C-Band on a 1.2m dish

electrosat · 05-10-2009

I have been lurking on this forum for some time and have really enjoyed the discussion about various approaches to our hobby. I thought that I would post results of an experiment that I have been conducting regarding receiving C-Band on a 1.2m dish. I have found that there is a lot of preconceived prejudice about whether this is even possible, so I thought that publishing my experiences might help others.

I have installed three C-Band Big Dish systems with 10ft. dishes at other houses that I have lived at. However, our present house has a very small backyard and I did not want to take up the space with a large dish. Therefore, when I read posts on various forums regarding other folks experimenting with C-band a 1.2m dish, I was very interested.

I am located in Northern California and am trained as an Electronics Tech. I purchased a Geosatpro 1.2m dish, a Geosatpro CKI lnb and a Geosatpro GS120 motor from a local supply house. I then went to Home Depot and purchased a 2” diameter, 10ft long piece of electrical conduit pipe and 10 bags of concrete. My son and I dug a 2ft X 30” hole and installed the pipe (to which I attached a clamp on the bottom to keep it from rotating in the concrete), using side boards to keep it level until the concrete we mixed was hard. The pipe is as close to level as I could possibly make it.

I then constructed the conical scalar rings suggested by Satom1 and Walrus1957 and attached it to the CK1 LNB. Total construction time was about one hour for the scalar rings. I can’t thank both of these guys enough for their design and construction details.

After installing the dish, motor and LNB, I hooked up the output cable to a Viewsat Ultra receiver. I did not use the KU band output on the LNB, because I already have a KU-Band dish and receiver and wanted this setup to be just for C-Band. In any event, I never could get the KU band output on the CK1 LNB to work anyway.

I set up a TV and the Ultra receiver outside by the dish and proceeded to peak the dish. I moved the dish to Galaxy 17 91W. When I scanned the sat, I locked 26 channels including the EWTN MUX, FMC and KHIZ, Barstow, CA. The signal quality was well above what is needed to watch. After reading so many “experts“ saying it was impossible to get much C-Band on a 1.2m dish, I was quite frankly astounded. I then was able to lock (with watchable quality), the following C-Band channels:

AMC 6: Penn Cable Net and the NASA channels
AMC 3: MGTV and ThisTv
Galaxy 17: Fox Movie Channel, all of the EWTN MUX channel, KHIZ, Barstow, Ca and the Divds test cards
Galaxy 16: All of the Virgin Island Networks, World Harvest, and the Lesea Network
AMC 4: Golden Eagle and WAPA TV
Anik F1: Lots of PPV channels that I could lock, but couldn’t watch
Satmex 6: Uteg, AGS TV, SYM Sports, TV Nuevo Leon. I stopped there, but could have locked on many, many more with excellent signal quality. However, I don’t speak Spanish and didn’t really need the channels.
Satmex 5: Canals 11 through 28 and many other Spanish channels. Again, I didn’t try to get them all. But signal quality was excellent.
Galaxy 23: Sports Time Ohio, Sportsman Channel and Jewelry TV
Galaxy 13: Louisiana Super Station and Apostolic Oneness channel
AMC 11: A&E TV Networks (PPV) and two QVC channels
Galaxy 15: The California Channel, Classic Arts Showcase
AMC 10: HSN (although pixilated)

I then really decided to push the envelope. I slaved my DSR920 4DTV receiver to the loop-out of the Ultra and went to G1-3 and got the 4DTV guide to lock. I then went to W-5 and locked (with plenty of signal quality) W-5 603 (FTA American Life Network) and all of the premium movie channels. I could subscribe to these channels now if I wanted to. I then got all of the free 4DTV channels to lock on GB. I haven't tried any of the other 4DTV satellites, but I would think that results would be similar.

I will attach some photos of the installation and dish, etc. tomorrow. My main point in making this post is to encourage others to start their own experiments with C-Band on the 1.2m dish, especially using the conical scalar rings designed by Walrus1957. I think there may be too many people who don’t have C-Band because they don’t want to erect a 10ft. dish. I’m here to tell you that it is no longer necessary to do it and there is plenty to watch on C-Band with a 1.2m dish.

**doktorofsat** · 05-10-2009

Very beatiful story indeed.I think the C band reception in the USA is the same as in Europe but there are other birds maybe with stronger tp.In the near future it will be fine to get an AV Polar Guide (australian product) .This AV is used with good results by some german C bandits even on. 1,2 m dishes like yours.The price of this kit is a expensive ~ 350 euro

Please check DoktorOfSat SETUP

and you'll find there my DIY dielectric plate .It's easy to make it and the results are fantastik.

I sent u also a P.M.

electrosat · 05-10-2009

Doktoro,

Thanks for the kind comments. Your dielectric plate is very interesting--it would give me an excuse to eat a Hershey Bar!

The CK1 LNB that I'm using came with a dielectic plate, however, as I understand it, the only birds with circular C-Band transponders that we can get in the U.S. are Atlantic and I'm on the opposite side of the U.S. on the left coast.

Do you have a link for the AV Polar Guide?

***BombedOne*** · 05-10-2009

It all depends on planned sat...

I can receive some C band sats with good signal strength, using 60cm offset dish. On the other hand, for some of them, even 3.5m is not enough. So I think you'd better try and then decide...

**doktorofsat** · 05-10-2009

@electrosat

I noticed I can't send you private messsage (i don't know why!).I want to ask you if you are nice to make some photos with american channels in C Band and send them to me

. I can send you back photos with my reception from the european , african and asian sats!On the skype i'm also "doktorofsat"

Yes , the dielectric plate is only for da circular (L, R)

for liniar still no solutios to amplify

There is a cool video on youtube called:
Waveguide Polariser AV-COMM Test

Good luck!

**Topper** · 05-10-2009

Originally Posted by doktorofsat

@electrosat

I noticed I can't send you private messsage (i don't know why!).I want to ask you if you are nice to make some photos with american channels in C Band and send them to me. I can send you back photos with my reception from the european , african and asian sats!On the skype i'm also "doktorofsat"

Yes , the dielectric plate is only for da circular (L, R) for liniar still no solutios to amplify

There is a cool video on youtube called:
Waveguide Polariser AV-COMM Test
Good luck!

Members must have been members for a few weeks and have made a minimum number of posts to acquire PM facilities which are a luxury and often abused.

electrosat · 05-10-2009

doktorofsat,

I'm going to post some photos of the dish and I'll take some of the channels too and post them. Thanks for the link on the Waveguide Polariser AV-COMM Test--I'll check it out when I get home tonight.

BombedOne,

Admittedly, I was not able to get reception on every C-band sat in the arc, although if I had a way to fine adjust the skew (like the Corotor does), I think I could have gotten a few more.

However, there were more than enough channels received to make a 1.2m dish a viable option if you can't or don't want to put up a larger dish. I think that is what surprised me the most about this "experiment". I ended up with a viable way to watch and subscribe to C-Band channels that I didn't have before.

I understand that you folks in Europe would have an even better shot at C-Band on a small dish because the satellite spacing is not so close as over the U.S.