Flat panel/concealed dishes for Hotbird, in Dublin.

courghan

Hello guys, I will be moving in my first apartment in about a month and I will probably have to get the rid of my 65cm offset dish (maplin) that has been serving me so well until now as I won't be allowed to keep it on the balcony.
I was thinking to replace it with the maplin 45cm square dish. I would build a little box for it and cover the front with a thin PMMA sheet (similar to the cube sold by digicams-uk) or some other suitable non interfering material (what could I use ?? a fine mesh plastic net?). The benefit of the flat panel of course is that there is not big LNB bracket sticking out and taking over half of the small balcony. If the "front cover" reduces the signal, could this be compensated by using a better LNB?
I am waiting for your expert advice as I have very little knowledge on Sat stuff!

Vroomfondel

The 45cm is likely to be too small, even in Dublin. Especially if you put a plastic cover over it. Why not try hiding the 65cm instead, or lying it horizontally?

http://www.catv-sat.ch/liegend.htm

Ulsterman 1690

The dishes in those pics look a bit close to the balcony fence. it could block some of the signal (although depending on the offset angle most of it should get through)

courghan

The problem is that my apartment is 1st floor and the balcony fence is made of glass, so completely see-thorugh. I was also thinking of concealing the elliptical 60cm mesh (sky minidish zone 2) as it is wider and shorter than my 65 offset and maybe easier to place in a corner. I used to get good signal with the Lidl plastic 40cm offset but it went with bad weather - which is not so unusual in this country -...why are them 45cm flat advertised as 65cm equivalent if they are not?

watty

They would be equivalent in London
Marketing lies.

The flat rear feed 44cm dishes are a minimum size for cassegrain feed, and are not even as efficent as a Sky Zone 1 (45cm) dish.

Minimum for getting the weaker Sky channels in Rain is 65cm and all Hotbird in Rain is 80cm to 90cm.

courghan

Thanks Watty. But could I use then a bigger-than-45cm cassegrain dish, which is far more compact than my standard offset - to get all hotbird in rain (maybe a 60cm??) ?

watty

80cm for all hotbirds in rain

Ulsterman 1690

The stronger Hotbird channels will come in on a 65cm dish but for reliable recption you need an 80cm

why are them 45cm flat advertised as 65cm equivalent if they are not?

Because advertising = legalised fraud ?

L1011

I've got the "stronger" Hotbird channels on a THIRTY FIVE CM dish, U1690 - since 7A and 8 went up the cluster as a whole is a lot stronger.

watty

If the satellites get much stronger on each new launch, we'll be able to use a pot lid

GoGoBoss

Hi Courghan, my first post on this forum. Have a look at selfsat flat panel satellite. Theres no LNB to the front of the dish its about 45cm x 25cm and is suppose to be equivelant to a 60cm dish. Iv'e used one for Astra2 with no problems even during rain etc. However I'm not sure about Hotbird.

watty

It's a Marketing lie. It is not really equivalent to a decent 60cm.

In East it will do for Astra 28.2, but in West, marginal in heavy rain.

It will only do stronger channels on Hotbird.

stevethesatguy

i have a zone 1 sky dish on my house in mayo pointed at astra 2 28.2e and not a problem even in winter,