1. Home
  2. Electronics Repair
  3. Follow-up on What is this?

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 :-)

Reply to
mm
Loading thread data ...

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 -

Reply to
Tim

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.

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.

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

Reply to
mm

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

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.
Reply to
Franc Zabkar

ElectronDepot website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.