help with bsc 621

[blujagg]

Hi guys i would appreciate any help or ideas to help me set up new lnbf, i fitted a standard bsc621 22khz switching on my 2.4 metre fortec star prime focus dish after pointing at 5w in ku band and checked i have a good strong channel list, now i havent got any signal at all, manual is not clear on lnb settings, after i fiddled a bit i did a blind scan and had tele africa come in ok but that seems to have got lost in memory so now nothing at all,i cant tell if im using c or ku band. does anyone know what settings i need to enter in the receiver so it can see the lnb. many thanks lester

 

[Vipersan]

The receiver will switch the lnb local oscillator ...so you will know if you are set for Cband or ku ..by the setting you employ ..
Universal for ku ...or single/5150 for Cband

Few if any receivers will allow you to combine both C and ku in one channel list ..
The normal procedure is to duplicate the satellite position (in this case 5 west) so that you effectively have 2 satellites ..at the same location ..
One for C and one for ku ...
You then blind scan your channels for each of these 2 satellites first using 5150 for Cband ..then switch to the second satellite ...with the universal setting ..and scan the second satellite for ku ..
Clear as mud eh ?
;)
rgds
VS

 

[blujagg]

thanks vs will give it a try i know where your coming from, i been playing with this stuff since 1988 even watched the launch of first astra live on eutelsat but this problem got be stumped for a while, regards lester

 

[nelson_b]

The receiver will switch the lnb local oscillator ...so you will know if you are set for Cband or ku ..by the setting you employ ..
Universal for ku ...or single/5150 for Cband
VS

that l.n.b uses diseqc settings as well -- to switch between C and K/U sections of the l.n.b.
you will need to set those correct in the receiver menu --

cheers

 

[Vipersan]

The other important thing to remember is that for C band at 5West the depolarising plate provided should be inserted as into the LNB throat ...as these channels are circular polarised...but has to be removed for linear channels such as the ku channels at 5 West ..
The only time you wont have to do this swapover is when watching channels in C band at 37 West 55 west 58 West and possibly 38 East ..as these channels are linear in Cband and also in ku where available ..such as 58 west ..but since you cannot receive these in the UK ..its not relevant..
Generally on such a big dish ..if correctly setup ..you should get a large number of C and ku ...(even some circular polarised channels _without_ the plate) ...so for the most part ...leave it out..
Good luck
VS

 

[Vipersan]

between the my post and Nelsons post ..all the info you need is there ..
All you need do now is start climbing that learning curve..
;)

Don't expect miracles from th ku part of the lnb ...these combi lnbs rarely perform well in ku ...but then you have an advantage in having a 2.4m dish..
So ..just maybe...

 

[blujagg]

thanks guys i knew someone would know a lot more than me, not sure about disecq switching though your picture shows the 621-2 which is disecq, i have the standard 621 which i understand is only 22khz tone switching, correct me if im wrong i need to learn, would be so much easier if there was a manual in the box, lester

 

[Vipersan]

Hmm ..its hard to see how it would work without a built in diseqc switch ..or an external one assuming the BDC621 you have has 2 lnb f connector outputs ..
How many does yours have ..
If 2 then you need an external diseqc switch ...
If only 1 then the disqc switch has to be integrated into the lnb ..
since the ku part of the lnb uses 22khz to switch between upper and lower band ..it cannot be used to switch between C and ku as well ??
Thus diseqc switching is still needed ..either internal or external..
Polarity on the other hand is contolled by voltage switching both for C and ku ..thus not relevant..
rgds
VS

 

[nelson_b]

thanks guys i knew someone would know a lot more than me, not sure about disecq switching though your picture shows the 621-2 which is disecq, i have the standard 621 which i understand is only 22khz tone switching, correct me if im wrong i need to learn, would be so much easier if there was a manual in the box, lester

sorry my mistake -- forget diseqc--
it is in the tone switch settings

regards nelson

 

[Vipersan]

sorry my mistake -- forget diseqc--
it is in the tone switch settings

regards nelson

I'm still having trouble getting my head around this one Nelson ..
When universal (ie ku ) is selected in all my receivers setup menu ...the 22khz tone is set by default to auto ..thus not controllable by the user ...
Its effectively reserved by ku band switching ..
If this is true of the BCS621 ...then it can only be used Either in C band mode ..Or in ku mode ...
not both modes under receiver control..
Ewww ...thats a nasty oversight..indeed..

I guess thats why they quickly brought out the BSC621-2

 

[blujagg]

thanks, thought i saw that somewhere and thats all it says on the box, so i just need to sort out the settings, yesterday i tried just running coax from ku part of lnb but no signal at all, put old lnb back on and they booming in on ku so fitted 621 and all signals went again i did a new blindscan just in case they downconverted differently, will remake f types next just to be sure but cant figure out why signal gone when i swap ku lnb, tele africa came in at one point but dont know what settings i used now but that was only channel thought it would be more if it was right settings but no. lester

 

[blujagg]

yes vs in the plaza st 550 universal is set with 22khz to auto and fixed, if set to c band it can be switched and stored on or off, so i take it i need to store same satellite again and scan c band like you said

 

[nelson_b]

I'm still having trouble getting my head around this one Nelson ..
When universal (ie ku ) is selected in all my receivers setup menu ...the 22khz tone is set by default to auto ..thus not controllable by the user ...
Its effectively reserved by ku band switching ..
If this is true of the BCS621 ...then it can only be used Either in C band mode ..Or in ku mode ...
not both modes under receiver control..
Ewww ...thats a nasty oversight..indeed..

I guess thats why they quickly brought out the BSC621-2

yes it looks that way

 

[Vipersan]

If there are 2 outputs (f connectors on the lnb ...) ...I assume you could connect an external diseqc switch to get around the problem..
Selecting port 1 of the switch and satellite 1 @5W universal ku
Selecting port 2 of the switch and satellite listing 2 -Single 5150 lo Cband @5 west
Maybe this would work ..??
rgds
VS

 

[blujagg]

love the picture vs very good, trouble is i think the 22khz switch is built in and the jumper lead from ku part has to go through the switch before it leaves and c band is also internal, i take it this is scr (single cable router) which plaza box doesnt accept as a valid setting, maybe i need to experimant a bit more with focal point but at the least i should be getting something by now.

 

[Vipersan]

Have you actually tried running the 2 sections of the lnb seperately ..
ie ..just ku ....then ...just Cband ..
I think its odd that they _have_ to be connected ...
Its got to be worth a go ...
If they can be made to work independantly ..then the external diseqc switch idea is viable..
I'd be bluddy furious if I'd bought it ...
its damned near useless ..
Grrrrr

not sure what you mean by scr ...
Does the plaza not have a diseqc switch setting in its setup menu ??

 

[blujagg]

well thats what i thought about doing and using a second receiver for c band, i even ran another coax to the dish a long time ago but the guy where i got it said it wouldnt work but i reckon it would if they work as two seperate lnbs i dont see the problem,then each receiver would switch its own polarity, what you reckon.

 

[Vipersan]

If the 2 halves of the lnb work seperately ..then yes ..2 receivers would work ...but again I ask ..what sort of receiver _doesn't have diseqc or at least A/B switching in its options menu ?
Is it a old receiver ...??

 

[Vipersan]

Is this reciver the same as the Manhattan ?
This receiver definately shows diseqc in its menus
_http://www.satellitesuperstore.com/manhattanreview.htm
??
rgds
VS

 

[blujagg]

should be ok i have an old tecnomate but no blind scan or another manhatten starlight but no blind scan, or at a push i could try my new manhatten plaza xt-cm, i got that one set up on 1.2 metre channel master with a v-box, didnt really want to take it out of line but if need must haha,