TRIAX TD88 vs FRACARRO PENTA 85

[satelliteman]

Considerable difference between the two

 

[thecaretaker]

Well, after reading this post, I've decided take your advice and go for a Fracarro Penta.

However, due to the prominant position of my dish, I am limited to dish size. I currently have a Triax 64cm dish and have just ordered the new Fracarro Penta 68.

I hope the smaller 68cm Fracarro claim of being equvalent to a 80cm dish proves to be as fruitful as with your larger dish.

I might wait until the weather warms up a bit before I errect it, but will try to take some before and after readings and post them here.

I've gone for the aluminium version due to my salty coastal location. The spec appears the same for both steel and aluminium.

I have a standard Inverto 0.02db universal LNB which performs very well on the Triax, I hope to just swap it over.

Any fitting tips welcomed!

 

[satelliteman]

The 68 version does perform ok and should out perform the 64cm you have, although I struggled to acheive a satisfactory signal on W2 at the time of trying

 

[thecaretaker]

That's interesting. I've got 328 channels on 16E with my 64cm triax. The quality varies from 49% on the worst channels to 64% on Art which is probably the best.

But I am on the Southeast coast (everyone is up north to me), maybe my location helps just that little bit. Maybe this is one to see if I do gain anything with the slightly bigger dish.

 

[satelliteman]

Dug this out http://www.satellites.co.uk/satelli...49-penta-68-moteck-motor-test.html#post762855

Must be noted that the results may vary due to tuner sensitivity differences of satellite receivers.

 

[thecaretaker]

Hay, thanks Satelliteman that is fantastic. I've been searching everywhere for a picture of the back of the Fracarro dish.

If I may, I'll post here my current Triax 64cm channel details to keep as a reference to compare against when I get the Facarro 68. This is using a dark motor and my Technomate 6900 Super Combo.

I've included the tp on which I took signal strength and quality reading as it does vary from tp to tp.

1w Thor 2/3/5  (397 channels) Signal Strength 93% Signal Quality 80% (12.187V)
4W Amos 1/2  (8 channels) Signal Strength 93% Signal Quality 48% (10.722H)
5W Atlantic bird 3  (70 channels) Signal Strength 97% Signal Quality 77% (11.512V)
8W Telcom 2D  (108 channels) Signal Strength 96% Signal Quality 79% (12.649V)
12.5W Atlantic bird 1  (35 channels) Signal Strength 93% Signal Quality 59% (12.545H)
15W Telstar 12  (48 channels) Signal Strength 85% Signal Quality 60% (11.566H)
22W NSS 7  (9 channels) Signal Strength 89% Signal Quality 69% (11.609H)
24.5W Intelsat 905  (27 channels) Signal Strength 82% Signal Quality 70% (11.025V)
27.5W Intelsat 907  (4 channels) Signal Strength 92% Signal Quality 64% (11.665V)
30W Hispasat  (324 channels) Signal Strength 95% Signal Quality 76% 12.012V)
43W Intelsat 6B/3R  (24 channels) Signal Strength 94% Signal Quality 69% (12.698V)
45W Intelsat 1R  (3 channels) Signal Strength 94% Signal Quality 73% (11.510H)
58W Intelsat 9/KU  (6 channels) Signal Strength 94% Signal Quality 70% (11.477H)

4.0E Eurobird 4  (3 channels) Signal Strength 86% Signal Quality 53% (11.047H)
4.8E Sirius 2/3  (341 channels) Signal Strength 92% Signal Quality 73% (11.766H)
7E Eutelsat W3A  (184 channels) Signal Strength 94% Signal Quality 67% (11.492V)
9E Eurobird 9  (201 channels) Signal Strength 93% Signal Quality 74% (11.804V)
10E Eutelsat W1  (2 channels) Signal Strength 84% Signal Quality 53% (11.175H)
13E Hotbird  (1500 channels) Signal Strength 97% Signal Quality 78% (12.597V)
16E Eutelsat W2 (328 channels) Signal Strength 92% Signal Quality 52% (11.055V)
19.2E Astra 1  (1013 channels) Signal Strength 97% Signal Quality 80% (12.246V)
23.5E Astra 1D3A  (234 channels) Signal Strength 91% Signal Quality 49% (12.565V)
26E Arabsat Badr  (7 channels) Signal Strength 92% Signal Quality 49% (12.532H)
28.2/5E Astra2/Eurobird  (292 channels free only) Signal Strength 97% Signal Quality 82% (10.773H)
33E Eurobird 3  (46 channels) Signal Strength 81% Signal Quality 66% (11.094H)
36E Eutel_SE W4  (29 channels) Signal Strength 88% Signal Quality 47% (12.557V)
39E Hellassat 2  (166 channels) Signal Strength 89% Signal Quality 74% (12.715H)
42E Turksat 1C2A  (233 channels) Signal Strength 94% Signal Quality 77% (11.803V)

 

[LAURO2008]

Hay, thanks Satelliteman that is fantastic. I've been searching everywhere for a picture of the back of the Fracarro dish.

If I may, I'll post here my current Triax 64cm channel details to keep as a reference to compare against when I get the Facarro 68. This is using a dark motor and my Technomate 6900 Super Combo.

I've included the tp on which I took signal strength and quality reading as it does vary from tp to tp.

1w Thor 2/3/5  (397 channels) Signal Strength 93% Signal Quality 80% (12.187V)
4W Amos 1/2  (8 channels) Signal Strength 93% Signal Quality 48% (10.722H)
5W Atlantic bird 3  (70 channels) Signal Strength 97% Signal Quality 77% (11.512V)
8W Telcom 2D  (108 channels) Signal Strength 96% Signal Quality 79% (12.649V)
12.5W Atlantic bird 1  (35 channels) Signal Strength 93% Signal Quality 59% (12.545H)
15W Telstar 12  (48 channels) Signal Strength 85% Signal Quality 60% (11.566H)
22W NSS 7  (9 channels) Signal Strength 89% Signal Quality 69% (11.609H)
24.5W Intelsat 905  (27 channels) Signal Strength 82% Signal Quality 70% (11.025V)
27.5W Intelsat 907  (4 channels) Signal Strength 92% Signal Quality 64% (11.665V)
30W Hispasat  (324 channels) Signal Strength 95% Signal Quality 76% 12.012V)
43W Intelsat 6B/3R  (24 channels) Signal Strength 94% Signal Quality 69% (12.698V)
45W Intelsat 1R  (3 channels) Signal Strength 94% Signal Quality 73% (11.510H)
58W Intelsat 9/KU  (6 channels) Signal Strength 94% Signal Quality 70% (11.477H)

4.0E Eurobird 4  (3 channels) Signal Strength 86% Signal Quality 53% (11.047H)
4.8E Sirius 2/3  (341 channels) Signal Strength 92% Signal Quality 73% (11.766H)
7E Eutelsat W3A  (184 channels) Signal Strength 94% Signal Quality 67% (11.492V)
9E Eurobird 9  (201 channels) Signal Strength 93% Signal Quality 74% (11.804V)
10E Eutelsat W1  (2 channels) Signal Strength 84% Signal Quality 53% (11.175H)
13E Hotbird  (1500 channels) Signal Strength 97% Signal Quality 78% (12.597V)
16E Eutelsat W2 (328 channels) Signal Strength 92% Signal Quality 52% (11.055V)
19.2E Astra 1  (1013 channels) Signal Strength 97% Signal Quality 80% (12.246V)
23.5E Astra 1D3A  (234 channels) Signal Strength 91% Signal Quality 49% (12.565V)
26E Arabsat Badr  (7 channels) Signal Strength 92% Signal Quality 49% (12.532H)
28.2/5E Astra2/Eurobird  (292 channels free only) Signal Strength 97% Signal Quality 82% (10.773H)
33E Eurobird 3  (46 channels) Signal Strength 81% Signal Quality 66% (11.094H)
36E Eutel_SE W4  (29 channels) Signal Strength 88% Signal Quality 47% (12.557V)
39E Hellassat 2  (166 channels) Signal Strength 89% Signal Quality 74% (12.715H)
42E Turksat 1C2A  (233 channels) Signal Strength 94% Signal Quality 77% (11.803V)

@thecaretake
Good moves: getting a Fracarro 68 and posting the current situation with the Triax !!! Personally, I'm very curious;)

@satelliteman
Having the Penta68 with a smaller surface, what do you advice as the best LNB which fits on it?

 

[satelliteman]

@satelliteman
Having the Penta68 with a smaller surface, what do you advice as the best LNB which fits on it?

As lower noise as possible. I just tried it with what I had in hand, a 0.2dB mti.

 

[wod]

will the penta dishes fit a 3inch pole mount as i'm looking to get one maybe for my 28e dish and will need it to be able to clamp on to a 3inch pole

what are they like for 28east reception compared with a zone 2 minidish ?

 

[satelliteman]

will the penta dishes fit a 3inch pole mount as i'm looking to get one maybe for my 28e dish and will need it to be able to clamp on to a 3inch pole

what are they like for 28east reception compared with a zone 2 minidish ?

Wod,

The spec sheet documents the mast clamp allowing a fixing of 35mm to-80mm.

The DIGIT 68 will perform better or as good as a Zone 2, I guess down to the build quality alone.

Rolf???

 

[thecaretaker]

Well, the weather was nice and sunny this morning, so I swapped over the Traix for the Fracarro Penta. I've just checked each of the sats and tps I originally took reading for. Here are my results:

Satellite - Triax 64 - tp - Fracarro 68

1w 93%/80% (12.187V) 95%/82%
4W 93%/48% (10.722H) 92%/49%
5W 97%/77% (11.512V) 97%/77%
8W 96%/79% (12.649V) 97%/79%
12.5W 93%/59% (12.545H) 93%/64%
15W 85%/60% (11.566H) 88%/67%
22W 89%/69% (11.609H) 89%/75%
24.5W 82%/70% (11.025V) 82%/71%
27.5W 92%/64% (11.665V) 93%/60%
30W 95%/76% 12.012V) 95%/80%
43W 94%/69% (12.658V) 95%/73%
45W 94%/73% (11.510H) 95%/74%
58W 94%/70% (11.477H) 94%/70%

4.0E 86%/53% (11.047H) 90%/58%
4.8E 92%/73% (11.766H) 92%/73%
7E 94%/67% (11.492V) 94%/66%
9E 93%/74% (11.804V) 94%/75%
10E 84%/53% (11.175H) - no signal
13E 97%/78% (12.597V) 97%/80%
16E 92%/52% (11.055V) 92%/47%
19.2E 97%/80% (12.246V) 97%/80%
23.5E 91%/49% (12.565V) 92%/51%
26E 92%/49% (12.532H) - no signal
28.2E 97%/82% (10.773H) 97%/78%
33E 81%/66% (11.094H) 82%/66%
36E 88%/47% (12.557V) 89%/47%
39E 89%/74% (12.715H) 90%/74%
42E 94%/77% (11.803V) 94%/78%

To be totally honest, I didn't think there was any difference until I did the check.

Most satellites show a very small improvement in either signal strength or quality or both. I wouldn't go as far to say it is working the same as an 80cm dish, maybe a very poorly made one.

I've lost the few channels I had on 10E & 26E. 28.2E bleeds over more on 26E.

For some odd reason I've noticed a drop in quality on Astra 28.2E, strength is the same but the quality has gone from 82% down to 78%. Maybe it still needs some tweaking, maybe the lnb angle.

All in all, the improvement is tiny, but a few of the very weak signals on 1W are not breaking up so readily.

The Fracarro dish seems very well built. Screwing the screws and bolts through the dish for the rear plate doesn't seem to deform the aluminium at all. Looking at the Triax dish closely shows very slight pulling of the dish metal.

The feed arm and rear brackets are very solidly built (nice thick metal).

I needs some time to play with it now!

 

[guest poster]

Thanks for taking the time to publish those detailed results.

 

[satelliteman]

yes well done caretaker

 

[thecaretaker]

Thanks folks. Just to confirm, the problem I had with channels on 28.2E being lower than before is now fixed. The lnb needed twisting just a tiny amount and it made all the difference. It has knocked a few of the readings down slightly on some sats, I assume this maybe something to do with the fact that not all satellites are on an exact line on the Clerke belt.

EDIT: I've done another check after my lnb tweaking today. Some channels are slightly better and some are slightly down. Weather is bad at the moment, very heavy cloud cover, so some of these may rise in clearer skies

sta - triax 64cm - tp - Fracarro - Fracarro after finner tweaking

1w 93%/80% (12.187V) 95%/82% - 95%/82%
4W 93%/48% (10.722H) 92%/49% - 93%/50%
5W 97%/77% (11.512V) 97%/77% - 97%/77%
8W 96%/79% (12.649V) 97%/79% - 97%/79%
12.5W 93%/59% (12.545H) 93%/64% - 94%/65%
15W 85%/60% (11.566H) 88%/67% - 89%/70%
22W 89%/69% (11.609H) 89%/75% - 89%/76%
24.5W 82%/70% (11.025V) 82%/71% - 84%/72%
27.5W 92%/64% (11.665V) 93%/60% - 93%/62%
30W 95%/76% 12.012V) 95%/80% - 95%/77%
43W 94%/69% (12.658V) 95%/73% - 95%/72%
45W 94%/73% (11.510H) 95%/74% - 95%/74%
58W 94%/70% (11.477H) 94%/70% - 94%/70%

4.0E 86%/53% (11.047H) 90%/58% - 88%/53%
4.8E 92%/73% (11.766H) 92%/73% - 93%/74%
7E 94%/67% (11.492V) 94%/66% - 95%/66%
9E 93%/74% (11.804V) 94%/75% - 94%/75%
10E 84%/53% (11.175H) - 86%/50% 86%/52%
13E 97%/78% (12.597V) 97%/80% - 97%/79%
16E 92%/52% (11.055V) 92%/47% - 93%/47%
19.2E 97%/80% (12.246V) 97%/80% - 96%/82%
23.5E 91%/49% (12.565V) 92%/51% - 92%/50%
26E 92%/49% (12.532H) - no signal - Still no signal
28.2E 97%/82% (10.773H) 97%/78% - 97%/82%
33E 81%/66% (11.094H) 82%/66% - 81%/60%
36E 88%/47% (12.557V) 89%/47% - 86%/51%
39E 89%/74% (12.715H) 90%/74% - 90%/73%
42E 94%/77% (11.803V) 94%/78% - 94%/78%

 

[LAURO2008]

Hi thecarakter,

thanks again for your outcome but when you write "the lnb needed twisting" are you talking about finding the right skew of the lnb?
What did you do exactly?

 

[thecaretaker]

Yes, I mean skew. I fitted the lnb into its holder within the spacers perfectly straight, but this was done purely by eyesight (OK guessing what was straight), I turned it a minute amount, hardly a hairs width and saw an improvement on 28E. I could improve it a little more but turning it further, but it effected other sats too much. So it was a matter of finding the best compromise. Pushing the lnb forward or back showed that the position I had originally put it, was the best setting.

The sun finally come out today, so I've taken a few more snaps.

Am I becoming an anorak?

 

[guest poster]

is that ali pipe

 

[thecaretaker]

is that ali pipe

Yes it is. In some ways I would have prefered steel (scafold pole thickness), as ally tends to bend if you tighten it too much and can go out of true.

I've always had a bit of a heavy hand when it comes to doing up nuts and bolts, I'm very good at stripping threads lol

 

[guest poster]

we use ali... well alloy scaffold if you can get it ... very light, much thicker and doesn't crush ... motors dig in a bit... but that helps as it's less prone to move.

 

[LAURO2008]

well done thecarakter !!!