Dual C-band Feedhorns...

[linuxman]

Ah HA!

So its NOT just me!

Good luck on getting it straightened out.

HeHe!

I am famous for frying electronic components. :yikes:

I once fried a $50.00 diseqc switch within an hour of putting it on. I ordered it from Rick and paid for Next Day Air Saturday delivery, and hooked it up with the non-DC blocking Hi-Freq splitters that I had gotten, and fried it too.

I soon realized that I had the wrong splitters.

Today was just stupidity. If you remember earlier this spring I was working on my Perfed Birdview tuning it in with the Bullseye II. Well I got one of the ports on my 4 port grounding block screwed up and put the center wire of the coax in a dead short.

Well I was on the roof yesterday and this morning fine-tuning the Birdview a little more. Yes it was jealous of the signal the test dish was getting and was calling me. I needed to lube the pivot points anyway. So this morning I was putting everything back together, and accidentally plugged the C-Band side into that bad port. Even though there was no coax on the antenna side, the short was still there and as soon as I turned everything on, there she went.

I really don't know if the converted multi-switch got fried or not, but that was the first item I replaced in the chain. It may still be ok, and only the diseqc switch that was actually blown. I'll have to test it out.

The good news is, the Birdview with the Bullseye II is better than it was, and by tomorrow at 10:00 AM, will be equal to the test dish. Outstanding on all accounts.

 

[Anole]

some failures really irritate me

I managed to fry one of my converted 3x4 multi-switches today along with another diseqc switch today.

Whatdda ya mean, "another"?
Oh, another diseqc?
I thought you'd previously burned up a multiswitch.

Well, the diseqc's are delicate, and shouldn't be used to power up complexed networks!
But, I have a barrel of 'em, and won't likely be doing any postmortems if I blow some up.

And your multiswitches are all powered, if I recall.... you ARE using them that way, aren't you ???
But you did manage to blow one.?
Well, don't throw IT out.
Save it, and if the body count gets any higher, we'll do an autopsy and find out where the weakest link is.

This stuff should all be robust and idiot-proof, and while it's true they keep bringing out a better grade of idiot, you old timers aren't likely new enough to be that dangerous!

 

[linuxman]

Whatdda ya mean, "another"?
Oh, another diseqc?
I thought you'd previously burned up a multiswitch.

Well, the diseqc's are delicate, and shouldn't be used to power up complexed networks!
But, I have a barrel of 'em, and won't likely be doing any postmortems if I blow some up.

And your multiswitches are all powered, if I recall.... you ARE using them that way, aren't you ???
But you did manage to blow one.?
Well, don't throw IT out.
Save it, and if the body count gets any higher, we'll do an autopsy and find out where the weakest link is.

This stuff should all be robust and idiot-proof, and while it's true they keep bringing out a better grade of idiot, you old timers aren't likely new enough to be that dangerous!

I just ordered 2 more diseqc switches today, and now I still won't have a spare.

To be honest, I had them powered on part of the time, but a storm would come up and I would turn them off and forget to turn them back on, so they were on part of the time and off part of the time. I could never tell any difference in signal quality.

The one I have up there right now hasn't been converted, and I don't have the power turned on, and it is working fine. I could turn the power on, but it will only output 13V on the V side.

I sent an email to my local guy asking if he can get the power inserters like ACRadio was describing. I should know tomorrow if I can get them locally or have to order them.

 

[gabshere]

I'm sure that'll give you some solid signals, especially on The Beast of a dish ya got!
You and Gabsphere, Linuxman, Truckracer, and anyone else can have a shoot-out on signal levels. -

I hope to be out tuning on my big one tomorrow but i have a few odd jobs to do first
if i'm able i will post signals in a new thread I can't compete in the shoot out cause looks like i have either the smallest dish or a mesh Vs solids so it wouldn't be muck of a contest ... plus i'm using a different feedhorn ( bsc621)

I sent an email to my local guy asking if he can get the power inserters like ACRadio was describing. I should know tomorrow if I can get them locally or have to order them.

let us know how it goes ...... plus a link ACRadio i forgot to check Sadouns site maybe he has them

 

[ACRadio]

Here is where I got mine...

Pico Macom SPI-14/18-2150 Satellite In-Line Power Inserter - SPI-14/18-2150 - Buy.com

...but I believe they can be had for a bit less than that now....

 

[gabshere]

thanks for the link ACRadio looks like sadouns sells the same one

Power inserter

 

[stogie5150]

So I am taking it that y'all just use the 18 volt side between the multiswitch and the LNB, correct? in other words:


Dish>power inserter>multiswitch>receiver(s)

Correct? Just put the 18v on the 13v leg before it gets to the LNB.

 

[linuxman]

So I am taking it that y'all just use the 18 volt side between the multiswitch and the LNB, correct? in other words:


Dish>power inserter>multiswitch>receiver(s)

Correct? Just put the 18v on the 13v leg before it gets to the LNB.

Correct. The 18V power inserter goes on the V leg of the multi-switch.

 

[linuxman]

Well anytime you guys want to start the signal shoot-out wars, the Birdview is ready using a Bullseye II orthomode feed-horn with awesome C and Ku signal readings.

 

[ACRadio]

So I am taking it that y'all just use the 18 volt side between the multiswitch and the LNB, correct? in other words:


Dish>power inserter>multiswitch>receiver(s)

Correct? Just put the 18v on the 13v leg before it gets to the LNB.

This power inserter can power 2 seperate lines so in effect the multiswitch only does the LNB selecting.

 

[truckracer]

We peasants can't hang with a birdview LOL

 

[Anole]

use the test dish

Okay, Linuxman -

Tie one hand behind your back and use that big mesh dish you just put up in the parking lot!

 

[linuxman]

Okay, Linuxman -

Tie one hand behind your back and use that big mesh dish you just put up in the parking lot!

You don't want to mess with that dish either.

That dish is what got the Birdview all riled up. He looked down on the parking lot and said "that insolent pup, I'll show you a thing or two'. That's why I had to go up and give him some attention the last day or two.

But I got him fine tuned within a gnat's backside.

 

[stogie5150]

Well anytime you guys want to start the signal shoot-out wars, the Birdview is ready using a Bullseye II orthomode feed-horn with awesome C and Ku signal readings.

pfft. I'll just be happy with better than I have now...LOL

I ain't that competitive.

 

[linuxman]

pfft. I'll just be happy with better than I have now...LOL

I ain't that competitive.

HeHe!

Ah, we're all just kidding anyway.

Crap, I tune the dishes to please me. I am probably harder on myself than any competition would be. There's just something about my nature that won't allow me to accept mediocrity.

That's the problem with the country today, and a well known writer wrote a book about it back in the 80's. It is called "Addicted to Mediocrity".

Course all that will probably put me in an early grave.

 

[stogie5150]

Course all that will probably put me in an early grave.

Exactly why I dropped my obsessive side. I got to the point that I was drinking a big bottle of liquid antacid a week, worrying about being the best at everything. I just do my level best to the best of my ability, and let the rest go.

Learned to choose my fights better too. And the older I get the fewer I fight. Just ain't worth it.

 

[linuxman]

Exactly why I dropped my obsessive side. I got to the point that I was drinking a big bottle of liquid antacid a week, worrying about being the best at everything. I just do my level best to the best of my ability, and let the rest go.

Learned to choose my fights better too. And the older I get the fewer I fight. Just ain't worth it.

Well I don't have to take antacids or anything like that, but my Momma always told me that when I grew up. "If you are going to be a bear, be a Grizzly".

 

[gabshere]

well i'm up for the challange of course i think we are in different leagues all three

one has birdviews with Bullseye II orthomode feed-horn
one has 12 ft paraclipse with a dual c band feedhorn
and i have a 10 ft mesh & 7 1/2 ft mesh both with bsc621

i will have to work the next few days so earliest i can return to checking my dish is friday weather permitting . i also have to find my other Traxis for signal comparison ( i have coolsat 5000 , 6000 & 8000 otherwise) so i hope to have signals in the peak range by this weekend

 

[linuxman]

well i'm up for the challange of course i think we are in different leagues all three

one has birdviews with Bullseye II orthomode feed-horn
one has 12 ft paraclipse with a dual c band feedhorn
and i have a 10 ft mesh & 7 1/2 ft mesh both with bsc621

i will have to work the next few days so earliest i can return to checking my dish is friday weather permitting . i also have to find my other Traxis for signal comparison ( i have coolsat 5000 , 6000 & 8000 otherwise) so i hope to have signals in the peak range by this weekend

Go for it George!

When we get done, you will buy a Bullseye II for your dishes too!

 

[gabshere]

well i don't know lol i'm still trying to work out a pickup date for the birdview in LA

so we'll have to see when it arrives