1m/40" Dish Recommendation?

[RedSavina]

Hello all!

As some of you know, I've been searching and lurking for a few weeks now. Here's a brief outline of my plans so that you can better answer my question:

I cannot exceed the HOA dish size due to the mobile nature of my career (frequent relocation). I am planning to purchase an FTA system by year's end. I want to get the most out of the system, so will be going with a 1m/40" dish and H-to-H rotor. As a ham and computer geek, I am very intrigued with the microBUD threads here and am trying to leave room in my system to play with C-band once I'm up and running with Ku. I am also a Dish subscriber (61.5/110/119) and plan to keep this system for paid programming, but wouldn't mind somehow using the FTA dish with my dish equip.

I'm confused about varying opinions I've read about using a 1m/40" round dish vs an elliptical dish (e.g. DirecWay) of approx 1m/40" on the major axis. Here is my question:

Is there a significant advantage or disadvantage when choosing among these two dishes? I've read that metal dishes provide better gain, so am steering away from composite/plastic dishes. Likewise, I've read that the P* dishes aren't generally compatible with H-to-H rotors.

Thanks,
Red

 

[PSB]

A dish is only as good as its lowest dimension, so if its 30x40" it will act just like a 30" dish. The advantage of an oval dish is that it may be more conducive to using extra "wing" LNB's
I guess all dish are oval slightly, I would go with the 1m (steel) round dish over the old style round P* dish. because of the points above (gain/weight)
Sounds like its going to be a fun project!

 

[RedSavina]

A dish is only as good as its lowest dimension, so if its 30x40" it will act just like a 30" dish. The advantage of an oval dish is that it may be more conducive to using extra "wing" LNB's
I guess all dish are oval slightly, I would go with the 1m (steel) round dish over the old style round P* dish. because of the points above (gain/weight)
Sounds like its going to be a fun project!

Thanks, Pete!

When I get around to hanging the C-band LNB on the circular-ish dish, will I be better off with the C or Ku in the primary location (as opposed to "wing")? I'm guessing I'll want the C one there since it will likely be the most sensitive as it is normally used with much larger dishes. Is my logic sound on this?

Red

 

[PSB]

I found the C-Band LNBF to be much more forgiving, so I would stick with the KU in the main focal position. Anything you get C-Band will be a bonus so. But half the fun will be the set up and trying different configurations.

 

[Mr Tony]

A dish is only as good as its lowest dimension, so if its 30x40" it will act just like a 30" dish.

you sure Pete?

As you know, I used that DirecPC diosh for Sioux games and it was 39x23 but worked better than the 30" I had

 

[RedSavina]

it was 39x23 but worked better than the 30" I had

*sigh* Maybe I'm back to square one on this?

Iceberg - can you tell me more about how the 39x23 worked better than the 30"? Would you care to speculate how the 39x23 would compare to a 40" round? If I can get nearly the same or better Ku reception on a 39x23 - without giving up the possibility of microBUD reception - then I would prefer this dish based on aesthetics.

Pete - Your comment focused on the major axis measurement only. I don't know much about the signal characteristics of these dishes, but wonder what role (based on Iceberg's experience) the minor axis has on reception.

Thanks guys! Looking forward to more banter on this one.

Red