Mesh size for KU band

[N6BY]

Hi,

Several years ago I found a used 10' mesh dish and installed it at my previous residence. I moved and took the BUD with me.

When I had it installed at my previous house the dish was great for C-Band but very poor for KU band (not nearly as good as my 90 cm dish.

Anyway, I measured the mesh and it's about 5 mm (see attached photo). My question is: What is the recommended mesh size for KU band? Also, where can I obtain the appropriate size mesh if I decide to replace the mesh?


Thanks.

 

[primestar31]

KU mesh needs to be around the size of a pencil LEAD. Though perfect hole size is not really as important as accuracy of the parabola (flatness of curve, IE: you don't want ripples.

Your easiest solution IF you want to use THAT dish, is to replace the mesh with aluminum flashing material from Home Depot, or Lowes, etc. If you buy the right widths, you can cut wedges and do it yourself. Let me warn you, it can be a lot of work and you might be better off just finding a dish that's already capable from birth.

 

[Magic Static]

Your dish is fine for Ku reception. The "Pencil Rule" , If you can fit a standard pencil through the mesh, it's too big. However, it has more to do with how much reflective surface is available and not so much the size of the hole. So we can say perforated dishes are better for KU reception than mesh and solids are best. Using the C-Band dish for dual band reception has it's challenges. I prefer a dual orthomode feed for that purpose.

 

[N6BY]

A pencil lead will barely fit through the mesh. Also, the mesh has lots of warped spots and is very old, so if I use it I will replace the mesh with aluminum flashing as suggested.

My other option is to buy an 8 foot solid from TEK2000, but with shipping from it would rum me a little over $500.

I have a BSC621-2 dual band LNBF. Is there a better one I should consider?

The reason I don't want to use my 90cm dish for KU is so I can just have one dish in my backyard for both C Band and KU.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

If you are going to order the TEK2000 dish, order it through Amazon. Then shipping is only $34.

Amazon product ASIN B00KXMDAJS

 

[FaT Air]

Tracking a BUD at Ku is 'critical' as the beamwidth is much less than 1 degree. It's got to be tracking 'spot on' and nothing less. Any slop and it's goodbye Ku satellite. Think you'll find the 90cm performance easier to attain. My BUD performed poorly at Ku mainly because of the mesh being to 'airy' .
How I made a C band Bud work on Ku. http://www.satelliteguys.us/xen/threads/how-i-made-a-c-only-bud-work-on-ku.241465/#post-2444161 and more http://www.satelliteguys.us/xen/threads/fat-air-more-info-required.264610/#post-2619730

 

[N6BY]

If you are going to order the TEK2000 dish, order it through Amazon. Then shipping is only $34.

That's a great deal on shipping, especially from Canada to California. Apparently they only sell the mesh 8 footer on Amazon, not the solid 8.

Tracking a BUD at Ku is 'critical' as the beamwidth is much less than 1 degree. It's got to be tracking 'spot on' and nothing less. Any slop and it's goodbye Ku satellite. Think you'll find the 90cm performance easier to attain. My BUD performed poorly at Ku mainly because of the mesh being to 'airy' .
How I made a C band Bud work on Ku. http://www.satelliteguys.us/xen/threads/how-i-made-a-c-only-bud-work-on-ku.241465/#post-2444161 and more http://www.satelliteguys.us/xen/threads/fat-air-more-info-required.264610/#post-2619730

That's quite clever how you mounted a 'ride along' KU dish. I'm guessing that it was pretty hard to get the KU dish in perfect alignment with the BUD.

 

[rooneysat]

Ku reception works fine on the 8ft mesh dish from Tek2000 that I own. I would say the Ku signal reception is about as strong as a dedicated 100cm solid offset. It can even pick up Dish Network signals whenver they are open (even though they use circular polarization). All kinds of channels like Starz, Cinemax, History Channel, A&E were open on 61W last week and I can confirm reception with my setup.

I am using a combo C/Ku LNBF, which causes some signal loss on both C and Ku reception. The only Ku signal I can't pull in is Cozi on 103 - it comes and goes due to the peculiar skew of that sat. But Cozi is available on C band, so no prob.!

 

[rooneysat]

On another forum, tek2000 posted his feed system for picking up both C and Ku signals (both linear and circular).

I am sure something like that would work amazing, but who has the expertise to make their own?

The good news is that he said a commercial solution will be available very soon!

 

[N6BY]

I like tek2000's feed system. I will plan on something similar, but all I will need is a KU (H/V) LNBF tacked on to side of the C Band LNBF.

... I decided to re-surface my existing 10 foot mesh with aluminum flashing (as suggested by primestar31).

I am mostly interested in viewing news feeds and back hauls. Do most of them require a 4.2.2 capable receiver? What FTA receiver would you guys recommend for this? I am currently using a GeosatPro HD with my 90cm dish. But since I am on the west coast I have get poor signal strength during the daytime for most of the satellites east of 100W longitude. Any receiver recommendations?

 

[phlatwound]

... I decided to re-surface my existing 10 foot mesh with aluminum flashing...

...Do most of them require a 4.2.2 capable receiver?

Good luck with trying to resurface your dish with flashing, I think it will be very difficult to get a true parabolic surface that way. And every little ripple or hump will cost performance.

A 4.2.2 receiver is not necessary for feed hunting. The vast majority is not 4.2.2

 

[FTA4PA]

View attachment 100432

On another forum, tek2000 posted his feed system for picking up both C and Ku signals (both linear and circular).

I am sure something like that would work amazing, but who has the expertise to make their own?

The good news is that he said a commercial solution will be available very soon!

That looks interesting! Did a search but couldn't find anything about it. Where was it posted?

 

[primestar31]

I tried posting the location, but the moderators censored my post. I don't think they allow URL postings.

You mean like this?: http://www.fridgefta.info/forums/index.php

Seems to work for me. Or did you mean post a url on a different forum? Some forums require you to CODE the url's, and there is a CODE button to do that for them.

 

[primestar31]

The only reason they would delete any sort of link such as that, is in the case it linked to a pirate forum. If it doesn't then they'd leave it.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

Or deleted (and banned) because the idiot is spamming.