LNB Comparison - Swedish Microwave WR75 & Various C120 LNB's

[moonbase]

I have a collection of old WR75 flange Ku-Band LNB's amongst a pile of satellite junk accumulated over several decades. Before I disposed of them I thought it might be interesting to compare the performance with a few less ancient C120 LNB's. The only full band WR75 LNB's was a Swedish Microwave WDL Type E model with LOF of 9.75/10.600 GHz. This was the WR75 LNB used for the test.

I have attached a few pictures below of the hardware setup and a chart with data table presenting one section of the scan results. The scans were done using a Precision 2.0m dish.

Despite its age, the Swedish Microwave LNB held its own against various Invacom and Inverto C120 LNB's.

 

[Channel Hopper]

I have a collection of old WR75 flange Ku-Band LNB's amongst a pile of satellite junk accumulated over several decades. Before I disposed of them I thought it might be interesting to compare the performance with a few less ancient C120 LNB's. The only full band WR75 LNB's was a Swedish Microwave WDL Type E model with LOF of 9.75/10.600 GHz. This was the WR75 LNB used for the test.

All my experiments and background with flanged wideband stuff has been 10.75 or beyond. Spent some time with Uniden and MTI coming up with a suitable band switching fix for their 7007 receivers, it was a long time ago.

 

[Channel Hopper]

 

[moonbase]

@Channel Hopper

That is a nice pair of WR75 LNB's, have you tested them recently to see if they still work? They would look good on the Ku ports of a Bullseye type feed for a dual C/Ku setup.

I assume the "Super California" brand was either a predecessor or a successor to the "CalAmp" brand?

 

[RimaNTSS]

@moonbase if you wish to enlarge your collection of LNBs, you can have couple of those. Just pay shipping.

 

[moonbase]

@moonbase if you wish to enlarge your collection of LNBs, you can have couple of those. Just pay shipping.

Thank you for your kind offer, however, I am in the reverse process, I hope to reduce my collection of satellite equipment. If I do not reduce and I carry on increasing I will need larger sheds

 

[moonbase]

Continuing on with the scan results for the various LNB's I have attached two more pictures below. The first picture is the chart for high band Horizontal polarity (yesterdays chart was Vertical polarity). The second picture is a feeble attempt to analyse the H and V high band scan results.

In the analysis table I took the mean (average) of the signal levels for the 4 x LNB's per frequency and then calculated the deviation from the mean per frequency and LNB. Finally, in the bottom row of the table is the average of the deviation from the means per LNB.


Conclusions:
1. All LNB's performed to about the same level, there was very little difference.
2. The test was a waste of time, the Precision 2.0m dish is too large and gathers too much signal from 0.8 West to show any weakness in the LNB's
3. If I decide to waste ony more time on this half baked project I need to use a smaller dish on a more fringe satellite.

 

[John]

Continuing on with the scan results for the various LNB's I have attached two more pictures below. The first picture is the chart for high band Horizontal polarity (yesterdays chart was Vertical polarity). The second picture is a feeble attempt to analyse the H and V high band scan results.

In the analysis table I took the mean (average) of the signal levels for the 4 x LNB's per frequency and then calculated the deviation from the mean per frequency and LNB. Finally, in the bottom row of the table is the average of the deviation from the means per LNB.


Conclusions:
1. All LNB's performed to about the same level, there was very little difference.
2. The test was a waste of time, the Precision 2.0m dish is too large and gathers too much signal from 0.8 West to show any weakness in the LNB's
3. If I decide to waste ony more time on this half baked project I need to use a smaller dish on a more fringe satellite.

BUT , - Practice makes Perfect

 

[moonbase]

@moonbase if you wish to enlarge your collection of LNBs, you can have couple of those. Just pay shipping.

@RimaNTSS

Would you please be able to check if you have any WR75 flange LNB's in your box that cover the 13.40 to 13.65 GHz frequency range? I would enlarge my collection for one of those.

 

[RimaNTSS]

Will look iņ the box when be at home... Friday

 

[moonbase]

Will look iņ the box when be at home... Friday

Thank you, even if the LNB does not indicate the 13.40 to 13.65 GHz range, if there are any with L.O. of 11.475 I would have one of those.

 

[Channel Hopper]

@RimaNTSS

Would you please be able to check if you have any WR75 flange LNB's in your box that cover the 13.40 to 13.65 GHz frequency range? I would enlarge my collection for one of those.

WR75 is a specification with dimensions of 3/4 inch and 3/8 inch. I can't recall the max/min pass but it is about 8-15.5GHz.

The transmit port on a Ku band BUC/ODU is at the upper limit of the frequencies but still shares the same dimensions of the WR75 specification.
For reception that covers the upper frequency it might be worth looking at a mechanical band pass filter (of which I have some), or sleeving down the internal throat of the feed using thin aluminium. Something akin to a Chinese takeaway carton works well.

I would aim for around 0.7 of an inch (or a shade over 17.5mm in new currency)

 

[moonbase]

WR75 is a specification with dimensions of 3/4 inch and 3/8 inch. I can't recall the max/min pass but it is about 8-15.5GHz.

The transmit port on a Ku band BUC/ODU is at the upper limit of the frequencies but still shares the same dimensions of the WR75 specification.
For reception that covers the upper frequency it might be worth looking at a mechanical band pass filter (of which I have some), or sleeving down the internal throat of the feed using thin aluminium. Something akin to a Chinese takeaway carton works well.

I would aim for around 0.7 of an inch (or a shade over 17.5mm in new currency)

Subject to being in posession of a suitable LNB, if the new Amos satellite has any signals receivable in the UK in the 13.40 to 13.65 GHz range I will try a beef madras carton on it, I aint that fussed about Chinese. If the beef madras dont sort it then it's game over.

 

[Channel Hopper]

I have found a couple of LNBs from the shed (NJRC brand), the model number is 2155A which I'm almost certain is a 11.475GHz DRO type, 0.8 to 1.0 dB NF and with stability better than 1.5MHz across the band, though its been a long time since I checked the charts.

I can see a couple of Echostar branded ones in the deep recesses (ooooerrrr !), which I can only get to on Saturday, the NECs might be nearby.

 

[moonbase]

I have found a couple of LNBs from the shed (NJRC brand), the model number is 2155A which I'm almost certain is a 11.475GHz DRO type, 0.8 to 1.0 dB NF and with stability better than 1.5MHz across the band, though its been a long time since I checked the charts.

I can see a couple of Echostar branded ones in the deep recesses (ooooerrrr !), which I can only get to on Saturday, the NECs might be nearby.View attachment 125374View attachment 125375

Interesting pics, those old LNB's are built like panzer artillery shells.


I had a hunt around various boxes in the loft and the highest range I found was an old ComStream LNB with range of 12.25 to 12.75. There is no LO indicated on it so I assume it may be 11.30 GHz? It had some type of additional component attached to the WR775 port that I have never seen before, any ideas what it may be, is it a band pass filter?

 

[s-band]

Interesting pics, those old LNB's are built like panzer artillery shells.


I had a hunt around various boxes in the loft and the highest range I found was an old ComStream LNB with range of 12.25 to 12.75. There is no LO indicated on it so I assume it may be 11.30 GHz? It had some type of additional component attached to the WR775 port that I have never seen before, any ideas what it may be, is it a band pass filter?

Looks like an isolator (Used to improve the match seen by things on each side). They normally have <0.3dB loss but can improve things more than that with the better match.

 

[Channel Hopper]

Interesting pics, those old LNB's are built like panzer artillery shells.


I had a hunt around various boxes in the loft and the highest range I found was an old ComStream LNB with range of 12.25 to 12.75. There is no LO indicated on it so I assume it may be 11.30 GHz? It had some type of additional component attached to the WR775 port that I have never seen before, any ideas what it may be, is it a band pass filter?


View attachment 125377


View attachment 125378

If it is rated at 12.25 GHz upwards then the LNB will have a 11.3 puck inside.
Comstream was part of Radyne at some point, perhaps that helps identify what the bolt on part is

 

[Channel Hopper]

Rats!

The NJRC LNBs might not be 11.475 after all, I can't find any specification of them online, the nearest chart shows other models, including the 2154 (all variants) locked to 11.30 GHz.

NJR2154A datasheet,datasheets manu Page:1==Microwave Components Products ==[未知厂家] pdf datenblatt - - WWW.ICPDF.COM

NJR2154A datasheet,Page:1, Ku-band DRO Type Single LNB MODEL NO. NJR2144F / HW / HA MODEL NO. NJR2151AA / AB MODEL NO. NJR2154A / HW / HA MODEL NO. NJR2183F MODEL NO. NJR2184F / HW <Description> This specification defines the Low Noise Block downconverter (LNB) intended for the satellite data...

www.icpdf.com

I don't think New Japan used pucks either, preferring a crystal for the stability (which might have the ability to be exchanged for another frequency)

I will run one up in a few minutes.

 

[Channel Hopper]

Hotbird frequencies from the analyser.

11861 V Piatta , normally 12558
11898 V Global, normally 12591
11940 V Sky 13E, normally 12635

Which makes a difference of about 700 MHz up from the Universal high band of 10600, or 11.300 GHz

Rats confirmed ! Will strip off in a moment.

 

[Channel Hopper]

Looks like a VCXO crystal on the side, but only two pins are soldered to the PCB (1 - V.C and 14 - Vdd) ?