SBCA Equipment Setup 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the purpose of a 'bird dog' or satellite finder device during a dish installation?
- Identifies the satellite's orbital position using GPS
- Provides an audible or visual signal strength indication to assist with peaking dish alignment (Correct answer)
- Tests coaxial cable for continuity and shorts
- Measures LNB noise figure in the field
Correct answer: Provides an audible or visual signal strength indication to assist with peaking dish alignment
A satellite finder (bird dog) provides real-time signal strength feedback — often via tone or LED — enabling the installer to peak dish alignment without needing a second person at the receiver.
Question 2: Which coaxial connector type is the industry standard for residential satellite and cable TV installations in the US?
- BNC
- N-type
- F-type (Correct answer)
- SMA
Correct answer: F-type
The F-type connector is the standard threaded coaxial connector used throughout US residential satellite and cable TV wiring.
Question 3: When using a compression-type F-connector on RG-6 quad-shield cable, what is the correct order of preparation steps?
- Strip outer jacket, fold back braid, trim foil, cut center conductor to length, install connector
- Cut cable square, strip outer jacket, fold back braid/foil, trim dielectric, install and compress connector (Correct answer)
- Install connector first, then strip cable from inside the connector
- Strip center conductor first, then remove outer jacket
Correct answer: Cut cable square, strip outer jacket, fold back braid/foil, trim dielectric, install and compress connector
Proper compression connector installation requires a square cut, staged stripping to expose shield and dielectric, then inserting and compressing the connector with a compression tool.
Question 4: A satellite receiver requires an IF frequency range of 950–2150 MHz from the LNB. What band and standard does this represent?
- C-band wide IF output
- Ku-band standard universal LNB IF output (Correct answer)
- Ka-band extended IF output
- L-band direct receive output
Correct answer: Ku-band standard universal LNB IF output
950–2150 MHz is the standard IF output range of a Ku-band universal LNB, which down-converts both low and high local oscillator bands to this range.
Question 5: What effect does increasing the dish elevation angle beyond the correct setting have on the received signal?
- Increases signal by reducing atmospheric path length
- Decreases signal by pointing the dish above the satellite's actual position (Correct answer)
- Has no effect as LNBs compensate electronically
- Increases noise figure due to ground thermal noise
Correct answer: Decreases signal by pointing the dish above the satellite's actual position
Setting elevation too high points the dish above the satellite, reducing signal just as effectively as pointing below it — both misalign the dish from the satellite.
Question 6: What is the maximum recommended coaxial cable run length for a standard Ku-band satellite installation before a line amplifier is typically needed?
- 50 feet
- 100 feet
- 150 feet (Correct answer)
- 200 feet
Correct answer: 150 feet
RG-6 coax typically exhibits enough loss beyond 150 feet at Ku-band IF frequencies that a line amplifier may be needed to maintain adequate signal levels at the receiver.
Question 7: During a commercial VSAT installation, a technician must verify EIRP compliance. What does EIRP measure?
- The receiver's input noise temperature in Kelvin
- The transmit power of the dish antenna in a given direction, combining transmitter power and antenna gain (Correct answer)
- The signal-to-noise ratio at the satellite transponder
- The return link frequency offset caused by Doppler shift
Correct answer: The transmit power of the dish antenna in a given direction, combining transmitter power and antenna gain
EIRP (Effective Isotropic Radiated Power) is the product of transmitter output power and antenna gain, representing the effective power directed toward the satellite.
SBCA Equipment Setup 4
What is the purpose of a 'bird dog' or satellite finder device during a dish installation?