Dish + DTV = FTA DISH FSS LNB mod

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Magic Static

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Oct 12, 2010
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I was looking thru boxes of old pizza dish stuff and came across one of my old DTV triples. I have three of them and the one I picked up is different than the other two. It has removable feedhorns. This got me thinking about a thread I read a few days ago about using the SuperDish FSS LNB for FTA and the poster had Carved up a 500 twin for the feed horns and attached them to the FSS LNB. I had a couple of those 121 SuperDishes so I unbolted the FSS LNBs. I cut the mounting flanges off the weird siamese feedhorn. I screwed the flanges to a board and drilled them out with a 1" bit. Then cut them in half with a hacksaw. The only new parts I needed were 4 4mm x16mm bolts per LNB and some silicon sealer. I dissasemble the DTV triple and removed the feedhorns. Beautiful Horns. But they have a blade in them that needs to be ground off. Also the mounting flange of the new feedhorn needs to be ground down were the bolts go by. I used the old flanges and bolts as a bracket to hold on the new feedhorns. The opening on the horns exactly matches the opening in the LNB. Though there is an o ring on the LNB I still siliconed the seem. I hope to test these against some other LNBs soon.
 

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Very clever. I'm sure it'll work fine.
I had on mind to sacrifice a DTV 3-horn head like yours, but not with removable horns.
Unfortunately, my guy with a lathe was playing hard to get.

I figured (hoped) I could take off the cast-in horns with enough lip, to put screws through.
Your idea with the split washer, is excellent, and potentially much easier.

But regardless, I had some DishNet horns that would've worked, so I saw it as a good opportunity to add some value to my FSS LNBs. :)

More ideas - always a good thing! Thanks for the pix!
 
I'm kinda surprised you cut up the super dish feed. I've used the linear side "as is" with the original fss lnb on the super dish with good results!
 
I looked through my DirecTV Phase III dishes out in the garage.
The first and only three sets had the cast-in horns. :(
Then, I spied one more dish. Low 'n behold, it had the hardware you described! - :up

After removal and examination, I finally understood some of the comments you made above:
The only new parts I needed were 4 4mm x16mm bolts per LNB and some silicon sealer.
I dissasembled the DTV triple and removed the feedhorns. Beautiful Horns.
But they have a blade in them that needs to be ground off.
Also the mounting flange of the new feedhorn needs to be ground down were the bolts go by.

I hope to test these against some other LNBs soon.
Will look forward to your comparison against the 105° stock horns, if you have any.
I guess those aren't nearly so desirable as I once thought. - :up

I went out and used the afternoon sun to take a picture of the goodies.
On the left, the Phase III body, with the horns above it.
Lower left, a stock feed for an elliptical dish, I suspect for the -other- manufacturer of the 121° SuperDish.
Then a soup-can LNB with Primestar feedhorn for an elliptical dish.
The weird rectangular feed is off a very wide elliptical DirecWay dish.
(it's threaded, but I think by drilling, it'll bolt-up to a Dish FSS LNB, if desired)
And finally on the right, the LNB and feed off a 105° SuperDish. (it twists and detents for linear or circular operation)

I'll do the grinding and make up the mounting ring/plate when I need to use one, but just having these parts on-hand gives me a warm feeling.
Thanks so much for eagle-eying the removable feedhorns! - :D
 

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I've never had the pleasure of checking out a 105° SuperDish. I dont have one of those LNBs. I have a ESX521 from WSI and a Invacom QPH-031 that I will put these up against when I set up the WSI 90CM dish. If they do work as good I will use one for 103° fixed KU. If it works better then, wow! Nice pic. Some goodies I don't have.
 
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