Multi LNB Set up on a Sky Dish

[Offtensive]

I've had good results in a multi sat set up from both a Gibertini 1M and a Fracarro Penta 85.

I just checked out the Penta 85 - are these better than the standard round dishes? I don't think I had ever seen one before.

 

[sonnetpete]

The Penta has it's supporters and detractors. I didn't find it had an advantage over a 'normal' dish. I think I had at least three 'LNB's on it. If I can find a photo of my four dish multi sat set up I'll post it on here.

 

[Offtensive]

I finally managed to get some scaffold poles today! I've got a bigger one around 8ft and two smaller ones around 4ft I think.

If I put a dish in between the T and K brackets, am I right in saying that for a motorised dish the only thing that I need to worry about is the standoff from the dish to the wall?

i.e. If I use one of the 4ft poles and go with a 1.25m dish, I only have to worry about the dish not hitting the wall rather, or would I need to consider the dish hitting one of the brackets too?

 

[sonnetpete]

I only have to worry about the dish not hitting the wall rather, or would I need to consider the dish hitting one of the brackets too?

I don't think it's possible for the dish to turn enough to hit the bracket, it's rim would hit the wall first. Obviously the larger the dish the more likely it is to touch the wall at extreme east and west positions. It does rather depend on the size of the T&K brackets (i.e. the offset distance from where they are mounted to the wall).

 

[Offtensive]

I'm thinking of getting 24" TK brackets, I understand they would give me a 20" offset.

I've got a technomate tm-2600 motor and I have my eye on the 1.25m gibertini dishes. What I might do is just use the smaller dish that I have now first and then upgrade later.

Would those 24" TKs be enough or would I need to go bigger? I don't want to have to go to the hassle of having to install bigger TKs later on.

 

[sonnetpete]

Don't forget that the motor will create a slight offset too so 24" should be enough. You will probably have difficulty fitting a 1.25 Gibi to your motor without some modifications. Personally I wouldn't fit one, not only because of the weight but the wind loading as well. I used a 1.2M Laminas on my motor but it's fibre and lightweight.

 

[Offtensive]

Thanks, it's a good job I'm on this forum.

Are the technomates any good?

There's a 97cm x 105cm mesh which weighs only 2.7kg and a 87cm x 100cm solid that weighs 4.7kg, and they're much lighter on the wallet too.

The gain specifications are the same for both, I wonder if they slightly larger size on the mesh makes up for the holes. If that is true, I'm leaning towards the mesh.

 

[sonnetpete]

Are the technomates any good?

Used one for a few years without a problem, then it showed signs of backlash (which can be sorted). When I swapped over to the Laminas, I changed to a Clark-Tech which was rated for a slightly larger dish and had metal gears. That's given me no trouble.

Edit : The Laminas 1.2M weighs 6kg including the mount.

 

[Gladstones]

Thanks, it's a good job I'm on this forum.

Are the technomates any good?

There's a 97cm x 105cm mesh which weighs only 2.7kg and a 87cm x 100cm solid that weighs 4.7kg, and they're much lighter on the wallet too.

The gain specifications are the same for both, I wonder if they slightly larger size on the mesh makes up for the holes. If that is true, I'm leaning towards the mesh.

if its going to be at exposed location mesh will be better option

 

[Offtensive]

if its going to be at exposed location mesh will be better option

Hopefully I should be able to put it eye level, and most of the dish should be in front of a brick wall. But a few things have got battered around here during storms.

I'm not sure what I mentioned about the mesh being larger than the solid is true, as most sites have them as the same size.

Has anyone used system sat? As they have the Technomate mesh listed as a 1.05m dish in the description but it says "Please note that the branding on the dish & arm may vary depending on the supply from the manufacturer.' So I wonder if it may be another dish.

1m Technomate Mesh Hi-Gain Satellite Dish & Pole Mount Fittings 105cm

Used one for a few years without a problem, then it showed signs of backlash (which can be sorted). When I swapped over to the Laminas, I changed to a Clark-Tech which was rated for a slightly larger dish and had metal gears. That's given me no trouble.

Edit : The Laminas 1.2M weighs 6kg including the mount.

I managed to locate a seller for the lamina but it will around £240, so that's a bit over my budget for now.

 

[ozumo]

There may be a Laminas for sale in the not too distant future..

Eastern sats after 33e

maybe i could start by cutting this down....its my "bush" there is also a tree in the background but i doubt thats the issue

www.satellites.co.uk

I wouldn't get too excited about perforated dishes being superior in windy conditions - the holes are so small it makes little difference compared to solid.

 

[RimaNTSS]

I have my eye on the 1.25m gibertini dishes

Do not expect this dish to perform better than 1.2m dish, as it's working area is the same. In fact, "1.25m Gibertini" is just a name, and it is a company trick to have better sales.

 

[jeallen01]

Manufacturer's claimed performance is "one thing", whereas the "real life" performance of a dish can be be totally "something else" - it hugely depends on how well the dish is "set up".

When I was physically more able than I am now ( deterioration due to a dodgy knee, and a much dodgier spine + "age"! ) I would take a long time to carefully get the azimuth, elevation and declination as accurately as possible for each dish (and especially the steerable ones) and that worked pretty well "on average"- even with cheap/recycled "no name" dishes! (I can still deal with aligning my fixed dishes, but I generally have to "call in the cavalry" for the steerable ones).

Therefore, don't make the "paper specs" the main reason for choosing one dish over another of a relatively similar size because the real deciding factor (especially if you are "new to the game") should be how easily you think that you can get the best out of it (and whether you can actually physically handle the task of alignment).

BTW: something along the above lines has been written here VERY MANY TIMES "over the years" (in fact, we get pretty "tired" of repeating that advice!)

 

[Offtensive]

Thanks, what I really should have asked is, is a mesh/perforated dish comparable to a solid dish?

As I’ve seen some places mention that the holes are to small to make any difference for ku band sats and others say they only have 80% of the performance of a solid.

In terms of setting the dish up accurately and getting the adjustments right. Is it just the weight of the dish and how easy it is to adjust that I need to consider or are there any other factors?

 

[sonnetpete]

Is it just the weight of the dish and how easy it is to adjust that I need to consider or are there any other factors?

Both are considerations but more the ability to adjust easily.

 

[Offtensive]

Both are considerations but more the ability to adjust easily.

Cheers, when it comes to adjustments. When looking at the dish, do I need to just look for how easy it is to adjust the elevation or any other features too?

 

[sonnetpete]

Gibertini use butterfly nuts on the elevation adjustment which I've found the easiest to nip up by hand when you peak the dish, then tighten with a spanner. This is on a 1m XP Gibi. Others tend to utilise nut and bolts which can be a bit more fiddly. As a generalisation the larger the dish the more cumbersome you will find it is to adjust, unless it has a threaded bar which is usually fitted to the larger dishes. Other things to look for would be the way the dish is constructed, it's engineering, the way the LNB arm is connected and the quality of the fitting for the LNB itself.

Obviously it's difficult to judge a dish from photos, it's far better to have it in your hands!!

 

[Offtensive]

By threaded bar, is that a vertical rod (as opposed to the horizontal ones on most dishes) that you can just twist to adjust the elevation?

At the risk of sounding stupid, could I remove the nut and bolt from a dish and replace it with a butterfly nut instead to make the adjustment easier?

 

[sonnetpete]

By threaded bar, is that a vertical rod (as opposed to the horizontal ones on most dishes) that you can just twist to adjust the elevation?

At the risk of sounding stupid, could I remove the nut and bolt from a dish and replace it with a butterfly nut instead to make the adjustment easier?

No, the bar I was thinking of would be the (almost) horizontal one. I don't think a vertical bar would work very well.

You could replace the nuts and bolts with a wingnut but the ones on the Gibi have wings attached to a standard nut...

 

[Offtensive]

No, the bar I was thinking of would be the (almost) horizontal one. I don't think a vertical bar would work very well.

I think I'm being stupid here, do you mean that with the cheaper dish only the end of the nut is threaded?

Also, is the Gibertini L series worth considering? There doesn't seem to be anyone the is willing to ship the XP 100 to the UK, but are there some sellers for the L. My understanding is the L is available in both aluminium and steel, the listings I have seen are supposedly for the aluminium dish.