Is my old c-band dish useless?

[Brad.loo]

I got a HUGE c-band dish in my backyard from before I got primestar and later directv. The one thing I remember about that dish is it never had rainfade, im guessing because it was much larger, am I correct?

If I am is there some way I can retro-fit this dish to pick up my directv single? And if I did that would it help with rain fade? :)

I just want to do something with this old dish, its been back there doing nothing for about 10 years now....

[SimpleSimon]

Yeah - probably (depends on reflector material) but it's not easy to set up.

[Brad.loo]

How can I tell if the dish will pick up KU-band? :)

[pomeroy]

How can I tell if the dish will pick up KU-band? :)

Your C-Band dish is not useless, You can use it for Free-to-Air "FTA" actually thats perfect for a FTA set up which is Ku-Band, If you still have your old receiver hooked up to the dish look on the back of it on the right side. theres 2 connections there 1 for C-Band & 1 for Ku-Band if you have cable running to both of those your already set up for Ku-Band! If you don't look on the dish and see if theres 2 cables running from the feedhorn, if its just 1 you only have C-band. My neighor has a 10 foot dish and has had his for about 10 years to his is not set up for ku band, All you would have to do is buy a Ku-Band LNB and hook it to your feedhorn and run another cable. Also you would need a FTA receiver.

If you want to get rid of that dish let me know

They do make a special feedhorn that has a Directv Lnb inside it but its kind of expensive, I don't know of anybody that has one, its more easy just to use your direct dish for direct.

[SimpleSimon]

Cool if it's solid. If it's mesh, it's gotta be the right mesh - and I don't know how to tell.

[boba]

Cool if it's solid. If it's mesh, it's gotta be the right mesh - and I don't know how to tell.A quick check is a #2 pencil if it slips through the mess panel it is too large for good Ku. reception, it also should be rolled flat rather than raised diamond pattern. If it hasn't been used in several years just take it down a sell for scrap metal. If it was "C" band only you need to replace the feed with a C Ku feed not just add a Ku LNB. An unused dish tends to shift due to the weight remaining in one place for years so it will lose alignmrnt on the satellite arc. If you weren't a serious user you will probably have more headaches than benefits when you start playing with the 10' dish for FTA. :lol: