I have an old STS 70MHz system. STS AA and SR, MicroWave Systems Engineering LA 4880 LNA, STS downconvertor DC-1001,and 12 foot dish. It was working fine when I last used it (some time ago). It now has a pattern on the bottom third of the screen which moves to the center of the screen on the numbers with the best signal and sometimes gives a full screen just for an instant (enough to know I'm on an active transponder) The pattern is like one you would use the horizontal hold to correct on old TVs. The signal meter moves up about half way, I can't remember how far it used to go. I have tried cleaning all connections, verified that the polorotor is moving the 90 degrees. Tried the polarization adjustments. I get 10 vdc at the terminals on the downconvertor at the dish. I tried making adjustments on the dish itself, height etc. and am where I get the best signal on the meter. I'm not even sure which satellite I'm on as the designations on this old box don't exist anymore. Any suggestions appreciated, I just hope it's not the LNA because I've had no luck locating one that will work on this system.
Help with old C-band satellite system!
- Thread starter bigej
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I think it's time to upgrade your system, convert to LNB's and RG6quad cableling. No reason to continue to let the dish sit by doing nothing for you? Wouldn't hurt to get a 4dtv receiver and/or a DVB receiver either?
Al
Al
I may have a lna or two left over, might even have an old receiver too, but it would be easy to just get a used rec from ebay to replace it. They're going for practically shipping costs these days, lnbs are reasonable too. Sounds like hum bar from power source making the noise, could be something in the receiver failed. Short of swapping parts out to check, if you have them to swap, I would just replace.
Your LNA may be dead, best to change it to a LNB, you can find them cheap on Ebay. Look for something of about 13 to 17 degree and just swap out the old parts. Look to pay twenty to thirty dollars with shipping. Just make sure it is digital, don't worry most are.
I bought my dish used years ago and it had an LNA. I tried it and it was dead. It was something like 80 or 90 degree. the 17 degree worked fine and is much smaller
You may want to upgrade to a C and KU LNB's, so you can pick up the KU sattelite's.
If your receiver is dead, don't have it fixed, buy a new one or a very cheap used c band receiver on ebay, they are almost give away priced. Best of all go with a 4DTV receiver, then you can pick up digital. Digital is where everything is going, not to much C band any more.
I bought my dish used years ago and it had an LNA. I tried it and it was dead. It was something like 80 or 90 degree. the 17 degree worked fine and is much smaller
You may want to upgrade to a C and KU LNB's, so you can pick up the KU sattelite's.
If your receiver is dead, don't have it fixed, buy a new one or a very cheap used c band receiver on ebay, they are almost give away priced. Best of all go with a 4DTV receiver, then you can pick up digital. Digital is where everything is going, not to much C band any more.
If I switch to an LNB I'll have to change the receiver also, right? What happens with the downconvertor and the actuator control box? As you can tell, I don't know much about this I've only changed the actuator arm since the system was new. Is there any way to test the LNA? Any help appreciated!
If you go the LNB route, I'm not sure, but I think you may only have to change the cable? I actually have the receiver, but I got it from a friend, along with his dish (everything) when he went to Directv. Although it's sitting in the garage, I'm not willing to part with any of the equipment yet, including the LNA and Block Downconverter.
I don't know how to test the LNA, but hopefully someone else does? Good Luck!
Al
I don't know how to test the LNA, but hopefully someone else does? Good Luck!
Al
to SatelliteGuys... you will have to replace the receiver when you change to an LNB... is your actuator box seperate? and does your feedhorn have a polarotor on it?... (My original C-band set up had 120 degreen LNA with block down converter and used a OTA antenna rotator to switch polaritys.
If you go with an LNB (which is almost 100% necessary if you want to receive anything) you should have no problem using your existing cable as long as it's in good shape. You will no longer need the downconverter as with an LNB it's built in. LNA=low noise amplifier, LNB=low noise block (as in amplifier and downconverter built into one block)downconverter. You only need a single RG-6 cable from your LNB to the receiver. The old downconverters used two coax wires, one to feed power to the downconverter, one to carry the signal back to the receiver.
Forget about testing the LNA, it's not worth using, seek a good replacement LNB, you'll be much happier with the end result as well as less frustrated. You should be able to pick up a decent one for not a lot of coin.
As for the receiver, I'm not too sure about the one you have...........seems to me that one I used to have (an old Drake) could be used with LNA (and downconverter) or LNB by switching a jumper. From the sounds of the problem though it may be the receiver causing all your trouble. Dried out filter capacitors will cause problems like the picture roll you describe.
Edit: You beat me to it dfergie, by mere seconds it seems.
Further to that.........just thinking, I have an old LNA and downconverter in my shed that I was saving for ?????????? As well as some LNBs which I think were around 47deg or so, perhaps even as low as 22deg. not stellar but would work. I'd be willing to part with them if necessary if you wanted to pay the shipping you could have the LNA and downconverter, or an LNB if you wish.
Forget about testing the LNA, it's not worth using, seek a good replacement LNB, you'll be much happier with the end result as well as less frustrated. You should be able to pick up a decent one for not a lot of coin.
As for the receiver, I'm not too sure about the one you have...........seems to me that one I used to have (an old Drake) could be used with LNA (and downconverter) or LNB by switching a jumper. From the sounds of the problem though it may be the receiver causing all your trouble. Dried out filter capacitors will cause problems like the picture roll you describe.
Edit: You beat me to it dfergie, by mere seconds it seems.
Further to that.........just thinking, I have an old LNA and downconverter in my shed that I was saving for ?????????? As well as some LNBs which I think were around 47deg or so, perhaps even as low as 22deg. not stellar but would work. I'd be willing to part with them if necessary if you wanted to pay the shipping you could have the LNA and downconverter, or an LNB if you wish.
To try and answer all questions: My actuator is a separate box that hooks to the tuner box with a 7 pole circular cable. I do have polorotor on my dish and have veified that it's working, turns 90 degrees when I change from odd to even channels. My tuner was not working all that well anyway, had trouble remembering channels and the remote was shakey at best. I'm afraid that if there is no way to verify that the problems is the LNA I may be better off getting the LNB and looking for another tuner, right? With my luck I'll get the LNA and downconvertor and it will turn out to be the tuner. I sure appreciate the offer and the help! There should be some way to test these things. How much would it be to ship the LNA to Seattle and what type of connections does it have?
I'd have to look up shipping........I think you'd be better off with an LNB and it's also lighter to ship. We'd just have to verify that your receiver would work ok with it.
Do you have a digital camera so you could take some pictures of the receiver (specifically the connections on the back)? That would probably help.
But it does sound like maybe the receiver is bad. You might be better off if you could hunt down a dish that is not being used and see if you could "remove the eyesore" for the person in exchange for the electronics etc.
If it's been in use in the last 10 years or so it would likely have a working receiver and LNB.
Also, the actuator controller you describe likely needs to have the receiver connected to work properly so you'd need to find a receiver with actuator control built in.
Edit: Looks like about $9.00 with USPS for an approx. 5lb package.
Do you have a digital camera so you could take some pictures of the receiver (specifically the connections on the back)? That would probably help.
But it does sound like maybe the receiver is bad. You might be better off if you could hunt down a dish that is not being used and see if you could "remove the eyesore" for the person in exchange for the electronics etc.
If it's been in use in the last 10 years or so it would likely have a working receiver and LNB.
Also, the actuator controller you describe likely needs to have the receiver connected to work properly so you'd need to find a receiver with actuator control built in.
Edit: Looks like about $9.00 with USPS for an approx. 5lb package.
I was basing it on a basic 5lb package.........that could probably be either. In fact, if I still have it, I think I have an LNA with downconverter attached (it's a small downconverter) to it. I'm sure that neither one of them would be over 5lb. So I guess the answer is either one.
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