Can I use this old Directv dish along with a C Band dish for anything?
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Throw the dish away and don't buy any LNA's. LNA's will not work with current equipment, get LNB's.
Do you like challenges? Although not an easy project if you add an adjustable lnbf mount and standard lnbf you can use it to pull in the stronger ku signals on some satellites (95W, some 97W, etc).
It will not perform like a full size fta ku dish but it will get something if the lnbf is positioned right. You can use a disecq switch to select which dish, c or ku, you want your receiver to 'see'. There are several threads here regarding modding a slimline for that purpose.
I'd say take it with you... While it's a bit too small for dependable FTA, it's useable for some of the satellites. It's good enough for NHK on 103W, for CGTN on 95W, Cubavision on 30W, except during very heavy rain. It might work for 97W, but it might get interference from 95W or 99W on some transponders.
I would still consider getting C and Ku on the big dish though. One inexpensive option is to get a C-Band LNBF (I recommend Titanium's LNBFs), and then rig a regular universal Ku LNBF on the side of the C-band scalar, as long as it's in the plane perpendicular to the pivot axis of the dish mount. (search in the forum, this was recently discussed and described in details). Don't get a combo C/Ku LNBF, they are mostly terrible at Ku)
I would still consider getting C and Ku on the big dish though. One inexpensive option is to get a C-Band LNBF (I recommend Titanium's LNBFs), and then rig a regular universal Ku LNBF on the side of the C-band scalar, as long as it's in the plane perpendicular to the pivot axis of the dish mount. (search in the forum, this was recently discussed and described in details). Don't get a combo C/Ku LNBF, they are mostly terrible at Ku)
Take the lnbf off, the arm off, screw a long handle to it, and use it to carefully scrape the snow and ice off the C-band dish in Winter! lol.
I tried to use one DirecTv dish (Slimline) to get the signals from Intelsat 35e (34.5 w). I placed a new Universal LNB (SatPro PLL). The result was a total disaster. It is not capable to get all the satellite transponders, only the strongest ones and for these the signal quality was around 8 dB according to the OS MIO 4K + signal finder. So marginal that from time to time the image got distorted. I won't waste more time with these dishes. Too small to get a descent signal quality.
If you consider a DirecTV dish meets spec for Ku reception from high power direct to home satellites in a frequency range where 9 degrees between satellites is normal, it will not be adequate for 2 degree Ku spacing and it barely meets specs if at all for 2 degree Ka spacing. Other than using it for a ham radio project or snow sled for the kids, just throw it away.
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