Zone 1 or Zone 2 with 40mm LNB

[jeallen01]

Various people are going to "pick me up" on terminology on this - but the "beam angle" of a Zone 2 dish is "narrower" than that of a Zone 1 dish - and thus it requires more careful alignment than the latter.

 

[statalite]

A sat-beeper is excellent stuff to FIND a satellite signal,
but for fine-tuning a dish to maximum quality level on a satellite it is not the best equipment (understatement).

Ho did you fine-tune? Did you check on both 28.2 channels, and 28.5 channels?

greetz,
A33

I fine tuned by looking at the percentage readings on the gtmedia v71, maybe I need more sophisticated equipment but this is all I have.
So far the fine tuning really hasn't taken place or consideration which 28.2 and 28.5 I am closer to, which I will do tomorrow although the supplied mounting brackets are really awkward and when tightened up can move as a result, maybe this is a factor.

 

[ozumo]

11266V 27500 2/3 is my weakest transponder
10787V 22000, 11265H 27500 & 11553H 22000 are also weaker than most here.

 

[a33]

I fine tuned by looking at the percentage readings on the gtmedia v71, maybe I need more sophisticated equipment but this is all I have.

I don't know the GTmedia, but I also use a receiver for my finetuning. (I take it out of the house, to the dish. )
So it should be enough.
If you would get a quality level of near 100%, throw a wet cloth (or so) over your LNB, to deteriorate your reception.
At 100%-level, you cannot finetune, as you see no feedback of alterations anymore.

Greetz,
A33

 

[statalite]

11266V 27500 2/3 is my weakest transponder
10787V 22000, 11265H 27500 & 11553H 22000 are also weaker than most here.

I have spent 8 hours today tinkering and trying different combinations of 40mm lnb positions and move dish with tiny bits of movement and slightly more, no joy.

10787V 22000 no worries on this one
11266V 27500 certainly one of my weaker ones
11265H 27500 trouble with Smithsonian, definitely weak.
11553H 22000 certainly one of my weaker ones

I am baffled how a zone 1 with 37mm sky lnb can give me all these with minimum 11db but my zone 2 with 40mm lnb's can't and only just give signal lock and picture break up. I appreciate that it needs more accurate alignment I'm just exhausted trying to find it.

 

[ozumo]

Do you have a fully clear line of sight to the satellite? It's also possible your LNB's neck isn't long enough to move it into the optimum focus.

 

[statalite]

Do you have a fully clear line of sight to the satellite? It's also possible your LNB's neck isn't long enough to move it into the optimum focus.

I'm in the back garden about 15m from the house on a piece of land that is about 30° elevated from the house at a guess, using the AR on my phone I can see the satellite on the screen, it's above the house, assuming I can see the dot on the mobile and it's looks like good clearance.
Usually when I have move the neck closer to the dish face the readings reduce.

 

[jeallen01]

..Usually when I have move the neck closer to the dish face the readings reduce.

Means that that LNB needs to be further away from the dish face to "cover" all of it.

 

[statalite]

Means that that LNB needs to be further away from the dish face.

I'm limited to the arm and the lnb holder right? I have found my better readings are when there's about a 5mm gap when adjusting.

 

[jeallen01]

I'm limited to the arm and the lnb holder right? I have found my better readings are when there's about a 5mm gap when adjusting.

Thus, means that LNB is not the best one for that dish!

Could try "bodging up" a spacer around the 37mm throat of the Zone 1dish LNB so that it will fit the Zone 2 dish and see what result that gives??

 

[a33]

on a piece of land that is about 30° elevated from the house at a guess

28E has elevation of only 24 degrees for about 52.5N, 2W (Birmingham).

what is ¨AR on my phone¨?
Phone apps are often not quite precise, I read.

Greetz,
A33

 

[ozumo]

How far is the dish off the ground & any way you can get it a little higher, if only temporarily to test it?

 

[statalite]

Thus, means that LNB is not the best one for that dish!

Could try "bodging up" a spacer around the 37mm throat of the Zone 1dish LNB so that it will fit the Zone 2 dish?

There was a 40mm one supplied with the dish and I already have a 40mm of my own, generally lots of sellers seem to sell zone 2 with 40mm lnb maybe because it's cheaper for them not sure.
I will try and purchase another 37mm sky lnb which should come with it's own bracket.

 

[statalite]

28E has elevation of only 24 degrees for about 52.5N, 2W (Birmingham).

what is ¨AR on my phone¨?
Phone apps are often not quite precise, I read.

Greetz,
A33

AR is augmented reality where the satellite location is super imposed onto the screen as you move the mobile and uses GPS etc, many satellite apps have this. I will try and take a screenshot next time I have a go.

 

[statalite]

How far is the dish off the ground & any way you can get it a little higher, if only temporarily to test it?

The dish is about 1m off the ground, I think this could rise to say 1.5m as its currently at the bottom of the supplied pole. There is no possibilty for any higher, so this could be a option to look at.

 

[ozumo]

As you are getting some signal then raising it that extra half metre could make all the difference. I'd try that rather than spend money on something you may not need.

 

[jeallen01]

See post #30 before trying/buying anything else!

 

[a33]

See post #30 before trying/buying anything else!

Concerning calculating exact LNB position of paraboloid dishes with non-flat dish face, see also the offer in post #1 here:

Measuring and calculating zone-1 and zone-2 dish

Yesterday I managed to adjust my excel satellite dish specs calculator, to calculate non-flat paraboloid dishes (such as the zone-1 and -2 dishes in the UK) as well. Of course you could measure them with the water method (is that from John Legon?), but that measurement procedure is a bit of a...

www.satellites.co.uk

greetz,
A33

 

[statalite]

Hi guys,

I have since acquired a zinwell oval shaped lnb, however I broke one of the two teeth putting it into the lnb arm, the fit of the bracket is too tight, the tooth that broke off as on the left, this initially gripped to the lnb arm with the right hand side not gripping.
Do these "teeth" matter, as long as the lnb is level using the spirit level on the bracket right?

Yet to test the lnb out against the two other 40mm ones I have.

 

[ozumo]

Can you post a photo? The spirit level is to level the whole dish I believe, though it doesn't really matter if a fixed dish is not quite level. If the LNB looks to be in the correct position it'll be ok.