Slimline Dish Question

[chapelrun]

I got a dish like this for free (See pix)

Anyway it is a DirecTV Slimline AU9 model that I understand can look at 99 101 103 110 119 at the same time.

101, 110 and 119 are Ku based on what I have learned so far.

The dish has a Zinwell Wide-Band 6x8 Multi-Switch connected.

Is it possible to connect this dish to a Fortec Star Merc II to pick up FTA? For example could I pick up Christian channels on 101 and NASA on 119 with this setup? Thought I would ask before I put yet another dish on the roof. My wife thinks I'm crazy but says this hobby is better than golf (at least I'm home she says)

 

[Mr Tony]

nope. Here is why

99 & 103 are KA Band (way above KU Band) so those are useless

101/110/119 are all DBS slots so you cant get AMC4 because the LNB is DBS and you would need KU

110 uses an oddball LNB. It takes TP's 28,30,32 and makes them 8,10,12. Then it combines those signals with 119

119 LNB only has TP's 22-32 (plus the 8,10,12 above) since Direct has only TP's 22-32 (Dish has 1-21)

so the dish won't work......unless you jerry rig something for the LNB's

 

[chapelrun]

Jerry Rig in progress

OK, since it would not work as is I decided to go with the Jerry Rig idea. Basically making a Super Dish 121 from pieces and parts.

I still would like to use the Zinwell but don't know which to plug into 13V and which to plug into 18V. I think the FSS goes in 13V but the other ones I was unsure.

Parts all over living room - wife liking this hobby more and more

 

[chapelrun]

Only going to try the FSS LNB

I decided to remove the Zinwell and only use the FSS LNB. Plan to try for either 97W or 101W

Daylight Savings Time may help me since now I can work on it after work.

 

[Anole]

one from column A; one from column B . . .

That pair of LNBs on the right of your picture are bandstacked (DishPro in the Dish world) and do 121º FSS/linear on the right, with 119º circular on the left.
Putting two FSS LNBs on that dual plumbing hardware apparently won't work.

So, if you get the tall horn of the 121º LNB at the focal point of the dish, you might be able to pick up some stronger linear FTA signals.
Your receiver will need to be adjusted to accommodate that type of LNB.

The LNB to the far left in your picture, is standard bandstacked (DishPro) circular LNB, and can be used for NASA & Angel One on 119º, if located correctly.

Aiming the linear LNB at one bird will be the priority.
edit: and you'll have to skew the entire dish, because there is no provision for skewing the LNB.
If the dish has enough beam width to place the circular LNB to get a signal, that's a bonus.
As long as you choose a circular bird not too far off the boresite, I'm betting you'll have good luck.
edit: here's what one of our members, NetBuilder, managed to get on his dish (note the size).

That 6x8 switch is all but useless in general, and more so with the bandstacked LNBs you're using.
Not to say there isn't any sort of imaginative trick you could do with it, but in general, it's not the right stuff.
edit: you could use any diseqc switch, or maybe a Dish DP-34.

I will award two points for creativity and imagination!
Your dish size: 22.5 in. x 32.5 in.