Transportable C-Band Antenna?

[26Y_Joe]

Hi all,

I have a Cisco D9865-H receiver that was used to receive Armed Forced Network in southwest Asia. I'd like to take it with me on a mission to the Caribbean, but according to the footprint map, I'll be restricted to C-band. Can anyone recommend an inexpensive C-band dish and LNB? I'll probably have access to a shipping container, but something that folds up would be best. In addition, I live in a deed restricted subdivision, so there's no plans to use it at home. I'll probably abandon the dish there when our work is done, so I'm not looking to spend a lot of money.

Thanks,
Joe

 

[Stargazer]

Here's an inflatable c-band dish but not sure of the price. Probably not cheap.

http://www.gatr.com/products

I tore down a 6 foot dish and hauled it in the back of a Ford Mustang once. Only four pieces and two bolts per piece for a total of 8 bolts if I remember correctly.

 

[FaT Air]

BITD they used to ship 'em all over, especially the mesh style. Check out http://www.satelliteguys.us/threads/304781-more-Craigslist-dishes-for-your-perusal
for something that may fill the need. May require some 'hands on' disassembly.

 

[Titanium]

Depending on where you will be in the Caribbean, there may be plenty of dishes available. Some islands have a high annual user tax on satellite viewing, so there might not be as many. Over the years, many viewers used large dishes for C-band services. Up until recently they were popular to receive out of footprint Dish Network and DirecTV. Now that they have more choices using smaller dishes, these 1.8 - 3m dishes are unused.

The cheap prime focus dishes from Digiwave or WSI might be good for a few years. They wouldn't last through a hurricane or in the corrosive sea air, but probably get you through. If you want something more robust, go with a fixed Anderson Manufacturing or similar. I have shipped many of these into the Caribbean using Miami based freight forwarders.

May I suggest the new C1-PLL C-band LNBF? It will outperform any other C-band LNBF on the market... available in one more week.

 

[26Y_Joe]

Thanks for the replies. It looks like a new dish is out of my budget. I'm probably going to buy an LNBF and keep an eye on Craigslist or scrounge something local when I get down there.

 

[Titanium]

Have lived, travelled the Caribbean with many contacts throughout the years. Where are you headed?

 

[26Y_Joe]

Sorry for the late response. I'm headed to the Dominican Republic.

I found a dish someone was looking to get rid of. I brought home the LNB, feed assembly, and mount/actuator today. I'm going back tomorrow for the dish itself. The bolts holding the petals together were rusted and I need a hack saw to get it apart. I did wind up buying a C1-PLL and it arrived yesterday. My Cisco receiver is configured and ready to go.

I'm pretty excited. My military background is X-band and Ku-band satcom, but this will be my first time working with satellite TV.

This is the old LNB. Is it worth keeping?

 

[phlatwound]

If those bolts are locked up with rust, instead of trying to saw them, just put a long wrench/ratchet/vise grip on the bolt and pull until they snap off. A lot easier than sawing and you can get new bolts at any hardware store.

Your existing feed should work just fine but you will need something to operate the polarity servo. This unit will do that and move your dish too if you are motorized.

http://www.titaniumsatellite.com/asc1

 

[KE4EST]

Sorry for the late response. I'm headed to the Dominican Republic.

I found a dish someone was looking to get rid of. I brought home the LNB, feed assembly, and mount/actuator today. I'm going back tomorrow for the dish itself. The bolts holding the petals together were rusted and I need a hack saw to get it apart. I did wind up buying a C1-PLL and it arrived yesterday. My Cisco receiver is configured and ready to go.

I'm pretty excited. My military background is X-band and Ku-band satcom, but this will be my first time working with satellite TV.

This is the old LNB. Is it worth keeping?

View attachment 95265

View attachment 95266

Yes definitely worth keeping. If you get the ASC1 like mentioned above, you will be happy with that Feedhorn.

 

[26Y_Joe]

I was able to snap most of the bolts, but the ones I'm dealing with today are round-headed and hold together two circular plates that hold the dish together in the middle. There's not enough to grab onto.

 

[KE4EST]

You may have to carefully drill them out, or take a grinder to the backside.

 

[phlatwound]

You may have to carefully drill them out, or take a grinder to the backside.

Yep...or how about vise grips and/or a pipe wrench on both ends?

Might need a helper to go that route.

 

[FaT Air]

I like the grinder to the head or nut. Make 'em 'flush'. Then if they are then frozen into the hole, hammer 'n' punch. May help to soak them with one of the the two favorites - PB Blaster or KROIL.
If disassembly is 'in future plans' maybe replace said hardware with stainless???

 

[26Y_Joe]

I got 'em off with the hacksaw, broke it down into two 180-degree sections, and stuffed it into the back of the truck. Tomorrow I'll head to the hardware store to buy all new nuts and bolts. While there, I'll also figure out a new mount. Since I'm pointing at one satellite for the entire trip and don't need the current mount and actuator, so I'm going to homebrew something. My only concern is elevation, so it should be pretty simple.

 

[mmewrench]

Sorry for the late response. I'm headed to the Dominican Republic.

I found a dish someone was looking to get rid of. I brought home the LNB, feed assembly, and mount/actuator today. I'm going back tomorrow for the dish itself. The bolts holding the petals together were rusted and I need a hack saw to get it apart. I did wind up buying a C1-PLL and it arrived yesterday. My Cisco receiver is configured and ready to go.

I'm pretty excited. My military background is X-band and Ku-band satcom, but this will be my first time working with satellite TV.

This is the old LNB. Is it worth keeping?

View attachment 95265

View attachment 95266

Truthfully, If you ordered a C1- pll, you will probably be happier with that. The lnb shown in the picture is not one of exceptional quality, and the cost of the hardware to control polarity (I don't believe that your cisco receiver will operate a polorotor), would be a waste. I am not usually one to recommend an lnbf, but for C band only on a stationary dish, you will do fine.

Also if you keep the existing polar mount, just replace the actuator with a fixed length rod, and you will have the elevation issue solved.

 

[26Y_Joe]

Also if you keep the existing polar mount, just replace the actuator with a fixed length rod, and you will have the elevation issue solved.

I'd still have the burden of finding and sinking a vertical pipe or making a base to accommodate it. I'd rather just build something from 2x4s, all-thread, and a couple of nuts. I just need a setup that will hinge at the bottom and let me adjust the elevation in the rear. Sort of like this:

 

[26Y_Joe]

I did it! :happyd2:

First, I built a triangle base with a simple elevation mechanism.





I ran into a bit of drama when the bolt holes didn't line up on the new scalar, so I kept the old one, copying the f/D setting. Then, after setting skew and elevation with a Clinometer app on my iPhone, I took a back azimuth from across the yard to get the correct azimuth. Going back inside, I had a signal level of 91 on the receiver!



Now I'm sitting here watching the Pentagon Channel while I wait for the key to download so I can what the other channels.



Tomorrow I'll tear it down and get it ready for shipping. I hope the HOA doesn't notice it before then!

Thanks for everyone's assistance,
Joe