Ka-Band Satellites

[sat-tv-fan]

Ok thanks, I'm not the main Guru on modding these units and can only help you up to a certain point ...... there is a dedicated thread on the forum relating to the use and alterations to these units by member s-band, which at the moment can't think of the exact thread title, and should be read thoroughly. The reason i asked about the two important Unit labels is because they cover entirely different regions of the Ka band spectrum.
You now need to let us know what it is in the Ka band you are actually interested in watching because that will determine which of the two Gilat units will be of use to you. Example: for the eventual possibility of watching signals from 19 East Ka Band A for the regional feeds & Newsnet channel on 18.556 GHz Vertical plus other channels on the Horizontal side , OR - the domestic channels on Horizontal polarity on Ka Band D from the main satellites for us in the UK at 16 / 7 / & 4.9deg East. A good guide as to what is on these satellites is to look at the Lyngsat & other sites at those satellite positions mentioned and look for the listings that come under the Ka category .
Have you an idea of what dish you had in mind to use for this project.

Ok yes this is not for me of course as I bought a brand new one a few weeks ago, so I really got the info for the benifit of stephend2017

I hope to try mine with newsnet soon but as I said in a previous post not in the mood currently as my mother is ill still

 

[Llew]

To while away a few hours, I converted an Inverto Saorsat Band B LNB to Band A for Newsnet etc. It seemed a reasonable thing to do as it's so difficult to find Band A LNBs without a lot of hassle, unless you're prepared to pay up for Norsats and the like. Or with the Gilat

One caveat - signal sensitivity won't match the Norsats or Hughes, so a dish upwards of 1.2M is really the smallest to consider, and even then my 1.2 Gibby struggles with the only OB feed that was available to me during the modding.

If you don't mind cracking open the Inverto to do the mod (incidentally, it can easily be 'un-modded') I 'll show how i did the conversion in due course. I used VMA's Simple Spectrum Analyser for setting and checking frequencies.

Meanwhile, some pics of Newsnet amd Unire on the Invacom. Ignore the odd frequencies shown. The Ranger shows the inverted spectrum - the ACM feed frequency is of course after the Newsnet, but the Inverto Saorsat inverts the spectrum.

 

[John]

To while away a few hours, I converted an Inverto Saorsat Band B LNB to Band A for Newsnet etc. It seemed a reasonable thing to do as it's so difficult to find Band A LNBs without a lot of hassle, unless you're prepared to pay up for Norsats and the like. Or with the Gilat

One caveat - signal sensitivity won't match the Norsats or Hughes, so a dish upwards of 1.2M is really the smallest to consider, and even then my 1.2 Gibby struggles with the only OB feed that was available to me during the modding.

If you don't mind cracking open the Inverto to do the mod (incidentally, it can easily be 'un-modded') I 'll show how i did the conversion in due course. I used VMA's Simple Spectrum Analyser for setting and checking frequencies.

Meanwhile, some pics of Newsnet amd Unire on the Invacom. Ignore the odd frequencies shown. The Ranger shows the inverted spectrum - the ACM feed frequency is of course after the Newsnet, but the Inverto Saorsat inverts the spectrum.

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That's interesting Llew, i for one would like to see what you did to the internals.. Did you remove the septum ?.
** Side note Llew, on our Promax's do you know of any way to get the IF to go lower than 950

 

[Llew]

That's interesting Llew, i for one would like to see what you did to the internals..

It's up on the Gibby tonight John, I'll remove it for a look inside tomorrow.

It's a different design to the earlier Invertos that I messed around with - a much slimmer profile, the circuitry of which tests my eyesight to the limit

Did you remove the septum ?

I did on the second one I modded, but it wasn't as sensitive to signals. What I do now is use a cap on the feedhorn with a piece of dielectric card inserted for peaking the respective polarities.

What you will need if you do want to have a crack at the mod (assuming you have a spare Inverto at hand), is really just two items - a DRO pill from an old Ku band LNB, and some peices of PTFE for dampening the filters.

More tomorrow...

 

[Llew]

Not sure about the Promax's lower IF limit John, depends on what tuner it uses I suppose.

 

[sat-tv-fan]

If only inverto would simply produce a band A Ka band LNB...

 

[John]

If only inverto would simply produce a band A Ka band LNB...

Yes - if only.
I business emailed Inverto about three weeks ago simply asking for a supplier address to be able to purchase the Ka lnb that was of interest to us all but they couldn't even be bothered to respond with even a courtesy acknowledgement.

 

[sat-tv-fan]

Yes - if only.
I business emailed Inverto about three weeks ago simply asking for a supplier address to be able to purchase the Ka lnb that was of interest to us all but they couldn't even be bothered to respond with even a courtesy acknowledgement.

After 2 emails from inverto ignoring my specific question I had a more direct one just now :-

A production of Ka Band LNB, s for the 18 GHz band is currently not planned.
Only when market demand is justified, which is currently not the case

 

[dreamsat]

56,8° East WGS 8 here is a peak at 20517 LHCP

with the IQ Monitor i can see the transponder data

regards dreamsat

 

[dreamsat]

31,5° East Astra 5B
21546 RHCP 67000 1/4

 

[satosk]

I see you guys doing different modifications of various Ka band LNBs that is pretty impresive to me. Well, I do not that skill or time to do that, that`s why I`ll try to help a different way.
Here`s my bunch of Ka band LNBs that is available to me and my friend Peon as I usually spent time out of town.
Shame, but life`s a b*tch. But on the other hand Peon`s the best, so I walk in his shadow. ;)

 

[John]

I see you guys doing different modifications of various Ka band LNBs that is pretty impresive to me. Well, I do not that skill or time to do that, that`s why I`ll try to help a different way.
Here`s my bunch of Ka band LNBs that is available to me and my friend Peon as I usually spent time out of town.
Shame, but life`s a b*tch. But on the other hand Peon`s the best, so I walk in his shadow. ;)
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what a nice lovely collection you have there

 

[scopus]

Wow! Commencing drooling.

 

[Archive-8]

@satosk thats a pretty impressive collection you have

 

[dreamsat]

56,8° East WGS 8 here is a peak at 20219 LHCP 27885 2/3 "Data"

regards dreamsat

 

[dreamsat]

a peak at 19689,7 LHCP ( beacon or telemetry ??)

i think it is 53,0 Esat Express AM 6

regards dreamsat

 

[dreamsat]

1,0° West Thor 7

regards dreamsat

 

[John]

12 West, WGS-3.
Can't remember seeing these three fellows before at 12 West. Could do with just a bit more signal up here in North Nottinghamshire, UK.
21.008 L / 21009 L / 21009.7 L - Anybody ?.
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[Llew]

Nothing this morning for me John. That's with the Triax 88 dish, so probably too small to see them.

 

[Anonymous_1]

@John : I don't have the same spectrum (Promax) even with a span @ 16MHz
a carrier on 21007, nothing else from my place