Ever since the launch of SES 6 over two years ago, I've been interested in receiving the transponders in the 4500 to 4800 MHz frequency range. SES 6 is the only satellite visible from my location that has transponders in this band.
But with reports of mostly no video, and LNBs running around $200, despite the R.F. geek that I am, I couldn't justify the expense just to watch a few blips on a spectrum analyzer.
Recently Lyngsat listed a few video channels and serendipitously, a few NIB New Japan Radio Co. PLL LNBs for this band showed up on ebay for $50 plus shipping (albeit without warranty or returns). Seemed like a good time to try this new band.
I planned to use a Chaparral Polarotor feed with a dielectric slab. Even though this feed is spec'd to only 4200 MHz, I figured that since wave guide is a high pass filter, it should work well enough.
First I mounted the feed on my 10 ft. dish with a conventional C Band LNB to get the dish peaked up on SES 6. I then swapped in the new LNB. But I received nothing in the new band! Arrgh! Surprisingly the LNB passed most of the band from about 3900 to 4200 MHz. Transponders in this range came in fine.
Figuring it was a feed problem, Plan B was to use a Chaparral Super Feed. Despite its name, it is a very simple feed, no polarization control. You can look down the throat and see the probe in the LNB. Again, it is only rated to 4200 MHz, but I figured there was less to mess up the frequency response.
Success! Not much to watch really, but I'm OK with that. Lyngsat has all the details and they are correct. NET TV promo is a loop for the League of Legends game with a test pattern between loops. All of the channels in the Viacom mux are scrambled. I wasn't able to get any of the channels in the SES Ultra HD Demo mux to play. I've had some luck with other UHD channels, so it may be a signal strength issue. I still have a lot of fine tuning to do on the feed.
This LNB has a LO of 5760. The microHD only has the option for 5750, so I used that. All of the channels scanned in at the frequencies listed on Lyngsat, so perhaps the frequency on the label is a typo. Most “Insat” LNBs have an LO of 5750.
SES 6 has 38 transponders from 3600 to 4800 MHz. They are all circularly polarized. North America, South America and Western Europe are all covered by the same 38 C Band Transponders.
To change polarization I have to walk out to the dish and re-position the dielectric slab. Anyone know of something better and not too expensive?
All in all, a very pleasant way to spend Saturday afternoon!
But with reports of mostly no video, and LNBs running around $200, despite the R.F. geek that I am, I couldn't justify the expense just to watch a few blips on a spectrum analyzer.
Recently Lyngsat listed a few video channels and serendipitously, a few NIB New Japan Radio Co. PLL LNBs for this band showed up on ebay for $50 plus shipping (albeit without warranty or returns). Seemed like a good time to try this new band.
I planned to use a Chaparral Polarotor feed with a dielectric slab. Even though this feed is spec'd to only 4200 MHz, I figured that since wave guide is a high pass filter, it should work well enough.
First I mounted the feed on my 10 ft. dish with a conventional C Band LNB to get the dish peaked up on SES 6. I then swapped in the new LNB. But I received nothing in the new band! Arrgh! Surprisingly the LNB passed most of the band from about 3900 to 4200 MHz. Transponders in this range came in fine.
Figuring it was a feed problem, Plan B was to use a Chaparral Super Feed. Despite its name, it is a very simple feed, no polarization control. You can look down the throat and see the probe in the LNB. Again, it is only rated to 4200 MHz, but I figured there was less to mess up the frequency response.
Success! Not much to watch really, but I'm OK with that. Lyngsat has all the details and they are correct. NET TV promo is a loop for the League of Legends game with a test pattern between loops. All of the channels in the Viacom mux are scrambled. I wasn't able to get any of the channels in the SES Ultra HD Demo mux to play. I've had some luck with other UHD channels, so it may be a signal strength issue. I still have a lot of fine tuning to do on the feed.
This LNB has a LO of 5760. The microHD only has the option for 5750, so I used that. All of the channels scanned in at the frequencies listed on Lyngsat, so perhaps the frequency on the label is a typo. Most “Insat” LNBs have an LO of 5750.
SES 6 has 38 transponders from 3600 to 4800 MHz. They are all circularly polarized. North America, South America and Western Europe are all covered by the same 38 C Band Transponders.
To change polarization I have to walk out to the dish and re-position the dielectric slab. Anyone know of something better and not too expensive?
All in all, a very pleasant way to spend Saturday afternoon!
