Comparison of 2.4m dishes

**weagle** · 19-05-2005

actually its a PRIME FOCUS SOLID dish many have said its a great dish, it just has the fortec logo on it thats all. really to go the cheap route would be a mesh dish but you don't know the quality of it and the feedhorns used on it. Some have said 2.4m in cyprus they get some of the horizontal channels on 2d with the pace 2600 (not the pani dbs30) i'm wondering what extra channels can one gain getting say the prime focus 2.4m dish in athens greece which is more closer west and north from cyprus. I noticed some channels ie the free to air music channels were breaking up on panidbs30 i think pace 2600 may correct the problems 1.25m dish so i'm assuming that must be from the eurobird sat like you mentioned.

just wondering why cyprus people who are more south/east can get bbc/itv on 2.4m dish with pace 2600 receiover and athens greece which is more west/northern than cyprus cannot?

Originally Posted by Likvid

Fortec is crap, don't buy it, it's for people who can't find anything else.

You can't get a better dish than DH, i installed those 15 years ago, only two dishes and they perform very well.

It's solid aluminium in one piece, they got a excellent surface.

***EgyptDUDE*** · 19-05-2005

guyz, just to be clear, how much less the mesh dish loose in quality and signal ?
lets say that a certian sat and transponder is recived with a 240 cm solid dish here in Egypt with a signal 60% , how less the channel's quality will drop with a 240 mesh dish? (all in digital transmition)

those sets are f..... expensive here, and WAS , now u cant find any new ones , used are in bad conditions, my (11 years old) KTI looks like shit, couldnt stand the winter and humidity and salt from the sea

Likvid · 19-05-2005

My epxerience is that my 3 meter mesh dish was like a solid 2.4m aluminium dish.

The 3 meter dish i had was the best mesh dish on the market at the time, ku-band mesh.

***deepbluesky*** · 19-05-2005

Thanks for the replies guys. Under that circumstances i'll keep the opinion that 2 separate systems would be ideal. A mesh for the C's and a solid for the KU's. If there is a lack in space and money choose a solid one for both bands as big as you need and can afford.

@weagle:
You're right Greece is further west than Cyprus but isn't southern Italy also much more west than Greece ? These are the common surprises under typical Out-Of-Footprint reception. You might get 1km further away and have better reception with exactly the same equipment. For over 10 years now I hear about that concerning the former and still lasting difficult 19.2E reception in different places inside Greece. So Athens and also Rhodos had much stronger signal on Astra 1C Hor. than Kastoria in the NW. Seems that you are only interested for 28.2/28.5E. I don't know if you would be happy with a 2.40m but Astra 2D with this small one, no my friend, there have been many others trying to get it, forget it. Also in Skopje which is far north a 3m solid is needed to get all the time H+V, the same size in Larisa (Channel Master) half way to Athens did get as far as i remember only some H's and just above the pixelization limit. In Kastoria a 2.4m DH does also get only H's, in Cavos/Corfu i heard the same and in Zakynthos a Prodelin 4.5m is installed to get everything. These few just to show you that a 2.40m wouldn't change much on the 2D. But if you would be interested also in other KU-positions the step from your 1.25 to 2.40m would bring you some more from 19.2E (not all, in this case you'll need 4.5m), some Superbeam frequencies from 13E, maybe some Sirius 2 North beam but no Sirius 3, full Thor 2 and as i lately read people getting some of the iranian channels on 62E with 1.40m on Syros and 1.60m in Kalamata, so a 2.40m in Athens could get them also.

Likvid · 19-05-2005

Actually in your case i would buy a 12ft Orbitron dish, eg 3,65m.

Then it would work like 3 meter in Ku-band and excellent in C-band.

Set it up with a Chaparral Corotor+ or even better the Seavey part.

Could also try ADL, i don't have any experience with ADL.

Orbitron closed down for many years ago but if you are interested i can get you in contact with one distributor that have some Orbitrons left in warehouse for immediate delivery.

Originally Posted by deepbluesky

Thanks for the replies guys. Under that circumstances i'll keep the opinion that 2 separate systems would be ideal. A mesh for the C's and a solid for the KU's. If there is a lack in space and money choose a solid one for both bands as big as you need and can afford.

@weagle:
You're right Greece is further west than Cyprus but isn't southern Italy also much more west than Greece ? These are the common surprises under typical Out-Of-Footprint reception. You might get 1km further away and have better reception with exactly the same equipment. For over 10 years now I hear about that concerning the former and still lasting difficult 19.2E reception in different places inside Greece. So Athens and also Rhodos had much stronger signal on Astra 1C Hor. than Kastoria in the NW. Seems that you are only interested for 28.2/28.5E. I don't know if you would be happy with a 2.40m but Astra 2D with this small one, no my friend, there have been many others trying to get it, forget it. Also in Skopje which is far north a 3m solid is needed to get all the time H+V, the same size in Larisa (Channel Master) half way to Athens did get as far as i remember only some H's and just above the pixelization limit. In Kastoria a 2.4m DH does also get only H's, in Cavos/Corfu i heard the same and in Zakynthos a Prodelin 4.5m is installed to get everything. These few just to show you that a 2.40m wouldn't change much on the 2D. But if you would be interested also in other KU-positions the step from your 1.25 to 2.40m would bring you some more from 19.2E (not all, in this case you'll need 4.5m), some Superbeam frequencies from 13E, maybe some Sirius 2 North beam but no Sirius 3, full Thor 2 and as i lately read people getting some of the iranian channels on 62E with 1.40m on Syros and 1.60m in Kalamata, so a 2.40m in Athens could get them also.

**weagle** · 20-05-2005

once you go over 2.4m you're looking at mega dough buying a big dish and more custom (not sold as much), i've seen mesh dishes the cheapest is kti's 3.6m but don't know how well it performs and if its enough for astra 2d, I even like the 19.2 and the hotbird one since if you get programming in other countries they're also likely to show u.s/american/english programming on it as well which is my main reason for having the 1.2m dish and panidsb-30 the only thing i may upgrade probably is the pani to a pace2600 which they say is more sensitive than the pani since there were some channels that would pixelize/break pace may fix the problem if they're on the borderline and/or try the mti blueline lnb's i'm using invacom 0.3 single to get a little better reception. dying to try the pace2600 everyone says its an excellent tuner and I only consider those who own both pani dsb30 and pace2600 or even guys who tried all pace models and all pani models and still said pace2600 was the best of them all head and shoulders, they say the sky+ recorder (2nd version) has similar tuner to pace2600 but no info yet people comparing it to pace2600 yet to see if its better or worse or exactly the same.

***EgyptDUDE*** · 20-05-2005

but orbitron is the one with one arm holding the feed,right? if yes, it wouldnt do good in Greece and countries by the sea, we have an experiance with it here ,very bad

Likvid · 20-05-2005

No, four arms.

http://www.orbitroninc.com/C-Band%20Manuals/sti-12.pdf

***deepbluesky*** · 20-05-2005

Well i think i'll go for an DH. The most important thing is that you can get it not too expensive and the transportation is not a big problem. But as i mentioned, it can take a while til i'll move and it depends really on the house. If the landlord is strange i'll have to live in the beginning with a smaller one. If i wouldn't have any limits (money & space) i would go for a 4.5m solid but since this is a very far dream any >1.2m is fine to start in the KU's and 2.4m in the C's. I am in contact with 2 people that have exactly those DH 2.4m and both are quite confident. Ok they don't get everything but isn't DXing worth also with a "small" 2.4m ? Compared to my residency here where i am forbidden to install any dish and to drill a hole in the wall any system would be more than an improvement

Anyway Likvid thanks so much for trying to help. I really appreciate it a lot you must know.

Greetings from Stuttgart downtown, Christos

***deepbluesky*** · 20-05-2005

By the way: Would you recommend the Jaeger 1224EL for dishes of 2.4m size ? They mention that this is the upper limit that they can carry but i am not sure..

And would they reach the whole visible Clarke Belt so far south ?

Likvid · 20-05-2005

I know people with 1.2meter dishes where the 1224 Jaeger has broken down or cracked in the metal.

I would go with the original polarmount and a actuator, plain and simple, or if you can afford the EGIS.

Likvid · 20-05-2005

You are going to move to a new apartment or a house?

Rent or buy?

Originally Posted by deepbluesky

Well i think i'll go for an DH. The most important thing is that you can get it not too expensive and the transportation is not a big problem. But as i mentioned, it can take a while til i'll move and it depends really on the house. If the landlord is strange i'll have to live in the beginning with a smaller one. If i wouldn't have any limits (money & space) i would go for a 4.5m solid but since this is a very far dream any >1.2m is fine to start in the KU's and 2.4m in the C's. I am in contact with 2 people that have exactly those DH 2.4m and both are quite confident. Ok they don't get everything but isn't DXing worth also with a "small" 2.4m ? Compared to my residency here where i am forbidden to install any dish and to drill a hole in the wall any system would be more than an improvement

Anyway Likvid thanks so much for trying to help. I really appreciate it a lot you must know.

Greetings from Stuttgart downtown, Christos

Likvid · 21-05-2005

Here you can follow a guys installation of a Orbitron 12ft dish.

http://mrvideo.vidiot.com/satinstall.html

***deepbluesky*** · 22-05-2005

Originally Posted by Likvid

You are going to move to a new apartment or a house?

Rent or buy?

Will be an apartment for rent Likvid.

So you wouldn't recommend anybody the Jaeger 1224, neither for smaller dishes, hm and i saw people writing that they are confident with it. I'll keep that in mind.

The link you posted for the Orbitron installation unfortunately doesn't open. Never mind.

Greetings

Likvid · 22-05-2005

The URL works, the site is a bit slow....

I am just saying what other people says about the 1224, i have no personal experience with it.

Most complains comes from the adaptor plate that it's too weak.

Originally Posted by deepbluesky

Will be an apartment for rent Likvid.

So you wouldn't recommend anybody the Jaeger 1224, neither for smaller dishes, hm and i saw people writing that they are confident with it. I'll keep that in mind.

The link you posted for the Orbitron installation unfortunately doesn't open. Never mind.

Greetings

***deepbluesky*** · 27-05-2005

I see. Thank you

**weagle** · 23-09-2005

just weird why people in cyprus with a pace 2600 (not panasonic) can get the horizontal channels on 2d on a 2.4m prime focus, which is more south east than athens greece. I think the tuner plays a big role here as well. there is a site in uk that sells the 2.4m prime focus for 284euro plus shipping maybe worth a try.

***deepbluesky*** · 23-09-2005

Sure the Tuner plays a role as seen also in Veria west of Thessaloniki. So with the Sky+ Thomson 160GB he gets all the H channels of 2D without any interruption on his 2.4m Channel Master but no V at all. Therefore he will install a Jonsa 4.2m which he is awaiting from the Netherlands and we'll see if this is enough or not.

The signal in Greece is lower than in Cyprus, that's for sure. Only in the NW you can get some frequencies with smaller dishes. On any i know high sensitivity Tuners are beeing used.

By the way, what brand/model is this 284€ dish ? In Greece for a DH 2.40m PFA you pay about 1000€ and for the 3m 2500€.

***snap*** · 23-09-2005

A 2.4 m dish for € 284 is probably a FortecStar and is to be avoided at all costs as it's probably the worst you can get. I bought one and immediately regretted it. It might make a good sandpit for my young son- or a paella dish for a large party.

***deepbluesky*** · 23-09-2005

I see. Suppose you didn't get in Madrid with it any Thor 2/3, Sirius 3 frequencies that seem to be very weak in your region, right ?

Likvid · 23-09-2005

A 3M dish in one piece is a hell to move and transport, i prefer them in sections when it comes to these sizes.

***deepbluesky*** · 23-09-2005

I can imagine Likvid but which sliced 3m or bigger are good in performance ?

The 4.2m Jonsa will travel to Greece just because a friend of him transports goods regularly between the two countries as he told me otherwise it would have been probably too expensive.

Likvid · 23-09-2005

Precision Antennas in the U.K manufacturers one of the best solid dishes in the industry comparable in performance to the DH Antennas.

Also the 3M dishes comes in two pieces or one piece, you can choose what you like.

The 3M dish doesn't come with polarmount from Precision, they have a dual-axis AZ/El mount though....

Anyway, their 2.4M dish with polarmount cost £1,159 excluding VAT and transport.

***deepbluesky*** · 23-09-2005

I see. By the way, what is your opinion of Finnsat dishes ? They are also available as 2.4m and 3m PFA.

Likvid · 23-09-2005

Originally Posted by deepbluesky

I see. By the way, what is your opinion of Finnsat dishes ? They are also available as 2.4m and 3m PFA.

It's Aerial Oy, not Finnsat.

They are the best, i have only personal experience with the 2.4M.

But it's the best 2.4M dish ever made as prime focus.

Buy one if you need a 2.4M, fit it with a EGIS rotor and you are set.

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Comparison of 2.4m dishes Information exchange on LNBs, Single satellite, motorised and multi-satellite systems. DiSEqC switches, positioners, motors, actuators, dish-alignment etc.

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