DiSEqC motor setup

[Mickha]

You still haven't posted your signal quality levels, for various satellites, and transponders, Horizontal, and Vertical, nor have you mentioned if you've used the Positioner Setup option, in the menu, to peak the signal quality readings.

If the signal quality is that different, in both receivers, then you need to check your Latitude, and Logitude settings, in both receivers, especially Longitude, as negative Longitude = West, Positive Longitude = East.

Personally I wouldn't have attached the Diseqc switch until you had set your motor up, by using a direct cable, from your motor, to your receiver, but as you now seem to have it all working, then that point is moot.

A different image shouldn't make any difference, to your setup, as most images are similar, but different receivers can give wide variations, in Signal Quality readings.

Try using Dishpointer.com, to find an accurate Latitude, and Longitude reading, by using your postcode, then zooming in on the map, while moving the green icon, to your property, and where the dish is sited.

You could also try setting the USALS option to No, then manually aligning your dish, using the positioner Setup option, to find the appropriate satellite, peak the signal quality, then store it at that number.

 

[statalite]

You still haven't posted your signal quality levels, for various satellites, and transponders, Horizontal, and Vertical, nor have you mentioned if you've used the Positioner Setup option, in the menu, to peak the signal quality readings.

If the signal quality is that different, in both receivers, then you need to check your Latitude, and Logitude settings, in both receivers, especially Longitude, as negative Longitude = West, Positive Longitude = East.

Personally I wouldn't have attached the Diseqc switch until you had set your motor up, by using a direct cable, from your motor, to your receiver, but as you now seem to have it all working, then that point is moot.

A different image shouldn't make any difference, to your setup, as most images are similar, but different receivers can give wide variations, in Signal Quality readings.

Try using Dishpointer.com, to find an accurate Latitude, and Longitude reading, by using your postcode, then zooming in on the map, while moving the green icon, to your property, and where the dish is sited.

You could also try setting the USALS option to No, then manually aligning your dish, using the positioner Setup option, to find the appropriate satellite, peak the signal quality, then store it at that number.

I hope to collect come readings over the next few days.

This week I have used the positioner setup screen to to use the fine step movement but have reset to reference since.

I always put longitude as West as the dishpointer website does give a minus figure.

The switch was already part of the setup and it would have been major hassle and expense to change this.

I will post the signal readings I am getting on my SF8008 even though there is this odd behavior of not scanning many channels.

 

[gdf68]

Shame I thought you were setting up the motor from scratch, you not got any spare cable to have just tried the motor out first

 

[statalite]

Searching found this but think it's 2 recievers.

DiSEqC switching between fixed and motorised

Hi all, Been setting up the dish today at the bottom of the garden and despite moving it as far back as I can, I cannot receive anything further east of 23.5 due to the house being in the way. The dish is set up *very* roughly, the pole isn't 100% vertical and most bolts are tightened up by...

www.satellites.co.uk

Tuner config is "Advanced".

Config as follows:

28E:
LNB 1
DiSEqC mode: 1.0
Committed DiSEqC command: AA

All other satellites:
LNB 2
DiSEqC mode: 1.2
Committed DiSEqC command: AB
Use usals for this sat: yes

Used to have a sky dish and motor but can't remember my setup


Id make sure all sat are achieved first just on the motor before setting up the switch config s.

Thank you for pointing this link out to me, as far as I can tell, everything now works as intended. the motor and the fixed dish work independently through the switch.

 

[statalite]

Is there a plugin or script I could use to produce a file containing signal levels, a bit like this thread Using Linux Receivers To Create Signal Graphs - SatsUK?
@RimaNTSS were you able to update this?

 

[Mickha]

Why are you trying to make this more difficult, than it should be?

Please go to a satellite, select a channel, then go into the menu, Setup, Tuners and Scanning, Positioner Setup, you can then see the signal quality, SNR, reading, and if you scroll down to the Fine Movement option, you can use the East/West, Yellow/Green buttons, to move your motor, to get the best SNR available, then write down that reading. Do this for a few transponder, both Horizontal, and Vertical, for a few satellites, including furthest East, and furthest West, you have set up.

 

[RimaNTSS]

were you able to update

Try here 2.4 KB file on MEGA

 

[statalite]

Why are you trying to make this more difficult, than it should be?

Please go to a satellite, select a channel, then go into the menu, Setup, Tuners and Scanning, Positioner Setup, you can then see the signal quality, SNR, reading, and if you scroll down to the Fine Movement option, you can use the East/West, Yellow/Green buttons, to move your motor, to get the best SNR available, then write down that reading. Do this for a few transponder, both Horizontal, and Vertical, for a few satellites, including furthest East, and furthest West, you have set up.

I'm not trying to be difficult.
I thought I would give information on all transponders as I didn't know which ones to choose as a select horizontal and vertical transponder will vary between that and another H and V on the same satellite.

I will now follow your guidance and report back accordingly. I think I'm trying to do too much at once that's all.

 

[Mickha]

Did you check out william-1's strongest transponder thread, for the UK?
You check Hiorizontal, and Vertical, polarities, to test if your LNB is skewed correctly, and both polarities are showing similar SNR readings.

Just Sharing This - Strongest transponders

same here,rainy weather and midday time mean weak reception for 7w and it strengthens a lot after 7pm

satellites.co.uk

 

[gdf68]

Did you check out william-1's strongest transponder thread, for the UK?
You check Hiorizontal, and Vertical, polarities, to test if your LNB is skewed correctly, and both polarities are showing similar SNR readings.

Just Sharing This - Strongest transponders

same here,rainy weather and midday time mean weak reception for 7w and it strengthens a lot after 7pm

satellites.co.uk

Does LNB skew matter with a motor?

 

[Mickha]

No, if set up correctly, from the beginning, as the motor, moves the dish, it compensates for LNB skew.

 

[statalite]

Figures taken approx 11:30am today, cloudy and sunny conditions.
Random transponders chosen.
Dish 80cm with Blazer X4 LNB (no name?), no skew, approx 20 meter cable to switch then further 5 meter to motor, location East Midlands, UK.

42°E 12034 V 27500 14.2-14.5dB, AGC 78-79%
42°E 12685 H 27500 11.5-11.8dB, AGC 37% (Last viewable satellite, house in line of sight)

39°E 10730 H 30000 13.2-13.5dB, AGC 79%
39°E 12213 V 30000 11.5dB, AGC 63%

23.5°E 11954 H 29900 11.5dB, AGC 79%
23.5°E 12012 V 29900 12.8-13.0dB, AGC 81%

19.2°E 11954 H 27500 13.2-13.5dB, AGC 82%
19.2°E 11973 V 27500 13.5dB, AGC 82%

13°E 10853 H 29900 12.0-12.2dB, AGC 78%
13°E 10758 V 27500 14.0-14.2dB, AGC 84%

9°E 12034 V 27500 11.8dB, AGC 72%
9°E 12054 H 27500 11.8dB, AGC 71%

4.8°E 11766 H 30000 11dB, AGC 73%
4.8°E 11747 V 30000 9.8dB, AGC 70%

0.8°W 11938 H 28000 12.5-12.8dB, AGC 73%
0.8°W 11958 V 28000 11-11.5 dB, AGC 72%

5°W 11016 H 29500 13dB, AGC 75%
5°W 11096 V 29950 13.2-13.5dB, AGC 74%

22°W 11127 H 17250 9.2-9.5dB, AGC 59%

30°W 10770 H 30000 11.5-11.8dB, AGC 74%
30°W 10850 V 30000 11.5-11.8dB, AGC 74%

 

[Mickha]

Those figures aren't too bad.
Did you need to adjust the motor, using the Positioner Setup option, or are those readings with just using USALS?

 

[statalite]

The figures are standard USALS for bench-marking.
If I go into positioner setup > fine movement, I can get a few more percent SNR, sometimes a small improvement in dB, this is all I can expect, right?

 

[Mickha]

You can fine tweak it, to try to get more, but given that 30W is similar to your far East satellites, then I'd leave it.
I'm surprised you didn't test 28.2E, to check the signal quality levels against your fixed dish.

 

[statalite]

The fixed dish is a zone 2 oval shape, has a correctly skewed LNB and is mounted at a different height, I don't think I can compare too much.
I looked only briefly at the values compared to the fixed dish, the motorised dish has a much better AGC but the dB values were similar. As I get great signal from the fixed dish, I won't worry too much.

 

[Channel Hopper]

The figures are standard USALS for bench-marking.
If I go into positioner setup > fine movement, I can get a few more percent SNR, sometimes a small improvement in dB, this is all I can expect, right?

You may find , now you are running a larger dish, the orbital positions are slightly out on the memory.

4.8E is actually very near 4.9E, and 28.2 is nearer 28.3 for some transponders.

Some also have a measurable wobble owing to slight inclination, the figures will vary over a 12 hour period. You can use this site to get absolute figures for the positions.

N2YO.com - real time satellite tracking

Select any satellite orbiting the Earth and check where it is located now

www.n2yo.com

 

[statalite]

You may find , now you are running a larger dish, the orbital positions are slightly out on the memory.

4.8E is actually very near 4.9E, and 28.2 is nearer 28.3 for some transponders.

Some also have a measurable wobble owing to slight inclination, the figures will vary over a 12 hour period. You can use this site to get absolute figures for the positions.

N2YO.com - real time satellite tracking

Select any satellite orbiting the Earth and check where it is located now

www.n2yo.com

Useful to know, thank you.

 

[Manikm909]

ive lost track of what you're trying to achieve....remind me / us? you seem to be where you need to be, no?

 

[statalite]

To physicaly setup the motor and then to get it working in E2.

Provided my signals are what they should be for an 80cm dish in the East Midlands, which I think they are then I've achieved my objectives, so thanks to all in the forum for assisting.