Worth it???

[Splicer]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/e...RK:MEWN:IT&viewitem=&item=140081741351&rd=1,1

Are these worth the money??? I bought one and it seems to work but I still get nothing on the receiver???

 

[Anole]

yes

see discussion

 

[iafirebuff]

I have one of these that I got when I bought my system from Sadoun last year. It has been invaluable! I use it to peak my dish to a satellite, then I blind scan and fine tune it to the meter on the receiver. I would say even the cheap meters are a must. My father inlaw bought one of those for $90 from an RV dealer to use when they travel. I never had the heart to tell him that those meters are real cheap from the satellite dealers

 

[jayelem]

I too agree that it can help on any installation , I use one and I like it very much, in fact I found my first satellite with the signal meter.

 

[dem0nlord]

I despise them, it reads signal, not quality. I can peak much faster just using the receiver.

 

[voomvoom]

I despise them, it reads signal, not quality. I can peak much faster just using the receiver.

Exactly, I feel I can do just as good with trial and error. They do better (acceptable) with the DBS sats, but I'm not interested in those.

Al

 

[Splicer]

Right now all I need to use it for is G16 (that damn elusive RFD) Ku band. I am confused about this staement:

it reads signal, not quality

I get superb signal level (using the meter) but doesnt the strongest signal mean the best quality??? I am confused even more now...

 

[dem0nlord]

Right now all I need to use it for is G16 (that damn elusive RFD) Ku band. I am confused about this staement:

I get superb signal level (using the meter) but doesnt the strongest signal mean the best quality??? I am confused even more now...

For digital channels, you peak the quality number, the signal number is irrelevant.

 

[Splicer]

Forgive my naive-ness but if signal is irrelevent then why does the meter (and the box) say signal instead of quality??? The DSR410 has nothing in the meter about quality, only signal???

 

[iafirebuff]

RFD on Ku?

 

[voomvoom]

RFD on Ku?

iafire, it's on C-band.

Al

 

[kstuart]

PS I have purchased from that particular ebay dealer - generally reliable and low prices...

 

[Splicer]

iafire, it's on C-band.

Al

as well as Ku band. I am attempting to get the Hits8 platform on G16...Unfortunately I do not have a dish pointing at the C band sat or I would try a DSR 4400x...

 

[voomvoom]

as well as Ku band. I am attempting to get the Hits8 platform on G16...Unfortunately I do not have a dish pointing at the C band sat or I would try a DSR 4400x...

That's right, I forgot you're trying to get Digicipher channels, and I was thinking of C-band DVB. And it's on C-band G13 in DVB and not G16. I was a bit off target, sorry about that.

Al

 

[iafirebuff]

I like RFD Big Joe Polka Show!

 

[Splicer]

Rub it in!!! LOL Dang I GOTTA get this friggin channel up & running!!! AAARRGGGHHHH!!!!

 

[jayelem]

I despise them, it reads signal, not quality. I can peak much faster just using the receiver.

I partially agree , I use the signal meter to find the sat , then I make fine adjustments with my FTA receiver.

 

[Splicer]

OK...Here is how I am using this...Please tell me WTF I am doing wrong?

I have a hikers/camping type compass...Set it according to its instructions to 203* azimuth and place atop the dish, lining up the arrow on the compass base with the LNB arm...

Turn the dish untill the compass needle points due North/South...Then I raise the elevation to 42*...With the Satellite Finder (SF) inline between the LNB and the Rx the thing is whistling at a high pitch. I tighten the azimuth bolts...Upon raising (or lowering) the elevation according to the hash marks on the side of the dis, I can easily peg the meter and then adjust the squelch control (I am associating it with CB???) on the meter ans barely raise/lower the dish I can peak even higher...

Then I go inside and look at the screen...NOTHING!!! Signal level 20 just as if I hadn't done a damm thing...

I have other satellites at 133* and so on and from what I can tell from comparing the location of the 2 different dishes and what the compass and meter are telling me is that I have the Ku dish pointed (aimed) correctly ...

I can spin the dish around and up and down and get the meter to start whistling fairly often (depending on how heavy the squelch is set)...Seems I can make the meter go off in ANY direction if the squelch is low enough...

So...WTF am I doing wrong??? Doesn't the satellite NAME need to be input to the Rx so the receiver knows WTF it is looking for???

Thanks for all the support guys:up

 

[Wescopc]

The receiver doesn't know the name of a satellite, it is looking for an active transponder(TP) - make sure the receiver is setup to an active TP for the satellite you are aiming at. Check Iceberg's thread: http://www.satelliteguys.us/showthread.php?t=85225

When you are using a compass don't place it on or near the dish. The metal in the dish will pull the needle one way or the other every time! Instead get a bearing on a distant object when you are about 5 feet or more in front of the dish. Then stand behind the dish and aim the arm at that distant object.

The degrees of elevation are often marked imprecisely - sometime off by 5 degrees or so. It takes patience and careful peaking with a meter followed by peaking with a tv set (outside where you are adjusting the dish). Very hard if not impossible to do with the tv inside the house.

These FTA setups have to be bang on - 1 degree off in any direction can ruin your day. If you get close you can often use the blind scan to pickup a weaker TP. When you find a weaker TP it makes it easer to do the final adjustments of elevation and azimuth. Remember that 1/16 of an inch on a 1 5/8 pole is about 4 degrees!
Bob

 

[partyharty]

I partially agree , I use the signal meter to find the sat , then I make fine adjustments with my FTA receiver.

Same here, I just used mine for the first time this past week and it went from a game that took 30 or so minutes (find the sat) down to about 40 seconds (no kidding). This was on G10, my wife asked what happened when I got back into the house so quickly :>

It helps to find the sat and then you fine peak it with your reciever. The only thing that would be better is if it would tell you what satellite you were on (but ones that do that cost mega bucks).

Chris