Any mini bud users out there got a good question has there been noticeable gain on 99w c band. For the first time I got to watch dod news at 50 to 60 q without it breaking up.
mini bud users
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Am about to set up a 36 inch offset dish with an H-H motor (Stab 90) and C band LNB, got the dish & LNB assembled, tomorrow will mount the whole business on a pallet. I figured 99W or 91W would have a good strong transponder but not sure yet. Tried this a few years ago and got 99W and 91W, only a few transponders though. Now that the weather turned nice want to see if I'll have more success. Was going to use a dual Ku/C LNB, and use the Ku first for finding a satellite, then switch to C but will try the C band only LNB first. Back then 91W C was carrying NBC affiliates from PR and Virgin Islands.
If I can get my hands on a used 4 foot dish want to try that. New ones cost around $135 plus about $135 shipping, too high for the current budget. Will look around at gas stations to see if any 4 footers are not being used and ask them if they would want to sell it.
If I can get my hands on a used 4 foot dish want to try that. New ones cost around $135 plus about $135 shipping, too high for the current budget. Will look around at gas stations to see if any 4 footers are not being used and ask them if they would want to sell it.
Sorry, can't check 99w on a mini. Took the 1.2m miniBUD down at home as the pine tree growth was blocking 99w on windy and wet days. Now using a Ubiquiti 2.4GHz point to point WiFi with parabolic 2' & 3' antennas to do full HD 50meg for 1/2 mile link from the shop and the 10' dish. 
Spongelike, you will have quite a challenge with a 36" dish. I predict that you will receive 3 or 4 transponders on 99w when optimized. Start with the LESEA mux. A conical scalar will be a must to use on the reflector's higher FD.
Spongelike, you will have quite a challenge with a 36" dish. I predict that you will receive 3 or 4 transponders on 99w when optimized. Start with the LESEA mux. A conical scalar will be a must to use on the reflector's higher FD.
Got one here, where you can find them for free is ask someone who works for a large mall, on the roof will be a satellite farm full of them I know, I put a lot there, and know one wants them now, mostly 4 footers
Thanks fellas for the great comments.
Time to drive around the neighborhood and check out the gas stations and strip malls which are everywhere to see if someone wants to part with a four footer. You can't fall down in NJ without hitting your head on a strip mall hi hi.
And yes, last time I set up a 39 inch dish got LESEA, EWTN, NBC Affiliates, and one lottery drawing feed on 72W. Yes I forgot to mention the conical scalar for the LNB. I remember adjusting the LNB and conical scalar was very important. Bought a special mount for the LNB way back when.
Will use the new 8dtek meter with USALS to see how it turns the Stab 90.
Are there any strong transponders for the Atlantic sats such as 40.5W, 55.5W? I'd have to fit the LNB with that dielectric for circular polarization on 40.5W though. Not looking for miracles, just a fun, fact-finding mission inspired by the forum member using the 1.2m GeosatPro.
Thank you again for the helpful input.
Time to drive around the neighborhood and check out the gas stations and strip malls which are everywhere to see if someone wants to part with a four footer. You can't fall down in NJ without hitting your head on a strip mall hi hi.
And yes, last time I set up a 39 inch dish got LESEA, EWTN, NBC Affiliates, and one lottery drawing feed on 72W. Yes I forgot to mention the conical scalar for the LNB. I remember adjusting the LNB and conical scalar was very important. Bought a special mount for the LNB way back when.
Will use the new 8dtek meter with USALS to see how it turns the Stab 90.
Are there any strong transponders for the Atlantic sats such as 40.5W, 55.5W? I'd have to fit the LNB with that dielectric for circular polarization on 40.5W though. Not looking for miracles, just a fun, fact-finding mission inspired by the forum member using the 1.2m GeosatPro.
Thank you again for the helpful input.
I haven't noticed 99w being any stronger on my 105x95cm dish / titanium C1-PLL lnbf( near Toronto )I if your trying for any Atlantic sat I do get some on 55 and 58.
55.5w
3759 H 1204
4057 V 30000
4093 H 1680
4100 H 1840
4101 V 2320
4111 V 1850
4138 H 2000 ( strongest of all listed )
4150 H 1600
4160 H 5600
58
3793 H 3330
4040 H 26590
55.5w
3759 H 1204
4057 V 30000
4093 H 1680
4100 H 1840
4101 V 2320
4111 V 1850
4138 H 2000 ( strongest of all listed )
4150 H 1600
4160 H 5600
58
3793 H 3330
4040 H 26590
Hey Spongella, like Titaium (Bian) mentioned, you might get a handful of channels with the 36" dish, but it will get you by until you can locate a 1.2M dish. You asked about channels on 55.5W C-Band and a few others, I have more insiration for you! I spent most of yesterday working with my motorized 1.2 C-Band dish trying to get it fine tuned/aligned the best I could and managed to be within 1 degree off target; which I am able to compensate for. The Stab 120 motor developed 1 degree of play, but I am able to correct it. Anyway, using the Titanium PLL LNBF with matching conical scaler, I pulled in a good handful or so channels off of 55.5W C-Band; which I wasn't expecting to get. That got me interested to see what else I could get, and wowed myself by pulling in 34 channels off of 87W C-Band as well as one channel from 43W C-Band. I am using my old Manhattan 1933 reciever for testing until the newer Manhattan 1997 reciever comes in. So far I can't get anything east of 40W because of the trees and house next door blocking signals. I haven't been able to scan in all of the other satellites yet, but right now I can pull in 45 channels off of 58W C-Band including NHK World from Japan. I am getting about 84-86% intensity and around 67-72% quality among the C-Band satellites I have looked at. I am also able to pull in everything off of 99W C-Band. I do live in Kentucky, but with a 1.2M Geosatpro dish it is possible for you to pull in alot of the same stuff I am bringing in, even though your living in Jersey. I was always told my C-Band setup wouldn't work too good, but I wanted to try it anyway after studying the satellite footprints. I hope you can find a Geosatpro dish soon! With the C-Band channels I can bring in off of the satellites, I will gladly take it! Originally I figured I would only get 3 satellites, but went on ahead with experimenting, and glad I did!
Here's a few screen shots of the C-Band signal strength. The signals will always fluctuate depending on the time of day and other factors, but a clear picture and sound none the less. If I wasn't using the Titanium PLL LNBF, I wouldn't be able to bring in half of this stuff.
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?? How in the world can you do that with only one or two stationary dishes at your apartment without a motor?? You have maybe one or two LNB'S each, correct? 12 C-Band satellites might be all I can get with my motorized 1.2M dish on a clear day. Last I heard you didn't want to motorize your dishes, I thought.
Thank you for all the helpful and encouraging comments. Earlier in the week I sunk a 2 and 3/4 inch metal fence pole into the ground a couple of feet, used no cement since the clay dries rock hard. Let it settle a few days. Also put a large spike through the bottom to keep it from twisting. Installed the Stab motor yesterday. Was too windy yesterday so waited until today to put on the dish. Hooked up an old BSC421 Cband LNB with a conical scalar to an old Sadoun 36 inch dish. I put a drop of Plasti-Dip on the end of the scalar tightening screws (see pic) to hold the thing in place better. Set the H-H motor to reference (0 deg) then pointed the dish magnetic South, then using a combo of the RS meter and new 8dtek Desired, turned the dish to 99W using USALS and adjusted the el/az for a meter swing peak. Did a scan and got 3 TP's, two failed, other one was a feed, I don't know where I am yet in the Clarke belt. Dropped everything around noon for Easter lunch, will revisit this later.
Note: The 8dtek meter doesn't receive MPEG IV but it is real handy for setting up a dish.It also calculates the skew (shows minus when it should be plus) and the azimuth too but incorrectly. I've let the manufacturer know about this. Should be an easy software fix.
Note: The 8dtek meter doesn't receive MPEG IV but it is real handy for setting up a dish.It also calculates the skew (shows minus when it should be plus) and the azimuth too but incorrectly. I've let the manufacturer know about this. Should be an easy software fix.
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You got a few transponders tuned in, sounds like a good start in the right direction.
As soon as you get a 1.2M dish, even more transponders will be within reach!
Maximize the SN without the conical attached, then add and maximize. Move the LNBF fore/aft to maximize then adjust the scalar again. You may have to repeat several times to optimize the combination of the settings for both the LNBF and the scalar positioning.
BTW... You likely will have better results with a different LNBF... Wink, wink, nod, nod, hint, hint...
BTW... You likely will have better results with a different LNBF... Wink, wink, nod, nod, hint, hint...
I was manually moving my dish chris its not motorized I can't lock on to 87w c band at all. I can go from 91w to 125w c band side.
That's alot of actual manual moving and aligning for each satellite you go to. I wouldn't go through all of that physical labor each time, that's why I got a motor to just align and aim once. But okay!
Chris overall I have found 12 I didn't do it one sitting did it on several days just to line thing up. I am parked between 99w and 97w c band. I wanted to get 97w amg and metv and movies on 99w. Saturday I watched to hockey games not bad I say.
I have found that the FD and scalar placement to be slightly different on each satellite and transponder. I have had mediocre results with a motorized mini-bud. Many more transponders can be locked when the reflector is fixed and feed optimized.
Maximize the SN without the conical attached, then add and maximize. Move the LNBF fore/aft to maximize then adjust the scalar again. You may have to repeat several times to optimize the combination of the settings for both the LNBF and the scalar positioning.
BTW... You likely will have better results with a different LNBF... Wink, wink, nod, nod, hint, hint...
Hint taken, hi hi. Yes, the LNBF and scalar ring were tweaked. Tried this C band thing on a 3 foot dish a couple of years ago. Also, found out that rotating the scalar makes a difference, don't know why.
The dish is pretty much on as far as accuracy, determined that by doing several scans of different sats. I used 99W as a reference since it has some strong TPs. GDMX is my "marker" that shows I am on 99w. I do see some bleed over of one station in the 97 - 99- 101W orbital slot, a religious program, probably due to the small dish.
Have a dual Ku/C LNBF laying around that was tried years ago with a mini-BUD, will try that again somewhere over the next few weeks. The advantage of the dualie is that you can optimize the dish on Ku, making sure it is tracking the belt correctly, then switch over to the C band. However there are some who maintain that a dualie does not work as well as a C-band only LNBF.
Thank you all for the comments.
Hey Spongella, here are a few new pics of my motorized 1.2M C-Band Dish. I pretty much have it done, I just need to add a brace, swap out the already excellent Titanium LNBF for an even better updated Titanium dual output LNBF, run some cable, and start bringing in channels with the new reciever! Brian's (Titanium) LNBF is a very popular C-Band LNBF, you will have great results with it. I almost bought the combo C/Ku LNB last year, but I read they don't usually work very good, so I went with something else. The combo LNB's aren't made anymore, I don't think. Keep up the great work!
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