Reasons why you should not try for C band on a small dish

[Archived-1]

Hi, due to me trying to keep negative comments from my C band thread any post I feel are negative will be moved to here in the future,

Please feel free to discuss away.
Martin

 

[Captain Jack]

Er.... None

 

[Lazarus]

Experimentation is a great part of the hobby. Kudos to you for trying and such a good idea to corral any nay-saying here to prevent it being a distraction.

 

[sonnetpete]

Martin, I once experimented with a C band LNB on my 1M Gibi (and got limited results). As has been said this hobby would be less attractive without the possiblilty to try and achieve something 'on the edge'.

 

[Vipersan]

Errr ..you know my attitude to experiment on the fringe..
Go for it !!!
You won't get a negative comment from me ..
I've even done C band on a TD110
and when 40E was active I even managed the russian channels on a TD88
So no ..there are no reasons I can think of not to try but my advice fwiw ..the minimum dish size should be 1.25 for practical reception ...
1m is doable but severely limiting and requires much precision and tweaking.
rgds
VS

 

[pontiend]

I do not expect to get anything on my 100cm Orbital.I will enjoy trying though.
But if I get even a smigin of a signal.You lot will be the first to know.

 

[Archived-1]

Hi reading around the net over the last week are so on C Band, and came across a thread about a (miniBUD) Modified Scalar Ring,

Anyone one here done this modification please.

 

[Terryl]

I've experimented with a 1 meter dish and a combo "C"/"Ku" band LNB, had some results, got a few channels on a couple of birds but the fade margins were just not there, signals kept fading in and out with the clouds as they moved through the path, I kept at it for a few weeks but it got tiresome as I didn't have a motor for that setup, repositioning it by hand all the time to look around got to me. (bad knees and back)

The "C"/"Ku" band LNB came with a separate scalar ring and a mount for a small offset dish, I could move it around for fine tuning the signals, the dual band LNB was useful in finding some of the birds, I would zero in on "Ku" band and switch over to "C", "Ku" worked great, "C" was spotty.

The great "C" band experiments on a 1 meter dish now sit in a box in the garage, (combo LNB and ring) I used the dish for a better signal on 129W for my "Ku" band HD receivers.

 

[Archived-1]

One of the main reasons i am doing this is just a learning curve on how the setup works and putting it all together, the reason I have not tried it before is due to all the negativity, I could easy roll out the 1.8 and point it at a satellite and get good results,

But with a couple of others going to give it a go and probably heard all the negatives before I just wanted to keep the other thread clean of you wont get this you need that its just like telling me how to put my socks on tbh,

When I ask for help I appear to get very little, once I start a thread getting on with something the trolls appear with the same old stuff I've heard for the last 7/8 years

Anyhow back on track,

This is a nice home made feed horn doing very well on a 1.2 dish .

 

[Terryl]

Here is one I made, worked as good as the standard scalar ring.

Attached with a hose clamp.

 

[Terryl]

Here was another experiment in "C" band on a small dish, this was using an old WildBlue internet dish, it worked as well as the 1 meter dish.

 

[Archived-1]

I've been reading about using the flat scalar Terry, it has to be set 1/8 back to get the best results ? from what I have read, can you recall your distance please.

 

[Archived-1]

Here is one I made, worked as good as the standard scalar ring.View attachment 70404

Attached with a hose clamp.

Nice job i have the measurement for making this type, i will get some thin aluminium sheeting and give this one a go.

 

[Archived-1]

A few more home made feed horns in this thread .

http://www.satellites.co.uk/forums/threads/primestar-elliptical-scalar-ring-c-band.111785/

 

[dan rose]

Look at my avatar that is my current 1.2 meter dish with pvc pipe and clamps from true value hardware store.

 

[Terryl]

I've been reading about using the flat scalar Terry, it has to be set 1/8 back to get the best results ? from what I have read, can you recall your distance please.

Nope, sorry, that experiment was several cases of scotch ago, but as you can see the ring is fixed in place, the LNB can be moved in and out for the best signal, from what my befuddled brain is telling me the LNB was about 3/4 of an inch to an inch out from the front of the ring. (brain doesn't work too good this time of year)

I will look through the photo archives to see if I have anymore on this one.

 

[Archived-1]

Nope, sorry, that experiment was several cases of scotch ago, but as you can see the ring is fixed in place, the LNB can be moved in and out for the best signal, from what my befuddled brain is telling me the LNB was about 3/4 of an inch to an inch out from the front of the ring. (brain doesn't work too good this time of year)

I will look through the photo archives to see if I have anymore on this one.

Thanks Terry, don't go out of your way but if you come across anything it would be appreciated.

 

[Terryl]

I got lucky and found this one, hope you can see it.

 

[Archived-1]

That's great Terry many thanks

 

[Terryl]

Here is a zoom in, the bracket was hand made, after several attempts to get it right, I found the sweet spot, the dish is an offset WildBlue internet dish aimed at 97W, it is mounted on my test bench.

I used an old CoolSat 5000 receiver and 13" TV set inside the garage for the signal meter, I could see the TV set through the back window as I moved the dish and LNB around by hand..