OTHER Sat Dish Size Advice

rico123

Member
Original poster
Nov 5, 2020
6
3
Iowa
I want to put together a Ku band FTA system for my popup camper for when I go off grid for a a week or two at a time. Naturally I want it to be as small as possible but I also know it needs to be big enough to actually receive signals. I'm seeing sizes of 39 inches, 36 inches, and 30 inches. So my question will a 30 inch dish work? Most of my off grid camping is in the southwest US. I like the idea of something smaller and compact, but figured I would get advice here first.
 
90cm is a great performer without going way up in size and making it too bulky to transport often. I live in Arkansas and started with a 75cm elliptical PrimeStar that pulled in all of the constant Ku channels from 87-125w. I had the Eagle Aspen 270KU LNB and feedhorn to match the dish shape. That could work as well if you ever find one to use strictly for camp.
 
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BTW.
According to the specs, that is what I would call a 85 cm dish, not 90....
So the effective reflective surface is 7% smaller.
Diameter93.5cm tall x 85 cm wide - This is an OVAL Offset dish.

Apart from that, I have no opinions or doubts or whatever on the dish.

Greetz,
A33
 
BTW.
According to the specs, that is what I would call a 85 cm dish, not 90....
So the effective reflective surface is 7% smaller.
Diameter93.5cm tall x 85 cm wide - This is an OVAL Offset dish.

Apart from that, I have no opinions or doubts or whatever on the dish.

Greetz,
A33

So how much better would that be than the 30 inch /75cm Winegard?
 
A 30" dish is not 2 degree compliant. The additional beamwidth on an undersized reflector will not reject strong signals on adjacent 2 degree separated satellites. This may or may not be a problem, depending on the satellite and transponder that you are trying to receive.
 
rico123 I see you're in Iowa, which isn't far from me (Missouri). A 76cm would probably net you most feeds on 87, 95, 97, and 103. I used to have 2 of those Winegard dishes and they are supurb, but if you have the space and the money, the 90cm would be better overall.
 
A 30" dish is not 2 degree compliant. The additional beamwidth on an undersized reflector will not reject strong signals on adjacent 2 degree separated satellites. This may or may not be a problem, depending on the satellite and transponder that you are trying to receive.

Thanks, I get that. I also assume that it will be a bit more touchy on aligning it?
 
rico123 I see you're in Iowa, which isn't far from me (Missouri). A 76cm would probably net you most feeds on 87, 95, 97, and 103. I used to have 2 of those Winegard dishes and they are supurb, but if you have the space and the money, the 90cm would be better overall.

Yeah, I am in Iowa, but I'll be using it when camping out. If any luck I'll be out in the southwest for camping in the next month or two. I hate winters. I'll be attaching it to a rack on the back of my popup camper while traveling and then putting it in place at each stop. I don't think 6 inches will really be too big to move and if it is helps then I'll do it.

Thanks a million for all your help.
 
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