Salvaged Star Choice dish tried for FTA

[polgyver]

Some time ago I found Star Choice dish at garage sale in the "free" area. I removed 2 original LNBF's (is it possible to use them? most likely, they are circular, not useful for FTA...). Installed typical standard LNBF - I understand, its "field of sight" , or, illumination, is more than the dish's surface, probably "seeing" area above and below the dish, as it does not have the original LNBF's scalar. Yet, microHD shows S/Q = 90/70 for BVN on 101 W, despite rather small surface of this dish. Is it due to, rather optimistic, microHD signal meter?

 

[SatelliteAV]

The StarChoice LNBFs are linear and very good quality. Well worth keeping!

BVN is a solid strong signal. The signal quality sounds about right.

 

[Wescopc]

use the orginal LNBs they work very well.
Bob

 

[Anole]

I'm a little vague on StarChoice dishes, but don't they have two sizes: 60cm, and 75cm?
Can you measure the width and height of yours?
I understand the construction quality is/was excellent.

Nice bracket you fabricated.
I see the template used to position the new LNBF exactly where the old one was. :up

 

[Tron]

I wish there were Starchoice dishes around here... Nice find!

 

[SatelliteAV]

The StarChoice dishes are OEM Channel Master. No secret why they are so good!

If anyone on the forum knows about the dual feedhorn, it would be Wescopc! Bob has extensive knowledge about the 4 degree two satellite solution as he spoke with one of the original engineers several years ago regarding the design and product availability.

 

[Keith Brannen]

Looks like a 60e to me (and I use both the 60e and 75e dishes, see my signature for where I use them). The dishes are very well constructed, and are Channel Master dishes(as Brian mentioned). The elevation gauge is spot on, unlike some of my other dishes! The LNBs (as Brian also mentioned) are linear, and they are bandstacked LNBs 10750 V / 10175 H. I think there is a setting in the MicroHD for it (as I remember Brian asking for different LNB configuration settings, and I gave him the info).

Your replacement LNB (and I use several similar ones for off-centre LNBs) are probably seeing more width than the original LNB (its aperature is oval like the dish, but at a 90 angle).

 

[Wescopc]

The StarChoice dish that I have has a one piece 4 degree dual (standard) LNBs with a 22 khz switch to activate the western LNB.
Bob

 

[Conky]

I use a Starchoice 60e I bought for $20 for a fixed Hispasat dish (to save wear on my Starchoice/Winegard 1metre w/HH motor) Im surprised how it really outperforms its small size. CM makes good stuff. Im guessing its the fibreglass dish isn't prone to warping like a metal dish
on my samsung quad lnb 22khz OFF gets you the 'boresight' LNB and 22khz ON gets you the offset LNB

 

[Keith Brannen]

A quick clarification to my above post. The California Amplifier Part #150462 LNBs that polgyver has are bandstacked, as I mentioned. Later SC LNBs, such as the dual satellite, quad output, are standard linear (and which I have on all my SC dishes). One of the California Amplifier LNBs gave up the ghost on the one dual LNB that I had, so I no longer use it.

 

[polgyver]

Thank you, gents, for all information. Today I tried to use the original LNBF's, connecting first the East one, and later, the other, directly to microHD, but it appears they do not work. After replacing them with tested LNBF, I got the reception. The dish, indeed, has good geometry and provides good S/Q. It is 18" high and 32" wide. The only flaw, typical also in other dishes, is too much clearance between top bolt (acting as an axis for elevation adjustment) and the bracket. I do not know if I should use the switch-like small box?

 

[catamount]

Polgyver,

Since those lnb's are bandstacked, you would use a vertical transponder to get signal. Or you have to add 575 to horizontal. So, in your second picture you would use 12395 ( 11820 + 575 ) This assumes a 10750 lo lnb setting. Or you could change lnb setting to 10175 for horizontal.

I have the larger 75 cm dish with same LNB's.

I blindscan vertical only using11700 to 12800.

Catamount

 

[Keith Brannen]

That switch is a 0/22KHz switch, top left is 22KHz (on), top right is 0KHz (off). It allowed two receivers to be connected (bottom outputs) and receive both satellites. Since bandstacked LNBs do not require a voltage change to switch between vertical and horizontal transponders, both receivers could independently get either V or H transponders on either satellite.

If the switch still works, you could use it as a standard 0/22KHz switch, but only for one output (since you aren't going to use the bandstacked LNBs).

Did you do a blindscan with the bandstacked LNBs? If not, they may still work, but may have some frequency shift, so wouldn't pick up the same frequency that your replacement LNB uses for the channels you have in the receiver.

 

[Soniconyourroof]

I use a shaw dish for 125w it seams my c band and KU band dishes can not get it on the arck. so i use a independent dish. They even work good with the week PBS dvbs2 single. I always try to grab one of those dish's when I am at garage sales as cheep if not free. I have had no success using the 22k switch for using the west LNBF.
Do i have to have the polarization just right? I have messed around for hours and ended up giving up.

 

[Keith Brannen]

I use a shaw dish for 125w it seams my c band and KU band dishes can not get it on the arck. so i use a independent dish. They even work good with the week PBS dvbs2 single. I always try to grab one of those dish's when I am at garage sales as cheep if not free. I have had no success using the 22k switch for using the west LNBF.
Do i have to have the polarization just right? I have messed around for hours and ended up giving up.

Your switch could be bad (or the LNB). At one time (in 2007) I did use the switch on my Pansat, but found that it was flaky in switching. This was not surprising to me, as when the switch and LNBs were being used to receive Star Choice, water/ice got in past the coax connector/boot (more than once) on the 0KHz port (remember being up on a ladder late at night with a hair dryer, LOL!) and eventually blew out part of the LNB (could only receive vertical transponders) that then required a replacement of the LNBs.

Just tried the switch on the Pansat, and it is now locked on the 22KHz only port, won't switch to the 0KHz port at all.