3-5 percent gain on WSI 6 Footer Mod

[outbackjack]

It has been a while since I have posted due to continued illness. i have wanted to offer some help in some way so here is a tidbit. i tried this a bit ago and maybe it will help others bump a signal that isn't watchable. i added a covering over the hole in the center of the dish. first time i put a cut coffee can behind the dish and noticed a little gain. then i taped it on the front of the dish to cover the center hole and quality went up 3 to 5 percent. reason i did this was considering my dish was off a hair and without that perfect setting the signal wasnt coming in as watchable. i recently replaced the taped coffee can bottom with a cut out pizza pan i had laying around. tape doesnt work alone because i tried just silver duct tape and no go. but with the pizza pan taped on there i do see a good improvement. hope this helps and if you guys want a pic posted i will send one tomorow when it is light outside.

 

[Babadem]

Nice! Were you able to take pictures?

 

[brentb636]

I just cut the center out of disposable pie pan and taped it over the center hole and gained about 5Q points. Thanks you very much !!
Might have to refine this a little , but it's a winning idea !

 

[outbackjack]

Brent your welcome. here is a pic of mine for you guys to see. it is currently put up sloppy with duck tape behind it. i still have to adjust it a little.

 

[brentb636]

Mine is taped across the dish surface and looks definitely worse than yours. I'll be looking in thrift stores for a more suitable "pan" , but this idea does "pan out" .

 

[FaT Air]

Ah-HA~ my theory is confirmed. http://www.satelliteguys.us/c-band-...0928-adding-panels-extra-6-a.html#post2588352

 

[brentb636]

And done so simply !

 

[SatelliteAV]

In theory, the hole is in the shadow of the LNB/Scalar and covering the opening should have no effect.

Is the hole larger than the scalar? Maybe the reflector parabola is not perfect or the LNBF is not centered or pointed into the center? Otherwise, this suggestion makes no sense.

 

[outbackjack]

Sat Av your correct. when i installed the dish the quality previously was the best i could do with basic level and inclinometer( i dont have a sat buddy or a very precise sat meter). i figured if my dish is off a little then what could help? the reason i tried it was because i saw a lot of other six footers without the hole in the middle but never thought about the shadow or the scaler size. i think my scaler is smaller than the hole and the dish does have thin metal so it is probably a little off alignment too.
Brent i just used an old nonstick pizza pan from family dollar (3 dollars new). I just used the old cutout and went about an inch larger and used snip tool to cut it.
Fat Air the link you provided i didnt see before. so now i have to think of making it a foot larger. 87w still wont lock any rtv but does get everything else.

 

[SatelliteAV]

My gut feeling is that the LNBF is not centered on the dish or the feedhorn is not aimed into the center. If this is the case, the reflector will not be directly aimed at the satellite and the hole would not be in the shadow of the scalar. You may not be using the entire dish surface to gather the signals.

After verifying that the feedhorn is perfectly centered on the reflector, I usually lay a laser level across the throat of the feedhorn and project a 90 degree angle beam onto target centered on the reflector drawn onto a piece of paper taped in the center of the dish. Verify that the feedhorn is in place before aiming the reflector and maximizing the Signal Quality reading.

 

[brentb636]

This pizza pan test might be a good way to verify alignment, then. If the pizza pan improves the Q, then work on alignment of the feedhorn some more.

 

[outbackjack]

yep that definitely makes sense.i will mess with it tomorrow. i plan on tweaking it a little if i feel well enough.

 

[ynnedibanez]

it may be that some interference (noise) makes it through from the back and has a straight shot through to the lnb, and blocking the hole with the pie pan keeps that from happening.

 

[mr3p]

it may be that some interference (noise) makes it through from the back and has a straight shot through to the lnb, and blocking the hole with the pie pan keeps that from happening.

I'm not disounting the claims of 3-5% gain, heck I'll probably try it myself, but I think blocking of noise may also be a contributing factor.

 

[Anole]

I'm not disounting the claims of 3-5% gain, heck I'll probably try it myself, but I think blocking of noise may also be a contributing factor.

If you really are getting noise in the back side, then putting the metal plate behind the dish instead of on the face, should show that.

 

[mr3p]

If you really are getting noise in the back side, then putting the metal plate behind the dish instead of on the face, should show that.

good thought. not sure when its going to happen, too many projects not enough free time

 

[a_hockeynut]

I was hopeful this would help me with my bargain 6 footer and those pesky s2 signals. But alas, I gave a cut up pie tin a try, and it did nothing for me (if anything actually made my signal less). So it would seem it has something to do with alignment of the LNB with the dish. Was worth a shot! I guess I am back to going to have to try tweaking the dish to try get a stronger signal.