Usals problem & alignment

[jeallen01]

The problem is sats beyond 23 east. Not sure what is happening on western sats as i lose LOS after 5 west. For example getting 70% on 23.5 east then only 40% on 26 east , and 40% on 33 east.

That rather implies that the dish declination is not yet quite correct.

As I suggested earlier, go to the furthest East sat you can get and gently raise/lower the feedarm (not the dish itself) to see which way produces an improvement - and then do the same at the furthest West Sat.
- If that slight improvement adjustment is "upwards" on both sats then you have set too large a declination angle, and, conversely, if that improvement is "downwards" then you have not set a large enough declination angle.
- OTOH, if the improvements on those sats don't match (i.e. one is "upwards" and the other is "downwards") then the dish is still not set correctly to your due South when pointing at Thor.

 

[Red alert]

That rather implies that the dish declination is not yet quite correct.

As I suggested earlier, go to the furthest East sat you can get and gently raise/lower the feedarm (not the dish itself) to see which way produces an improvement - and then do the same at the furthest West Sat.
- If that slight improvement adjustment is "upwards" on both sats then you have set too large a declination angle, and, conversely, if that improvement is "downwards" then you have not set a large enough declination angle.
- OTOH, if the improvements on those sats don't match (i.e. one is "upwards" and the other is "downwards") then the dish is still not set correctly to your due South when pointing at Thor.

Thanks will do. I cant test beyond 5 west due to my house blocking the signal. So my tests are only on eastern sats. I am yet to get any signal on 42 east even when i push/pull arm.

 

[Channel Hopper]

You don't have the best motor design out there for 'on the fly' adjustments. No buttons to play with to nudge the dish E/W before checking for elevation.

Are you taking the receiver and telly into the garden?

 

[Red alert]

You don't have the best motor design out there for 'on the fly' adjustments. No buttons to play with to nudge the dish E/W before checking for elevation.

Are you taking the receiver and telly into the garden?

Im using the Stab motor. I was taking receiver and telly but recently got the GT media signal finder which not used yet. Trying to see how it works before i take it outside.

 

[Red alert]

This depends on which sat and transponder you are tuned too.
On 26 east I get 44% BBC Arabic HD. Sky News 50%
On 23 east I get 50% Chamber TV.
On 28 east BBC News I get 100%.
provide you are above 50% you will get a good picture.

I get 38% on bbc hd on 26 east
On 23 east i get 70% on chamber tv
On 28 east getting 100% also

how are you getting 44% on bbc hd on 26 east but lower than mine on 23 east.

 

[jeallen01]

Thanks will do. I cant test beyond 5 west due to my house blocking the signal. So my tests are only on eastern sats. I am yet to get any signal on 42 east even when i push/pull arm.

In that case, do a comparison between 5W and Astra 5 at 4.8E (or even Eutelsat 3B at 3E?) because they are roughly spaced the same angle either side of Thor (Eutelsat 3B would be better because that's 4 degrees E of Thor and Eutelsat 5 West B is 4 degrees West of Thor), and maybe do some adjustments.

As for not getting 42E, it's probably better to work your way gradually Eastwards from a strong sat such as 13E, 19E or 23E and "peak up" the elevation &/or declination as you progress as then you will become more familiar with how much adjustment is required when moving "n" degrees - and thus what the dish motor combo is doing as opposed to what it should be doing.

That's what I did with some of the fixed dishes, i.e. I'd start with 28E because it's very "Loud" and thus easily found, and then 19E, 13E and so on by progressively moving the dish "left and bit and down a bit" as I moved it to the East (and I could always go straight back to 28E to start again if things went a bit haywire).

 

[jeallen01]

...
That's what I did with some of the fixed dishes, i.e. I'd start with 28E because it's very "Loud" and thus easily found, and then 19E, 13E and so on by progressively moving the dish "left and bit and down a bit" as I moved it to the East (and I could always go straight back to 28E to start again if things went a bit haywire).

OOPS - the above was "slightly wrong" (and no-one "corrected" me )

What I should have said was "I'd start with 13E because it's very "Loud" and thus easily found, and then 19E, 28E and so on (or start with 28E if I was looking for 36E, 39E, 42 E and so on) and so on by progressively moving the dish "left and bit and down a bit" as I moved it to the East - and I could always go straight back to 13E (or 28E) to start again if things went a bit haywire).

 

[Mickha]

On 23.5E you should be getting in the 90% range

 

[Red alert]

On 23.5E you should be getting in the 90% range

Is that with a 1m in the North West? What signal you getting on BBC Arabic HD on 26 east?

 

[Archive-10]

Please keep the information coming , I intend to start setting mine up soon , when I can get some bits from the hard wear shop when it opens

 

[Mickha]

BBC Arabic, 11996 H 27500, 67%, but signal quality readings vary, according to the receiver you are using.
Channel Master 1.2M, North West.
If you have time, and decent weather, try using a small television, or PC monitor, with a HDMI port, and try your receiver close to your dish, so that you can adjust your dish, to check what signal quality you can achieve. But make some markings first, using a marker pen, so that you can put everything back.
I still think your dish isn't tracking the arc properly.
You should try some basic setup tips.
Ensure your pole is vertical
Enter your correct Latitude, and Longitude, on your receiver. Try using a site like dishpointer, where you can zoom in on a map, move the icon to where your dish is sited, and get a reasonably accurate location
Set everything to 0, dish, LNB, and motor. Then use your receiver to sent the motor to 1W, or a suitable satllite.
Physically move your dish, to align on the satellite, peaking the maximum signal quality reading.
Send the dish, using your receiver, East, and West, to check the signal quality levels.
Then return it to the satellite you set it up on and make minor adjustments, to the dish bracket, and motor bracket, to once again maximize your signal quality, then send it East/West, to check if you've improved the readings.
Then send it back to the initial satellite, and keep making adjustments until you're happy that you are getting the best signal you can, from all the satellites.

 

[Red alert]

Had another go at it and something in the setup is not right. I can pick up upto 23.5 east but anything beyond and no signal no matter how I move the dish. For example at 26 east i have tried lowering or raising the dish and no difference. Pushed the dish right and signal went up 2%. So i decided to nudge the mount a few mm left at 1 west. But going back to 26 east yielded the same result. The only way signal improves by about 3% at 26 east is turning lnb slightly anti clockwise. East/west pole is plumb. Does it matter what kind of spirit level is used on the pole? The digital level has a magnetic groove in it that sticks to pole and the other spirit level i have is flat on the side, just looking at bubble both show different results. One is more centre than the other. What kind of spirit level do you guys use?
could the dish mount itself be an issue? I have to slightly turn lnb a few mm anti clockwise for it to appear more centre to the dish. I assume if i put the spirit level on the side of the dish mount at 0 position it should be dead level?
There is a flaw somewhere, but I just dont see it. Close to giving up on this. I have attached more photos to see if anyone can notice what may be wrong? The photo of the dish with trees in the background is at 26 east.

 

[TJExcalibur]

The only thing I can think of is a signal block in the eastern area. Try Dishpointer and put in your postcode. Zoom in and move the marker to the exact location of your dish. You will be able to see your dish easily. Check the options box and choose an east sat, say 28.2. Then zoom out to see if it shows a distant obstruction.

 

[Trust]

Am I missing something ? at the beginning there were pictures of a Technomate rotor , now I see a STAB rotor !

 

[Red alert]

The only thing I can think of is a signal block in the eastern area. Try Dishpointer and put in your postcode. Zoom in and move the marker to the exact location of your dish. You will be able to see your dish easily. Check the options box and choose an east sat, say 28.2. Then zoom out to see if it shows a distant obstruction.

I can get 28.2 with 100% quality. So those trees shouldnt be blocking the signal. The dish is 1.7 m above the ground.

 

[Red alert]

Am I missing something ? at the beginning there were pictures of a Technomate rotor , now I see a STAB rotor !

I started of with a Stab motor. Then purchased a Technomate. Put the technomate on and lost most of the signal at 1 west due to lower LOS. Soo decided to put Stab motor back on to get better LOS. Very weird location for a dish setup i have to say. But this was only place.

 

[TJExcalibur]

I can get 28.2 with 100% quality. So those trees shouldnt be blocking the signal. The dish is 1.7 m above the ground.

Put a dishpointer type app, there are plenty on to a tablet or mobile phone. That way you can stand in front of the dish at ground level and see the satellite arc. Be amazed how deceptive it is when locking onto a satellite.

 

[Mickha]

Earlier you stated you got 38% on bbc hd on 26 east, Did you actually view that channel?
You now say you can't get anything past 23.5E, yet also state that you can get 100% on Astra 2, 28.2E.

Can you please do the basics, and then post some signal quality levels, on the satellites you do get, so that we can work out how the dish is tracking the satellite arc.

One thing you don't do is move the dish back to 1W then nudge the mount, that messes up the point of using USALS. You can switch to Diseqc 1.2, and using your receiver, move the dish, to peak the signal, then store that position.

Start fresh, when you have the time, and set the dish/motor/LNB up again, at 0, then move it to 0.8W, using your receiver, physically align it, and tighten everything up.

Then check all the satellites, you can get, and post the signal quality levels, you can use william-1's strongest transponder list, to check the channels.

Just Sharing This - Strongest transponders

Also getting 9.2dB with the 88cm dish + M3 on Reuters feed @ 22 west SES-4.

www.satellites.co.uk

 

[Red alert]

Earlier you stated you got 38% on bbc hd on 26 east, Did you actually view that channel?
You now say you can't get anything past 23.5E, yet also state that you can get 100% on Astra 2, 28.2E.

Can you please do the basics, and then post some signal quality levels, on the satellites you do get, so that we can work out how the dish is tracking the satellite arc.

One thing you don't do is move the dish back to 1W then nudge the mount, that messes up the point of using USALS. You can switch to Diseqc 1.2, and using your receiver, move the dish, to peak the signal, then store that position.

Start fresh, when you have the time, and set the dish/motor/LNB up again, at 0, then move it to 0.8W, using your receiver, physically align it, and tighten everything up.

Then check all the satellites, you can get, and post the signal quality levels, you can use william-1's strongest transponder list, to check the channels.

Just Sharing This - Strongest transponders

Also getting 9.2dB with the 88cm dish + M3 on Reuters feed @ 22 west SES-4.

www.satellites.co.uk

Ok so had some free time to play with the dish . I note that the signal improves on 5 west if i push down on the dish. On 26 east it improves by 2% if i push the dish slightly right.
here are list if signal quality achieved based on same frequency and sat from Williams post.
5 west 61%
3 west 0 %
0.8 west 72%
1.9 east 0 %
3 east 61%
5 east 75%
7 east 61%
9 east 77%
10 east 51%
13 east 85% cnbc
16 east only getting signal on 12541 v 19970
19 east 78% on 11186
21.5 0%
23.5 65%
26 east 38% improves to 40% if I nudge dish right. Ive had 45% once a few weeks back but lost it
28.2 85% on 12168
33 east 61% on 12645
36 east 0%
39 east 0%
42 east 0%

note on extreme east sats push/pulling up/down or left/right does not bring in any signal. 5 west is the most west i can go

Took sides of bracket also. Is the level ok for sides if bracket or is that something not to worry about

 

[Mickha]

Have you checked that your LNB is sited correctly, by sliding it back and forth?
I still think you might need to do some gentle tweaking, unless you have obstructions, at 39E and 42E, blocking the signal.
Try to ignore the dish bracket information, this is usually just a guide, and try adjusting your motor angles, slightly, then compensate by adjusting your dish bracket, to peak the signal quality, on 0.8W. But always make a note, of where they currently are, so if it gets worse you can quickly move it back again.
Then check the signal quality readings, on the satellites.