Considerations when choosing a dish for Ka band

Llew

cerca trova...
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Gibertini 1.25m motorised dish driven by the AD3000, with either Inverto BU Quad or Norsat / XMW Ka LNBs . SMW 1.05m + 3 other dishes. Speccy: Promax HD Ranger+
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Choosing the right dish when contemplating having a go at Ka band frequencies can be frustrating.

My best results have been with a Triax TD88 so far; oddly my Triax TD 110 doesn't give anything like the same results dB-wise, often two or three dBs down on the same TP as the TD88. This with fine adjustment of focus, skew etc.

It's the same with my Gibertini 1.25m and SMW 1.05M. They barely match results compared to the TD88. It's possibly down to slight imperfections in the surface area of larger dishes, unless you have one much larger, say 1.5m +, which might be forgiving of small imperfections.

These were purely subjective tests on my part - other makes of dishes might yield different results.

So thinking small can be better, for me at least.


Tested over different times of the day and different days, with a Norsat 9000 + FD9000 feed , and an XMW R9215HDF+ modified Feed (taken from a broken Inverto Saorsat LNB )
 

Vipersan

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TD110 Dish and TD88 Dish in Tandem
66°East to 60°West.
AZbox PrmHD + OpnbxS9HD + Skybox + DrHD F15
2x VboxII AZ-EL
2 m+ Alcoa PF + BSC421 C-Band lnbf...
+SS2/TwHnS2-3200 pci/TBS6925 pci
1.5 Fortec Star -Gbox - HtoH Ku/Ka/C
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I'm inclined to agree with your findings Llew ..though I haven't tried a TD88 ...
Got little improvement just going up from 1.25 to 1.5 ..until I hypertweaked the dish by fitting the exoskeleton..
This micro tweaking made sod all difference in Ka ..but added another 1db in Ka ..
So I Agree ...minor reflector imperfections are a really big deal in Ka ..
The less dish surface...the fewer imperfections one can have.
 

Archived-1

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Well, I have had a kind offer of a cheap KA band lnb today from one of our regular members, I will soon have four dishes to play around with,

I will report any findings if I have any once it arrives.
 

remlap

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Well, I have had a kind offer of a cheap KA band lnb today from one of our regular members, I will soon have four dishes to play around with,

I will report any findings if I have any once it arrives.
What frequency range mate?
 

Vipersan

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IP9000HD +
TD110 Dish and TD88 Dish in Tandem
66°East to 60°West.
AZbox PrmHD + OpnbxS9HD + Skybox + DrHD F15
2x VboxII AZ-EL
2 m+ Alcoa PF + BSC421 C-Band lnbf...
+SS2/TwHnS2-3200 pci/TBS6925 pci
1.5 Fortec Star -Gbox - HtoH Ku/Ka/C
My Location
UK

Archived-1

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Its only the cheaper type, Inverto White Twin Ka Band LNB Saorsat Compatible, 19.7-20.2 Ghz
(Lo 21.20 Ghz),
 

Vipersan

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My Satellite Setup
IP9000HD +
TD110 Dish and TD88 Dish in Tandem
66°East to 60°West.
AZbox PrmHD + OpnbxS9HD + Skybox + DrHD F15
2x VboxII AZ-EL
2 m+ Alcoa PF + BSC421 C-Band lnbf...
+SS2/TwHnS2-3200 pci/TBS6925 pci
1.5 Fortec Star -Gbox - HtoH Ku/Ka/C
My Location
UK
Its only the cheaper type, Inverto White Twin Ka Band LNB Saorsat Compatible, 19.7-20.2 Ghz
(Lo 21.20 Ghz),
I doubt you'll see anything where you are with that Martin ..just a few unlockable non dbs data transponders..
rgds
VS
 

Archived-1

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Yes I was guessing this VS but if we don't try we will never know,
 

Vipersan

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My Satellite Setup
IP9000HD +
TD110 Dish and TD88 Dish in Tandem
66°East to 60°West.
AZbox PrmHD + OpnbxS9HD + Skybox + DrHD F15
2x VboxII AZ-EL
2 m+ Alcoa PF + BSC421 C-Band lnbf...
+SS2/TwHnS2-3200 pci/TBS6925 pci
1.5 Fortec Star -Gbox - HtoH Ku/Ka/C
My Location
UK
Yes I was guessing this VS but if we don't try we will never know,
Many have tried it Martin ..
Llew and myself to name but 2...
Rather than waste the lnb by consigning to the bin or the scrap box ..we cut ours up to make Ka feeds for linear lnbs..
I also used the design to base my CopperKa feed on..
No point in me saying ...no point..
It's in yer blood mate ..to go for it..
Who knows you might be placed in a freak lobe ..
;)
 

Archived-1

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Many have tried it Martin ..
Llew and myself to name but 2...
Rather than waste the lnb by consigning to the bin or the scrap box ..we cut ours up to make Ka feeds for linear lnbs..
I also used the design to base my CopperKa feed on..
No point in me saying ...no point..
It's in yer blood mate ..to go for it..
Who knows you might be placed in a freak lobe ..
;)

I think that's it VS being in the correct place as I said in the other thread, I also have a few ideas of my own to try, I am not going to mention them, unless one works, you will all be :-rofl2 all night,

Yes VS its getting in my blood pal, I cant wait until my house garden is all done and I can get on with things like you, happy days to come :)
 

Vipersan

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My Satellite Setup
IP9000HD +
TD110 Dish and TD88 Dish in Tandem
66°East to 60°West.
AZbox PrmHD + OpnbxS9HD + Skybox + DrHD F15
2x VboxII AZ-EL
2 m+ Alcoa PF + BSC421 C-Band lnbf...
+SS2/TwHnS2-3200 pci/TBS6925 pci
1.5 Fortec Star -Gbox - HtoH Ku/Ka/C
My Location
UK
I think that's it VS being in the correct place as I said in the other thread, I also have a few ideas of my own to try, I am not going to mention them, unless one works, you will all be :-rofl2 all night,

Yes VS its getting in my blood pal, I cant wait until my house garden is all done and I can get on with things like you, happy days to come :)
No ...you just go for it Martin.
If by some chance you succeed where many have failed you WILL wear the crown of 'King Tinkerer'..
 

Archived-1

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I've already gone past the point of no return VS, its on its way and paid for :), I will have to fit it just to see what it looks like :D.
 

Captain Jack

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There are a few talented tinkerers on here. VS, Rimant, Trust, Llew and Martin to name but a few. All crazy! :-lolo_O
 
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