C Band Dish Installation Update

[FaT Air]

Well I'm getting that satellite and by the look of the footprint , 2nd cllickable, you're in it stronger.

 

[FTA4PA]

The footprint looks to be only for South America.

John

I'm even closer to you John and I can get the 3885 transponder on 78w here in Central PA with a good signal on an 8' mesh. As Fat Air said, you should be able to get it. Make sure when you do your adjustments to do them very slowly in small increments and wait for the receiver to get a lock (can be as long as 10 seconds in some instances). Good luck!

 

[JFOK]

KA4EST,

Not sure how far I would adjust that.
I have tried twisting the feedhorn a few degrees each way, no result.

John

 

[KE4EST]

Hard to tell with out seeing. Keep at it you will get it!
Did you read all of FaT Air's BUD manual?
Maybe upload a few close up and backed off photos.

 

[JFOK]

KE4EST,

Yes I read his manual several times and found it helpful...refreshed my memory on a few things.
I'm including pictures of the dish pointing in the direction of 78W.

John

 

[JFOK]

Well I'm getting that satellite and by the look of the footprint , 2nd cllickable, you're in it stronger.
View attachment 117210

FaT Air,

Okay good to know. The footprint I saw showed it basically over South America...nothing northword.

John

 

[armadillo_115]

FaT Air,

Okay good to know. The footprint I saw showed it basically over South America...nothing northword.

John

That sounds like 78W KU footprint.C band comes in fine here..but not much there we ever watch.

 

[JFOK]

Hi All,

Its 5:15 PM EST now and I've been at this since 10 AM.
I'm normally a very patient person and as you know, I've done this twice before with no problems, but this thing has got me licked.
I don't want to spend all summer doing this. Its been several weeks and I've had no luck.
I sincerely appreciate all the help I've been given, but I really think I've had it for now with satellite hunting. I'm not seeing anything encouraging on the signal meter on my microHD, an occasional blip to 7%, but that's it. I've done all the procedures that I've read in FaT Air's bud manual, but to no avail. I'm out of ideas. Wish I was in closer proximity to one of you fine people, but no such luck.
I'll still take any suggestions offered, but I'm out of steam here and gonna pack it in for now.

Thanks again,

John

 

[FaT Air]

could take a plane out in the AM and return that night.
'cept, I can't afford that right now.

Every few years I 'whack out' all adjustment on my BUD,(BIG time) except for the declination, and a few hours later go back and re-align it. Just to stay 'in practice'.

I will say: It was a LOT easier in the analog days. No waiting for signal to lock. Didn't even have to watch a meter or screen until after you just swing the dish around to hear program sound.
No 'little' adjustment and wait, Just swing medium slowly east and west, and maybe a 1/2 turn of the elevation if we didn't hear anything. Only 24 possible channels then. Now there's hundreds possible on a single satellite and they require meticulous programming. No errors allowed.
You'll get it, just be patient. Don't give up too easily.
Got most of my first 700 posts helping one set up his replacement dish. Very Happy Camper
Another thought. Dishpointer green line may not be accurate, or it's our ageing eyes, if you're referencing a tree or building. I swear it's 10 degrees off on anything between 87 and 107 (w/ me at 97) but it seems more accurate further towards the E or W horizon. So maybe the area to look is a bit wider?

 

[KE4EST]

In PM with John now, gonna see if I can send him a thing or two, to help get him going.

 

[JFOK]

FaT Air,

It was nice of you to even consider flying here. Kinda far for you, but appreciate the thought.
I agree...the analog days were so much easier. In fact when I put this dish in its first location 16 years ago and 20 feet up, analog was still present and again, I had a signal in no time.
I really didn't realize how difficult it would be to acquire a digital signal...very frustrating situation for me and I'm sure others too.
I used a satellite finder app called Sat Scope and it helped me get to the general satellite location, I just couldn't tune it in.
Don't worry, I'm not giving up on FTA...just have to take a step back.
Thanks for all your help.

John

 

[bpalone]

Not trying to muddy the water, but could it be that the polarity is out of whack? His vertical is actually horizontal? Just a thought I had looking at the last pictures.

 

[KE4EST]

Could be. That is what I meant by skew in an earlier post. I should have been more specific.
I mentioned this in PM as well as the fact it could be the servo.

 

[armadillo_115]

Since this was an older 4dtv system:
John IS using rg-6 and not rg-59,correct? Are there any barrel connectors in-line or the screw-on type coax connectors? I had one low-quality barrel connector that almost ruined my reception.A 7.5' dish can't tolerate much signal degradation.

For the gurus here: Could the fact that the MicroHD was originally in a slaved set-up require any special changes be made? Like deleting channels and rescanning for instance? Just a thought...I know nothing about a slave set-up.

I have a feeling it is something simple that has been overlooked.

A spare receiver and lnb would help to rule out some equipment failure.
just some thoughts from the peanut gallery.

 

[KE4EST]

A spare receiver and lnb would help to rule out some equipment failure.

I feel like his receiver is fine from everything he has said.
A new LNBF will be the on the way to his house, after Memorial day.

 

[FaT Air]

4DTV polarity set to reversed? (youch! that's by memory, seem to remember this from quite a while ago)

 

[. Raine]

John, I can't really see too good in the pictures, but is there a DISEqC switch [or 22KHZ] in the setup anywhere? It looks like two LNBs on the feed there, but I can't be sure. Maybe a C and a Ku one?

If you're using a DISEqC switch and the port # isn't set right, it could be picking up the wrong LNB and still give the 45 signal. If there is a switch, bypass it and just run a cable straight to the C LNB for now.

When you mess with it again, if you get a little blip of 7% Q or anything, maybe try and do a blind scan. If the polarity is off to the point of where H comes in as V or vice versa, you may pick something up.

 

[JFOK]

Hi All,

Thanks for your replies.
*bpalone...I believe the polarity is set properly, but there is still that possibility.
*armadillo_115...yes I'm using RG6 coax with no barrel connectors in line. Like you, I feel I missed something simple...that I'll feel stupid about later.
*FaT Air...not using the 4DTV anymore, but rather an ASC-1, an awesome dish positioner.
*.Raine...Not using any switches as I search for satellites. Straight C-band cable to ASC-1.

John

 

[waylew]

Maybe dig the 4D out and cruise down to,and see if you can find, 131w ch7 Cspan or 135w ch9 shopping channel,both are still in glorious ANALOG.

 

[JFOK]

waylew.

I did consider that at one point, but my outside table was already getting crowded with electronics.

John