Express-AM1 - The loudest Cband source over the UK ?

[Vipersan]

Hi friends ...
More desperate experiments to test a small dish in C band..

A quick rig establashed using a workmate ...some scaffolding and an 80x70cm offset dish.

The lnb assembly comprised my adapted offset feed assembly ...an adapted version of my polyethylene T plate and tupperwear cover.
I tried a standard dielectric plate as supplied with the lnbf ...and my T plate.
The T plate scores higher to give an extra 2db ..but of course this protrudes outside the lnb throat ..so requires the tupperwear cover to keep rain out with the lnbf sloping backwards.
Incidentaly ..the tupperwear bowl cover is to all intents and purposes ...invisible to C band signals..so produces no loss.
The aim of the project was first ..to see what was even possible on such a small dish ...and secondly to see if I could even get a 'sniff' of Yamal @49 East..
Absolutely nothing produced lockable signals in any part of the sky visible to the dish ...except Express-AM1
Which gave a whopping 8db totally locked rock steady signal from the russian mux...so the loudest Cband source over the UK ?
So my conclusion ...only this bird is posible on an 80cm offset in Cband...
Many other sats including Yamal ..made their pressence known ...but with signals barely above the noise floor ranging from 1db to 2db.
I suspect Yamal might be do-able but would require a well setup dish of at least 1.2 ...possibly 1.4 mtrs.
Anyway ..thought you might like to see pics of the 'experiment' so here they are..
rgds
VS

 

[Topper]

You've got the patience of a saint VS:-worship

 

[Vipersan]

Thanks for that Topper ..
I just lurrv the hobby is all ...
I like to think our board is the most informative out there re- sat info..
The more we add to it ...the better for everyone.
rgds
VS

 

[Llew]

Food for thought indeed VS. Got a spare 80cm dish, could be worth a try...

 

[Analoguesat]

Hmm interesting. Sadly 11W is behind trees here.

 

[BombedOne]

As I've mentioned previously, here, in clear winter weather, this sat can be received here with bare LNB. So, no surprise you can get it with offset dish.

 

[sonnetpete]

Hmm interesting. Sadly 11W is behind trees here.

Unfortunate for that sat, but wasn't VS talking about Express AM1 at 40°E? LOL

 

[Vipersan]

As I've mentioned previously, here, in clear winter weather, this sat can be received here with bare LNB. So, no surprise you can get it with offset dish.

I don't doubt that m8 ...in view of of how powerful it is...

I suspect we would even have a chance of watchable pictures on a Zone 1 mini..

anyone fancy doing that test ?
;)
rgds
VS

 

[fergyc]

Are there any cheap C Band LNBs?

 

[sonnetpete]

Are there any cheap C Band LNBs?

Ditto that! I just happen to have a 1M Gibi spare (and a mini dish) and I'd love to have a go with C Band.

 

[Vipersan]

The cheapest experimental Cband LNB imo is the Pauxis available on ebay from China ..
Its responsible for a few of us getting started on C band
its an LNBF so technically H/V L/R converted if a dielectric plate is used ..
Not always supplied with it ...but a piece of ptfe or polythene etc will do the job ..
I use a slice of polythene cutting board as found in your kitchen.
13 18volt switching
comes supplied with a scalar plate which forms the feed ...but only really suitable for prime focus dishes ..so you have to buy a seperate offset feed horn ..or get inventive and make one.

From Taiwan Cband LNBF item number 250819031806 approx £12 inc postage

conical feed on ebay from the us ITEM NO 330526441186

some of the cheap voltage switched lnbfs from the states often include the dielectric plate ..
search ebay
LNBF
or search
C-Band lnbf


rgds
VS

 

[Vipersan]

..Must warn potential cbanders..that generally you will need a dish 1.2mtrs upwards to get results ..
ideally 1.4 mtrs upwards and acurately setup..
Express-AM1 is an exception ..rather than the rule ..which is why I made a pont of posting about it ..
I'm convinced a handful of channels are possible with a 1.2 mtr ...but you may be dissapointed at the number of birds/channels you can receive if the dish is too small..
rgds
VS

 

[Analoguesat]

Unfortunate for that sat, but wasn't VS talking about Express AM1 at 40°E? LOL

Oh eck!! Where did I get 11W from?? 40E is clear here, although how much longer AM1 will be in service is anyones guess - she lost her attitude control thrusters last year and is now running inclined.

 

[Vipersan]

Oh eck!! Where did I get 11W from?? 40E is clear here, although how much longer AM1 will be in service is anyones guess - she lost her attitude control thrusters last year and is now running inclined.

Agreed Analoguesat ..
She may only have a year or so left ..
But the power she's putting out makes her an easy catch ...and compensates somewhat for the .9 deg of inclined running..

...put another way ..
..using the 80cm dish ..I can rotate the dish about 4 or 5 degrees off target towards yamals location at 49 East ....and still see the hump in the spectrum that is Express AM1.
so a 1 degree drift north / south isn't so much of an issue in Cband..
certainly not on a small dish anyhoo.

rgds
VS

 

[timo_w2s]

The cheapest experimental Cband LNB imo is the Pauxis available on ebay from China ..
Its responsible for a few of us getting started on C band

hmm, damn, now I want one...

 

[Analoguesat]

hmm, damn, now I want one...

Yeah me as well

 

[Ghostleader]

Nice setup, you found a practical use for a Black & Decker work bench to boot!

 

[Vipersan]

Well I'm happy its caught your interest guys ..
FWIW I know Nelson B has managed channels @5.0°W Atlantic Bird 3 with a relatively small dish around 1.2m

I personally managed 1 channel @40.5°W NSS 806
and Voice of America TV @ 27.5°W Intelsat 907

both of them with that odd looking cband lnb and conical feed ...on a TD88 and _not_ with the feed assembly at the focus ..
In fact offset by 5 degrees

So you will almost certainly get results with a similar feed setup at the focus of a 1m dish..

so if you want to import a pauxis and experiment ...best of luck
;)
rgds
VS

 

[Vipersan]

I wont take the temporary rig down ...and if the weather holds this weekend ..will move it away from the fence to see what I can 'sniff out' on the western arc with an 80cm..
rgds
VS

 

[nelson_b]

Well I'm happy its caught your interest guys ..
FWIW I know Nelson B has managed channels @5.0°W Atlantic Bird 3 with a relatively small dish around 1.2m

I personally managed 1 channel @40.5°W NSS 806
and Voice of America TV @ 27.5°W Intelsat 907

both of them with that odd looking cband lnb and conical feed ...on a TD88 and _not_ with the feed assembly at the focus ..
In fact offset by 5 degrees

So you will almost certainly get results with a similar feed setup at the focus of a 1m dish..

so if you want to import a pauxis and experiment ...best of luck
;)
rgds
VS

yes -- some channels at 5.0°W Atlantic Bird 3 were no problem with 1.2 -channel master- using the pauxis l.n.b.
also 40.5 west had quite a number of strong transponders -- and by carefull setting of the dielectric plate (doctorofsat type on this occasion) pulled in some weaker ones too -
the bbc transponder at 1 west was "just" possible as well --
i only tested on those 3 sats as i recall (i was testing the possibility of certain t.p.,s at 40.5 west for someone else at the time )- it was early in the year and too cold to continue -

the 1.2 is returned to a k/u dish again now --
maybe i will have a full test across all sats at some time - but too busy with other interests at the moment --

cheers --