Austar Setup

[tristen]

it's 2pm 38 degrees and this offset lnb on a prime focus is never going to work. Time to track down an old offset dish or buy a prime focus lnb.

No. It won't work properly!

If you attempt to install an offset dish, you then increase the complexity of an otherwise fairly simple exercise.

You will have to (1) align the dish accurately (azimuth and elevation) PLUS (2) align the LNB correctly (skew adjustment).

Do the job correctly the first time and then you won't have the frustration of wasted time, growing expense and continuing problems!

Incidentally, there is no need to have parallel threads running on the same topic - the one here and another in the Satellite TV General section.

[deags]

I already have the LNB for offset (off ebay). So just looking at pricing i may be better off buying an offset dish and set that up rather than a prime focus LNB.

I did align the offset lnb. However, the austar would not lock (this was likely due to the size of the bracket i bought and the lack of perfect dish alignment). To top it off the cable i bought seems to be shorting or something. So that created crappy issues. I've put the old LNB back rotated 90 deg past skew for Austar.

It was a very annoying task. Because the dish was extremely hard to get around it's mounted on a pole so it's hard to get to with a ladder. Also i'd snapped that crucial bolt off.

However, I'd imagine a offset won't be overly hard. It's got to be easier than the crap I've gone through with this dish.

The other house here seems to have 3 dishes. 1 internet and 2 others might see what the others are and if i can take them.

Not sure if i leave VAST on the prime focus and just put austar on the offset or both vast (only needs 13000 and vertical right?) and austar.

I assume 85cm will be adequate.

[deags]

well i picked up a 85cm dish and roof mount. Installed it and lined it up. However, got dark. Will need to seal the connectors and secure the cables tomorrow. At this stage the austar on start up is getting 58. However, at one stage i had 74. Will need to fiddle a bit more tomorrow. Being on a roof reminds me of plumbing.... roofing in summer is good stuff......