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FSM 204 SAT-TV Spektrum-Analyzer
A level meter and a spectrum analyzer are two of
the costlier pieces of equipment that can easily
drain an installer’s budget. Therefore it is a logical
consequence that only instruments are accepted
that both serve well in the lab and up on the roof.
These units must not only feature a built-in
monitor and a rechargeable battery pack, but
also a robust chassis that protects the sensitive
electronic equipment. After all, the conditions
up on a customer’s roof can hardly be
described as ideal for expensive equipment.
Installers looking for a one-4-all unit also expect
the analyzer to handle the whole frequency
band which ranges from 40 to 850 MHz for terrestrial
signals and from 950 to 2150 MHz for
the satellite signals. Only if these demands are
satisfied an installer will be able to set-up and
check a client’s antenna system which is used
for FM, terrestrial TV and satellite signals.
German company Doebis has recently introduced
its JAEGER FSM204 portable level meter and
spectrum analyzer which is offered at a competitive
price and may even be bought by individual satellite
enthusiasts and not only by professional installers.
With a weight of 8.5 kg the FSM204 is not exactly
a light-weight, but if one takes into account that
the unit comes with a built-in monitor and a battery
back that guarantees two hours of uninterrupted
power supply the weight is somewhat acceptable.
The terrestrial frequency range extends from 45 to
862 MHz and the IF range for satellite signals goes
from 950 to 2150 MHz. The FSM204 is primarily
used for the evaluation of analog satellite signals.
We did some preliminary tests on a purely digital
satellite (like the two DFS of Deutsche Telekom)
and were able to meter the signal strength of digital
bouquets, if the peaks on the spectrum analyzer are
metered. However, it is not possible to determine
the quality of digital signals. After all, comparable
units for digital signals are twice as expensive.
Antennas in Poltava
Poltava is a humanitarian center of Ukraine.
About 380 thousands citizens of Ukraine now
live in Poltava. Antennas on the walls and
roofs of houses obviously illustrate the interests
of modern Poltava inhabitants on the
boundary between 20th and 21st centuries.
The overwhelming majority of Poltava inhabitants
watch the programs of national TV of Ukraine,
which are relayed from Poltava and Krasnogorovka
(about 80 kms from Poltava) in VHF and UHF band:
“Ut-1”, “Ut-2”, “Inter”, “ICTV”, “UTA”, “STB”, and
also Kharkov channel “Simon” and local channel
“Ltava”. The off-air reception is very cheap.
The air antenna, most popular in Poltava, - “shaggy”
VHF/UHF antenna of Polish manufacturing with the
built-in amplifier and included power supply unit.
Its value on the city market is about $11. For 3-4
TV sets connection a standard 15-20 dB divider
TAP is used, sometimes it is supplied by a divider
“1:2”, if not 4, but 5 places of TV set connection
are made in the apartment (in the house).
Satellite TV as the mass phenomenon
exists in Poltava since 1995. Before that
time only few amateurs that had been
abroad had the satellite systems.
Main distributors of satellite systems in Poltava
are the trade firms “Satellit”, “Poisk”, “Condor”,
“Promelektronica”, “Voyage”, Kiev “Romsat”
representatives, and also few enthusiasts.
As it is seen, the competition is strong.
By the middle of 1998 there are approximately
700 satellite antennas total in Poltava and nearest
neighbourhoods according to the experts’ estimation,
and each year this number increases by 200.
If to accept 700 Poltava antennas as a unit, then
about 10% of installed antennas are antennas with
a 0,9 m diameter, about 50% of antennas with diameters
1,15 - 1,20 m, about 20% with a diameter 1,4
- 1,5 m and about 15% with a diameter 1,8 -2,2 m
and more. The largest satellite antennas in Poltava
are 3,7 - 4 m, they are in a professional application.
www.TELE-satellite.com — 04-05/2009 — TELE-satellite & Broadband 127