Rookie 2. HughesNet dish

[sathunt]

Ran across a newer HughesNet dish. Was wondering if it would work for FTA. Roughly 26x36. If so, how does new lnbf hook up? Been looking around forum but couldn't find clear answer. Wanted to order new lnbf when I ordered new equipment for c band to try and save on shipping.

 

[FaT Air]

Here's some threads with some good info:
http://www.satelliteguys.us/threads/193774-So-I-scored-a-HughesNet-Dish-today
http://www.satelliteguys.us/threads/260583-Hughesnet-dish-mod
http://www.satelliteguys.us/threads/211672-Hughesnet-raven-dish-74-Good-for-FTA
Post some pics.

 

[sathunt]

Thanks FatAir. Helpful links. Looks like its worth trying. Going to be in addition to c band update that you have posted on in cband discussion. So I should have plenty of time to play w/ and adjust it to different sats that BUD will not turn to. Dish does not have HughesNet Lnb still attached. Just mounting pole. I think that will be my biggest challenge is mounting new lnb correctly. Was thinking of getting a universal to make sure all frequincies are covered. Correct? Also has probably 5-6 feet of pole sticking out of ground I can have. Should be perfect for what I need to mount

 

[Anole]

Post a picture, please.
As for the wide dish, I think you'd be better off with a matching feedhorn than a standard round one.
But, do what ya gotta do and try it.

 

[sathunt]

Pica as requested.

 

[sathunt]

Anole, when u say matching feedhorn, are you referring to a hughesnet feedhorn that would have came w/the dish? I remember sum1 else suggesting that in a previous thread. What sparked my interest is seeing a post by Iceberg on his dish farm where he had a wide Primestar hooked up w/newer lnbs. Realize they are not same dish tho. That's y I thought I would ask b4 buying a lnb.

 

[Anole]

Well, spending $15-20 on an LNB won't break you, so it's not the end of the world.
All the LNBFs available in North America have round internal scalers to match round dishes.
The feed from that dish would have been a bit taller than wide.
A round feed won't extract the maximum performance, but aimed at 97•w, you should still get lots of channels.

 

[sathunt]

As always. Great explanation! Thanks for comments. And yea, $20 isn't gonna break me. And I'll already have lnbf in case I run across a better dish later. Plus I can mess w/ lining up dish to different satellites. Thanks again.

P.S. if anyone else has any other links or suggestions on how to mount lnb, I'm ALL EARS! I have no idea where to begin on mounting or linging up.

 

[SatelliteAV]

Maybe a SatelliteGuy with this same dish would measure and provide the focal point and height above the feed arm to the center of the Feedhorn. Invert a conduit hanger as a LNBF clamp and drill a hole through the feed arm for the threaded rod to bolt through.

 

[FaT Air]

The other way I know of is via calculation. But the formula only works with a normal offset, not an elliptical, directly. You can get the numbers to enter by aiming the face of the dish vertical, and filling the 'bowl' with water so it extends, centered in the face, from top lip to bottom lip. Using the width of the water 'pool' as dish width(small axis). Also need deepest depth and its distance from the lower lip. Punch the numbers into the Wifi calculations - offset dish of Parabola Calculator 2.0
Will output the distance from upper and lower lip, offset angle, etc.
NOTE: the focal point is behind the feed throat cover, inside the LNBF, so account for this.Like any calculations, it gets you very close, but not perfection so some tweaking may be needed.

 

[Anole]

This isn't the same dish, but it's a similar elliptical shape.
You can see what the feedhorn looks like for it.