Astra 2E: Iberia & Balearics Reports

[joddle]

I'm afraid so. This is the same feedhorn that came with a 2.30m dish I also used to own years ago. I also have one of these IRTE ones lying around which I still have to try on my present 1.80m. I'll report back once the weather improves.

That's interesting - I suppose the focal distance has been made on each dish so the same feed-horn can be used - perhaps preferable to having to specify and make different feed-horns for each size of dish. This being the case then I guess the distance from the centre of the dishes to the feedhorn must be a function of the diameter of the dish! But if that's the case how does the same feedhorn work when petals are added to the 2.3 dish?

EDIT
Ah - Hevos popped in whilst I was writing with most of the answer....

 

[Huevos]

But if that's the case how does the same feedhorn work when petals are added to the 2.3 dish?

Well with the panels on the efficiency drops to 55% if I recall correctly.

 

[altman]

different feedhorn on the 3.1m as the F/D changes, F/D is connected with efficiency, so that is why it drops
still 2db higher gain compared to 2.3...

 

[joddle]

Hmm. It seems I have caused a little diversion. Getting back on topic, from what Huevos says, Camping should be looking for a better LNB and getting it set up properly. I have to agree that I can't see any way a Famaval 2.3 will not perform a lot better than a 1.8 CM - but only assuming quality components are used throughout the installation and they are set up, properly!

 

[Lazarus]

Hmm. It seems I have caused a little diversion. Getting back on topic .........

Well the 2E reports are old hat by now so, unless the diversion becomes interminable, carry on.

 

[woborny]

And lastly sometimes the 2.4m dish need shimming in places between the backring and the dish to get the last drop of performance out of it.

usually as the backring "dish holders" are not welded accurately onto the backring...seen a few welded in totally the wrong way - and a few washers between the dish and backring in the correct places help get the max from the dish....

 

[Archive4]

Well the 2E reports are old hat by now so, unless the diversion becomes interminable, carry on.

Tivú, is it possible to merge this with install chit chat?

 

[Lazarus]

Tivú, is it possible to merge this with install chit chat?

Hello Brian - Can you PM me the Post numbers concerned? I've found that trying to "Move" groups of Posts to another existing Topic in this Software can be tricky, so it might be easier to create a new Topic, then Merge that with "Chit-Chat"

I'm about to log-off right now, but will see what I can do tomorrow morning

 

[Nagusia]

Well the 2E reports are old hat by now ....

Don't know about that. Apart from the eclipse problem at night that people have been reporting there seems to have been quite a bit of variation in daytime signal strength over the past two or three days. On Saturday I couldn't get any channels at all for the central part of the day. Yesterday was a bit better (but couldn't watch the F1 on BBC) and I could get most of SD channels most of today. I haven't been able to get BBC HD One or Two since last week. I thought there was a problem with the wind causing misalignment on Friday night until I checked it was okay and then saw reports of the same problems on another forum, but mostly people in Germany, France and Italy. Has anyone else here in Spain noticed anything? I read something about a CME (Coronal Mass Ejection) on spaceweather.com and thought maybe that could have an influence.

 

[Archive4]

Hello Brian - Can you PM me the Post numbers concerned? I've found that trying to "Move" groups of Posts to another existing Topic in this Software can be tricky, so it might be easier to create a new Topic, then Merge that with "Chit-Chat"

I'm about to log-off right now, but will see what I can do tomorrow morning

no particular posts, but as we have the installaling in spain "chit - chat" thread, I thought current Iberiea reception posts would fit in with this, is a re-direct possible within this software?

 

[Archive4]

Has anyone else here in Spain noticed anything? I read something about a CME (Coronal Mass Ejection) on spaceweather.com and thought maybe that could have an influence.

I have noticed on some of the dishes I "look after" a drop in signal on some sd txp´s and have had big problems with BBC 1 and 2 UK HD txp´s. Could be me, but I figure "Satellite Freak" will post a graph and prove us all wrong!

 

[Pedro0102]

Got to say reading about this 2.4m Famaval install is pretty depressing.

Camping, I have set up more than a thousand of those dishes and even more Famaval 1.8m. And I can tell you the Famaval 2.4m dish out performs the 1.8m CM by a country mile. If your dish isn't I wouldn't be looking for a fault with the dish.

Absolute best feedhorn is the latest Famaval with 5 concentric rings. Same feedhorn for 2.4m and 1.8m because they both have the same f/d ratio. The 2.4m dish needs the feedhorn pulled out all the way almost touching the black plastic holder. Sometimes even that is not far enough and they need a stack of washers under the holder to get it further from the dish. In my opinion the only LNB to use is the Invacom (quattro for a multiswitch setup). And lastly sometimes the 2.4m dish need shimming in places between the backring and the dish to get the last drop of performance out of it.

View attachment 63788

Just ordered the Swedish Microwave XM-140 feedhorn to experiment with my 3.1m Famaval.
It is the only feedhorn I could find on the market with an F/D of 0.30. Let's see how it will perform...

 

[Archive4]

[

Just ordered the Swedish Microwave XM-140 feedhorn to experiment with my 3.1m Famaval.
It is the only feedhorn I could find on the market with an F/D of 0.30. Let's see how it will perform...

I am only a baby in this game "only 49.756" but the feedhorn is much less relevant that the LNB, angle, and size of dish..........................or am I wrong?

 

[kota]

maybe yes, maybe no ... methinks. But dealing with such week signals I reckon every little helps.

Maybe Heuvos could share some light in how to deal with those 3.10 panels in order to help Pedro a bit. Apparently you simply can't just bolt them on as such. You've got to use some kind of fishing lines to set them up properly

 

[Huevos]

Maybe Heuvos could share some light in how to deal with those 3.10 panels in order to help Pedro a bit. Apparently you simply can't just bolt them on as such. You've got to use some kind of fishing lines to set them up properly

Almost none here. I've never used them but have visited dishes with them. Pretty popular in the Canaries.

 

[Huevos]

a drop in signal on some sd txp´s

Last 24 hours:


Last 24 hours compared to the week 18-25/02/2014:

 

[Archive4]

interesting that the 17:00 drop has vanished, by about one hour! could be clock change! he he!

 

[Archive4]

jokes aside, the 18:00 drop is nothing compared to midnight in las Vegas, how long will that go on for?

 

[Archive4]

I seem to have a problem with text messaging, could all please check anti-virus software before you post any other message, thanks!

 

[joddle]

I seem to have a problem with text messaging, could all please check anti-virus software before you post any other message, thanks!

???eh Off topic but I noticed big problems with the ADSL here in Spain this morning.