Latest Update at my Satellite Station

[cyberham]

It's a slow night, so I thought I would share my newest toy at my satellite station.

This is my 7.5-foot Perfect prime focus dish which I retrieved from rural Nova Scotia in 2012. I've never installed it until now. For the last few days, I've been manually pushing it between 139W through 87W to check out the arc and see that it functions as it should. It's working very well and receives almost all transponders from these satellites with good C/N levels even though it's only 7.5 feet. I think the Titanium C1-PLL LNBF is an important part of it working well. You will notice the post is a little unconventional but I'm satisfied the installation is very stable and will withstand the winter weather at this location. It's view is actually from about 150W through 82W but there are no satellites west of 139W and east of 87W to the start of the forest trees at about 75W.

I installed the unpowered Von Wiese jack that came with the dish only to hold the dish fixed during testing so I could manually change the azimuth. Now, it would be nice to move forward and actually try using the Von Wiese to push the dish. For this, I need to source 100+ feet of power/pulse cable plus a mover like the VBox. I'm not sure where I would source these from.

In the meantime, it is thrilling to experience C-band with more than a 4-foot dish as I've done over the past 5 years. When I see the powerful transponders on satellites at 105W and 97W, for example, I understand why I was able to receive them even on a small 4-foot offset.







View to due south from the dish's point of view:

 

[FTA4PA]

It's a slow night, so I thought I would share my newest toy at my satellite station.

This is my 7.5-foot Perfect prime focus dish which I retrieved from rural Nova Scotia in 2012. I've never installed it until now. For the last few days, I've been manually pushing it between 139W through 87W to check out the arc and see that it functions as it should. It's working very well and receives almost all transponders from these satellites with good C/N levels even though it's only 7.5 feet. I think the Titanium C1-PLL LNBF is an important part of it working well. You will notice the post is a little unconventional but I'm satisfied the installation is very stable and will withstand the winter weather at this location. It's view is actually from about 150W through 82W but there are no satellites west of 139W and east of 87W to the start of the forest trees at about 75W.

I installed the unpowered Von Wiese jack that came with the dish only to hold the dish fixed during testing so I could manually change the azimuth. Now, it would be nice to move forward and actually try using the Von Wiese to push the dish. For this, I need to source 100+ feet of power/pulse cable plus a mover like the VBox. I'm not sure where I would source these from.

In the meantime, it is thrilling to experience C-band with more than a 4-foot dish as I've done over the past 5 years. When I see the powerful transponders on satellites at 105W and 97W, for example, I understand why I was able to receive them even on a small 4-foot offset.

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View to due south from the dish's point of view:
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Congrats on getting your c band dish up!

Rick's Satellite has the PR1200 dish mover. Not many options out there these days so maybe best to grab one while they are still available.

PR1200

As far as cable goes I have used multi-conductor underground sprinkler cable for our 100ft plus run. Two wires for the pulse plus two-doubled up sets of wires for positive/negative voltage to actuator. While this type of wire may not be the best choice because of the possibilty of introducing noise in the pulse counts it was readily available from the 'box stores' and has worked fine for our setup for over a decade. YMMV.

Good luck!

 

[cyberham]

...Rick's Satellite has the PR1200 dish mover. Not many options out there these days so maybe best to grab one while they are still available.

That was my thought too. I wouldn't mind supporting him as well.

... I have used multi-conductor underground sprinkler cable for our 100ft plus run....

I'll research this. I would likely need to go into the big city for this. Not likely justifiable to have this bulky item shipped.

 

[FTA4PA]

I'll research this. I would likely need to go into the big city for this. Not likely justifiable to have this bulky item shipped.

We are in the country as well but near enough to the box stores that I was able to pick it up. When I did the run a decade or so ago I simply could not find 'the good stuff' anywhere so I chanced it with the sprinkler cable and it worked out fine, no interference.

 

[FTA4PA]

I've heard shielded alarm wire is also a good choice for the pulse wire run if you require separate cable runs.

 

[cyberham]

To test the Von Wiese, could I use a DC power supply outputing 12 VDC? I don't have a car battery handy. The power supply is designed for 20A continuous.

 

[FTA4PA]

To test the Von Wiese, could I use a DC power supply outputing 12 VDC? I don't have a car battery handy. The power supply is designed for 20A continuous.

A hefty 12VDC source like that should be able to move it. Obviously, be VERY cautious of shorting and ready to disconnect QUICKLY if it doesn't budge.

 

[norman881]

To test the Von Wiese, could I use a DC power supply outputing 12 VDC? I don't have a car battery handy. The power supply is designed for 20A continuous.

I use a 0-30V power supply to move my dish when testing my actuator or ASC-1.

 

[cyberham]

Has anybody tried using a dedicated run of RG6 coaxial cable to carry the power? It would need to be about 150 feet probably. The centre conductor of RG6 is typically 18 gauge. I think this is too small gauge to carry power that far. The beauty of using RG6 for the power and the sensor wiring is I can use my standard window feed-through flat cable to get it through my house window.

Added: I see there is 16 gauge RG6 cable available: double shielded variety.
Good idea for the motor wires: HomeDepot

 

[Brct203]

Has anybody tried using a dedicated run of RG6 coaxial cable to carry the power? It would need to be about 150 feet probably. The centre conductor of RG6 is typically 18 gauge. I think this is too small gauge to carry power that far. The beauty of using RG6 for the power and the sensor wiring is I can use my standard window feed-through flat cable to get it through my house window.

Added: I see there is 16 gauge RG6 cable available: double shielded variety.

i'd be worried that the windows pass-through would be lighter gauge since it needs to be thin and flexible. I woudl suggest monitoring its temperature

 

[cyberham]

i'd be worried that the windows pass-through would be lighter gauge since it needs to be thin and flexible. I woudl suggest monitoring its temperature

I may just need to drill a hole through the wall which I like to avoid but may be necessary in this case.

 

[Comptech]

16Ga. lamp cord for motor. a piece of Cat5 and pick a pair in it and you are good!

 

[cyberham]

16Ga. lamp cord for motor. a piece of Cat5 and pick a pair in it and you are good!

That won't break the bank. I can always improve later. Both of these are likely available locally too.

 

[k4otl]

That was my thought too. I wouldn't mind supporting him as well.

I'll research this. I would likely need to go into the big city for this. Not likely justifiable to have this bulky item shipped.

For the power conductor to my actuator, I use Low-voltage outdoor lighting wiring (landscape lighting cable), I believe 14-16 ga-ish? The sensor wire side of things is a menagerie, consisting of landscape lighting wire, then spliced to some CAT 6 I had lying around, then spliced to a short lead of the original ribbon cable on the actuator. Not elegant, but works fine. Keep in mind my distance is ~75' by the time the wires make their way into the house. I mainly stay parked on 101W, but it has done me fine moving 93W to 105W. My dish isn't well aligned for the whole arc, can't see east of 93W anyway.