irritant (03-02-17)
Thanks again to everybody. I will try inputing the specs again and get back to you when I have. May take a while as I am working long hours.
irritant (03-02-17)
OK everybody, I have inputed the specs into the decoder and saved them. On the dish setting screen I have LNB ---ON, LNB TYPE---- SINGLE, LNB FREQ-----11300, 22Khz-----OFF, dICqC ---OFF. On the manual scan screen. LNB-----ON, LNB TYPE----SINGLE, LNB FREQ--- 11,3000, 22Khz------OFF, DISEqC-------OFF. When I do this I get 28% signal strength and 15% signal quality. Does this mean that I'm just not quite pointing at the satellite or maybe that the LNB is working but not well?
irritant (13-02-17)
Sorry I have put the wrong details on Manual Scan. FREQ---12.706,SYB--- 22.5, POL V, SEARCH TYPE ---ALL CHANNEL, NET ----OFF.
irritant (13-02-17)
When scanning, you should have network ON, but that isn't your problem.
Such low signal readings suggest the dish is not aligned correctly, the LNB is faulty, or both.
Something partially blocking the signal path... trees, buildings, etc, will also produce similar results.
You have said the dish was aligned... how recently was that and was it aligned where it is currently installed? (you also said it had been moved).
If it has been aligned where it currently is, then either it wasn't aligned correctly, the dish has moved since, or the LNB has gone faulty since.
If all the cabling and connectors are OK, the problem has to be one or a combination of things above.
Again, given the age of the LNB, I highly recommend replacing it. (with one that has an LO of 10700)
Thanks mtv, I will have a go at aligning the dish, yes it was supposed to be aligned to D2, (since the move) but that may not be the case, maybe he got C1 instead of D2. Anyway I'm narrowing down the problems.
irritant (13-02-17)
Thanks to all who have helped. The final problem was dish alignment. I had a try this afternoon, nearly gave up then got it by accident. A little more fine adjustment and all is well.
Well done!
What signal strength and quality readings do you have now?
irritant (13-02-17)
Both about 60%
irritant (13-02-17)
True freedom is the greatest gift a man can possess, yet is the one thing most easily and innocently given away, to crafty curses and binds cleverly disguised as blessings and gifts, in the pursuit of supposed achievement, status and power.
It could do with a bit of fine tuning,Glad you got it finally,
I tried a bit on Sunday, couldn't seem to get any better, yes tried skew on LNB as well. I will see what happens.
irritant (16-02-17)
Well done Nifty363!
Yeah, it'll be tough to fine tune it using the decoder's signal measurements actually. There are usually lag times involved and you can miss/"pass over" a higher reading very easily, because there are hair-breadth amounts involved here.
The best way to peak it would be to use something with an instantaneous reading at the dish itself (i.e. a signal meter).
If you want to play a bit more though, the best way (albeit a bit frustrating) is to move the dish/LNB tiny little bits then go and check the reading every time (give the decoder time to adjust to the new signal reading). It's a very frustrating process, but that's the nature of it unfortunately.
Better control can be achieved by having the decoder outside near the dish with a small black and white TV/monitor or something, then you just give it it's complimentary 10 second period or whatever to adjust the signal reading after each slight move.
But the key is to give it slight adjustment in only one move, and then hands off immediately, wait a while, check signal. Painstaking process I know.
Last edited by irritant; 16-02-17 at 06:44 PM.
True freedom is the greatest gift a man can possess, yet is the one thing most easily and innocently given away, to crafty curses and binds cleverly disguised as blessings and gifts, in the pursuit of supposed achievement, status and power.
When aligning any dish/LNB, you really need to be able to see a signal screen or a meter at the dish as adjustments are minute.
Even tightening mounting bolts will alter the alignment.
As Adrian said, you do need to allow a few seconds between observing a signal reading and making another adjustment to allow time for the processor and display to 'catch up' as they do not display in real time.
Only expensive professional instrumentation can provide 'real time' spectrum displays.
irritant (16-02-17)
In order to make sure that the dish hasn't moved slightly when tightening mounting bolts (however careful you are there is usually some movement away from optimum), I always perform a final test by applying lateral pressure to the dish frame in both directions (push east and then push west), while watching a satellite meter connected to the LNB output.
I repeat the process (lift up/push down) to check elevation, while monitoring LNB output on a satellite meter.
Granted this is not easy to do without using the appropriate equipment, although I have heard of those, who have taken a satellite receiver and monitor onto the roof, in order to make this final check.
irritant (16-02-17)
If one has quite a clear view of the satellite, there are cheap "sat-finders" one can buy that make a sound when searching for a satellite. The higher the tone/pitch of the sound, the stronger the signal. You adjust the dish slightly to get the highest pitch in the sound, and its response is instantaneous. Avoid pointing the dish at trees/objects/metal things though as they will also produce a high-pitched tone.
You get some with an analogue needle display plus the sound, and others with a bar of lights that light up with the sound. All not really necessary as that just drives up the price. Just the sound-alone one is sufficient.
But, as mtv and tristen suggested, good fine-tuning needs to be done with a signal meter/spectrum analyzer.
True freedom is the greatest gift a man can possess, yet is the one thing most easily and innocently given away, to crafty curses and binds cleverly disguised as blessings and gifts, in the pursuit of supposed achievement, status and power.
Thanks for all the help. So far it is OK. As I don't have the time I will get a pro to adjust it, if possible, but that isn't possible I will use your tips. I do have the advantage of being able to adjust the dish from the ground.
irritant (20-02-17)
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