40" C/Ku - Band Dish

[PSB]

Not sure if I should have started a new thread or not, I do not want to steal any of Cascod's limelight. I can easily merge the thread if there is any uproar/mutany. I am not one for blatant self promotion....you all KNOW that

Anyway I received my ASC421 C-BAND LNBF and I could not wait to have try at bagging some C-band action. It was raining for a change (NOT) so I just drilled one hole through the P* LNB mount and with the screws that came with the LNBF I had that C-Band LNBF secured in seconds flat ( I hate rain, it reminds me of home)

So I return to the laboratory and start a blind scan using my trusty Satwork ST 3618 as it has one of the best pictures out there and the on screen quality meter is solid as a rock (low but SOLID)
First thing I noticed is it takes l o n g e r to scan C-band....

Finding nothing after scanning I jump back up to the roof and pick another random satellite (RAINING) Come back to the laboratory again and start another blind scan on my tr...... you know the rest....

BANG! A signal!........another...........another.... Have about 7 in all.
I finished the scan and started changing channels.........

WB network seems to be HD as it has messed up my 3618

GDMX 6/2 again seems to be HD

Signal 1 C "A picture at last" Well a test card. 'SBC Hollywood Television Operations Center'

Signal 1 C Another test card 'Panamsat FIL'

E! Enterta Scrambled

The signal quality on all channels was 37% VERY good for a Satwork 3618

Cant wait to REALLY get started with this wee project!

Once again VoOM hats off to Cascod without whom the motivation and know how for this project would just not have been there, TA!

 

[timmy1376]

That's 40, as in INCHES??? Using a primestar dish?? I may have to dig up a primestar dish.

 

[PSB]

40" (forty inches) or 1 meter........

 

[iammike]

Man I wish you guys would stop posting this stuff. I'm spending way too much time on here lately. WB in HD huh? If someone confirms that I'm definitely going to have to try one of these crazy setups.

 

[PSB]

Blame Cascade! It was his

 

[mchomicz]

I received my ASC421 C-BAND LNBF

Am I reading this right? You are not even using a C-BAND LNBF intended for offset dishes? Like the one on this site: (to see what I'm talking about pls go to http://www.eyeinthesky.net/cgi-bin/dbcat.html/c-band+big+dish
then click Go To Next Page button at bottom of page and look for words "LNBF - C-Band 20-degree for offset dish $69.00")

Or is the ASC421 designed SPECIFFICALLY for offset dishes?

Thanks,
Michael

 

[PSB]

Had a look at the link, looks very similar. But we will have to wait until MrTim tells us what specific type of dish it is intended for, but as I have seen tonight it certainly works on an off-set dish. Cascade will tell you the same. The picture on the box shows a prime focus dish.

Still have a lot of tweaking to do

 

[mchomicz]

The "hidden agenda" behind my questions was this: if you and Cascade are using a regular LNBF meant for a prime focus dish - I wonder if results would be even better if one used an LNBF intended specifically for an offset dish (as seen in this thread: http://www.satelliteguys.us/showthread.php?t=63849 ; truckracer had done what you and Cascade did except he is using a 1.8 m dish).

Thanks,
Michael

 

[CharredPC]

Now, Pete; FLIP IT!

Unless it's pouring
My current theory is that those wide dishes will work better at 90 degrees than set up normally (Less overlap, more signal gain from individual birds). Of course, the lnb would have to be rigged up to still be pointing correctly...
As you said, VoOm hats off to Cascade (or "Cascod," as he's apparently known in this thread) for starting the MicroBUD craze and opening up a whole new world to us small-dish FTA'ers

Oh, and Pete... by the looks of it, you're going to have to find and start stocking C/Ku lnb's for us to buy for these setups

 

[PSB]

This 40" P* does not skew Will have to wait until I get a DirecPC up there!

 

[rkrenicki]

Oh, and Pete... by the looks of it, you're going to have to find and start stocking C/Ku lnb's for us to buy for these setups

I agree, I definately want one now

 

[CharredPC]

I've got a DirecPC dish sitting in the shed just BEGGING to be let out and try this! One day, 16 hours and these blasted ebay auctions will be over, and I'll have the paypal $ to get Pete to send me a DMS ASC421 C-LNBF... Then I can begin my own experiments

It WOULD be so much easier to use a single C/Ku lnb... I plan on trying some crazy dual lnb setup, but seeing how big the feedhorn is on the C-band lnb, I doubt a Ku could get close enough on focus to work well Anyone found a place to buy them, other that the occassional 15+ year old spares off BUD's on ebay?

 

[Cascade]

I can easily merge the thread if there is any uproar/mutany.

Bring me the head of PBS!!!

The more the merrier I say
The ASC421 is a prime-focus LNBF.
Bete, try scanning AMC1 and 4, see if that throws anything up.

 

[Mr Tony]

lets leave it as two threads....

Damn...now I need to see if I can get my C-Band LNBF working

Pete or Cascade.....the LNB goes as far back as you can get it? I'll have to see how I can get that to work on mine

 

[Cascade]

Before my sigmeter went the way of Voom I noticed that if the scalar ring was as far forward in the LNBF throat as possible it'd give the best sig.
I tried the LNBF about 4 inches behind the scalar ring with an air gap between them and my sig level went crazy.

The only thing I think we really need to work on is the focal distance, a prime-focus LNBF is miles away from the dish compared to a small offset and that makes a huge difference.

 

[Mr Tony]

gotcha

I guess i'll aim at a satellite with KU and then try swapping out the C-Band

 

[Cascade]

AnikF1 is very strong and has some nice channels ITC.

 

[Mr Tony]

but there is nothing on KU to get

I'll probably aim at G11, T6, G3 or T5 first

 

[PSB]

I think I was aiming at G4R............... nothing much there!

 

[drhydro]

Bete, try scanning AMC1 and 4, see if that throws anything up.

Why not try Anik f1, it has a very strong signal and adjacent sats are 4 degrees apart instead of 2. Then you and cascade could compare signal strengths, even though they will be "skewed" because of geographical differences.
[edit] cascade beat me to it, i should have read the full thread before posting[/edit]