Is ther any interest in C-band on a small dish?

[walrus1957]

I have always found it challenging to see just how far to the limits you can push things. Corresponding in a few recent threads the topic of getting C-band on a small dish has come up. I am just curious as to the extent of how much interest might be out there to start up a new thread covering this topic (C-band on an offset dish), and have all members that have experimented in the past on this topic post their test data and photos. Then allow other interested members to ask questions and get their answers here.

I know this has been covered in many threads over the past year, reading them gave me the inspiration to start testing on my own. That is why I hesitate to come out and start any new threads, but feel there are a lot of new members really curious about this. I also feel there is a lot more to this story that hasn’t been reported.

I was just thinking that we could combine some threads, add to them, allow others to join in and see what happens?

Taking an interest type poll here, what are your thoughts?

 

[jayelem]

Fire away .....
The Search option is your friend so I always find stuff that has been discussed in the past very interesting.

Maybe one day we will have a Sticky on what c-band stuff you can get with a 1.2meter or smaller.

 

[walrus1957]

Fire away .....
The Search option is your friend so I always find stuff that has been discussed in the past very interesting.

Maybe one day we will have a Sticky on what c-band stuff you can get with a 1.2meter or smaller.

I think you hit the nail on the head! That is what is missing on this forum, a sticky on the subject, something that brings the topic to the fore front and easy access to everyone to add to and ask questions. I think it would be a long read with very interesting input. After I figured out what I could do with the small dish I settled back and was content to just use the 1 meter dish for 121W and a few Cband channels. But every now and then I run across threads from newbies asking about this topic and can't help but join in on the conversation.

I quess after all this time the subject still holds an interest for me.

 

[schlever]

I'd be interested, especially in how you built the scalar rings.

 

[Pepper]

maybe one of those long "Mini-BUD" threads could be made a sticky.

 

[Anole]

- How about a sticky, with links to half a dozen long threads where the users built or tuned mini-buds?
That's better than just trying to search for the subject, because the search is often less than 100% reliable.

- Actually, there are a few wonderful (and quite long) threads concerning the adapting of many different (Primestar) dishes to various size motors.
Bringing those all into one sticky post wouldn't hurt, either.

- A number of members have had a go at 1.2m and even 1.0m mini bud implementations.
All are good reading, as each brings out different ideas.
So, even though the subject has been covered, I'd be happy to see how someone else slayed the dragon.
. Sure, a list of birds and transponders for each dish size would be useful.
. Custom LNB mods or scalar construction ideas are always great.
. Unique motor mounts are educational.
. A simple a thing as LNB mounting or alignment is valuable.

Adapting the ideas of others, even if you only add a very small thing, may make the whole all the better.
So, I say more, More, MORE! -

. . . and say it with pictures! -

 

[gremlin411]

I would be interested for sure. I am in the middle of a long process ( for me anyway ) of using my 1.2 prodelin RX only for C-band. I think I have enough stuff to try it but just have to find the time to put in motion. My kids are a handful.

 

[Corrado]

I played around with this setup last summer when others were having better luck. I was pointed at 105° during this experiment. The Superdish is just too small.

 

[walrus1957]

- How about a sticky, with links to half a dozen long threads where the users built or tuned mini-buds?
That's better than just trying to search for the subject, because the search is often less than 100% reliable.

- Actually, there are a few wonderful (and quite long) threads concerning the adapting of many different (Primestar) dishes to various size motors.
Bringing those all into one sticky post wouldn't hurt, either.

- A number of members have had a go at 1.2m and even 1.0m mini bud implementations.
All are good reading, as each brings out different ideas.
So, even though the subject has been covered, I'd be happy to see how someone else slayed the dragon.
. Sure, a list of birds and transponders for each dish size would be useful.
. Custom LNB mods or scalar construction ideas are always great.
. Unique motor mounts are educational.
. A simple a thing as LNB mounting or alignment is valuable.

Adapting the ideas of others, even if you only add a very small thing, may make the whole all the better.
So, I say more, More, MORE! -

. . . and say it with pictures! -

Anole, this is what I'm talking about, a thread that links all the threads together. I am currently trying to relay all the information I have on my mini C-band project to another member. Then he showed me pictures of his dish, looks like an old primestar, and now we have the problem of fitting the 65mm Cband LNB to a 40mm lnb holder. I'm sure this has already been done, but how do you find these threads?

Like I have been trying to say, there are new members and those who have been members of this forum for years that are just now thinking about experimenting with this concept. It would be nice to go to just one place in the forum for a long read with many thread links and PICTURES concerning this venture.

 

[surfdevil83]

A sticky on this topic would be very interesting. I have a "walrus" designed scaler ring setup on my 1.2 and it works fantastic. Would you mind uploading some pics of your latest scaler?

 

[walrus1957]

A sticky on this topic would be very interesting. I have a "walrus" designed scaler ring setup on my 1.2 and it works fantastic. Would you mind uploading some pics of your latest scaler?

Surfdevi83,

What material did you end up using for the scalar? 6 mill? Can you provide channel and sat information as to signal quality and strength including the sat dBW at your location so I can compare to the 1 meter dish results. If you can provide some results from satellite 121W Galaxcy 23C that would be great. Sto, and Soundtrack channel are my favorites. The 1 meter provides signal quality in the 80's %, motorized, and I can get TVW in at 94% when setup as a fixed point dish. The lyngsat info lists that as 42 dBW for me.

When I get a few extra $$ thinking of upgrading to a larger dish. I was looking for Free BUDs but everytime I run acrossed one the deal falls through. Now trying to decide if a 1.2 meter offset will do for my needs.

 

[surfdevil83]

I tried the 39" in toronto and had very low signal with the first version of your tappered rings. Then with further reading I added the 3rd ring and found a impressive improvement but still very hard to get a clear picture that was reliable to watch. I dropped for a 1.2 and motorized it. NOTE the sg2100 has a really hard time moving this dish! As for signals, I get most channels on galaxy 17 with a signal of 66 to 70%. On galaxy 16 I range from 24% to 58%. Whats interesting is at 24% the picture is perfect. The motor fried turning the heavy dish before i could get to 121 or 123. Once the weather warms up I'll manually turn to 121 and 123. Also I found that my gospel lnb worked better then my 621, this lnb is junk. The dimentions that I have are for the cutouts. Small= 90mm inside-140mm outside, med=90mm inside-200mm outside, large= 90mm inside-260 outside. Thanks for all your hard work on this project. If a usals motor is out there that can handle the weight of the 1.2 dish easily this is a great alturnative to vbox's and a sea of 37volt wires.

 

[surfdevil83]

I forgot to metion that these readings are on a viewsat ultra and with my coolsat 6000 signal strength improves around 10%.

 

[walrus1957]

Surfdevil 83,

The new lyngsat maps for those satellites is difficult to determine for your location exactly but looks close to 41 dBW. Both those sats are hot for me. I don't have my notes handy for channels on those sats but thought the quality was in the mid 80's but don't quote me on that (Coolsat 5k). That third ring really does the trick.

I also wondered about the 621, only reason I purchased it was the fact that the 621-2 was a universal and thought I could test for additional KU band signals (have the QPH-031, standard KU only). Also I figured I know where the KU sats are, and if I could cal (align) the system on the KU side than I could trust it for testing the C-band portion. The KU portion of the 621 leaves a lot to be desired.

I have been thinking about trying out different C-band lnbs , but waiting becuase I have a friend that may have some freebes for me, x sat installer.

Sorry about the SG2100, I used it for the 1 meter winegard and its slow and at its limit weight wise. I was thinking about getting the new DG380 motor from Sadouns. I have heard that it will drive these heavier dishes.

Just curious, what did you end up using for the ring material?

 

[walrus1957]

Surdevil83,

"The motor fried turning the heavy dish before i could get to 121 or 123", are you sure it fried or did it trip on current. Check the led on the motor, if its orange reset the trip of the motor.

To reset the SG2100, turn power off to the receiver, press and hold both buttons on the motor then turn receiver power back on, keep holding both motor buttons for 15 seconds then release.

 

[Comptech]

I tried the 39" in toronto and had very low signal with the first version of your tappered rings. Then with further reading I added the 3rd ring and found a impressive improvement but still very hard to get a clear picture that was reliable to watch. I dropped for a 1.2 and motorized it. NOTE the sg2100 has a really hard time moving this dish! As for signals, I get most channels on galaxy 17 with a signal of 66 to 70%. On galaxy 16 I range from 24% to 58%. Whats interesting is at 24% the picture is perfect. The motor fried turning the heavy dish before i could get to 121 or 123. Once the weather warms up I'll manually turn to 121 and 123. Also I found that my gospel lnb worked better then my 621, this lnb is junk. The dimentions that I have are for the cutouts. Small= 90mm inside-140mm outside, med=90mm inside-200mm outside, large= 90mm inside-260 outside. Thanks for all your hard work on this project. If a usals motor is out there that can handle the weight of the 1.2 dish easily this is a great alturnative to vbox's and a sea of 37volt wires.

My stab HH120 has been moving my steel fortec 1.2 meter just fine for two years now. It is a little slow but works fine. Sandoun has them on his site

 

[surfdevil83]

Well you have got to be kidding me there's a reset lol!!! Man you would not believe the messing around I had to do. Oh well live and learn. The motor stopped after going for a full sweep down to 131 and just would not turn back up. Thats probabbly all thats wrong. The rings I made out of dollar store oven drip trays. They are a little fimmsy but with the aluminum tape they seem to work until I get my hands on something better. Thanks for the tip on the hh120 comptech maybe I'll look into it if this thing is toast.

 

[surfdevil83]

Some pictures. Some damage from the snow to the rings but still working.

 

[jbmiller]

its not c band but could you receive galaxy 19 with a 18 "dish from directv (i have 2) with a ku band lnbf ???
i live in an apartment
john

 

[Anole]

JB - since you asked, here's a recent 18" thread for your reading pleasure.
But as this is a C-band thread, I'll say no more. - :up