Date:         Mon, 29 Aug 1994 11:09:20 PDT
From:         rkobenter@VMSMAIL.GOV.BC.CA
Organization: BC Systems Corporation
Subject:      How to do a Ku upgrade..instructions for a Newbie!

UPGRADING TO A DUAL C-Ku FEEDHORN


Background:

Satellite TV (TVRO a.k.a. BUD) is a lot like your Stereo set. Most people
are familiar with the AM receiver, in the case of TVRO this is akin to
'C' band. Like AM, C band has a wider reception range. Ku band on the other
hand is a lot like FM. You have to be more aware of the reception range.
Just as you'd want FM on your stereo you should consider adding Ku to
your TVRO system.

Whats on Ku?

Backhauls and more. If you are interested in detailed listinsg of whats on
Ku start by FTPing the latest SSVC from oak.oakland.edu in the directory:
/pub/msdos/satelite the file is ZIPed and the name of the file increments
from issue to issue: SSVC3n3.zip is the most current edition.

If you live within the Canadian border area or Northern US the added attraction
to Ku is the variety of full-time Anik Ku services which for the most part
are ITC signals. Some of the English signals you can expect to find are
PBS-like services: AlbertaAccess, KnowledgeNetwork, Saskatchewan and the
excellent TVOntario. In addition the Canadian version of MUCH MUSIC.
If you are after French programming then you can find the RadioQuebec TV
and the private-(commercial)-Network TQS. In addition the french version of TVO
called LaChaine, this is a PBS-like quality network.

What is needed to upgrade?

Your current system probably has a C band only feedhorn. You'll have to replace
this with a dual feedhorn. The dual feed will enable you to add the Ku LNB.
A number of vendors are available , two of the more common are the CorotorII+
and the ADL-RP1. Which one you choose is a question of how much money
you wish to spend and what results you expect to get. Check to see if you
live in an area capable of International reception. If you do then there are
other factors to consider. Is the feed capable of a dialectric insert?
A good discussion of these factors can be found in rec.video.satellite or
consult the TVRO FAQ. If you are serious about International sats I have been
told to look at the ADL or the International version of the CoRotor.


What about the LNB ratings?

The lower the better. This will ensure that you will get reception quality that
you expect. I upgraded from a 60 degree C band LNB to a 25 degree LNB. The
improvement was significant using my old Feedhorn! Switching to the new Feed
improved matters greatly! On the Ku side. look for a value lower than 1.0 dB.
typical values are .6 and .7. However .5's and .8's are also available.
In my case I went with a .8 dB based on cost and the results where excellent!

What about cost?

Doing it yourself will save you money and believe me the time factor is not
that bad. I knew little except what came on the accompanying feedhorn
documentation and within 2 hours I was up and running, I could probably do it
in half the time now!

In the USA, a feed horn such as a corotorII+ sells for around $140.
Some dealers (such as Global Comm) sell packages with a 20 deg. C and a .6
or .7 Ku for around $250 US. In Canada I have seen some dealers sell
an ADL package with a 25 and a .7 for $389 CDN.

In my case I decided to replace the wiring to the dish since you will need a
coax for the Ku. Make sure that you use RG6 (or better) and that you have
good connectors!


How to start...

1) I suggest you read the feedhorn instructions, better safe then sorry!
2) get to know the f/D ratio. This basically is used when you set the
'throat' of the feed inside the ring. The exact location is important since
it has a direct bearing on you picture quality! The formula is simple
to work out. The CorotorII+ suggests that a mathematical result less
than .30 means that you should set the throat of the feed in to the notch
labeled .36. I spoke with my dealer and his recommendation was
to adjust this for best results.

I suggest you start by setting your actuator/dish to a satellite where you
know there is a Ku signal. SInce you probably have your actuator pogrammed
for G7, G4 or Anik E1. Select one of these birds. If you know where K2
is then select that one. Not all satellites have full time Ku services!

OK, the preliminary stuff is to follow the instructions and mount the C and Ku
LNBs as specified. My instruction guide said to mount the Feedhorn ring
to the four poles from the dish.

I then wired up the servo and the Coaxes. I had my spare TV outside to watch
as I stood on the ladder with the feed in my hand.

Earlier I mentioned the f/D ratio. This is important but probably more
important
is the focal point (direction). The CoRotorII+ comes with a little template
which sits on top of the Servo motor.

As you position the 'throat' of the feedhorn inside the ring pay attention to
the polar axis. It should be perpendicular to the 90 degree line on your dish.
In other words right down the middle (top to bottom) of your dish.
If you aren't sure you could put a piece of tape at both sides (that is if
you can get to the top of your dish, i couldn't) but for the most part
this is only important if you can not observe a monitor as you insert the feed.
Being able to watch the picture sure helps!

My experiences where at first mixed which explains why the whole operation took
me two hours! If I had followed the instructions I'd have been down in one
hour! Why? because as I inserted the feedhorns' throat into the ring I found
the best reception of my Ku signal was not as expect at .36 f/D but rather
near the edge of the throat at what I guess would be .44 f/D. Obviously
I was doing something wrong, but as a newbie how would I know?

What about Inclination/Declination and little black sparklies?

Well, I switched back to the recommended .36 f/D which meant next to an
unviewable picture and switched to C band. Guess what, a smoking picture
just great. Hmm, why a great C and a lousy Ku picture? Well I remember
having read in rec.video.satellite that 'Ku'band was far more particular
about the tracking of your dish (that C band is). Well I was confident that
the 'East-West' tracking on my dish was pretty good. So this left me with
thoughts about that most unknown of TVRO jargon, the infamous Declination/
Inclination bolt on the dish. Basically the attached to the bottom lip
(or thereabouts) of my dish. This (as I understood it) defines the look-angle
of my dish. If you are tracked for the 69-139 deg. 'ARC' then the inclination
of the sats is on or about 0.1. The declination/inclination of your dish
has to be pretty much band on for Ku. As I have since learned this value
will also result in little black sparklies on C band if you are not correct.

All this time I blamed the black sparklies on my 60 degree LNB, even after
moving to a 25 deg C band LNB I had a lot fewer of these but there still where
one or two on less powerful sats. Well well well, two revolutions of the
bolt and I saw a picture unlike any my dish had produced before, all of this
on C band! I then scanned the east-west arc with my Actuator to verify that
all was tracked. One thing that changed, my Programmable Actuator had to have
the satellites reprogrammed since they all had moved a few locations.

So now with the f/D ratio (feedhorn throat in ring) at .36 (as recommended)
I switched to Ku band and wow, great signal on Anik E1!

But how to find signals on Ku?

Get the SSVC, the IF freqs are listed. If you are fortunate to have a
programmable receiver (such as the EUROSAT, which I have), then life can be
much easier! Select three freqs with a high probability of signals.
I suggest K2 (for NBC Skywatch) , G4 (the Asian network) and Anik E1 (1224 =
TVO).

If you have a different receiver ask GaryB (or others, RobertS) to post the
cross-IRD frequency guide which GaryB recently posted to r.v.s. This will help!

If you have an older receiver such as an Electrohome E1 'C' band receiver.
Flip the video invert switch for Ku and tune around C band transponder 14
and then look on Anik E1. Do something similar of the K2 sat if you can not
see Anik E1. You will have to fine tune and adjust the Polrity/skew for
best picture.

The only signal I could not get within my arc is S2, due to obstruction
in my line of site. I actually can tune in the Leitched TV Ashai feed of
CNN. The audio is there to be heard ! (Consult the SSVC for info).

Thats it!

Yes, that is about it. Make sure you have tightened all necessary adjustments.
If you are not happy with the f/D ratio, adjust this by sliding the feedhorn
throat in and out till you obtain the results you desire!.

Now what about Ku program listings?

This seems to be tricky to come across. So far I have not found a Sat guide
with
good Ku coverage. TVO and LaChaine have a next-days schedule at the close of
the broadcast day. In fact last night the TVA/CFTM on E2/05 'C' had a slate up
with the next days programming (new!).

I will contact TVO and others and try to get some info which I will post to
rec.video.satellite so keep an eye there for info. You can also contact you
program guide and ask that they start carrying more Ku coverage!

So thats it , nice and simple. You may want to retrack your dish but you should
not have to.

Good luck and enjoy the added world of Ku!

Speaking only for myself
no guarantee implied or suggested.
The views here are not those of the posting org.
(c) All rights reserved Robert Kobenter August 29.1994

robert@softwords.bc.ca