See attached for a narration of how I installed the Mikrotik Light Dish Feed successfully to a Satellite TV dish. The gain, at its current state of testing and adjusting, is 5dB better than my Nanobridge 5G25 dish pointed to the same mountaintop node. It's a bit big and awkward for portable Go-Kit use, but if used on a sturdy tripod, will work if you don't need to put it on a mast.
File Attachment:
Haven't tested it myself.
Orv W6BI
I'm still in the testing stage, so I'll update if I find out any additional info.
73
Bob
KE6GYD
Hi Bob,
We also have been using the Mikrotik RBLDF-5nd with Satellite Dishes.
The Oblong DirectTV "Slimline" style dish works well for us because it has a precision micrometer screw-type mount and a clamped 3 element LNB head.
The 3 element head can be modified and reused as the mount for the LDF-5 without having to purchase a separate mount.
Jerry WA7HSB removed the 3 element LNB head horns and drilled out the center point with a 40mm drill. It is soft metal. The LDF-5 fits into the center hole at the exact position and angle needed for mounting, thus saving cost, and allowing it to be easily removed for transport with the supplied clamp.
Jerry wrote up his project as a Word file, and published it to the files section on our Willamette Valley Mesh Network group:
https://groups.io/g/WVMN/message/142
He mounted the dish on his home roof using a welded pipe he constructed. The pipe mount typically supplied with the dish may be reused.
A satellite dish is quite heavy for tripod use, and the wind can blow it over.
The clamp mount also fits onto the top of a military surplus aluminum tent pole with a PVC shim.
We found the mounting base screws and pipe mount should be adjusted to allow the LNB arm to be approximately level with the ground before aiming.
Another group member KI7OEK, discovered the 40mm round LDF-5 base fits into 1.5 inch PVC pipe.
This allows the LDF-5 to be used separately as a short range linking or go-kit radio. A short section of PVC pipe can be connected to an elbow or T fitting and attached to a light PVC pipe mast.
https://groups.io/g/WVMN/message/237
73,
Brett, KG7GDB
Salem, Oregon
(Updated links to our new Willamette Valley Mesh Network WVMN group name.)