Initial Testing Of Norsat C-Band LNB 3420

[fred555]

I've modded this Eagle-Aspen set-up before. Took more time to open the switch than to snip and jumper!
http://r.ebay.com/u8vySs

Eagle Apsen Power supply is rated at 500ma

Each 3240: Current drain 330 mA
http://www.satcomresources.com/Norsat-3420-C-Band-PLL-LNB

Should this be a concern?

 

[Christopher Cromwell]

Your wife isn't home 24/7 is she? Slip an extra coax or two in there next time she's gone long enough... Just stop telling her so much, and then she won't have a reference to know when things are "too much"... lol

I can actually keep all of the cords and cables outside, just have to run a long permanent extension cord for power to the roof. I can keep the power inserters in a weather proof plastic box, but I'm concerned about summertime heating baking the power inserters to an early grave. I just bought a two pack of these from Amazon for each LNB to give sufficient power. It will be a little better than trying to modify another switch on top of another polarity multiswitch. I have to keep the current down as much as possible.

 

[primestar31]

I can actually keep all of the cords and cables outside, just have to run a long permanent extension cord for power to the roof. I can keep the power inserters in a weather proof plastic box, but I'm concerned about summertime heating baking the power inserters to an early grave. I just bought a two pack of these from Amazon for each LNB to give sufficient power. It will be a little better than trying to modify another switch on top of another polarity multiswitch. I have to keep the current down as much as possible.

So you mount them inside a weatherproof box, and on a piece of metal to help dissipate heat. That's how my switches are done.

 

[Christopher Cromwell]

So you mount them inside a weatherproof box, and on a piece of metal to help dissipate heat. That's how my switches are done.

Ok, I was concerned about the ambient temperature inside the box on a 90+ day. I think those power inserters are designed to be used indoors, but will see how they do.

 

[primestar31]

Ok, I was concerned about the ambient temperature inside the box on a 90+ day. I think those power inserters are designed to be used indoors, but will see how they do.

Mount the box under an eave, or somewhere out of the direct sun. Mount a thick metal plate inside the box as a heat sink, and screw the switches to them with some heatsink compound between. Maybe drill a vent hole or two in the right place, but so rain can't get in.

Worst gets to worst, and you can mount a small fan in there. These fans are very good quality, though this size might be way overkill. I use one of these to cool my dvr: Amazon product ASIN B002OJN250

 

[Christopher Cromwell]

Mount the box under an eave, or somewhere out of the direct sun. Mount a thick metal plate inside the box as a heat sink, and screw the switches to them with some heatsink compound between. Maybe drill a vent hole or two in the right place, but so rain can't get in.

Worst gets to worst, and you can mount a small fan in there. These fans are very good quality, though this size might be way overkill. I use one of these to cool my dvr: Amazon product ASIN B002OJN250

Ok, when the DirecTV Power Inserters arrive from Amazon, I will spend the following weekend getting it all put together. I will post results here using different receivers. Maybe KBRK and others will come in alot better!

 

[Christopher Cromwell]

As Brian and another member mentioned correctly, a 21V Power Inserter is recommended to be used for the Norsat LNB'S for improved performance; especially for the Manhattan 1933 Receiver. They do have a point, particularly when I'm using a 1.2M Dish for C-Band and need all the performance I can get!

Earlier today, (Friday), the DirecTV Power Inserters arrived from Amazon, so I made a quick trip to Lowes for extra supplies. I got it all done and powered up as it got too dark to see any longer, I then went to the TV to see what would happen.

At first, nothing was coming in at all on 99W which had me concerned. I then turned the dish over to 91W, checked the receiver settings and woah, IT WORKS!! WOW!!!! That's the highest Signal Quality I have ever seen from my C-Band dish!! :-D :-D Both polarities now work on the Manhattan 1933 receiver. I have to wait until morning to visually make sure my dish can track the arc with the shorter pieces of cable going to the LNB'S.

I have since sprayed the box holes with foam sealant after taking the pics. I just hope the power inserters don't bake to death in that plastic box on hot summer days. As Brian mentioned, I have to keep the cables short to minimize loss. So I really can't locate the box over to the north side of the house without running alot more longer cable. I plan to buy a few more Power Inserters soon for spares. I will post more testing results as time allows this weekend.

 

[Christopher Cromwell]

I have run some blind scans with the Manhattan 1933 Receiver on various satellites. It's been windy all day, and will continue to be windy and partly cloudy until Sunday. Clouds are moving in, making Blind Scans turn up nothing. 99W Signal Quality has been jumping around between 44-55% but picture and sound not affected. I did a blind scan on 58W with the Signal Quality jumping around between 34-44%, but picture and sound not affected. I will wait for better weather to try another receiver.

 

[Christopher Cromwell]

Early Saturday morning I went up to the C-Band dish to double check the Feedhorn Skew. I used a plastic clamp with numbers on it, turned out the Feedhorn Skew was already set to 0; so I turned the dish over to 58W for NHK World. It was getting pretty windy and colder, so that's all I had time for on the roof. It continued to get alot more windy, cloudy and colder as the day went on. Wind gusts were over 45MPH, however the C-Band Dish is mostly protected from the high winds at its current location; it does buffet around some. I noticed the Signal Quality for NHK World continued to go down a little bit more at a time as the clouds and wind increased. Today (Sunday), it's a clear sunny day with no wind, but in the low to mid 30's. The Signal Quality is 49-51%, low enough to barely make the picture and sound come in well. I wonder if the temperature has anything to do with the decreased Quality? Early yesterday, it was up between 58-62% Signal Quality. I went back up to the dish this morning for a few minutes and didn't find anything out of place or moved. I will have to see if things improve with warmer temps. The Manhattan 1933 Reciever has been doing pretty good regardless, so I swapped back over to the 1997 Receiver for a little while. If the Signal Quality improves later, I will test out other receivers.

 

[Christopher Cromwell]

Today is the first day in weeks where I finally have clear sunny skies and highs in the mid to upper 70's. I plan to continue to testing the Norsat 3420 LNB'S with different receivers as long as the weather is good. The Power Inserter is still plugged in and providing the LNB'S with power as far as I know. Here are some screen shots with the Manhattan 1997 Receiver to give you an idea. I think the big difference in Quality Signals is that the Manhattan 1933 Receiver I tested earlier has a Sharp brand tuner in it; the 1997 does not. I might go back to the Manhattan 1933 receiver, but I want to check out the Linkbox 9000i to see how that does.

 

[Christopher Cromwell]

The AzBox MiniMe works with the Norsat 3420 LNB'S, both polarities scan in; but not all the channels get scanned in however. Only a bare handful of strong channels on 99W C-Band.

 

[gpflepsen]

So, the Manhattan 1997 outperforms the AZ MiniMe?

 

[Christopher Cromwell]

So, the Manhattan 1997 outperforms the AZ MiniMe?

It looks to be that way for me. I've always had trouble with the AZ MiniMe locking or finding channels; it has the latest firmware. I blind scanned 58W C-Band one time, it scanned in channels, but NHK World wouldn't come in very good at all. When I swapped back over to the Manhattan 1997, NHK World would come in great! I originally bought the AZ MiniMe to only get 4.2.2 CBS Feeds, but those feeds seem to be next to rare to never, so I will put the receiver away in the closet for the time being.

 

[KE4EST]

So, the Manhattan 1997 outperforms the AZ MiniMe?

I think about anything will outperform the MiniMe.

 

[Christopher Cromwell]

I think about anything will outperform the MiniMe.

Yeah, and trying to get the Canadians to upgrade their firmware takes ages and eons, no matter how loud the customers scream! I had to eventually change my TV HD settings for the MiniMe to display properly, it shouldn't be backwords like that. (Sigh.......) :-/
Anyway, I'm going to test the GeoSatPro 3500 and the Amiko A3 receivers next.

 

[KE4EST]

trying to get the Canadians to upgrade their firmware takes ages and eons

Not all Canadians are that way, I have some good friends that live there. Just the one bad apple don't make the whole batch bad in this case.

 

[Christopher Cromwell]

Not all Canadians are that way, I have some good friends that live there. Just the one bad apple don't make the whole batch bad in this case.

I understand, it's just several bad business apples tend to make things more frustrating than necessary.

 

[Christopher Cromwell]

The GeoSatPro 3500 receiver seems to do very well with the Norsat 3420 LNB'S! Both polarities blind scan in with many channels. The Signal Quality looks low in the pics, but the sound and video are unaffected; maybe just a tiny pixilation on one channel.

 

[gpflepsen]

Nice pics, I'm glad you're wearing clothes!

 

[Christopher Cromwell]

Nice pics, I'm glad you're wearing clothes!

Yeah, I try not to include myself in the pics!
I just plugged in the Amiko A3 for the first time in over a year, and got the software updated. Aside from the Warp Speed Blind Scan that I still don't like, the A3 seems to work pretty good with the Norsat 3420 LNB'S. I did a blind scan of 58W C-Band and alot of channels scanned in, I then had to go back and rescan a few TP's. I will have the A3 scan other satellites Sunday, as it's supposed to be sunny, warm and clear. I wish there was a way for me to slow down the Blind Scan, I would like the A3 alot better for it.