The document describes the testing of a 140cm Prime Focus Dish antenna from Pasat Anteny for Ku-Band reception. The antenna arrived in a very large and solid wooden box. It consisted of few parts that were easily assembled. The antenna provided a very strong and stable signal reception from satellites like Hotbird. A comparison showed the signal quality was significantly better than smaller 90cm and 60cm dishes. However, the antenna's elevation range was not quite suitable for the tester's location in Poland.

1. TEST REPORT Big Dish for Ku-Band
P140 of
Pasat Anteny
Prime Focus Dish
for Ku-Band
When it was delivered, I did not know what
it was. A huge wooden box weighting 96
kg that occupied half of my garage. After
checking the papers it came out that indeed
it was a parcel for the TELE-satellite test
center. Only then, I recalled that a while
before Alex had notified me about an
antenna for test from the Bulgarian company
Pasat Anteny. I asked myself: if the package
was so massive and solid, would the antenna
be equally strong and robust? This was one P140 OF PASA
06 -0 7/ 20 09
T ANTENY
of the questions the test was supposed to Very solid an
d robust dish
stable rec eptio for highly
n
answer!
■ The feedhorn is included in the antenna kit
40 TELE-satellite & Broadband — 06-07/2009 — www.TELE-satellite.com

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www.TELE-satellite.com — 06-07/2009 — TELE-satellite & Broadband 41

3. I needed a hammer and The time came to install
a crowbar to open the box an LNB. The antenna is
and take the antenna com- equipped with a feedhorn
ponents out of it. Every part for Ku-Band. The feedhorn
of the kit was very carefully is optimized for this type
wrapped up with protective of PFA antenna, a regu-
foil. There was no chance lar LNBF for Offset dishes
for the smallest scratch due would not give good results
to transportation. I really when mounted on a Prime
■ Antenna has been delivered in a very solid wooden box liked that. Only profes- Focus Dish.
sional equipment is packed
with such attention. When The feedhorn is meant for
everything was unpacked, I LNBs with a flange, which
noticed that there are only unfortunately was not avail-
few components. Good - it able in my shack at time
should be simple to assem- of test. What I had in my
ble it. drawer was an LNBF for Ku-
Band already equipped with
And indeed. Despite the a PFA feedhorn (NF=0.3dB).
fact that there was no It was too thick and did not
detailed instruction but fit to the original holder. I
only one drawing showing had to put aside the origi-
an assembled antenna, the nal feedhorn and its holder
assembly was so straight- and use another holder
forward that everybody matching the LNBF. Finally,
could do that in no time. I was ready to take meas-
■ Antenna consists of not too many parts... Everything fitted perfectly urements.
so it was nothing but fun.
I aimed the antenna at
I was slightly surprised more or less proper direc-
when I discovered that the tion and immediately I saw
antenna had been designed the signal on my signal ana-
for a mast of 70 mm diam- lyzer. The signal analyzer
eter. More common dimen- identified satellite position
sion is 60 mm (and of course as 28.2 ° East (Astra sat-
40 mm for small dishes). ellite). I played for a while
After checking that the and every time I got a very
bolts fixing the antenna to good quality signal. For
the mast are long enough, example, MER = 17.4 dB
I decided not to build the and even more!
new test mast but use my
existing test setup with a But how about receiving
60 mm mast. However, for weak satellites? I studied
a permanent installation, I carefully the footprints of
recommend using a mast different satellites on Sat-
of the proper diameter - 70 coDX webpage and realized
mm. that living in Poland is a
very good thing for a sat-
When the dish was put on ellite fan but not necessar-
the mast and all the nuts ily when you have to test a
and bolts were tightened, big dish. Most of the beams
I noticed with satisfaction aimed at this or that part
that the antenna is really of Europe also cover the
solid and robust. That’s center of the continent with
very important especially very strong power. 90 cm
for an antenna of this size. is quite enough to receive
Its viewing angle is so small most of the satellites and
that even a small backlash beams. There are only a
can severely affect the few regional beams that do
■ ... so assembling it is really simple
reception. not cover my location but
42 TELE-satellite & Broadband — 06-07/2009 — www.TELE-satellite.com

4. ■ Last bolts to be tighten are those fixing the antenna to the mast ■ We used an LNBF we had in the drawer, so the original feedhorn
and its support were not needed
■ Only with a really big dish you can get such high
■ This is the feedhorn holder readout of MER and NM
■ Aimed at HOTBIRD 13E
44 TELE-satellite & Broadband — 06-07/2009 — www.TELE-satellite.com

5. Fig.1
in such cases, 140 cm is far As I expected, the qual-
too small to receive them. ity of the signal was sig-
nificantly better. Its MER
The only practical candi- value was better by 1-2 dB
date for the reception sen- for 0.9 meter dish and 3-4
sitivity test was the beam dB for 0.6 meter dish. Per-
EXPA22K2 of EXPRESS haps some of our readers
AM22 satellite (53° East). will be surprised but the
Its footprint looked as if I signal level I got from P140
should be able to receive it and prime focus LNBF was
with a 150-190 cm antenna not higher than that from
(signal strength >40 dBW), smaller dishes. In digital
yet I hoped I could get TV, it is much more impor-
something with the P140. tant to have a big signal to
Should it be 42-43 dBW, the noise ratio rather than the
antenna could even be able absolute signal level. To
to lock to the signal. achieve this, one must have
a big antenna. (Fig.1)
When I was trying to aim
PASAT 140 at this satellite, Based on these compari-
I realized that its elevation
son measurements, I can
adjustment bolt is too short
state that P140 is indeed
for that bird. I needed to
an antenna of high gain. It
set the elevation 21.4 ° but
means that the curvature of
it was out of range of the
the surface is correct and
dish. The antenna eleva-
the signal is focused in the
tion with our test dish could
point where the feedhorn is
be set from approximately
mounted. The dish is very ■ This footprint hardly reaches our test center, but Pasat dish was able to
25° to 70°. The simplest get some signals.
solid so if you only put it on
thing I could do was set-
ting antenna elevation to
a strong enough mast, it will Expert Opinion
the lowest possible position
last for years and years.
+
and additionally tilting the Very solid and robust dish. Everything fits per-
Its elevation setting range fectly. It is packed very carefully. Workmanship
mast by a few degrees.
(25-70°) is more suitable leaves nothing to be desired.
for the countries located
After I did it, I noticed
the spectrum of EXPRESS
closer to the equator then - Jacek Pawlowski
TELE-satellite
for my location in Poland none Test Center
AM22 signal on my signal Poland
(52° North) but of course
analyzer. C/N readout was
it depends on the satellite
at the level 8 dB. Unfortu-
nately, it was slightly below you want to receive. Pasat TECHNIC
the reception threshold. will deliver dishes with DATA
One decibel more or so and other settings ranges, if Manufacturer Pasat Anteny, Bulgaria
I could enjoy seeing some- you specify your needs. Telephone +359 350 6 3911, +359 350 6 6311
Fax +359 350 6 4011
thing.
If you decide to pur- Website www.sat.bg
Bad luck. I was wonder- chase one of these robust Email sales@pasat.bg
ing how should I asses and easy to install dishes, Function Prime focus aluminum dish for Ku-Band
the performance of this remember about the mast Model P 140
dish? Finally, I decided to of 70 mm diameter and a Diameter 140 cm
use much stronger satel- suitable flange LNB for Ku- Focus 50 cm
lite (HOTBIRD at 13° East), Band that can be attached F/D 0.375
measure signal quality and to the feedhorn with 4 Gain @ 11.350 GHz 42.2 dB
compare it to signal qual- screws. Gain @ 12.125 GHz 42.8 dB
Gain @ 12.626 GHz 43.5 dB
ity from a 0.6 m dish and
a 0.9 m dish. The dishes The Pasat dish is per- Noise temperature (at elevation 42°) 47 K
were equipped with differ- fectly suitable for profes- Opening angle (-3dB) <1.25°
ent LNBF’s but all of them sional installations, and for Thickness 1.2 mm
were of quite good quality private users when they Reflector mass 6 kg
(NF = 0.3~0.4 dB). want a real stable signal. Supporting hardware mass 5.2 kg
46 TELE-satellite & Broadband — 06-07/2009 — www.TELE-satellite.com