Wanted: Minitouner or PicoTuner

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M0DQW
Posts: 40
Joined: Tue Feb 26, 2019 7:05 pm

Wanted: Minitouner or PicoTuner

Post by M0DQW » Mon Apr 14, 2025 9:11 pm

Before I go ahead and order the parts, does anyone have a ready made tuner they would like to sell?

Thanks
Matt

g0mjw
Posts: 2557
Joined: Sat Sep 20, 2014 9:15 am

Re: Wanted: Minitouner or PicoTuner

Post by g0mjw » Tue Apr 15, 2025 6:47 am

Sorry I don't. I thought you already had one?

Anyway, if this is just for seeing if you can receive GB3TV you can use a satellite receiver for that. The PicoTuner is probably the one to go for, but if you are building a Minitiouner, there are probably a few spare FTDI modules knocking around left over from mini to pico conversions.

Mike

M0DQW
Posts: 40
Joined: Tue Feb 26, 2019 7:05 pm

Re: Wanted: Minitouner or PicoTuner

Post by M0DQW » Wed Apr 30, 2025 12:58 am

Sorry Mike, I just noticed you had replied!

I have a winterhill, which I use for QO100, but I want a tuner in my shack, and yes, JUST for GB3TV.

What satellite receiver would you recommend? I guess they are cheap?

Cheers
Matt

g0mjw
Posts: 2557
Joined: Sat Sep 20, 2014 9:15 am

Re: Wanted: Minitouner or PicoTuner

Post by g0mjw » Wed Apr 30, 2025 7:13 am

They are - but I just realised GB3TV is only running at 1 Ms so not all options will work. I have one of those OCTAGON SF8008 receivers that will do low SR down to 333ks and less (sort of) with the right firmware. I also use a sat finder by Satlink and others have been using the GTMedia V8. I don't know which is the best value or easiest to find. There are many little set top boxes that can do 1 Ms, but not all of them can. They have a user interface that appears to have been designed by Jan Łukasiewicz, in one of his more obtuse moods, but you only need to set up once.

The picotuner is easy to build, especially if you don't bother with the LNB supply, which isn't required for GB3TV use. It will run of USB even. Unfortunately the cost is dominated by the Tuner which costs more than the alternatives above that will just sit there and display the GB3TV output.

Mike

G7VVF
Posts: 42
Joined: Fri Jan 24, 2014 9:11 am

Re: Wanted: Minitouner or PicoTuner

Post by G7VVF » Wed Apr 30, 2025 7:45 am

This Satellite RX definitely works, it will do 1Ms/s and will also decode H265. I'm using one to receive GB3EN so that I can stream it, all for the bargain price of £22.39
https://vi.aliexpress.com/item/33015116271.html

Duncan
G7VVF

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