Monoblocks on a multi sat dish.

[satelliteman]

Nice result there Pete.

 

[Ghostleader]

How's the signal level's on 28E there Sonnetpete?

 

[sonnetpete]

If you mean on that temporary set up, I didn't really take much notice, I was just grateful to get a lock!! I would guess it was reasonable considering the dish size but it would be subject to fade in heavy rain. Normally our signal levels aren't much different to the south of the UK, but it's pushing it a little bit here trying to use a mini dish.

 

[Ghostleader]

Cheer's buddy, people said my set-up with the offset arrangements as you wouldnt work here in Central Scotland (14 miles from Glasgow), needless to say they were wrong!

 

[sonnetpete]

Managed to get set up on the TD88 today. With the focus on 9°E, the extreme end sats were 5°W and 23.5°E. It's giving me plenty of food for thought, including whether to use the 60cm plus the TD88 or the latter plus my 1M Gibi (which would need the Gibi multi sat bar). I may go back to considering those 'flex block' LNB's to extend the arc or maybe modding another multi sat bar of some sort. One way or another my list of desired sats to receive is dwindling.....

Edit : A bit of further tweaking and I got a lock on 28°E, which would theoretically give me 33° of arc. Hmmm.

 

[sonnetpete]

Another week goes by and I think I've come up with a plan (and it's gone way past plan

1) Fixed small dish on 30°W (not an ex Sly mesh mini dish, gain was poor by comparison)

(Yes Heuvos, you were right to advise this!!)

2) 60cm dish centred on 5°E covering 5°W, 0.8°W, 9°E and 13°E

3) TD88 centred on 28°E covering 19.2°E, 42°E and 45°E

I've experimented with the 60cm tonight and got all those sats but I'm certain I'll need bullet nose LNB's as their spacing is 'cosy'.

I'll try and set up the TD88 tomorrow and check for the others. I've also seen some heating pipe clamps which may sub as LNB holders so may do a test purchase next week too.

Photo shows the 60cm with LNB's set up as per plan (X I think it was)

 

[Huevos]

I've experimented with the 60cm tonight and got all those sats but I'm certain I'll need bullet nose LNB's as their spacing is 'cosy'

You would only need 2 Multi-Connects. Spacing at 4º on a 60cm dish would be the same as the spacing of 3º on an 80cm dish (look at my picture in post #27). Put the Multi-Connects on 1ºW and 9ºE. That way the less efficient LNBs will be nearer the centre, and the ones with a standard feedhorn further from the centre. Or the other option is just change the dish to a cheepo 80cm (less than 20€) and you won't need narrow LNBs.

 

[sonnetpete]

Thanks again for the advice Huevos. unfortunately you posted after I'd logged off the forum and then ordered 4 Alps LNB's! I will order some multi connects as well as I still don't have enough LNB's. I'm going to order a Triax 5 LNB bracket for the TD88, initially as an experiment. Another universal bracket would be a couple of € more but I'd rather try a bracket designed for the dish first. I am getting there!!

 

[rolfw]

You can "improve" that Triax bracket with the aid of a hobby grinder or small saw to get the holders closer together and even put one in the centre.

 

[sonnetpete]

Thanks Rolf, I might press my Dremel clone into action as I'd like 28°E in the centre. However, I don't think trying to catch that sat on a TD88 will be too difficult!

 

[sonnetpete]

Got the TD88 set up this afternoon and with a bit of fiddling managed to catch 42°E, 39°E, 28°E and 19.2°E. The mast is nowhere near vertical which probably accounts for the strange angles of the further east LNB's.

I do know that a C120 LNB isn't really ideal for Astra on an offset dish but I only have 4 spare LNB's. Just waiting for the ALPS LNB's next week and the Triax 5 position multi bar then I can try out other combinations.

One benefit to all this working outside is that I'm building up a really nice tan!!!

 

[sonnetpete]

The ALPS lnb's arrived on Tuesday and the Triax bracket today so I'll be experimenting with them both over the weekend.

I also invested €3.50 in a pack of five 40mm pipe support collars. They fit together well and fit onto the universal multi bar holders too. I think it may be possible to extend the LNB's off the end of the bar using them. (see photo)

You can also get the LNB's closer together than with the rather chunky holders supplied with the universal bar so it may work out well.

 

[sonnetpete]

Set up the Triax bar on the TD88 this afternoon. Also made up a three LNB 'set' with a Smart (longer necked) LNB on a Triax plastic holder and an Alps LNB on either side, held by 40mm pipe clamps, extended from a pipe clamp secured on the centre LNB.

With the dish focused on 26°E I caught 28°-26°-23.5°. At one end of the bar I got 36°-39°-42° (with room to get 45°) and at the other end 16°-13°-9° (with room for 5°). It's encouraged me to have a rethink as if I can get more LNB's on the TD88 I may be able to position the 60cm dish and it's universal bar so that I can cover 5°E-0.8°W-5°W-30°W. That would be a bonus as I didn't really want a third seperate dish for 30°W but it looked inevitable. However, with the pipe clamps it looks possible. Time to invest €3.50 for another 5!!

 

[Ghostleader]

Set up the Triax bar on the TD88 this afternoon. Also made up a three LNB 'set' with a Smart (longer necked) LNB on a Triax plastic holder and an Alps LNB on either side, held by 40mm pipe clamps, extended from a pipe clamp secured on the centre LNB.

With the dish focused on 26°E I caught 28°-26°-23.5°. At one end of the bar I got 36°-39°-42° (with room to get 45°) and at the other end 16°-13°-9° (with room for 5°). It's encouraged me to have a rethink as if I can get more LNB's on the TD88 I may be able to position the 60cm dish and it's universal bar so that I can cover 5°E-0.8°W-5°W-30°W. That would be a bonus as I didn't really want a third seperate dish for 30°W but it looked inevitable. However, with the pipe clamps it looks possible. Time to invest €3.50 for another 5!!

Mental!! Loving the project so far, my wife is going away next weekend to a retreat with her sister, following this has me tempted to order the bigger brother of my current dish (Would be the 90cm ISS mesh) & sub out my current one & kid on nothings changed!

 

[sonnetpete]

Finalised the bar set up for the 60cm dish today. Will cover 9°E (extended from the adjacent LNB with a pipe collar), 5°E, 0.8°W, 5°W and 30°W. I'm not too sure which type of LNB will go where but I'll definitely need a couple of ALPS in the set up. The bar is offset roughly one third/two thirds to catch Hispasat.

I'm going to try and erect the mount shortly (French T&K's with 130cm pole), then set up the TD88 on it to finalise it's LNB placement. A bit tricky as it's covering 13°E to 42°E (possibly 16°E to 45°E if I can manage it). The Triax will be going towards the top of the mount as it's covering sats lower down the arc and my line of sight on some of them may be a little marginal.

 

[godzillafan]

Thos pics and setup look the bomb, I just need to show them to my uncle as I picked up a cheap chinese 1.1m dish with mounts for 25 bucks.

Just need to get some multi type hook up on that.

problems is it will be a diy extension job if a universal arm does not fir on it, but looking at these pics anything is possible.

GL - I found those holders you were referring to - Did not pick them up - but will look at them after we have set the dish up and see what we can do with it.

cheers V

 

[sonnetpete]

Yes, with a bit of ingenuity anything is possible! You can 'daisy chain' two additional LNB's to a single with the pipe clamps but the sats you are aiming for, will probably need to be within two or three degrees of each other. Other than that they work better mechanically, mounted either side of an LNB. I guess with some sort of extension to your multi bar you could make them work over angles further away from the dish focus. To be truthful, thinking of ways to get them to work is most of the fun!!

 

[sonnetpete]

Got the brackets and pole sorted yesterday and popped the two dishes on late last night (after 10pm lol). Yes I know they are low down and the brackets only go into mortar, but the LOS is ok and the brackets are really solid. (I'm not drilling into that stone!!!)

The clamp for the universal bar on the 60cm broke last night (bad casting) so I had to mod something else but I'm catching what I did before, 30°W, 5°W, 0.8°W, 5°E and 9°E. I think I'll try and focus the TD88 on 26°E (and maybe use a Black Ultra) then check for the other sats - roughly 13°E to 42°E. I then need to work out what extra LNB's to order and begin to think about the switching and cabling. I'm hoping to keep the whole project between €250 - €300

 

[sonnetpete]

Well, I've scrapped the last plan of having just two dishes....so plan Z was implemented this morning. (I think I've had more plans than Windows has updates )

I found that having 30°W at the extreme of the 60cm dish was compromising the signal. However, because of the length of the pole and the size of the dishes I couldn't mount another dish on there. So.......with a bit of Heath Robinson inspiration, I've used an old mini dish mount, clamped onto the pole with the clamps from my redundant Technomate motor, creating an offset arrangement. Works really well and pulling in a stronger signal too.

I'm going to re position the main two dishes, especially the 60cm, to cover a more even arc. I'll probably be able to push the 30°W dish closer to the wall and the other dishes eventually, as I don't want it look more of an eyesore than it already does!!

 

[Lazarus]

Great stuff, mon ami.

Just another two to go and you'll be "up with the Tivùs"!