Use Dish/LNB and communications receiver?

[KG9NZ]

I see that satellite dishes and LNBs are pretty cheap. Appears standard LNB output band is around 1-2GHz. Would there be anything of interest to hear if I bought one of these and connected the output to a general-purpose communications receiver? I'm not really interested in satellite TV. I have an Icom PCR-1500 that works up to 3GHz, with variable receive bandwidth. Would I be able to receive anything interesting with this setup? I'm looking for any type of utility transmissions, weather, or shortwave radio stations. Also, how big of a dish would I need and how hard would it be to aim the dish for a temporary setup?

Thanks,
Frank

 

[prcguy]

Those LNBs are fairly useless except for pay TV. The downlink range is 12.2 to 12.7GHz which is exclusive for direct to home satellite service. They will pick up some of the 11.7 to 12.2GHz FSS band where there are some narrow carriers that may be received with an outboard receiver but the feed is circular pol and not compatible with the FSS service which is linear pol. This is why old 18" dishes are for sale as cheap as $5 and nobody will buy them.
prcguy

 

[KG9NZ]

If I did want to hear, for example, radio stations (shortwave) that broadcast on satellite, could I do so with a larger dish using an LNB and just a communications receiver? Or would I need other receiving equipment? How large of a dish would I need? I'm interested mainly in experimenting here, not necessarily perfect reception. And I realize that the digital dishes are pretty much worthless for this purpose but I noticed the analog dishes and LNBs are not real expensive either.

Thanks,
Frank KG9NZ

 

[prcguy]

Checkout Lyngsat and look for radio services. Some may still be usable with an FM receiver that will tune 950-1450MHz but its been awhile since I did this. For many Ku satellites you can get by with a 30" dish and cheap LNB, around $75 new. For C-band the smallest practical dish is probably about 6ft these days. Here is a link to Lyngsat:
http://www.lyngsat.com/america.html
prcguy

If I did want to hear, for example, radio stations (shortwave) that broadcast on satellite, could I do so with a larger dish using an LNB and just a communications receiver? Or would I need other receiving equipment? How large of a dish would I need? I'm interested mainly in experimenting here, not necessarily perfect reception. And I realize that the digital dishes are pretty much worthless for this purpose but I noticed the analog dishes and LNBs are not real expensive either.

Thanks,
Frank KG9NZ

 

[k9rzz]

I heard Inmarsat last summer:

http://www.radioreference.com/forums/showthread.php?t=68142&highlight=inmarsat (scroll down for pics).

Nothing real interesting, but a fun project just to see if I could get it to work ... and it did.

 

[k9rzz]

Along this line of thought, what about other satellite feeds? National Public Radio and the various local region feeds (Wisconsin Public Radio, etc) ??

It's all up there somewhere, anyone want to clue us in on where?

 

[prcguy]

See my Lyngsat link a few posts back, it will show most of the current lineup on all the satellites.
prcguy

Along this line of thought, what about other satellite feeds? National Public Radio and the various local region feeds (Wisconsin Public Radio, etc) ??

It's all up there somewhere, anyone want to clue us in on where?

 

[k9rzz]

Sure, that's what is 'broadcasted', but what about the radio backhauls, the station links? There's a lot of stuff up there on those birds that aren't listed on Lyngsat! Not necessarily the TV backhauls and live news reports, but for radio. I'm sure most of it is encrypted or such, but there might be something up there interesting to listen to. No?

And that reminds me that there is a hurricane approaching mainland ... time to watch for TV news reporters again.

This will be a good satellite weekend.

 

[prcguy]

Most of that is listed on Lyngsat. Click on the Lyngsat logo for the home page and select 'free radio" then USA, there will be lots of satellite radio to listen to. The TV station back hauls are usually listed as occasional use and will sometimes have the network logo for those transponders that are leased on a full time basis. Some TV news back hauls are not listed due to ad hock leasing and these usually show up on Ku band. There should be lots of them with the hurricane watch in Louisiana. Some are in the clear and are fun to watch the news anchors pick their nose between takes.
prcguy

 

[k9rzz]

Was just thinking that I could hook up the R7100 and tune around with the Ku dish, but the LNB needs power from the sat. receiver .... hmmmm ... not just a simple hook up.

 

[prcguy]

Depending on the LNB it may take 13v and 18v to switch between polarities. Check Epay item # 250225212898, this will power two LNBs or switch between 13 and 18v.
prcguy

Was just thinking that I could hook up the R7100 and tune around with the Ku dish, but the LNB needs power from the sat. receiver .... hmmmm ... not just a simple hook up.

 

[k9rzz]

Well, if I can just sample the RF off the line and use the sat. receiver to power and aim the dish, I'm golden. There is a port on the rcvr that's labeled "Sat. Out". Need to check the manual to see if that will just give me RF out without the DC so I can hook up the UHF receiver?

Gotta read the manual: http://www.sadoun.com/Sat/Products/...-Lifetime-Ultra-Blind-Search-receiver-New.htm

 

[k9rzz]

Hmmmm ... got about 0.5 volts DC on that outlet.