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INFOSAT
C/Ku band Combifeed with
Integrated DiSEqC Switch
Thomas Haring
The C band is popular in many areas of the world, mainly in SAT‘s C/Ku band feed deliv-
ered from Thailand was
areas with heavy downpours or high humidity, since under designed primarily for use
these conditions the C band offers more advantages, being less on prime focus antennas;
sensible to rain compared to signals in the Ku band. But even in although with a little modi-
fication ingenuity, it can be
areas dominated by Ku band signals, as for example in Europe, fitted on an offset antenna.
there are still plenty of C band programmes to get. But erecting For our first test we opted
a second dish just for C band is often too much of trouble. to use a 120-cm antenna
already installed on the roof
Right into this gap comes band LNB. Of course you transmitted via satellites in of our testing facility. Such
the C/Ku band LNB on offer by would better own a bigger C band. a 120-cm antenna
INFOSAT from Thailand. You dish, since C band signals already gives
no longer need two dishes, usually are less strong than We gave it a test run at you access to
but you use your existing signals in Ku band. In most our editorial offices thousands of
dish and just replace your location, a dish with 120-cm in the center of channels from
current Ku band LNB against would be sufficient to get in Europe. around the world
INFOSAT‘s combifeed C/Ku some interesting channels INFO- in the Ku band. But
as numerous as the Ku
band availability really is,
■The C/Ku band long-distance reception is
Combifeed
mounted in a
typically achieved only with C
prime focus dish band and thanks to this new
Combifeed, it is quite easy to
retrofit your current system
for C band reception.
INFOSAT
satellite at 11° west could not had gotten; now it was time
be received with our 120cm to take a look at Ku band
antenna; the signals that we reception. Dish Manufacturer, Thailand www.infosats.com
saw on the spectrum analyzer
were too weak. The strong DTH posi-
tions such as ASTRA at
The next step involved 19.2° east, HOTBIRD at 13°
taking a closer look towards east, ASTRA2 at 28.2° east
the east. We stumbled across or ASTRA 3A at 23.5° east
a few surprises: the (unfortu- could all be received with-
nately encrypted) AFN pack- out any problems. We should
age on INTELSAT 906 at 64.2° mention at this point that the
east on 4094L was identified INFOSAT C/Ku band Combi-
by our receiver, Bangla Vision feed is configured for recep-
could be seen on APSTAR 2R tion of circularly polarized
at 76.5° east on 4049H and signals. With that said, the
the Express AM1 at 40° east circularly polarized signals
delivered a number of Rus- on EUTELSAT W4 at 36° east
www.TELE-satellite.com/TELE-satellite-0907/eng/infosat.pdf
sian channels with plenty of could be received in surpris- www.TELE-satellite.com/TELE-satellite-0803/eng/infosat.pdf
www.TELE-satellite.com/TELE-satellite-0705/eng/infosat.pdf
bad weather reserve. ingly good quality.
If you remove the dielec-
tric in the feed, then standard
■Included in the package:
the C/Ku band Combifeed by
Ku band H/V signals could be
INFOSAT in one housing with received effortlessly. The rea-
feed and jumper cable for the
built-in DiSEqC switch.
sons for the diminished per-
formance of the Combifeed in
the Ku band are fairly obvious.
On the one hand, the included
feed was not designed for use
on offset antennas so you
really can´t blame the manu-
facturer for this shortfall.