Point me in the right direction

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rcs4787

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Jun 20, 2007
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After researching FTA(pizza dish) I thought I was ready to make the plunge. I purchased the new Viewsat Ultra(still in box) and all necessay hardwire for installation. Then I found this site with very good info on C band and its advantages. Now I am thinking forget Pizza and go BUD. Help me to reduce the plethora of information on this site down to a clear path of satellite happiness ever after. I understand BUD may require a little more technical know how, I am an RD Engineering Tech of 12 yrs if that helps in pointing me in the right direction.
 
FTA isnt pizza dish...lets make that perfectly clear :)

FTA requires a 30" or larger dish (or in the case of what you want in C-Band...a 6 foot dish or larger)
 
By all means read the BUD section of this site, and scroll through the many threads.
They are a wealth of knowledge.

If you want a concentrated dose, to get up to speed quickly, I recommend the Geo-Orbit web site.
It looks like it was made in the 80's, but the fundamentals listed there are the basis for installing and running a C-band dish.
Read it 'till your eyes bleed, and you'll come away fully prep'd for the task.
Only took me a few months of reading it over (and over) to come up to speed. ;)

It's not the RF you'll have trouble with.
It's the orbital mechanics and geometry of the whole problem.
I know my RF, but a background in rocket science :D or astronomy would have helped.
 
If you want to go all out, get a 12 ft. C/Ku wire mesh dish with 36 inch actuator and a BSC621-2 C/Ku LNBF. Then VBox II positioner controller to move the dish.

Some wire mesh dishes have large holes in the mesh and can't receive Ku. So be sure it is C and Ku. Look up the specs for the dish on the manufacturer's web site. I got my 12 ft. dish used for $150.

Also installing a 12 ft. dish is a major construction project if you want it to stay put during high winds.

Here is what I did to install my 12 ft. dish...
http://www.satelliteguys.us/c-band-satellite-discussion/95195-fill-13-ft-pole-dish-concrete.html
 
ICEBerg,
Is it true the area you live determines the size of Dish needed?

I know your question is directed to Iceberg , but what your refering to is called a Footprint , and yes where you live could be a factor in the size of a dish needed.

The bigger the better , I'd say most people would be satisfied with a 8-10 ft C/Ku mesh or Solid Dish that is unless you're in Central America.

heres a link to Ku Footprints and a chart for determining dish size.
How to calculate what size dish

AMC 4 Ku signal strength Coverage in the U.S. has a EIRP of 48 - 52 , so a 76 cm dish would work , but if you live in Honduras or Nicaragua you would need a 6ft dish , thats twice the size .

In the USA I would say the perfect place for a dish would be East of the Mississippi River only because of the Satellites in the Atlantic located on the Clarke belt , and even if you do live East you still need LOS ( Line of Sight ) so if you have a tree in the way that can ruin your view of a particular Satellite you may want.

Regardless of where you live in the U.S. Satellite Television has alot to offer
 
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dish size/freq vs isolation formula

ka feeds?

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