technical question about 3D2LNBR0-02

[PE2BZ]

Hi,
short introduction, I am Ben, radio amateur from the Netherlands ( Callsign PE2BZ ) and I like to find orbiting satellite signals and identify them with the use of strf tools.
strf tools

For now I have received signals up to 3400 MHz and the beacons from starlink in the KU band.

I am now trying to receive orbiting signals in the KA band, 18 GHz, for amazon / kuiper satellites.

I started with CoPilot about the LNB with model number 3d2LNBR0-02 and the usability to tune into 18 GHz with IF output to an SDR (HackRF and Adalm pluto available) which suggested that for this LNB I had to power it with 21 Volt DC and 22 kHz inserted to switch to the 18 GHz RHCP polarity.

Now, after ordering the LNB from the US of A and checking with copilot again it tells me I need some special command to send to the LNB to have it switch to that frequency which has to be sent from a directtv receiver which I don't have.

Is there any documentation which describes how I would manually be able to set the LNB to my preferred frequency range ?

Thanks for your time,

Ben

 

[Titanium]

13 years ago, i was experimenting with DirecTV SWM LNBFs and I had posted this on the forum:

Post in thread 'SL 3 LNB KA Band + FTA receiver in europe' SL 3 LNB KA Band + FTA receiver in europe
A lot of great information on KA hardware usage in the thread!

Been many years since my experiments, but i recall supplying 21Vdc and accessing the Ka portion of the bandstacked multisat LNBF with 22KHz tone ON.

Here is an example of a 22KHz tone insertion device: GME 22khz Tone Generator

The SWM Ka low band RHP signals are band stacked between 250-750 IF. I never snooped the high band.

 

[Tom Speer]

Hi Ben, this is Tom , N2HF. Unfortunately, Copilot misdirected you to a DirecTV Single Wire Multiplex LNB. The SWM system uses out of band signals from the receiver to the LNB to have the LNB place the IF output from a specific band and feedhorn onto one of 21 different frequencies on the coax. Each tuner on multiple receivers are assigned the SWM channel through negotiation. A number of us have tried for years o determine how that control signaling works, without success. There is no documentation.

DirecTV Legacy LNBs used voltage and Tone to switch the feed, and stacked The Ka and Ku bands onto different IF frequencies.

 

[PE2BZ]

Hi Ben, this is Tom , N2HF. Unfortunately, Copilot misdirected you to a DirecTV Single Wire Multiplex LNB. The SWM system uses out of band signals from the receiver to the LNB to have the LNB place the IF output from a specific band and feedhorn onto one of 21 different frequencies on the coax. Each tuner on multiple receivers are assigned the SWM channel through negotiation. A number of us have tried for years o determine how that control signaling works, without success. There is no documentation.

DirecTV Legacy LNBs used voltage and Tone to switch the feed, and stacked The Ka and Ku bands onto different IF frequencies.

Thanks Tom. I might need to find another way to access that frequency range now. My VU+Duo2 receiver appears to support Unicable protocol so is that worth a try ?

 

[Titanium]

The VU+ Duo supports Unicable (Band Stacking) for typical "one wire" LNBs , but the satellite tuner does not support the IF range of a SWM LNBF for the Ka B-band (250-750 MHz). Maybe the terrestrial input could be used as it covers the lower input frequency range. The lower IF range is not an issue for a SDR tuner.

A FTA STB typically supports only IF above 950 MHz. A B-band converter shifts the IF to a range that a FTA STB covers.

Example of a converter for bringing RHP LO into the range of your VU+Duo2 satellite tuner: https://www.amazon.com/ZINWELL-Directv-Converter-Non-SWM-Installs/dp/B00HWYBTIY

 

[Tom Speer]

Thanks Tom. I might need to find another way to access that frequency range now. My VU+Duo2 receiver appears to support Unicable protocol so is that worth a try ?

It is worth a try. But DirecTV tends to use proprietary standards for their systems. I am not familiar with Unicable, a European standard, but reading about it online indicates it operates very similar to what DirecTV does. If DirecTV uses DiseqC commands, I am unaware of it. The SWM system here has to provide LHCP and RHCP signals from the three bands Ku , KaHi and KaLo. See the Band Plan in our Directv Technical technical information. The DirecTV Ks band signals are modulated in such a way that ordinary Ka band receivers cannot even lock onto them, but I don't know i'f that is taken care of in the SWM LNB or the receiver. I have always thought that was handled in the DirecTV receiver.

 

[Tom Speer]

What Titanium is talking about requires a Legacy DirecTV LNB, not a SWM LNB.