2D and WaveFrontier T90

[xband]

Hi all

I'm thinking of buying the WaveFrontier Toroidal T90 dish because I'd like to receive from Hotbird, Astra 1 and Astra 2D. I'm not worried about Hotbird or Astra 1 but Astra 2D makes me think...

Has anyone experience with the T90 and 2D in the Lake of Constance area (Switzerland)?

For the LNB I thought of Invacom 0.3dB or Golden Interstar 0.3dB and as receiver I've got the Grundig 310/2.

Do you think that this setup will function properly? or do I have to get a bigger dish, different LNB?

Thanks for any suggestions.

 

[rolfw]

Should be OK xband, what dish sizes have you tried for 2D only?

 

[xband]

Hi rolfw

I'm connnected to the local cabel provider at the moment, but will move in autumn and at the new place I've planed to setup the mentioned system, so unfortunately I'm not an expert with sat systems (yet).

I've bought the sky receiver through www.ricardo.ch and should get it this days. All the other stuff I haven't bought so far and therefore I haven't tryed any dish with 2D yet. According to the footprint diagram on the SES site my location is just outside the 120cm range.

Thanks for any helpful suggestions.

 

[rolfw]

Ah, I thought that Lake Constance was in the west of Switzerland, so much for my geography. What might be worth doing, before you invest in the Torroidal dish (they are not cheap), is to find a local person with a motorised 90cm dish who can put it onto Astra 28.2 and test the signals. You may well find that you need every bit of the 1.2m dish to pull in the 2D signals, you could then use an 80cm for the other two sats.

If you are tending to use the Sky box to view the other sats, there is no switching capability with it, you would be better off buying a cheap digital receiver and connecting to a diseqC switch for the other two sats, or perhaps even a cheap motor.

With regard to the LNB, if you decide to go for the 1.2 metre, the channelmaster is a good one, there are details about the invacom LNB in the "dish testing" thread

 

[xband]

Hi rolfw

Thanks for your input.
The thing about my location was what I feared :mad: because I bought the sky receiver of a guy who lives in the Lausanne (west) area.

I'll try to find somebody with a motorised dish and do some testing with the receiver.

Could you please give me details about the Channelmaster 1.2m dish (Partnumber, Links, is it an offset dish, ...), thanks.
What do you think about using the 1.2m dish with 3 LNB's, one for each satellite, are there such multi LNB holders available? is it feasible to do that?

From the receiver point of view I anyway thought of using seperate ones. The 2D is just for the sky box and the Astra1 and Hotbird should build a 4 user system with quattro LNB's and a multiswitch.

 

[rolfw]

Its certainly feasible to use an offset arm for the other two satellites, but how well it would work is another question altogether, there is also the problem that the side arms mght obstruct the offset LNBs. Still better i would think to have a separate dish for the other sats.

 

[rolfw]

Dish Specs



Feed and LNb Information

 

[xband]

Hi rolfw

I think I'll go for the Channel Master dish. I had already contact with the sales office in Germany and they have them in stock.

Thank you very much for your info.

 

[rolfw]

No problem Xband, do they stock the Invacom C120 as well? I'd be interested to know what price over there.

 

[xband]

Hi rolfw

Unfortunately they do not sell the Invacom LNB's.

At the moment a lot of shops sell the Golden Interstar 0.3dB LNB, is it any good?

What do you think about the Gibertini 125 dish? Is it equivalent to the Channelmaster dish?

Thanks for your reply.
Roger

 

[rolfw]

Hi roger, the Gilbertini is certainly well thought of, but I'm not sure how it compares with the Channel master. Unfortunately I've never tried the Interstar LNb, so again can't comment, do thye supply it in a c120 version, or does the Gilbertini use a standard LNBF?

 

[xband]

Hi rolfw, I spoke to the Channelmaster people and they suggested to use a universal LNB, not a C120 type, they said that the universal is better value for money. I think the Gibertini is also thought with universal LNB.
I don't know....?

 

[rolfw]

Well yes I'd certainly agree there, but whilst cost must always be a consideration, with fringe reception issues, performance must be of prime importance.

I would guess that they must know best though.

 

[xband]

Hi rolfw you're probably right. Performance is the most important bit. I think I'll try a universal LNB (~£10.--) if it doesn't work I can always buy a C120 typ and haven't lost much money.
The problem is, that I can't really find any supplier that has C120 LNB's.
Could you please give me a link to an internet shop (can be in England, that's no problem) that does sell them and recommend a suitable one.

Thanks a lot.
Roger

 

[rolfw]

Hi Roger,

In another thread there is a picture of the invacom c120 and channelmaster feedhorn, www.satelliteonline.net the two cost around £80 Sterling.

 

[xband]

Hi rolfw
thanks for your help. Hopefully I can manage now...

Roger