-E Elliptical offset antenna
Fortec Star 80 cm round offset antenna
DMS International Hot Dish 75 round offset antenna
Winegard 2076 round offset antenna

Signal was measured within 0.1 dB on all available transponders of Anik F1R, using a Motorola DSR-315 receiver. Other details can be found on the link.
I'll call this "DBs versus Dollars"

This is a set of measurements that I have done, with no loyalties to any
particular company, on antennas that are either commonly available and
still in production, or available even though no longer made from sources such as myself and others. I would welcome comparisons from others on a similar or
expanded scale, but thought this testing should be limited to the most commonly used sizes between 75 and 90 cm antennas.

THANKS Mike this will be a wonderful resource for members!

Excellant test Mike. Very professionally done, and the results will be helpful to many of our members. Thanks for sharing with us.

Thanks for all the testing, that is a very usefull chart, but actually your conclusion is the 90 cm is best overall, however the 85 cm primestar has the better numbers?
Or did I read it wrong?

If you look at all transponders tested, and compare the best readings on the 90 cm Paraclipse with the 84-E, there were several instances in which the 90 cm
excelled in the numbers game (carrier-to-noise in dB). I also noted that the NJRC LNBFs used by the Primestar/Channel Master antennas were considerably more linear in their response across the band. If the same LNBF could be used on
both antennas, you would very likely see a slight edge on the Paraclipse 90.
Conventional LNBFs can be used on the Primestar, but it usually involved making a "clamp" with a hose clamp sheet metal screwed into each side, and tightening the clamp.

All of that said, the Primestar 84-E is a knockout in performance and efficiency,
and when you can get one, grab it. We have both in stock here at Global, but
the numbers are limited. The 84-E can be shipped at the UPS Oversize 2 rate
(70 pounds plus additional handling charge), and any 90 cm antenna usually
gets tagged as Oversize 3 (90 pound tariff). In most situations this adds
anywhere from 45 to 60 dollars to the freight bill. Should someone want the
90 cm Paraclipse, we often suggest buying two, and shipping them via BAX GLOBAL air freight, where two antennas can usually ship at the same price
as one, because you are still at the minimum tariff....which in many cases is
equal or less than UPS Ground, and much faster.

Great info, thanks Mike!