Advice Needed Adding a second LNB to a Sky dish

[statalite]

The problem described on kaos and on many other reports that I have seen is that either the Horizontal or Vertical are not working as a whole, these are people with two boxes working off the same lnb.
My skybox is attached to its own lnb - the Technomate TM-2 Twin LNB, by itself. (newly bought at the same time hence the trouble to find the root cause the skybox or the lnb)

I have just done a some more testing, and I think I have narrowed it down. I tested the tps with my pc card.

10774H and 10892H - pc card sees something but with lots of packet loss (similar to low signal i guess), now at night with clear sky the signal is showing on the skybox with Strength 88% but Quality jumping around from 10-25%, this did not do this this afternoon when cloudy.

11153? - dont know details, forget this one
11465H - this locked on both pc card and skybox, dont know why this is listed.
11553H - no lock on both
12721H - no lock on both

I said in a previous post of this thread that there are a good amount of TP's that are signal strength 88% but the quality is jumping from 10-35% however these channels still display.

As I dont have any problems with any of the tps for 28.2 this has lead me to believe that it might not be the voltage out issue.
What I suspect with the first and last two frequencies in the list above and the tps reporting low quality on the skybox, is probably because I haven't aligned the lnb correctly.

Trying to realign the lnb will only cost my time to find out, however I dont know how much patience I am going to have with it.

 

[ched999uk]

Just re read fro the start of the thread. Am I correct in assuming that the f5s is just for 19.2e? If so then I would say it's not quite aligned or your zone 1 dish is not getting enough signal to feed the 19.2 lnb.
Do you have a satellite meter of any sort? Even a cheapy one should help you get maximum signal as it sounds like you are almost there. Just very minor adjustments required, have you adjusted the skew or the lnb (It's the rotation of the lnb) ?
Patience is one thing I think you might need. Sometimes if you are not having luck it is better to go inside have a cup of tea (would say beer but not advisable when ladders may be involved) and a break for 20 mins then come back and try again. I assume that you can't safely get a tv and the f5s box near the dish, then you could adjust lnb and view signal strength?

Hope you get it sorted.
I have a new zone 2 dish, octo lnb(that came with zone 2), quad lnb, multi lnb holder and DiSEqC switch to set up to receive 19.2e and 13e within the next 2 weeks so I can get F1 (13e just because I thought it might be fun to try multi lnb and I had spare lnb).

So good luck and be patient and let us know how you get on.

 

[statalite]

I will use the f5s for 19.2 yes.
I dont have a satellite meter of any sort, its an up and down the ladder job until its right, as the tv and the box are not in view of the dish.
I did not adjust the dish which has the Zinwell set to 28.2. I added the second LNB (Technomate) next to this. I cable tied it up but there maybe some small leway, if not I can replace the tie.
In terms of the skew its just sitting next to the Zinwell, I dont know what material I could use to make it tilt? - I should take a photo so the forum can see.

A multi holder may help but I may have as much trouble trying to install that.

 

[statalite]

I have now checked every tp in the tp list that the skybox reports and to sum these up:

77 tps have a stable signal that does not move.
30 tps have a signal that is low (some medium) and jumps around a lot

Does this backup the suspision that the lnb needs re-aligning?

 

[ched999uk]

Skew is the rotation on the lnb. i.e. the cable comes out pointing down pointing at 6 oclock, then say try rotating it to 7 oclock. That sort of adjustment is skew.
To be honest I have no idea if you have 75% of tp's good solid signals and 25% bad if you need to tweek the alignment or the f5s is playing up.
Any chance you can use an alternative box to see if it works on all tp's?

 

[statalite]

Well I have been up there for another 90 minutes this morning trying every combination I could think of without any kind of meter just the f5s and recieving mixed results.

Some that were strong before have now got reduced Quality, going down to around 55%, I have only checked a few. The particular tp that I was getting S45 Q10 before, this has now come alive, but the best I can get it is S88 Q20-35

As you look at the dish face on the Technomate lnb is to the right hand side of the Zinwell lnb. The Zinwell lnb angles to say 1 o'clock, and the Technomate sits next to this, quite how only a photo would describe.

I can use my PC card to try, but it means moving my tower pc, which is a right upheaval. However the PC card does not give a dynamic signal reading, It always stays on 94% whatever the signal.

Im still not sure if it is a power issue or an alignment issue. My thoughts are that the tp that was S45 Q10 before which is now S88 Q20-35 would more indicate towards an alignment issue rarther than an electrical, else I may not get any signal at all. Maybe hope more than anything.


Update: I could only not recieve 4 of the tps before with both the pc card and f5s. I have just used the f5s to do a blind scan and it only fails on one which is 11553H - which has a couple of MTV encrypted channels on which I cannot access anyway.
Even though the lnb has been moved and reduced the quality from stable to medium signal and very jumpy or low signal and very jumpy, the fact that the skybox is happy to say 'OK' on all but one, then I will be happy to leave it as it is.
Its a clear day things may get worse, it may or may not be the skybox output voltage, but messing around trying to find out anymore I don't think will be worth it.

 

[ched999uk]

Although not idea signal levels if you have the channels you want then that is good. Poor signals may break up during rain, but if you can live with that they why worry.

 

[Copecchia]

See attached 60cm for Astra 1 & Astra 2View attachment 62427

Hi
I believe you may have replied on this on another post. Is this dish 60cm in width or lenght? Is the central LNB pointed to 28.2 and then you added the white one to 19.2 or the other way around?