Where to Buy Complete C Band Bundle?

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Forgot that years ago my brother had bought a 8ft solid aluminum dish. We used buffing compound and tried to get a high polish on it.....The goal was to make steam for a steam engine. After those experiments, I used it with a an audio amp and mic to make a bionic ear.... That dish is still laying there in the woods, but the mount we made was crude.......What type of mount would work with this dish?
Hopefully it is still usable after all those years. Any idea what brand/model it is? If not, post a few pics (front and back) and someone here should recognize it and point you in the right directon. :)
 
Ok, Im about to order the Amiko mini receiver and use it as a start to the C band system, Thanks Primestar, KE4EST, Ti, and FTA4PA!

A Rain, unless I can find a super high gain amp, the DB loss at UHF on 500ft of RG6 is well over 20db. The older amps I used to have had A.C. going up the line to power them. The newer ones use 5vdc, which wont make the 500ft trip very well.

Ti, the folks have really crummy internet, and the phone line is really crackly. And they dont want that monthly bill, they are kind of stubborn that way.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to argue, but how are you figuring 20 db loss through 500'? That's way higher than anything I have seen here.

I understand what you say about the 5V not making it to an amp mounted at the antenna through 500' if you don't have a power source right near the antenna to use. Although it might, especially if you figure the loss and account for it by a slightly more powerful power supply, on a whole roll of coax [500'] I had only about a 1.2 V drop.

But 20 db signal loss through 500' of good coax doesn't sound right, I could be wrong.
 
Don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to argue, but how are you figuring 20 db loss through 500'? That's way higher than anything I have seen here.

I understand what you say about the 5V not making it to an amp mounted at the antenna through 500' if you don't have a power source right near the antenna to use. Although it might, especially if you figure the loss and account for it by a slightly more powerful power supply, on a whole roll of coax [500'] I had only about a 1.2 V drop.

But 20 db signal loss through 500' of good coax doesn't sound right, I could be wrong.

I used this calculator:

http://www.kc7hxc.us/links/calc/Coax Cable Loss Antenna Gain Calculator/Coax Cable Loss Antenna Gain Calculator.htm

But this one has more wire to choose from:

http://arrg.us/pages/Loss-Calc.htm
 
This
Hopefully it is still usable after all those years. Any idea what brand/model it is? If not, post a few pics (front and back) and someone here should recognize it and point you in the right directon. :)

I remember it was bought in Poplar Bluff at a place called Francis Enterprises, I think they were the manufacturers of it, not positive.....Its spun aluminum, will probably be back down there next week, I will take a few pictures....
 
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Using the specs for one of the best RG-6 cables, the loss would be about 35dB per 500 feet at 1200 MHz. (LNBF output frequency 950 - 1450 MHz) Many other cables would be even higher.

https://www.tselectronic.com/belden/1694a_rev315.Pdf

Wow, that's crazy! my distro amp does a lot better job than I'd thought, cause I'm going 465' and don't notice a difference from here and at my parents house. Have to do some actual checking on sig strengths, I'm real curious to know now. Thanks.
 
Back to the original topic, I'm also exploring a 6-7 ft solid cband dish to replace my minibud 1.2m. I'm in Canada, so a Canadian dealer would be ideal for shipping and customs purposes. Having said that, I'm open to US dealers. I've checked out Tek2000's website and ebay - the reviews are generally good, but the dish quality is certainly important to me. I'd buy it in components - ASC1, actuator, dual LNBF holder to allow Ku and sidecar C, etc.
 
Ok everyone, its been a while, but here is an update......found two dishes, a Sadoun 6 footer and a 7 foot mesh "rural home" dish, both with actuators......also came with a geosat microhd receiver, vbox, and a "universal" LNB with built in switch. All for $200. ( off Craigslist)

Dug the post holes, set the pipes in concrete, got both dishes mounted......I set up the 7 footer first.......took me a while to get C band to work, found that I had to put settings on "universal 5150-11*** , I forgot the exact numbers, like I said, this is at my parents house and Im 150 miles from there now.....bingo, C band opened up.....No problem getting the dish on the arc, the elevation was pretty close already.

Started with 91w and got it going from there, the in-line "squealer/meter" left over from my Ku days helped a lot. This first system was for my brothers to watch. The smaller dish is for my parents....Hit the jackpot with the 97W Grit/Laff and others. My dad really likes Grit.

Bought this receiver http://www.ebay.com/itm/HD-High-Def...261858?hash=item43e0057122:g:bdEAAOSwBahVexlm

and a CK1S LNB from Titanium......Took me a while to understand that I needed a external "switch" to go from C to Ku band......Finally figured most good stuff is on C band, so I just used that connection on the LNB.

First problem on the second system build for my dad, no audio on AC3, like MEtv and most ION stations...tried with an HDMI cable, still no audio. The receiver does have a little on screen icon that says "AC3" so maybe its not the receivers fault?

One more problem on this second system, I cant get the transponder with Laff, Grit, Ect......even though I can get the others on that sat......(LATV, AMG) I even entered the TP manully, and got no signal....Bummer , but dad gets to watch the stuff on 87W no problem, and some lesea channels on another satellite.

Not bad for a small investment, what do you guys think? Any ideas on the AC3 problem and not getting the 97W transponder?
 
Just looked at the specs,I believe it only passes the AC3 thru the receiver,it doesn't decode it.You would need another device to decode and play the AC3 via the SPDIF(I think I got that right) jacks.
 
Congratulations on find dishes and getting things up and running. :)
Never heard of that receiver but companies have to pay a licensing fee to do AC3 and most of the off the wall boxes don't do that.
Just because it has the symbol built into the OSD doesn't mean it will decode it.
You would have been better off getting another microHD or similar receiver. I'm sure though that the AC3 problem never crossed your mind.
I would ask the seller about it first about AC3....but return it and get a receiver that will decode AC3.
 
Just looked at the specs,I believe it only passes the AC3 thru the receiver,it doesn't decode it.You would need another device to decode and play the AC3 via the SPDIF(I think I got that right) jacks.

Well, looks like Ill buy another receiver.....I do have one of those AC3 adaptors laying around, but it only drove headphones.....dang it.
 
Congratulations on find dishes and getting things up and running. :)
Never heard of that receiver but companies have to pay a licensing fee to do AC3 and most of the off the wall boxes don't do that.
Just because it has the symbol built into the OSD doesn't mean it will decode it.
You would have been better off getting another microHD or similar receiver. I'm sure though that the AC3 problem never crossed your mind.
I would ask the seller about it first about AC3....but return it and get a receiver that will decode AC3.

Just got a reply about the receiver from the ebay seller, he acknowledges it does not decode the AC3, and offered to give a percentage back or a total refund, which I think I will just keep it as a back up. I did remember this problem wit the PBS feeds and my old Fortec receiver but thought surely the newer stuff would have no problem......I agree about the microHD, I really like it, only reason I went with the other was because it hade RCA jacks for output, microHD only has HDMI.
 
The microHD does have composite out. It comes with a break-out cable to go from 3.5mm to RCA. ;)
 
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The microHD does have composite out. It comes with a break-out cable to go from 3.5mm to RCA. ;)

And... It works well. I have been experimenting recording to DVD with it and have had excellent results. Need to record a certain parade on New Years Day, have two grandchildren marching in it. So I've been playing around with things so I can record more than channel.

New Microhds will come with the cable. If you need one, I have an extra or two laying around here. PM me and we can get your address and send it to you.
 
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