30 West... somehow!

[mattopia]

I thought I'd share this with you guys. When I chose where to put the dish, I knew I wouldn't get anything east of about 85W due to a large tree, and it's proved true for 72W where I get no signal. I've been debating on adding a second dish to pick up some things my motorized 90cm won't get, including 30 west, but I don't have a lot of options.

On a whim, I tried steering my dish to 30W, and low and behold, quality of ~65%! My jaw just about hit the floor given the huge tree and the low elevation needed. I'm picking up everything I should be on all transponders as far as I can tell.

It looks like I was unintentionally very lucky when I chose this location - turns out 30 west is right between the power pole and the tree and no buildings in the way. Check it out:

I tried 22 west, but my motor does not seem to go that far - it just returns to due south.

So, now that I have 30W available, what should I watch for? It seems to be mostly Spanish programming thus far. I recall reading that Cubavision has occasional English programming. Anything else interesting?

 

[Titanium]

The 22w satellite is beyond the USALS calculation range for your STB. As long as the satellite is above the horizon from your location, the motor should be able to mechanically move to that position.

Change the motor mode to DiSEqC 1.2, select an active transponder and manually drive the motor further East until the Signal Quality meter reading is found and optimized. Save the satellite position with a motor assignment number.

 

[FTA4PA]

Cubavision is the biggie for English programming on 30W. There are movies and tv shows through the week (usually in the evening/night) with the original English soundtracks (Spanish subtitles). I have seen some films there that were just out on DVD/Blu-Ray.
Here is a schedule ( http://www.juventudrebelde.cu/cartelera/television/cubavision/ ) but you will need to run the info you find through Google Translate and do a little creative thinking as the title translations are not always literal. Better to type a couple of the actors and the year into Google and a title result will usually pop up. Also the start times are approximate. Have fun!

 

[Titanium]

Also, change to a Universal type LNBF if you want to receive any transponder frequencies below 11700MHz. Your current LNBF is a Standard type with a frequency range of 11700 -12200MHz. Satellites licensed for international coverage use the full KU range of 10700 - 12750MHz.

 

[FaT Air]

what should I watch for?

Cubavision and Tele Rebelde (11884 V 27500) are the two 'with' English language audio. Some from US dvd/blu and some I wouldn't doubt is recorded FTA from other satellites.

 

[DJdish]

We have a thread on the FTA Shack, about movies on Hispasat, (this bird). even though I don´t think it has been updated.
But as mentioned above, Cubavision is the main channel for US series and movies.
Saturday nights starting around 10 PM they show mainly US movies in its original English audio.

I used to watch also Sundays around 2 PM for a show, The Mentalist, was the last one I remember, and then a US movie.

 

[FTA4PA]

Looks like "Meet Dave"(2008) is on tonight around 12:30am and tomorrow night is "The Violent Men" (1955) and "Grand Piano" (2013).

 

[mattopia]

Also, change to a Universal type LNBF if you want to receive any transponder frequencies below 11700MHz. Your current LNBF is a Standard type with a frequency range of 11700 -12200MHz. Satellites licensed for international coverage use the full KU range of 10700 - 12750MHz.

I was looking at the coverage maps for Hispasat and SES-4 earlier, and the North America transponders seem to fall in the 11.7-12.2 range. Are there any universal coverage transponders or is there any bleed over that I might receive with a universal LNB? I do need to eventually get a dual output LNB, all things considered is there any reason to *not* get a universal?

 

[FaT Air]

If they're all 11.7 to 12.2 a Standard 10750 LNBF is all you need. Only need universal for any below 11700.

 

[spongella]

Great to hear it mattopia.

Hispasat is a good one, especially if you want to see Cuban programming. It has a pretty strong signal for one of the Atlantic satellites. Has some good radio stations like Radio Reloj (Radio Clock) which is mostly news in Spanish with a clock ticking in the background. Some nights you can even hear it on the AM broadcast band. Every minute it id's with "RR" in Morse code.

Further East is Telstar 12 at 15W Ku but it only has about 7 or 8 stations. But it does have Angola and Equatorial Guinea, some middle East channels.

Canal Luz is one of the few HD stations around.


22W? That one sounds interesting. Any Ku action on that one?

 

[Jim S.]

22W Ku has occasional transatlantic feeds. Fairly regularly for CNN lately from what I hear. I don't remember whether they're high-band or low-band though.

From this far north, the only full-time low-band channel I can think of is the Russian version of TBN, which is the sole unencrypted channel on 50W.

 

[danristheman]

Congrats on 30w you caught the big fish next would be mini bud time.