Primestar 75E

[ChuckBoozer]

Just picked up a Primestar 75E.

My HH100 has been acting squirrely lately and I am concerned that my Primestar 84E may be a little too heavy for the motor.

How much difference in signal quality can I expect if I swap out the dishes?

 

[iafirebuff]

What dish are you using now?

I have an 80cm dish and a Primestar. The difference on signal is about 5-10% on my Fortec. The big difference I saw was back when 11720 was low poered on G10 and there was interference from an adjacent satellite. 11720 was not viewable alot of the time. I went to the Primestar and no problems. Then they changed something as 11720 is now as strong as others. Also, during rain or real cloudy weather, I loose signal on the 80cm before I do on the Primestar. Quite often the 80cm during a storm might be out for awhile, and i never loose the signal on the Primestar.

 

[ChuckBoozer]

What dish are you using now?

I have an 80cm dish and a Primestar. The difference on signal is about 5-10% on my Fortec. The big difference I saw was back when 11720 was low poered on G10 and there was interference from an adjacent satellite. 11720 was not viewable alot of the time. I went to the Primestar and no problems. Then they changed something as 11720 is now as strong as others. Also, during rain or real cloudy weather, I loose signal on the 80cm before I do on the Primestar. Quite often the 80cm during a storm might be out for awhile, and i never loose the signal on the Primestar.

I'm using the Primestar 84E with my HH100. Pretty solid signal quality across all sats.

 

[Mr Tony]

is the 84e the 40x30 size?

The best thing to do is try and remove as much weight on the back as possible and try to fabricate a bracket for it. On my 40x30 dish the elevation bracket was very heavy.

Here is a thread where people used a SG2100 with a Primestar dish
http://www.satelliteguys.us/showthread.php?t=23072&highlight=primestar+sg2100

 

[ChuckBoozer]

is the 84e the 40x30 size?

The best thing to do is try and remove as much weight on the back as possible and try to fabricate a bracket for it. On my 40x30 dish the elevation bracket was very heavy.

Here is a thread where people used a SG2100 with a Primestar dish
http://www.satelliteguys.us/showthread.php?t=23072&highlight=primestar+sg2100

Yes - it is the 40x30 size. I am currently using the existing mount and shimming it up with PVC pipe. Fits pretty snug - just a little heavy.

 

[stogie5150]

Yeah you need to ditch that stock mount.... I have a 1m P* on a sg2100 and it moves it no problem. I have another sg2100 due here Tuesday, it is going on an 84e oval P* to solve an issue I have with a TREE.
I will be fab'ing my mount Monday so it will be ready when the motor gets here Tuesday. :

 

[linuxman]

I have two 84e's mounted on SG2100 with the stock P* mount turned upside down and clamped on a PVC insert and the 50MM tube, and neither has had any problems moving the dishes.

 

[ChuckBoozer]

Yeah you need to ditch that stock mount.... I have a 1m P* on a sg2100 and it moves it no problem. I have another sg2100 due here Tuesday, it is going on an 84e oval P* to solve an issue I have with a TREE.
I will be fab'ing my mount Monday so it will be ready when the motor gets here Tuesday. :

Any advice on a replacement mount? It sounds like you are making your own. I'm not extremely handy, but can handle basic projects. Is it a fairly simple fabrication?

 

[stogie5150]

Any advice on a replacement mount? It sounds like you are making your own. I'm not extremely handy, but can handle basic projects. Is it a fairly simple fabrication?

For me the simple way to do it is to mount a plate to the dish (you can use plywood in a pinch or aluminum angle, or flat bar if you can get it, I used Aluminum plate because I had some. ), then drill the plate to accept a foot mount from a Directv dish. Then you can use a fab'd jackscrew to adjust elevation. I have some pics here of my 1m dish to give you an idea. PM me if you want detailed instructions on how I did it..

 

[stogie5150]

Looking back at the archived threads in the 1m to 1.2m Primestar thread this post is where I adapted my idea from. I used the top set of pics as a guide. Thanks to him for the idea.

http://www.satelliteguys.us/showthread.php?t=23072&page=6&highlight=SG2100+Primestar+Dish

Now, looking farther down the page, I see at the bottom someone using a skew plate from a D* Phase III dish. I have about five of those lying around, so I may try THAT for my 84e.

 

[ChuckBoozer]

Thanks for all of the responses - I may look to rig up a lighter mount for the 84E before I try it with the motor again.

In the meantime I may just go ahead and use the smaller 75E. Does anyone have any experience with FTA signal quality on the smaller Primestar dish?

 

[linuxman]

Check out this thread written by Mike Kohl, from the review section.

It will tell you all you need to know about the differences between the 84e and 75e, and signal capability.

Hope that helps,

Fred

 

[ChuckBoozer]

Check out this thread written by Mike Kohl, from the review section.

It will tell you all you need to know about the differences between the 84e and 75e, and signal capability.

Hope that helps,

Fred

Yes, it does - thanks for the info!

 

[turbosat]

Thanks Linuxman, I missed that thread.. I didn't think those 84e were all that highly rated, just thought the one I had was a fluke since it works so well.

 

[linuxman]

Both the 84e and the 75e are great dishes. Even the OEM LNBFs are very good.

Especially good when you can find them free about anywhere.

 

[ChuckBoozer]

Both the 84e and the 75e are great dishes. Even the OEM LNBFs are very good.

Especially good when you can find them free about anywhere.

Amen to that!

Both of my Primestar dishes were freebies that I picked up (one through Freecycle and the other one I spotted on top of a gas station). I'm always on the lookout for more - recently spotted 2 84E's in front yards that I will be inquiring about in the near future.

 

[turbosat]

chuck what size is ur dish, I looked at mine today, and they were'nt what I thought.
I don't have a 75, but I have two oval, one smaller that I thought was 1m, but it is marked .90M on the back. The bigger one I thought was 1.2, is not, it is marked 1.0M-02. I thought I had a 1.2M , maybe they didnt even have that size.

 

[ChuckBoozer]

chuck what size is ur dish, I looked at mine today, and they were'nt what I thought.
I don't have a 75, but I have two oval, one smaller that I thought was 1m, but it is marked .90M on the back. The bigger one I thought was 1.2, is not, it is marked 1.0M-02. I thought I had a 1.2M , maybe they didnt even have that size.

The smaller dish (75E) is 33" x 25"
The larger dish (84E) is 40" x 30"

Both are oval Channel Masters.

 

[turbosat]

Thats one I havent seen Chuck, thanks. I have 2 of those 84es also , using one. It is strange how light they are, even with the stock mount (compared to a direcway dish!)