Who all are using combo C/KU LNBFs

[gmd63]

Because of tight location, I put off getting back into C-band. But have just bought the Fortec Star 180 (6').
I am looking at LNBFs (like the BSC621).Who is using the combo C/KU LNBF's? for the KU side does it come in as well as normal 36" dish with Linear LNB?
I heard some say that the KU side does not work as well and can be picky. On a weak station like RTV on 83W, would it come in as well - worse or about the same?

Thanks for any input. :up

 

[Mr Tony]

congrats on the 6 footer. I have 2 of them...LOVE them!

I use to have a 621-2 LNB on mine but only used it for C-Band. I dont know if RTN will come in. I havent tried my C/K1 on it yet...maybe I should try in the next few days

I know of a few folks who have the combo units on their dishes...hopefully they chime in with the results

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

I have played with the 621 on my 1.2 meter Dish and it worked on C Band or worked on KU band. You couldn't get both at the same time.

On a prime focus dish like the Fortec 1.8 meter I am not sure how well it would work so hopefully someone else can chime in

 

[pro96]

I am one of the users Ice talked about. I have both 621-2 and WS C/Ku combo LNB and they both work great. As far as the KU side, it's kinda tricky. Cause u might lose the cband signal to gain on ku and vise versa. Depending on the channel and sat you are pointing at. For the most part, I have to peek it to get better signal on both bands.

And I get same results from a 1m and 6ft dishes.

 

[Mr Tony]

I tried a C/K1 on a few sats like Anikf1, G3 and G19 and it worked really well. Havent tried RTN though

 

[Blindowl1234]

Ice I'd be curious if you or others get the chance to shoot for RTV/RTN on the 6 footer. I might think of investing in the combo lnb then...if it works Thanks! Blind

 

[Lak7]

I "can" get the Ku RTNs on my 10' BUD with the DMX741 (also on BSC621) but any interference and it will go. The big tree 20ft in front of the BUD is no help, wind either.
I have / had, what I think, are good results with Ku using the DMX741 / BSC621, about the same as my 80cm Fortec. I think it mostly comes down to the condition of the Dish, the better the Dish, the better the signal. My BUD is nice, but nowhere near perfect. These things can't really be compared to something like a CoRotor II, just not Apples to Apples. I mean 'comon $50 to $250+.
Another thing to consider, why bother with the Ku RTNs with a combo C/Ku, when the C Band RTNs are right there on 87 west.

 

[Blindowl1234]

Lak7, I tried the 87W RTN on C band no luck there either....Oh well still have the one OTA channel with Rtn on it...guess that will do. Blind

 

[meinename]

Another thing to consider, why bother with the Ku RTNs with a combo C/Ku, when the C Band RTNs are right there on 87 west.

Umm, DVB-S2 boxes are still above $100 vs. a DVB-S box which many of us already have. Just my 2 cents.

On Topic:
Last winter I had the 8.5 footer pointed at 123W
If I had to estimate the dish size I was getting approx. a 4 to 5 foot Ku dish.
(I can't estimate how big since I was shooting through a tree;
That and I've never used a dish bigger than a 4 foot for Ku)
All I really know was that the Coolsat 6000 meter was showing 87%-90% in heavy wind and downpour.

Thankfully on the 8.5 footer, the distance for Ku-band peak leaves the C-band probes on the dish side of the focal point.
Let me rephrase; With the Ku-band side at the peak focal length, the C-band half is a bit close to the dish for peak C-band signal.
So the BSC-621 works fine for me since most C-band signals are plenty strong.

 

[Corrado]

I was attracted the BSC621 when it first came out. I have used it now for several years. It works well on my 10' dish and excellent for DVB-S2. I never had the ku band issues others had with their's.

I originally used 2 separate cables, but more recently started using the 22 khz switch to select bands for convenience and simplicity. Since currently the 4DTV doesn't need the ku and no way for my box to control it. It seems "invisible" to the 4DTV box that's in the mix with my Diamond receiver so for now that's how I have it.

 

[Lone Cloud]

I have a BSC 621-2 on my Birdview 8 1/2 foot sollid dish.

I guess I am one of the lucky ones. I get almost all Ku and a lot of C-band. I have had trouble in the past getting both, but now get them OK.

With the 621-2, since it's a universal lnb, I have to remember to set the receiver at 10600.

 

[eurosport]

I have a C/K1 on my 10 footer, and it does excellent on C. Ku performance is almost as good, but about 25-30% lower in quality than my 1.2m offsets. Example: AMC-6 NBC satmux channels are 99% quality on 1.2 offset, and about 62% on the 10ft.

 

[truckracer]

My BSC-621 was quite a disapointment to me. You can't get c and ku tuned at the same time.
its a big huge compromise at best. I ditched mine, its laying out in the shed.
I put a corotor II on after that and have never looked back.

 

[Wildanimal99]

I'm having similar problems with the DMX721u.... on a 7.5' Unimesh dish. Peaked C=band, but when I tried to peak it on Ku band, I get a consistent signal level and LOW Q levels
but can't seem to increase it. A few Sats, like 93 and 133.. I get C-band well, but can't seem to be able to switch to Ku-band on my DVB receiver. Tried C-band on "Disq port 1" and Ku as "Disq port 2" with no luck. Have resorted to using separate cables.

Can I expect signal strength on Ku band to go up if I move it closer towards Dish? Or is my DMX721u dead-in-the-water, as far as Ku band goes? THANKS

 

[Lak7]

"Low" or No Q levels?
How do you have the Ku LNB Settings in the DVB Receiver?

 

[brentb636]

I have a C/K1 on my 10 footer, and it does excellent on C. Ku performance is almost as good, but about 25-30% lower in quality than my 1.2m offsets. Example: AMC-6 NBC satmux channels are 99% quality on 1.2 offset, and about 62% on the 10ft.

Glad to see those numbers. Since I've peaked my miniBUD for C-band, I get NO ku band anymore with the CK-1 . Had I known this earlier, I'd have gotten a C2 lnbf instead and just swapped C-band and Ku band lnbf's at will. I'm doing that now anyway, when I need better Ku performance than my 90cm dish will provide.

 

[B.J.]

My theory is that if you are getting Ku, then peak C band, and Ku goes away, then that indicates that the feed is not at the proper focal length. I think that if you're not at the right focal length, that the Ku focus pattern looks more like a donut than a spot, ie is a null in the center, and you get reception only at the side-lobes. This has happened to me several times, and what I did to cure it was to first peak on C-band, then switch to Ku, and change the focal distance until Ku came in. Not easy to do, but it seems to help get the two bands to focus at the same spot.

 

[cruzin]

I "can" get the Ku RTNs on my 10' BUD with the DMX741 (also on BSC621) but any interference and it will go. The big tree 20ft in front of the BUD is no help, wind either.
I have / had, what I think, are good results with Ku using the DMX741 / BSC621, about the same as my 80cm Fortec. I think it mostly comes down to the condition of the Dish, the better the Dish, the better the signal. My BUD is nice, but nowhere near perfect. These things can't really be compared to something like a CoRotor II, just not Apples to Apples. I mean 'comon $50 to $250+.
Another thing to consider, why bother with the Ku RTNs with a combo C/Ku, when the C Band RTNs are right there on 87 west.

Hi, I do not see RTN on the list for 87w?

 

[truckracer]

My 621 had bad ku sidelobes too. I would think my 10' was dead on and i could have a high ku signal quality bump the dish the signal goes away, bump it another step and it comes back strong. after i tried the corotor II and now the Orthomode dual c dual ku feedhorn, there's no comparison. the old school feedhorns blow the combo lnbf's away.

 

[pro96]

Interesting chat.. anyone has used a corotor II on a 1.2m?? perhaps even adding the conical scalar and had good results with c/ku at the same time?