Raven or General Dynamics for a 1.8 antenna?

[miguelaqui]

Overall, which who makes the better antenna, Raven / Andrew / Channel Master or General Dynamics / Podelin ?

Specifically , the current version of the Raven, model 62-1800-11, the General Dynamics 1184 to try to receive signals between the X and Ku bands.

I currently have a Channel Master type 180. I am looking for a dish that would possible give me possibly give me a slight, every little bit matters, in the frequency range of 11092 mhz to11683, between the X and Ku bands.

I am considering getting either a General Dynamics 1184 or the current version of the Raven 1.8 antenna to use for Shaw Direct; I am a paying customer. I want to get as much of Anik G1 as possible.

I am posting this here, instead of the Canadian forums, because I know that more people will possible respond.

 

[RimaNTSS]

IMHO: Want better reception - get bigger dish! I've found it useless to look which antenna works better. Too many factors are involved here- LNB and feedhorn used, cabling, connectors, precise positioning of the feed, weather conditions, time of the day.... etc. But size of antenna is still same, which is 1.8m. I think all 1.8m antennas, if perfectly aligned and proper feed is used, will perform more or less same. And, in fact, it is not proper to say that antenna "A" is better than antenna "B"! They both just piece of metal or glass, they can be differently colored, they can have different weight , different strength ribs, different mounting system, different price.... etc. But when we speak about performance, than we better speak about performance of the satellite system (the mirror itself, plus LNB, plus feed, connectors, cables). So, IMHO again, want better performance of your satellite system- get bigger reflector, for example 2.4m. Satellite system based on 2.4m reflector will surely outperform any other on 1.8m reflector size based satellite system.
Reflectors, made for Ka-band reception have better quality of the reflective surface, but they probably more expensive than reflectors made for Ku-band.

 

[Cham]

I have a Channel Master 2.4m offset antenna, at least 4-5dB more than the 1.2m Channel Master antenna. If you have a 1.8m of this quality you won't find anything better without going bigger as Rima suggests above, other than spending another few hundred $$ on top of the line LNB, which you have likely done that already.
The 2.4 also works well on C-band where most of the interesting signals are on Anik G/F1.
FTA wise of course.

What antenna size does Shaw recommend for your area? Thinking an 84e would be awsome unless you are way out of the satellite broadcast area.

 

[miguelaqui]

I have a Channel Master 2.4m offset antenna, at least 4-5dB more than the 1.2m Channel Master antenna. If you have a 1.8m of this quality you won't find anything better without going bigger as Rima suggests above, other than spending another few hundred $$ on top of the line LNB, which you have likely done that already.
The 2.4 also works well on C-band where most of the interesting signals are on Anik G/F1.
FTA wise of course.

What antenna size does Shaw recommend for your area? Thinking an 84e would be awsome unless you are way out of the satellite broadcast area.

I really wish that I could fork out the money for a 2.4 offset I just know, from working with off-air antennas, that sometimes one antenna of the same size will give you a better signal than the other. Yes, I already have the best LNB, cabling ( I have tried rg6 solid copper QS and RG11 try shield .) So, if I could get just 2db more, I would be happier.

 

[Larry1]

Are you using a scaler that is matched to the dish? If not that might get you a little bit more signal. A higher stability LNB.... but you say you already have a great LNB. I believe I once saw a post somewhere of someone using a precision oscillator and also cooling the LNB for less noise, but other than for an experiment, it would not be practical for home use.

 

[miguelaqui]

Well..since I am using to for Shaw Direct Anik G1, there is only one place that sells an LNB that works for that satellite.

 

[Cham]

Just curious, what feed horn & LNB(s) combo are you using?