dual ortho - multiswitch

[i4tas]

I got my new dual orth installed this week (temps in single digits). It works great and is much better than LNBF. Both verticle and horizontal worked well when hooked up without any switches (operated both at 13 and 18 volts and no signal issues). Once I installed the multiswitch I noticed that the signal levels dropped. The cbs dvb-s2 Verticles are worse than the horz, this is the only place I notice it, but I want to fix this. My multiswitch is the 3x4 zinwell. So my problem is that I only have one coax run from the BUD to the house and I have no power at the BUD. I do have a rg59 coax that could run power out there. Anyone have a good switch in mind, I want the lowest loss possible.

 

[Anole]

Your V LNB is getting 13 volts and your H LNB is getting 18 v ?
What sort of LNBs did you get?

Also, see this thread for a pretty thorough discussion of Ortho feedhorns:
http://www.satelliteguys.us/c-band-...27429-thinking-about-orthomode-feedhorns.html
I think you'll find recommendations for the WNC 4x8 multiswitch (that's what I chose) and there's a mod by Pendragon to make it put out 18v on both V & L LNBs.
Should all be in the above thread. - :up

 

[truckracer]

i am running a bullseye II dual ortho. I am running norsat 8515's for c band side. my multiswitch delivers 13v to the vertical. it works fine. no noticeable lower signals on vertical. i did notice however as strange as it is..that when running the ortho feed my 4dtv signals on G1 are a little lower. My regular dvb signals are quite high.

KU performance of the ortho is fabulous to say the least. My solid ku dish with invacom lnbf does not get ku as well as my 10' mesh. both dishes are tuned quite well.

I have had lnbf's that perform about as well. I had a Precision gold 20k lnbf that would get identical signal levels to my ortho and corotor. I am setting up another bud with a dmx 242 to see how that lnbf performs.


Multiswitches always create some loss. there's really no way around it. if its a significant loss, you may need to look for a better switch or a different switch. powered ones usually do a little better.
i was thinking i am losing about 10% quality or so with my multiswitch. of course this depends on the feeds i am trying to get. tighter FEC's and increased demand for higher carrier to noise ratios with various dvb s2 feeds will show up more.

 

[cracklincrotch]

10% Q loss through a multiswitch? That's nasty. I'm losing about 1.5db through my cheapy 4x1 diseqc switch. The azbox doesn't even notice it on the Q bar.

The only thing that's kept me from getting a dual ortho is the chance the Ku wouldn't be as good as my 1M. Maybe I've just been paranoid about it as many (or not many, but enough) people on the forum suggesting keeping a dish around for Ku only is just as good or better. My Azbox hasn't been playing nice with my DG380 but is great with the GBox. Maybe it's time to put it on my list.

Mind me asking how much you paid for the feed and where you got it from?

 

[comfrey]

I'm interested in this as well, I have two Norsat 8515 (waiting to get a dual feed horn). I have the Zinwell SAM-3402 multiswitch and was going to purchase a couple of 18V power inserts to supply constant power to the LNBs. This way the LNBs are always powered and with the correct voltage. From what I'm hearing the Zinwell is perhaps not the best choice for a multiswitch?

 

[madbull]

I'm useing the zinwell wb68 with the pendragon mod and it really works well. See the thread anole referred to in the above post for the mod. if you don't want to do the mod you can use an inexpensive pwr inserter (Bias tees, AC Radio turned me on to these) on the 13 volt field side off this switch. These will require a 18 to 20 volt source. The ortho improved my signal levels by 2 to 5 % over a co roto system and made my life much easier using multiple fta rcvrs, I'm useing 22k on for ku and off for c band with norsat 8515's and 4106a's on a bullseye ortho feed

 

[truckracer]

i paid 75.00 off ebay for a used bullseye with two norsat PLL lnbs and two old norsat 8000 series c band lnbs (i replaced with 8515's). it was full of white chauky aluminum oxide crud and i spent quite a while taking it apart and using steel wool and dremel tool to clean it out.

 

[comfrey]

Bias Tee, interesting I'll have to investigate.... Thanks!

 

[cracklincrotch]

i paid 75.00 off ebay for a used bullseye with two norsat PLL lnbs and two old norsat 8000 series c band lnbs (i replaced with 8515's).

Did you buy a lottery ticket that day?

 

[truckracer]

the guy selling it knew nothing about it. he was not really a satellite or electronics guy. he just took a picture of it and said it was some type of microwave device LOL.