Keeping rain fade to a minimum

[tvropro]

I'm new to Direct but not c and ku band. Wanted to share my idea and solutions I did to minimize rain fade.

I currently only have SD with a D-11 but the idea's can also be used for HD with multiple satellites.

First thing I did was install a Slimline dish vs the 18" and modified the feed support to handle the single 18" LNBF.

Next I peaked the dish for maximum signal on all active transponders. 95 to 100 signal I'm showing.

Then I built a lnbf rain hood to shield the lnbf from rain drops getting on the lnbf lens. I used a paint can top for the hood and attached it to the lnbf (see pictures)

In theory the drops of water on the lens and clouds saturated with moisture cause the most attenuation on the k band signals.

So far pretty good results. Those who like to tinker may want to try some stuff themselves.

 

[Jimbo]

I'm new to Direct but not c and ku band. Wanted to share my idea and solutions I did to minimize rain fade.

I currently only have SD with a D-11 but the idea's can also be used for HD with multiple satellites.

First thing I did was install a Slimline dish vs the 18" and modified the feed support to handle the single 18" LNBF.

Next I peaked the dish for maximum signal on all active transponders. 95 to 100 signal I'm showing.

Then I built a lnbf rain hood to shield the lnbf from rain drops getting on the lnbf lens. I used a paint can top for the hood and attached it to the lnbf (see pictures)

In theory the drops of water on the lens and clouds saturated with moisture cause the most attenuation on the k band signals.

So far pretty good results. Those who like to tinker may want to try some stuff themselves.

Quick question, IF you HAD a Slimline, why would you change it, why would you adapt anything, the 18" one gets the 101 only.
The Slimline you put up also gets the 101, put the Slimline back together and enjoy it, in the future you won't need to change your dish, until they change design again.

Fwiw, it's not the water droplets at the dish/ LNB that cause rain fade.
It's the disturbance in the storm clouds that keep the Sat signal from getting to the dish/lnb, nothing you can do about it .....
A LARGER Dish to capture more signal would be the only help.

 

[Davedirectv]

I like what you've done with the LNB there, good thinking!

 

[tvropro]

I got from the installer the Slimline but he didn't put it up, he hooked it up to an 18" DSS dish. He also gave me a Eagle Aspen 3 sat LNBF for the slimline. When I go to HD all I need to do is toss on the other LNBF do some realigning and hook up a HD receiver. Actually I may look for a bigger dish then the slimline if I go HD. I learned a long time ago especially with ku when it comes to rain fade the bigger the better.

 

[Jimbo]

I like what you've done with the LNB there, good thinking!

dave,think about it, he took apart a Slimline that gets all 3-5 sat positions and adapted it to a 101 only, what did it do for him other than eliminate the rest of the sats. seeing the slimline already gets the 101.

Nice to play around with dishes, but lets make them BETTER not the other way around.

 

[tvropro]

dave,think about it, he took apart a Slimline that gets all 3-5 sat positions and adapted it to a 101 only, what did it do for him other than eliminate the rest of the sats. seeingthe slimline already gets the 101.

Nice to play around with dishes, but lets make them BETTER not the other way around.

On the Eagle Aspen SL3 PIG-P is 101 at center? And will my D-11 access that LNBF in the menu? Curious

I love to tinker with dishes it's part of the hobby

 

[Mr Tony]

yes on the SL3 101 is boresight

 

[Mr Tony]

and for the neigh sayers......he mentioned he has SD only so does it matter if he removed the SL3 and put a regular LNB on there?

Since he has SD only doesnt matter what he has....as long as it can see 101

 

[Jimbo]

and for the neigh sayers......he mentioned he has SD only so does it matter if he removed the SL3 and put a regular LNB on there?

Since he has SD only doesnt matter what he has....as long as it can see 101

I give him credit for liking to tinker with them, I just remodeled a old AT-9, but seeing the dish he put up already had what he was trying to accomplish, it confused me as to why.

 

[Mr Tony]

The FTA folks always like to tinker

 

[tvropro]

yes on the SL3 101 is boresight

Thank's Ice.

 

[tvropro]

The FTA folks always like to tinker

It ain't no fun if you can't tinker

 

[PMKS]

I used a 36" Primestar dish for many years with a 101 Sat DirecTV dual LNB on it, it helped with rain fade a lot. With my old single 18" dish I used to get rain fade quite often, even with most of the transponders in the 90's.

I kept using this dish even when I first got DirecTV HD, I used a separate 18"x24" Phase II dish with the 119 LNB and a Sat "C" kit 110 LNB, ran the two wires from that dish to a junction box with a 4x4 multi-switch, then hooked the two wires from the Primestar dish to it.

I used this set-up until I got my SL5 dish installed, worked great. The SL5 seems to rain fade more than the 36" dish did, but not as often as the single 18" dish did.

I've thought about putting a SL3 LNB on the Primestar dish, but would have to figure out a way to tilt the LNB, or the dish..... I've looked around for bigger dishes for the SL3 and SL5 LNB's, anyone know if a company makes one?
I've seen aftermarket 24" and 36" dishes for single sat installs.

I live in the country so I don't care how big of a dish is in my yard .

 

[Jimbo]

I used a 36" Primestar dish for many years with a 101 Sat DirecTV dual LNB on it, it helped with rain fade a lot. With my old single 18" dish I used to get rain fade quite often, even with most of the transponders in the 90's.

I kept using this dish even when I first got DirecTV HD, I used a separate 18"x24" Phase II dish with the 119 LNB and a Sat "C" kit 110 LNB, ran the two wires from that dish to a junction box with a 4x4 multi-switch, then hooked the two wires from the Primestar dish to it.

I used this set-up until I got my SL5 dish installed, worked great. The SL5 seems to rain fade more than the 36" dish did, but not as often as the single 18" dish did.

I've thought about putting a SL3 LNB on the Primestar dish, but would have to figure out a way to tilt the LNB, or the dish..... I've looked around for bigger dishes for the SL3 and SL5 LNB's, anyone know if a company makes one?
I've seen aftermarket 24" and 36" dishes for single sat installs.

I live in the country so I don't care how big of a dish is in my yard .

That 36" dish is STILL bigger than the current SL dish, so you may be on to something if you can get the correct alignment set up.

 

[tvropro]

I have done stuff with multiple LNB's on Ku dishes for FTA. You could very easily use even a 6 foot dish for multiple birds. The larger the reflector the more gain. I have a friend that does commercial installs for cable and tv stations. I remember him telling me a couple years back they were doing a commercial direct install using a 6 foot dish. Check out the FTA area of Sat Guys, there is allot of information on how to modify brackets and how to point the lnb's for multiple birds. It's really allot of fun when you do it and then achieve what you wanted

 

[Jimbo]

I have done stuff with multiple LNB's on Ku dishes for FTA. You could very easily use even a 6 foot dish for multiple birds. The larger the reflector the more gain. I have a friend that does commercial installs for cable and tv stations. I remember him telling me a couple years back they were doing a commercial direct install using a 6 foot dish. Check out the FTA area of Sat Guys, there is allot of information on how to modify brackets and how to point the lnb's for multiple birds. It's really allot of fun when you do it and then achieve what you wanted

I never messed with my C-Band, let the professional set it up and align it.
Once I went to the D* stuff, thats when I started tinkering with dishes, knowing that I could not F it up to bad seeing it's rather simple, as for the C -Band had no idea how to point that big guy.

 

[charper1]

God I miss my C/Ku BUD

 

[tvropro]

I never messed with my C-Band, let the professional set it up and align it.
Once I went to the D* stuff, thats when I started tinkering with dishes, knowing that I could not F it up to bad seeing it's rather simple, as for the C -Band had no idea how to point that big guy.

It's pretty hard to mess up a pizza dish although there making it easier to mess up with multiple birds.

C band isn't hard at all once you grasp it. I've aligned mine and others for over 23 years now. I can do it in my sleep

Here's some good reading for all interested in C band setup and alignment:

Footprints by Dish Size - Adjusting the Polar Mount for Prime Focus Antenna - C/Ku-Band Satellite Systems - Tuning, Tracking, Azimuth, Elevation, Declination Angles, F/D Ratio, Focal Distance, Inclinometer, LNB/Feedhorn Assembly, Actuator Assembly, C

 

[Jimbo]

It's pretty hard to mess up a pizza dish although there making it easier to mess up with multiple birds.

C band isn't hard at all once you grasp it. I've aligned mine and others for over 23 years now. I can do it in my sleep

Here's some good reading for all interested in C band setup and alignment:

Footprints by Dish Size - Adjusting the Polar Mount for Prime Focus Antenna - C/Ku-Band Satellite Systems - Tuning, Tracking, Azimuth, Elevation, Declination Angles, F/D Ratio, Focal Distance, Inclinometer, LNB/Feedhorn Assembly, Actuator Assembly, C

Do you use a meter when doing it, or is it not required ?

Back when I had my BUD, finding companies that even handles that type of stuff was very difficult, I can't imagine what it's like now.

 

[tvropro]

Do you use a meter when doing it, or is it not required ?

Back when I had my BUD, finding companies that even handles that type of stuff was very difficult, I can't imagine what it's like now.

I start out with an inclinometer for my static angles, then I usually use the Quality meter in my DVB receiver or the EBNO scale on my 4DTV to fine tweek. Meters are always better for fine tuning. What allot of the guys do now is look for old abandoned C band systems and get them for nothing. Put them up and run a DVB receiver and or 4DTV. The C band and FTA sections at sat guys offer a wealth of information on it all.

Here's something you may like since some we are talking about using multiple feeds on a dish to do 99, 101 and 103 with direct. This is a bit much but cool.

Skyvision Satellite Equipment