Micro HD and APC from Rick's Satellite

[KJ6EO]

Is anyone successfully using the APC from Rick's Satellite with a MicroHD? I just can't get mine to work right. With it connected to my MicroHD, it works fine until I hook up the LNB (any LNB). When I hook up the LNB, the servo spins fully counter clockwise and will no longer move when H or V changes. With the LNB hooked up the only I can switch from H to V is to do it manually with the (normal/inverted) switch on the APC. I sent the APC back to Ricks. They verfied that it was working correctly. Just in case they replaced it with a new one (which I can't get to work either). The H and V voltages look ok, but they do drop by about .5vdc when the LNB is hooked up! Any suggestions you might have would be appreciated!

 

[primestar31]

Servo feedhorns are SO 1980's.

Orthomode is where it's at in 2013.... I can't imagine there's anything you can get with a servo, that I can't get with my orthomode that's adjusted perfectly.

 

[tekjunkie02]

All I can think of is your wiring...trouble has to be there. Double check everything, you'll find it.

 

[KJ6EO]

Servo feedhorns are SO 1980's.

Orthomode is where it's at in 2013.... I can't imagine there's anything you can get with a servo, that I can't get with my orthomode that's adjusted perfectly.

Prime - being a newbie, I don't know too much about feeds. My Chaparral Horn/LNB's were free, so that makes them stylish to me . Could you suggest an orthomode feed that would fit my 10' Winegard Pinnacle? Also where I could buy it?

 

[rangergord]

As a newbie myself I was disappointed to find out those cool old LNBs were obselete. The good news is that the new ones are easier to use, and very inexpensive. Most models should fit. Need to decide if you want only C band or C and KU bands. I am installing a c band DMS Int. BSC-421. They also make a nice C/KU band model.

 

[bigg t]

Have you tried it with another reciever? If you can get it to work at least you would be able to get some use out of your old feedhorn-lnb combination. Some of those work pretty good to get hard to get signals.

 

[primestar31]

Prime - being a newbie, I don't know too much about feeds. My Chaparral Horn/LNB's were free, so that makes them stylish to me . Could you suggest an orthomode feed that would fit my 10' Winegard Pinnacle? Also where I could buy it?

Sure: http://www.rickssatelliteusa.com/rickssatellitefeedhorns.htm Scroll down until you see this one: Dual C-Band Feed # 11-1329-1 $72.00 He's the cheapest person to buy that from.

Here for what lnbs most of us use, BUT, you can use any standard C-band lnb's, even the $12.90 ones from Ebay: http://www.satcomresources.com/Norsat-8115-DRO-LNB Cheapest place to buy these, and you need 2 of them. If you want PLL ones, they are $190 EACH.

Then you need one of these switches, (IF you buy this one, ASK if it comes with the power transformer. Don't buy it without one!). http://www.ebay.com/itm/WNC-4X8-MUL...lite_Signal_Multiswitches&hash=item2c6c1f1e67

Here's one more pricy, but comes with the power transformer for sure: http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-WNC-4-X...lite_Signal_Multiswitches&hash=item589dfa05d7

Those come and go on Ebay all the time, and prices all over the map, so there's no hurry in buying either of those ones. But, they are the recommended ones.

Then go here to learn how to crack open the switch and add a couple Radio Shack resistors to keep the voltage permanently at 18 volts: http://www.satelliteguys.us/threads/174802-Naughty-Mods-II-4x8-Switch-with-All-18V-outputs

Yeah, I'll bet your eyes are spinning right now! LOL. But it's all well worth it, and it's far easier than you think.

 

[KJ6EO]

Sure: http://www.rickssatelliteusa.com/rickssatellitefeedhorns.htm Scroll down until you see this one: Dual C-Band Feed # 11-1329-1 $72.00 He's the cheapest person to buy that from.

Here for what lnbs most of us use, BUT, you can use any standard C-band lnb's, even the $12.90 ones from Ebay: http://www.satcomresources.com/Norsat-8115-DRO-LNB Cheapest place to buy these, and you need 2 of them. If you want PLL ones, they are $190 EACH.

Then you need one of these switches, (IF you buy this one, ASK if it comes with the power transformer. Don't buy it without one!). http://www.ebay.com/itm/WNC-4X8-MUL...lite_Signal_Multiswitches&hash=item2c6c1f1e67

Here's one more pricy, but comes with the power transformer for sure: http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-WNC-4-X...lite_Signal_Multiswitches&hash=item589dfa05d7

Those come and go on Ebay all the time, and prices all over the map, so there's no hurry in buying either of those ones. But, they are the recommended ones.

Then go here to learn how to crack open the switch and add a couple Radio Shack resistors to keep the voltage permanently at 18 volts: http://www.satelliteguys.us/threads/174802-Naughty-Mods-II-4x8-Switch-with-All-18V-outputs

Yeah, I'll bet your eyes are spinning right now! LOL. But it's all well worth it, and it's far easier than you think.

Prime - thanks for all the information and the links . You wouldn't be related to Optimus Prime would you? . Yes, I did some reading last night on various sites so I'm up to date and informed now on what an Orthomode feed is. That's really the way to do it. I don't know if I really need to go all the way and get the PLL LNB's. Most likely a couple of the Norsat 8115's would be all I'd need. The Dual Feed Horn that you mentioned in the link at Rick's looks like a Chaparral Dual Feed. My Servo Feedhorn is a Chaparral Dual Band with California Amplifier LNB's on it. God knows how old it is but I'll tell you what, it blows away my LNBF. I'm getting heavy TI on one TP that I watch allot on SatMex8. It's H only so most likely it's that Megawatt Doppler Radar that my dish faces most of the time. To resolve the TI, I'm gonna install a BandPass filter between the horn and the H LNB. That should take care of that problem. The TI is allot less when I'm using the Servo Horn and LNB's (I get just a quick signal drop out). With the LNBF on, the TI totally destroys the signal for about 15 to 20 seconds. This is most likely due to the fact that the LNBF doesn't have good out of band rejection. I'm gonna get on the WEB and order some stuff later on this morning. I'll let you know what I order and how it all works out. Your's and everyone else's expert guidance is always appreciated .

 

[primestar31]

Pendragon shows a mod to a orthomode feedhorn for his Winegard pinnacle, to help it match the .28 dish: http://www.satelliteguys.us/threads/171565-Dual-orthomode-feed-on-a-deep-dish-mod

You CAN buy a dual band orthomode feedhorn that's both c-band and ku band (4 lnb's total), but be aware that JUST the feedhorn itself is around $400, IF you can even find one. They are quite rare. I think a separate ku dish is a much better option.

 

[KJ6EO]

Pendragon shows a mod to a orthomode feedhorn for his Winegard pinnacle, to help it match the .28 dish: http://www.satelliteguys.us/threads/171565-Dual-orthomode-feed-on-a-deep-dish-mod

You CAN buy a dual band orthomode feedhorn that's both c-band and ku band (4 lnb's total), but be aware that JUST the feedhorn itself is around $400, IF you can even find one. They are quite rare. I think a separate ku dish is a much better option.

Prime - Thanks for the info. Yes, getting the right F/D set for the Pinnacle does make a difference. My Chaparral Servo Horn wasn't set up correctly for the dish. Once I set it up correctly (1.25" from the face of the scalar insted of .800", there was a noticeable increase in signal strength. I sent a message to Pendragon asking him a few questions. I have a button hook instead of a quad support. So, that (could/or could not) be a good thing. No worries about the Dual Band Orthomode feed, I put my GeoSatPro 90cm dish with HH motor back up. The Pinnacle was way to rickety to maintain reliable signals on Ku Band (at least in my case).

It would be easy to put some spacers on the button hook. However, it looks to me like the scalar on the Chaparral Dual Orthomode feed would not be able to be slid back far enough to achieve the 1.25" distance from the front surface of the scaler to the tip of the horn. The 1.25" was achievable on my Dual Band Servo Feed (see picture). I didn't see as big of an increase as Pendragon did. I got about 5% more.

 

[tdti1]

Servo feedhorns are SO 1980's.

Orthomode is where it's at in 2013.... I can't imagine there's anything you can get with a servo, that I can't get with my orthomode that's adjusted perfectly.

Really? So hows the circular c-band on your ortho feed?

 

[primestar31]

Really? So hows the circular c-band on your ortho feed?

There is no circular c-band that's worth getting from my location. My arc can only get from about 60w to 125w due to trees. Even if there was some circular c-band I wanted, I'd just use a dielectric plate inserted in the feed like almost everybody else uses.

 

[KJ6EO]

Here's one more pricy, but comes with the power transformer for sure: http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-WNC-4-X...lite_Signal_Multiswitches&hash=item589dfa05d7

Those come and go on Ebay all the time, and prices all over the map, so there's no hurry in buying either of those ones. But, they are the recommended ones.

Then go here to learn how to crack open the switch and add a couple Radio Shack resistors to keep the voltage permanently at 18 volts: http://www.satelliteguys.us/threads/174802-Naughty-Mods-II-4x8-Switch-with-All-18V-outputs

Yeah, I'll bet your eyes are spinning right now! LOL. But it's all well worth it, and it's far easier than you think.

Prime - Ok, I'll keep an eye out on ebay for one of those switches. I ordered a Chaparral Dual Orthomode feed and two Norsat 8115's to go with it. I'd like to mount the multi switch outside under the roof. However then there is the problem of how to get power to it. I'll figure something out. Thanks for the help! I'll get back to you later regarding my progress!

 

[Anole]

If you are going ortho, I would recommend starting a new thread.
?This one is dead.

 

[primestar31]

Prime - Ok, I'll keep an eye out on ebay for one of those switches. I ordered a Chaparral Dual Orthomode feed and two Norsat 8115's to go with it. I'd like to mount the multi switch outside under the roof. However then there is the problem of how to get power to it. I'll figure something out. Thanks for the help! I'll get back to you later regarding my progress!

You power it with a spare coax cable that screws into the side connector. I have a wiring hub box mounted in the center area of where my dishes spread out from, and all my switches are in there. Did you run extra coax cables when you setup your dish like I suggested? If so, then buy a cable-tv weatherproof box, mount it on the pole under your dish, and use a spare coax for power. Inside the house the other end of the coax screws into the power inserter part of the transformer.

 

[KJ6EO]

If you are going ortho, I would recommend starting a new thread.
?This one is dead.

Master Anole ... Understood! Padawan Bill

 

[Cham]

How much real signal Q % gain will a good C-band ortho/LNB have over a c-band LNBF?
I've found the C2 LNBF to be somewhat superior to the Corotor/LNB combo (Norsats), at least on C-band, and the dual band LNBFs such as the 721 to be very similar on C-band and Ku to the Corotor.
I think if I would find an ortho for free or really cheap I would try it out just for fun but the simplicity and functionality of the LNBF is tough to beat.