# Why Universal LNBs don't work?



## harlockr

Hi, someone out there could help me understand Universal LNBs?
I'm in Costa Rica, and i get about 40 channels on Hispasat 30W, with a 33" dish, with a lineal polarity LNB (I used some brands, like Extreme II, geosat, and they work fine)
But when I try universal LNBs, they just don't get me the low symbol rate frecuencies. They get high ones symbol rate frecuencies, like 27500, but not the ones of 5240.
Everything is like it's supposed to be, tried changing the 22khz on and off in the LNB configuration, used the right settings for universal, tried different local oscilator frecuencies, both 9750-10600 and 9750-10750. And nothing worked. I did blind search with different receivers, and the universal LNB's just doesn't get the frecuencies when they have low symbol rate. I changed the LNB to a lineal polarity, and works perfect. But I have many universal that I wish i could work. Even tried the Invacom and doesn't work for those frecuencies with low symbol rate.

Any idea? or could someone explain me the difference between those two?


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## FTA Michael

harlockr said:


> But when I try universal LNBs, they just don't get me the low symbol rate frecuencies. They get high ones symbol rate frecuencies, like 27500, but not the ones of 5240.


:welcome_s 5240 is a C-band frequency. You won't be able to pick it up with a universal Ku-band LNB. Is that the trouble?


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## jeffgbailey

FTA Michael said:


> 5240 is a C-band frequency.


4200 is the top of the C-Band frequencies  so 5240 isn't a C-Band frequency



> Hi, someone out there could help me understand Universal LNBs?


A Universal LNB has a lo and high band. Low band is from 10700-11700 and high is from 11700-12750 Ghz. The 22k tone built inside changes from low to high. Here in North America a UNiversal is only needed for 2 satellites, PAS9 (58W) and (Pas1R) 45W. South/Central America may be different



> But when I try universal LNBs, they just don't get me the low symbol rate frecuencies. They get high ones symbol rate frecuencies, like 27500, but not the ones of 5240.


what kinda of signal quality do you get on the other transponders?



> Everything is like it's supposed to be, tried changing the 22khz on and off in the LNB configuration, used the right settings for universal, tried different local oscilator frecuencies, both 9750-10600 and 9750-10750. And nothing worked.


it should be set for Universal 9750/10600



> Even tried the Invacom and doesn't work for those frecuencies with low symbol rate.
> 
> Any idea? or could someone explain me the difference between those two?


since Hispasat doesn't have anything below 11700 frequency, I'd just use a standard LNB. I haven't tried a Universal on 30W but the standards work fine.


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## FTA Michael

harlockr said:


> But when I try universal LNBs, they just don't get me the low symbol rate frecuencies. They get high ones symbol rate frecuencies, like 27500, but not the ones of 5240.


Let me try that again, *with* coffee. 

You're right, of course, the poster is discussing symbol rates, not frequencies.

Have you tried manually entering the channel that you're trying to pick up? I know that on my blind scans, my receiver is more likely to overlook channels with low symbol rates.


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## Davenlr

I just check a smart scan on my Pansat 9200hd using a 36" dish, and geosatpro universal lnb, and it locked onto several transponders with symbol rates down to 3000, but didn't scan them in. I suspect because they were data or scrambled video/non-fta transmissions.


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