Follow-up on What is this?
 

What voltage is supplied by the satellite receiver to a Direct TV
antenna? I need to provide the same voltage to something else.

Or should I just start somewhere and work my way up until there is
antenna output? 6 volts?, 9 volts? X volts? DC, I suppose, not AC.


A few weeks ago I asked here what was the strange thing on the Direct
TV dish I found in the trash, and you graciously explained that it was
probably a VHF/UHF tv antenna.

Indeed it was, one not provided by Direct TV, and I just came across
it on the RadioShack amplified antenna search. It's a Terk TV-44.
RS sells it for 70 dollars (though I think it's available a little
cheaper elswhere) RS also sells the thing with the white translucent
plastic cap at the focal point of the dish, for 50 dollars.

So this trashy thing was worth about 120 dollars. I gave away the
white translucent thing, but I'd like to use the tv antenna.

The notes I've found for this say that the antenna is meant to be
powered from the satellite receiver, which I don't have, of course,
and I don't know how much voltage that would be.


If you are inclined to email me
for some reason, remove NOPSAM :-)

Follow-up on What is this?
 

In article , NOPSAMmm2005
@bigfoot.com says...
What voltage is supplied by the satellite receiver to a Direct TV
antenna? I need to provide the same voltage to something else.

Or should I just start somewhere and work my way up until there is
antenna output? 6 volts?, 9 volts? X volts? DC, I suppose, not AC.


A few weeks ago I asked here what was the strange thing on the Direct
TV dish I found in the trash, and you graciously explained that it was
probably a VHF/UHF tv antenna.

Indeed it was, one not provided by Direct TV, and I just came across
it on the RadioShack amplified antenna search. It's a Terk TV-44.
RS sells it for 70 dollars (though I think it's available a little
cheaper elswhere) RS also sells the thing with the white translucent
plastic cap at the focal point of the dish, for 50 dollars.

So this trashy thing was worth about 120 dollars. I gave away the
white translucent thing, but I'd like to use the tv antenna.

The notes I've found for this say that the antenna is meant to be
powered from the satellite receiver, which I don't have, of course,
and I don't know how much voltage that would be.


If you are inclined to email me
for some reason, remove NOPSAM :-)

The white translucent thing is called an LNBF. It is the antenna part of
a satellite dish. The dish reflects the signal from the satellite into
the LNBF, and that moves it along to the receiver. The LNBF is powered
by the receiver, and uses 2 dc voltages to control the polarity of the
LNBF. 12-15 Volts is one way and 16-18 volts is the other. The actual
signal is ac and rides along the same RG6 coax cable as the DC voltage
does.

Those voltages may be of some help to you. You might want to check the
FCC site about that antenna, maybe it has the input voltage listed for
it.

- Tim -

Follow-up on What is this?
 

On Fri, 18 Apr 2008 01:22:11 -0300, Tim wrote:

In article , NOPSAMmm2005
says...
What voltage is supplied by the satellite receiver to a Direct TV
antenna? I need to provide the same voltage to something else.

Or should I just start somewhere and work my way up until there is
antenna output? 6 volts?, 9 volts? X volts? DC, I suppose, not AC.


A few weeks ago I asked here what was the strange thing on the Direct
TV dish I found in the trash, and you graciously explained that it was
probably a VHF/UHF tv antenna.

Indeed it was, one not provided by Direct TV, and I just came across
it on the RadioShack amplified antenna search. It's a Terk TV-44.
RS sells it for 70 dollars (though I think it's available a little
cheaper elswhere) RS also sells the thing with the white translucent
plastic cap at the focal point of the dish, for 50 dollars.

So this trashy thing was worth about 120 dollars. I gave away the
white translucent thing, but I'd like to use the tv antenna.

The notes I've found for this say that the antenna is meant to be
powered from the satellite receiver, which I don't have, of course,
and I don't know how much voltage that would be.

The white translucent thing is called an LNBF. It is the antenna part of
a satellite dish. The dish reflects the signal from the satellite into
the LNBF, and that moves it along to the receiver. The LNBF is powered
by the receiver, and uses 2 dc voltages to control the polarity of the
LNBF. 12-15 Volts is one way and 16-18 volts is the other. The actual
signal is ac and rides along the same RG6 coax cable as the DC voltage
does.

Those voltages may be of some help to you.

Definitely. Thank you. I can start with 12 volts and see how it does.
If that doesn't work, I don't think I have anything simple that makes
16 volts, but I can string three alarm batteries together and get 18,
just to test it.

If they had only used one voltage, I'd be done now, but I'm sure the
reason you gave was a good one.

You might want to check the
FCC site about that antenna, maybe it has the input voltage listed for
it.

I'll do that too.

FYI I eventually found the owners manual on the audiovox site. I had
looked under tv-44, which is what Radio Shack called it and maye other
vendors, but they had it as TV44, and the webpage couldn't figure it
out. And even though lots of places are still selling it, they don't
have it as one of their current products, which I think is strange. (I
had also tried to find the model number among the current products.)

I'm on my second Radio Shack amplified antenna, and about a week ago,
I stopped getting DC stations in Baltimore. The antenna might not be
plugged in anymore, or the wall wart might have burned out, or the
antenna. If it's not the antenna now, it will be eventually, and I
try to keep ahead of the game.

- Tim -


If you are inclined to email me
for some reason, remove NOPSAM :-)

Follow-up on What is this?
 

On Fri, 18 Apr 2008 01:22:11 -0300, Tim put finger to
keyboard and composed:

The white translucent thing is called an LNBF. It is the antenna part of
a satellite dish. The dish reflects the signal from the satellite into
the LNBF, and that moves it along to the receiver.

Since the dish also focuses sunlight onto the LNB (to some extent), I
wonder how hot it gets. I notice some LNBs have an operating
temperature range of -40C to +60C. If ambient is 40C, can the LNB
exceed its rated temp?

- Franc Zabkar
--
Please remove one 'i' from my address when replying by email.