GoesatPro C2 vs. BSC621-2

[walrus1957]

I did some testing today with my new GeosatPro C2 C-band LNB. I had hoped that the GesatPro would out perform the C-band reception of the BSC621-2, however it appears to be the reverse. I only did one test on 99W for C-band Lesa and WHT. I was thinking about using this new LNB on a fixed point 1 meter offset dish. The BSC621-2 using the comercially produced conical scalar works great and signal quality is about 80% on my Coolsat 5000. But I need a dual output C-band to run two receivers, the Geosatpro C2 I purchased only gets 10 to 20% signal quality at best on only one transponder on 99W and no lock for Audio/video. Everything is programed correctly (LO set for 5.150) and the dish and LNB tweaked for maximum performance. The specs for both of these LNBs are almost identical.

I was wondering if anyone else has done a side by side comparision of these two particular LNBs on an offset dish and can tell me what results you had with these LNBs.

 

[Mr Tony]

wild guess here but the C2 skew has been known to be 90 degrees off.

Try it with skew starting at 90 degrees (line up the 0 skew as 3:00 or 9:00)

I have 3 C2's in operation right now and on C-Band they were better than the 621 I had (until it broke)

As example...there is a feed I watch that with the 621 peaked would max at 45 quality on the Pansat 1500 (30 is threshold).....the C2 has it at 55-57 now

WHT for me is at 90 quality right now on the 6 footer.

 

[walrus1957]

wild guess here but the C2 skew has been known to be 90 degrees off.

Try it with skew starting at 90 degrees (line up the 0 skew as 3:00 or 9:00)

I have 3 C2's in operation right now and on C-Band they were better than the 621 I had (until it broke)

As example...there is a feed I watch that with the 621 peaked would max at 45 quality on the Pansat 1500 (30 is threshold).....the C2 has it at 55-57 now

WHT for me is at 90 quality right now on the 6 footer.

Iceberg-

I sure hope your right on this, I really want these new LNBs to work. I am going out to the dish right away and try this again changing the LNB skew 90 degrees. I may have to wait a bit as WHT on 99W is broadcasting in black and white the John Wayne movie "Angle and the Badman". Love those old westerns!

 

[Mr Tony]

I just went out to get 121 with the 4 footer and I forgot about the skew being off

wondered why I had 90 signal but 0 quality
(turned 90 degrees and got better results)

 

[walrus1957]

I'm happy now! You were correct Iceberg, the GeosatPro skew marking is off 90 degrees. Re-installed the lnb 90 degrees off and all transponders are hot now.

I did a little comparision between the BSC621-2 and the GeosatPro C2 LNBs on a 1 meter Winegaurd offset dish using a Coolsat 5000 receiver and the comercially produced conical scalar ring for offset dishes. I did this comparision test on 99W only. These LNBs are so close to matching signal quality that it is almost a toss up. But if I had to pick a winner I would say the BSC621 wins out by 1% point on quality. WHT and Lesa on 99W for the BSC621-2 after a few minutes tweaking I have 78-80% quality, using the GeosatPro C2 the maximum quality was bouncing 77-79%. I tested both outputs of the GeosatPro C2 and were both the same.

I can live with this and now concrete in the new pole for my 1 meter offset dish that will be dedicated to C-band only, use a switch to select between my KU dish and C-band dish.

I'm happy with my mini BUD, will let you know what I think of it later when the weather gets bad. The main point is that with one LNB for Cband with the dual output I can run both my receivers, one upstairs and one in the living room hooked up to the big screen TV.

Sorry to all, I will not be reselling these LNBs. Great price on the special buy for these, almost wish I purchased more!

 

[starman345]

Have you tried running without the plastic cover on the lnbf? Just an idea. I gain a few points when running my Geosatpro ck/1 without it.
Thanks for doing that side by side comparison, Seems like these are nearly dead even.

 

[Mr Tony]

Sorry to all, I will not be reselling these LNBs. Great price on the special buy for these, almost wish I purchased more!

you and me both

I'm happy now! You were correct Iceberg, the GeosatPro skew marking is off 90 degrees. Re-installed the lnb 90 degrees off and all transponders are hot now.

glad it was something simple and that you didnt spend the whole day trying to make it work with wrong skew

 

[FTABman0]

I have 3 C2's in operation right now and on C-Band they were better than the 621 I had (until it broke)

That would not be the one you clubbed with a hammer now would it!?!

The forced on one!:yikes



K E V I N

 

[walrus1957]

you and me both


glad it was something simple and that you didnt spend the whole day trying to make it work with wrong skew

Not a whole day wasted! That is why I posted the thread here, I figured some one else ran into this. I even compared the probe setup looking down the throat one LNB to the other. They both looked the same for setup but appartently the H and V probes are reversed.

I do not have a motor hooked up for these tests so I just spent a few minutes aiming at a few sats. 121W for STO and Sportsmans channels come in around 98% quality on this dish, thats GREAT! Also getting Nat Geo and Fox in around 96% on 91W. I have to tweak a bit for the Soundtrack Channel on 121W, is this channel still on 121W and the same transponder it was several months ago???

The only channels I have interest in for C-band are RFD TV, Sportsmans, Soundtrack channel, STO (which I have to hook up for AC3 audio) had me worried for a minute when I didn't have sound on my mini DVD player, also want Nat Geo and Fox News that come in with excelent quality now. So this mini BUD with a motor should do just fine. And with my new GeosatPro C2 I can run both receivers, that is defenately a plus!

All are of good quality at this time with my 1 meter offset dish with exception of the Soundtrack Channel. Hopefully I will not need my version of a scalar attached to get this channel in as it would screw up the use of a motor (my home made scalar is to touchy to use with a motor).

Presently I have the plastic bug cap installed on the GeosatPro C2 and some clear plastic wrap rubber banded over that to keep mosture out with no degradation of signal. And that is a must for anyone else who trys this setup, otherwise your LNB will fill up with rain water as the LNB is elevated a few degrees up from horizontal.

I already have the extra switches, the motor and the dish, so for me this is a perk for the added 5 or 6 channels at no extra cost. However to go out and purchase a 1 or 1.2 meter dish, a scalar and LNB, and an additional motor for 5 or 6 channels, I can't say it really is worth the cost. But for a hobbyist that already has the investment made this is truely a plus!

 

[Mr Tony]

That would not be the one you clubbed with a hammer now would it!?!

yep. was stuck on the scaler ring so I pounded the scaler ring and it broke the LNB

 

[brentb636]

wild guess here but the C2 skew has been known to be 90 degrees off.

Try it with skew starting at 90 degrees (line up the 0 skew as 3:00 or 9:00)

I have 3 C2's in operation right now and on C-Band they were better than the 621 I had (until it broke)

As example...there is a feed I watch that with the 621 peaked would max at 45 quality on the Pansat 1500 (30 is threshold).....the C2 has it at 55-57 now

WHT for me is at 90 quality right now on the 6 footer.

Is that Arrow on the base, the zero skew mark ( on a Ck-1 ?) . If so , I had the same problem, the arrow is now at 9:00 on my 4 footer and works fine.

 

[Mr Tony]

yep...the arrow should be at 9:00 or 3:00 before starting

 

[walrus1957]

Is that Arrow on the base, the zero skew mark ( on a Ck-1 ?) . If so , I had the same problem, the arrow is now at 9:00 on my 4 footer and works fine.

You are correct for the C2, assume CK1 would be the same. The C2 has no arrow, just the scale markings -30 to 0 then to +30, the BSC621 has the arrow marking. The H/V probes are opposite the BSC621 LNB so you can either position the 0 mark of the GeosatPro C2 with either the 9:00 or 3:00 o-clock position and it works.

If it were not for the wife I would not be messing around with this mini BUD, but have a prime focus dish that would be the envy of SETI! At the very least a 60 foot dish!

The wife complained with the small DN dish put on the garage roof, then I cancelled our subcription and went with the 76cm motorized dish for the true FTA KU. It took me some talking to put up this 1 meter for a few extra Cband channels.

I am not giving up, some day I will be able to upgrade to an 8 footer! Just have to find something on Cband that the wife wants to watch.

 

[Anole]

A little off-topic, but if anyone reads this thread later, maybe some pictures and words on how the BSC621 and CK-1 are oriented might help.
I posted some pictures a while back.