Given that lnb's are one of the least expensive components in the system, putting the approx $20.00 price difference aside, which one would you choose and why? Is it worth saving $20.00 bucks? Is the invacom really too heavy?
Xtreme 0.3 vs Invacom snh-031
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for me the Invacom was too heavy. It stuck out too far on the back so it moved the arm which screwed my numbers. If you have a way to reinforce the arm it will be fine 
I like the Xtreme. Very lightweight and low profile
I like the Xtreme. Very lightweight and low profile
Iceberg said:for me the Invacom was too heavy. It stuck out too far on the back so it moved the arm which screwed my numbers. If you have a way to reinforce the arm it will be fine
I like the Xtreme. Very lightweight and low profile
Can you describe what you mean by "It stuck out too far on the back so it moved the arm...". I'm not picturing what you mean. I have a digiwave offset dish with a single coming up from the bottom and a clamp similar to a conecting rod's big end. I can slide the lnb forward and back, but I've never noticed a difference in signal strength.
Just like Iceberg, my Invacom single is heavy enough to flex the arm on my little dish such that I lose a bit of quality since the arm is only supported back at the mount. If I support the weight a little bit everything works well. I've put my old LNBF back (came with the dish) and am going to mount the Invacom on the scalar ring of my big dish as an experiment. I'm hoping it works well enough that I won't need to replace my C only feedhorn with a C/Ku feedhorn + Ku LNB.
Tim,
The LNB sticks straight off the back about 5 inches or so. With the weight on the back, it tilts the holder so you do lose some signal. If you have a way to brace the arm it will be fine.
The LNB sticks straight off the back about 5 inches or so. With the weight on the back, it tilts the holder so you do lose some signal. If you have a way to brace the arm it will be fine.
TiminMb said:
It's a cheap OEM 90cm dish (rated as 1m but I knew better), labelled as Ariza but I've seen pictures of Multistar dishes that look the same. I wish I'd bought the Winegard 1m at the time but the wife was with me and I had to show some fiscal restraint plus I was still very new to FTA (2 years ago already - time goes fast). Now I'm itching to put up a 3rd dish.
I hear ya Mark. I'm itching to get a 1.0 or 1.2 meter dish. Reception of is off and on for some satellites.
I have a Winegard 76cm dish, and didn't have a problem with the SNH-031 being too heavy.
However, I did have that problem with the QPH-031. It caused the arm to sag, and I was never able to get it to properly track the arc... if it was Ok on the east end, you couldn't get anything on the west end.
Someone suggested using some guy wires to hold up the arm, and I will try that once it gets warmer and I can spend more time outside messing with it. Right now, I'm back to using my original cheapie LNB with an old Dish Network LNB bungie corded to the side of it, which so far seems to be working fairly well.
However, I did have that problem with the QPH-031. It caused the arm to sag, and I was never able to get it to properly track the arc... if it was Ok on the east end, you couldn't get anything on the west end.
Someone suggested using some guy wires to hold up the arm, and I will try that once it gets warmer and I can spend more time outside messing with it. Right now, I'm back to using my original cheapie LNB with an old Dish Network LNB bungie corded to the side of it, which so far seems to be working fairly well.
The guy wires sound like a good idea. Even monofilament fishing line would work.
Did the 90cm supposed to be 1.0m dish have a single arm, or a twin supports on the sides?
I think I'm switching to a 1.0m dish ASAP. If that doesn't do it fully, then its on to a 0.3 extreme of Invacom 0.3. This hobby reminds me of the arms race.
Did the 90cm supposed to be 1.0m dish have a single arm, or a twin supports on the sides?
I think I'm switching to a 1.0m dish ASAP. If that doesn't do it fully, then its on to a 0.3 extreme of Invacom 0.3. This hobby reminds me of the arms race.
Interesting jh98
I had the opposite reaction. The single (due to the ass end being so far out) I lost signal but the Quad I haven’t had any issues. I’m also using a Winegard dish. I wonder if maybe its your location and how many satellites are to the west of your true south versus east.
Where I am (Minnesota) our TS is IA6 so if I go to the far east (129) or far west (61) so my only difference is 4 degrees between my far east satellite & far west.
What is your true south and do you remember which satellite it started screwing up on?
I had the opposite reaction. The single (due to the ass end being so far out) I lost signal but the Quad I haven’t had any issues. I’m also using a Winegard dish. I wonder if maybe its your location and how many satellites are to the west of your true south versus east.
Where I am (Minnesota) our TS is IA6 so if I go to the far east (129) or far west (61) so my only difference is 4 degrees between my far east satellite & far west.
What is your true south and do you remember which satellite it started screwing up on?
I have a Winegard 2076 and the QPH-031. As ICE has mentioned above, this LNB has some weight to it and I noticed some sag on the arm. I noticed that the dish came with bracing holes on its circumference and on the arm. I don’t know why they were not shipped with the kit. Winegard saved a few cents I guess ;(
So I just added two bracing members to make sure that it is not going anywhere. Before you cut the bracing though, mount the dish and find a satellite close to your true south. This is to make sure that he dish is in its most neutral position without tilting. Now either use an analyzer to measure the signal or use your receiver to check the signal. In my case I did not have to force the arm back in neutral position but it might be different in your case. The goal is to find the arm position where you have the strongest signal. Now measure the distance from the holes on the circumference and the arm and cut your braces. Screw them in place and you’re in business.
So I just added two bracing members to make sure that it is not going anywhere. Before you cut the bracing though, mount the dish and find a satellite close to your true south. This is to make sure that he dish is in its most neutral position without tilting. Now either use an analyzer to measure the signal or use your receiver to check the signal. In my case I did not have to force the arm back in neutral position but it might be different in your case. The goal is to find the arm position where you have the strongest signal. Now measure the distance from the holes on the circumference and the arm and cut your braces. Screw them in place and you’re in business.
TiminMb said:
The dish has a single arm of rectangular tubing. I was thinking about guy wires on each side but then I've got so many other things I want to do with my dishes the idea got left in the dust. Definitely get a good quality 1m dish first and make sure it tracks the arc perfectly before upgrading LNB's (if you can afford the dish).
What I really want is a second DVB receiver with a really fast blind scan. Then I can scan both Ku and C band at the same time or even 2 different Ku sats once I get Ku on the other dish.
My TS is G3C at 95. With the Quad, if everything was adjusted for a good signal on G10R, the signal started getting weak on AMC5, SBS 6 wasn't strong enough to lock-in, and there was nothing on Amzaonas.
If I adjusted things, so the signal on SBS 6 was OK, the signal was quite weak on G10-R.
Now with the much lighter LNB, I'm getting everything from 61 to 148. (Actually further than 148, as the circular LNB is lashed to the side of the linear.)
I even had problems with the Quad trying to use a DiSEqC switch. The circular side was fine, but the linear side just wouldn't work. I tried all the positions, three switches.
Now, with a new switch everything's working properly with the lashed-up setup... I even wired in 110 and 119 from my Dish Network superdish (coming out of the DP34) so I can check out anything FTA there without motoring the dish.
If I adjusted things, so the signal on SBS 6 was OK, the signal was quite weak on G10-R.
Now with the much lighter LNB, I'm getting everything from 61 to 148. (Actually further than 148, as the circular LNB is lashed to the side of the linear.)
I even had problems with the Quad trying to use a DiSEqC switch. The circular side was fine, but the linear side just wouldn't work. I tried all the positions, three switches.
Now, with a new switch everything's working properly with the lashed-up setup... I even wired in 110 and 119 from my Dish Network superdish (coming out of the DP34) so I can check out anything FTA there without motoring the dish.
Have a look.......
www.invacom.net
When I replaced a smaller LNBF with the QPH-031 I was expecting problems with the weight on my 36" dish........
But everything was still perfect, all positions were exactly the same as they were with my ASC321s that I was using!
www.invacom.net
When I replaced a smaller LNBF with the QPH-031 I was expecting problems with the weight on my 36" dish........
But everything was still perfect, all positions were exactly the same as they were with my ASC321s that I was using!
If you have an old TV antenna that you can salvage two of the longer elements from, they will make excellent support arms for the LNBF. Just attach them from the LNBF support block to the sides of the dish.
See the Wingard link for where they attach their support arms:
http://www.winegard.com/home/1m.htm
Also, if the LNBF is bending the holder, then add some bracing from the support arm to the LNBF itself to firm it up. A piece of metal along the bottom to the LNBF should be fairly simple to bend up and attach, even cable ties would hold it in place.
See the Wingard link for where they attach their support arms:
http://www.winegard.com/home/1m.htm
Also, if the LNBF is bending the holder, then add some bracing from the support arm to the LNBF itself to firm it up. A piece of metal along the bottom to the LNBF should be fairly simple to bend up and attach, even cable ties would hold it in place.
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