Starting Again

[mannaoz]

Hi folks
I want to get some instruction tutoring in receiving sat progs.
I have a dish mounted on the wall was the old Foxtell complete with lnb cable the the wall so that parts OK.
Used to get years OK from TPG stations then they stopped that deal.
I got keen to try some FTA but lost my way after buying a bigger dish and motorized unit etc. Just couldn't find a helpful soul to talk to. Or maybe was asking the wrong questions to the right people, sometimes too busy to help the newbies. Yes I appreciate how having to state the obvious over and over again must wear thin.
So I put it all away for another time.
Well here we go again been reading stuff here and have ignited my desire to make this happen once more.
What I have here is a new 90CM Solid dish and a Geotrack motorized unit still in wraps. I also have Space 610S+T receiver and DC-8 Mediastar Receiver with an irdeto access card holder thats what I used to get the old pub Foxtell signal on.

So my question is and I know its a big ask, is direction to find the instruction for installing what I need to get select TV and other birds signals, don't want to have a Foxtell system anymore hate the ads these guys push that you have to pay for.
Can I start of with the DC-8 then progress to better units once I am up and running, or do I have to scrape everything and buy buy buy.
I am not to savvy with the dual LNB I have been reading about but seems I can have both Ku and C bands working from the same unit. Just testing my knowledge now. LOL Is there also a LNB that also has 2 outputs as I have 2 locations I would like to watch from. Its already wired to the bedroom and the lounge.
Need to add I am on the Central Coast NSW Ourimbah. Just in case that helps
Help and encouragement appreciated. Not being a speed reader I find it hard to way through the screeds of notes to find I have been at the wrong place and then need to start again.
Yes I know most of you out there have been initiated and feel whats the use but I am a willing student so please give me a go. May be one day I to will be able to pass it on.

Thanks for the acknowledgment and time here.

[hardy1963]

A good place to start is

select what sat you want and your address and it will give you the direction,tilt and lnb angle for any sat you my want.

[BlackDuck]

Well mannaoz, when it comes to satellite TV I've got to be the dumbest bunny around and now I have a Motek HH giving me 5 satellites without too much pain.

With a 90cm dish you will probably be looking for ku band satellites as I believe a bigger dish is required to get a good signal from C band satellites.

To the best of my knowledge there is no combined dual ku/C band LNB. But if I'm wrong someone will point it out.

If you want to have a feed to 2 rooms you'll need a dual output LNB feeding 2 separate decoders, only 1 of which will control the HH motor, usually the one in your main viewing room.

If you are going to set up a system that enables you to track the Clarke belt then you will have read in all posts that the most important thing you can do is set your dish mounting up as vertically as possible, close enough is not good enough, because any small error can cause your dish to fail to track the Clarke belt properly and thus loose some satellites.

A really cheap and useful aid is a satellite finder, costs about $25 and money well spent.

Plenty of help available on this site from guys much more experienced than me, all you have to do is ask.

Cheers,
Duck.

[mannaoz]

What a great tool that is makes it so much easier to see the line of sight. Now I just need to experiment and see what I get. At the moment I have a signal from Optus C1 no FTA as I used to have. But I do see things from Space LOL.

[mannaoz]

Thanks Mr Duck for your help.
I have the pole + or - and is as straight as one can see with the eyes closed and peeking a little to the left. No I took a lot of effort to do that properly at the start now I need to in crease the length for the new dish size the new pole is 3 meters long attached to a free standing brick wall. I can have fine adjusts on this so lets hope I get it right. Have a finder from before a compass. I was a little unsure if they had made a combined LNB but I am fine with the single one on the geotrack for now. Although did is a multilingual unit today on ebay 4 degrees I think. Now the Clark Belt info please help and give me a clue were to start this education link.

[Optima Collins]

...
To the best of my knowledge there is no combined dual ku/C band LNB. But if I'm wrong someone will point it out...

Pointing it out. Dual Band LNBs are widely available. For example:

From PlanetTech:



SRTL972
Strong C + KU Band LNBF C-Band
I/P Freq.:3.7~4.2 GHZ
O/P Freq.: 950~2050 Mhz
L..O : 5150

Noise Temp.:17K (MAX)
KU-Band
I/P Freq:10.7-12.5 GHZ
O/P Freq: 950-2150
L.O. Freq: 9750/10600
$70.00



OC

[BlackDuck]

I'd never heard of one being mentioned so naturally assumed that anything as sensible and useful as that probably doesn't exist.

Now all I need is a bigger dish and one of these LNBs and I start the next part of my satellite hobby.

Thanks for that OC.

[Optima Collins]

I'd never heard of one being mentioned so naturally assumed that anything as sensible and useful as that probably doesn't exist.

Now all I need is a bigger dish and one of these LNBs and I start the next part of my satellite hobby.

Thanks for that OC.

No worries mate. Glad to help!
Sometimes technology does catch up with our imagination and the results can be interesting. I'm waiting for solid spherical refractive lens antennae to come into their prime. Properly configured, one of these should in theory be able to view the entire clarke belt. Some hobbyists are making these out of sugar filled plastic light spheres, but moisture and ants seem to be a problem. The CSIRO is playing with various solid dielectrics. Should be fun!

OC

[beer4life]

What a great tool that is makes it so much easier to see the line of sight. Now I just need to experiment and see what I get. At the moment I have a signal from Optus C1 no FTA as I used to have. But I do see things from Space LOL.

G'Day Cobber,
Let's start nice and simple. Forget the dual band LNB and stick to the Ku Band. Your 90 Cm dish is not suitable for the lower frequency C Band. you would need a much larger dish to have reasonable success there.
For a motorised system, as said, your mast must be Plumb. ie vertical in all directions.
You need an E / W, Northerly aspect site, with a clear view from Horizon to Horizon.
If you could actually see the Satellites in the Clarke Belt, this is how they would appear from Canberra. Slightly different from Ourimbah.
The peak of the Parabola is always due True North from your location.(Longitude).
The Satellites are in Geo-Stationary orbit ~36000 Kms directly above the Equator, spaced about 2 degrees apart.


Lyngsat will give you the information with location E/W from Greenwich.
The viewable Satellites from your location would be about 80 degrees E (Western Horizon) to 140 degrees W (Eastern Horizon).



C band are 4 figure frequencies and Ku are 6 figure.
If they have a bold red F, then are FTA.
They have directional beams, so you need to look at the footprint maps to see if you can receive them.

Your best LNB would be a Twin/Dual output 10700. That will be suitable for your two locations.
The Optus Sats C1/D3, D2 and D1 have a different Skew to other Satellites, so you have to have a compromise setting if using the same LNB
Select TV is on Intelsat8(PAS8).
If you read through the Newbies section, the actual setting up has been covered many times.
If there is something that you do not understand, just ask.

Kindest Regards, " The Druid ".

[mannaoz]

Now I seem to have got stuck with this part
I took the dish down as it was very rough this measured 700w X 600h and I though maybe if I put a new up would give me a better signal the new one I added to day is basically the same but 600w X 750h.

I have a bigger one which I want to put up but need to cut some new thicker pipe to hold the dish 840w X 970h and the Geotrack divice.

So I completed the process had the position of C1 marked returned to the mark checked with the sat finder a 10+ signal turned it down and retraced the arch
to see that I had the best signal strength. Now when I re-tuned the STB I lost all the old stations like the ABC WA, SA. OLD etc. don't why this was happening.
So I then reset the STB to defaults and tried again this time I got them back but can't see them. Seems as if I have missd something here.

So I tried to find D1 marked the pole as C1 rotated to the right until I found a signal had to increase the satfinder gain though. marked that one returned to the C1 mark good signal then rotated to the left same distance and found that signal. OK I thought I have them but when I tried to do a blind scan I suppose thats what you call doing a setup and scanning for the TPs and sats
received no picture.

So now I have a new dish more experience but lost the old stations and received no new ones.

So I must be doing something wrong.

There was a tutorial in the notes last night that took you to rapid share. That was congested and this morning lost the link as Firefox reset itself during the night.

So I am back to square one after 6 hours up and down the ladder with nothing to show for the effort.
Makes me think of fishing just haven't got wet in the process.

Anyone have any ideas what I have done or not. Advice must welcome at this stage
Will not be proceeding to the motor system until I see the way forward

[mannaoz]

Sorry I added the wrong location for the pic

[mannaoz]

Ok take 2
The pic shows the line to C1 from the pole on the roof. The spouting is basically pointing to C1 so D1 and Intelsat8 may have problems with the tree in front. Although I am getting a strong signal were Intelsat9 should be.??

[Optima Collins]

Ok take 2
The pic shows the line to C1 from the pole on the roof. The spouting is basically pointing to C1 so D1 and Intelsat8 may have problems with the tree in front. Although I am getting a strong signal were Intelsat9 should be.??

I'd check that Intelsat 9 signal again because if you get it then one of you is in the wrong hemisphere.

INTELSAT 9


Could it be Intelsat 8? Where are you getting your bearings from? If it is Dishpointer, as suggested, the obstacle calculator should indicate if the trees will be in the way. Centre the map onto your antenna and move the (obstacle calculator) icon to the tree and it will display the distance from the dish and the height from the ground to the line of site of the sat. Anything above that height will obstruct your view.

OC

[beer4life]

Ok take 2
The pic shows the line to C1 from the pole on the roof. The spouting is basically pointing to C1 so D1 and Intelsat8 may have problems with the tree in front. Although I am getting a strong signal were Intelsat9 should be.??

G'Day Cobber,
Your problem is that you are going at this like a Bull at a Gate.
Go back to what I tried to tell you in post #9.
When you understand what is involved, then success will follow.
I rather doubt that your new dish will make the slightest difference.
Believe you me, we have been down this track a myriad of times with Newbies. So cool it and follow the advice given.

Kindest Regards, " The Druid ".

[mannaoz]

With the greatest respect to you beer4life that is not the case.

I spent all day yesterday up and down the ladder stopping reading retracing my steps sitting reading thinking about the situation again.
I have all the things basic to do this I have been connected before as I stated I know what I am aiming for and to be a nats tit off it your in strife granted.
What I am lacking here is the reasoning and that's the missing link.

The receiver doesn't have the new satellites programed into it so a lot of time was spent researching how to do this to no avail. So today I will continue my quest.
Yes I am reading the posts and yes I will find the answers but you should not think of me as persueing this at light speed. If I don't find the answers thats OK I will try myself and once done will have a document for the newbies to follow.
Its all very well to say what you say but generalizing is not in the best interest of trying to help.
Sorry if I sound disappointed and upset but you are a seasoned watcher and have the years and maybe a buddy that showed you at the start where you were wrong. The picture shows line of sight the google map shows a different view I am thinking its not going to work. So I will see what I find out today.
Thanks anyway its been fun trying to do this. Maybe the next Newbie wont be as dumb as I/

[Fernbay]

Don't let him worry you too much mannaoz. He is trying to help, but Beer can get very tied up in semantics at times, trying to appear eloquent with big words and flowery blue font

Focus on your basics & the rest will fall into place.
See if you can get Optus C1 happening
Set the decoder for a valid free to air transponder, such as 12407, 30000, 2/3, V or 12478, 27800, 3/4, H

It helps if you can take the decoder and a screen to the dish so that you can see the signal strength screen as you swing the dish. It makes alignment 10 times easier

Use to get an approximate position of where to point the dish. The LNB will most likely need it's 'skew' adjusted as well to peek the signal (or get a signal in the first place)

Worry about the motor later. Get Optus C1/D3 happening first

With the greatest respect to you beer4life that is not the case.

I spent all day yesterday up and down the ladder stopping reading retracing my steps sitting reading thinking about the situation again.
I have all the things basic to do this I have been connected before as I stated I know what I am aiming for and to be a nats tit off it your in strife granted.
What I am lacking here is the reasoning and that's the missing link.

The receiver doesn't have the new satellites programed into it so a lot of time was spent researching how to do this to no avail. So today I will continue my quest.
Yes I am reading the posts and yes I will find the answers but you should not think of me as persueing this at light speed. If I don't find the answers thats OK I will try myself and once done will have a document for the newbies to follow.
Its all very well to say what you say but generalizing is not in the best interest of trying to help.
Sorry if I sound disappointed and upset but you are a seasoned watcher and have the years and maybe a buddy that showed you at the start where you were wrong. The picture shows line of sight the google map shows a different view I am thinking its not going to work. So I will see what I find out today.
Thanks anyway its been fun trying to do this. Maybe the next Newbie wont be as dumb as I/

[mannaoz]

Hey thanks for the encouragement. Being in the same area I might be able to call upon you one day.
Love your suggestion but a 42 inch screen on the roof make a great pic but getting it up the ladder may be a bit of a task. I am keen not that keen as yet.

The screw the lnb what I have been doing is with the meter on turning it until I got the strongest signal. But in saying that what the Satellite finder says and what I get from the meter is in reverse. My best signal comes from the outlet of the LNB being rotated 10 degrees to the right so if you were facing the dish from the side the output is pointing toward you not away. I will go out and try it the other way now. But sadly without the screen or decoder in toe.
Turning in receivers to get new satellites seems to be the problems here is there some where I can go to find out information about this as the receivers I have here give no instructions who to do this. 2 of them are space brands. 1: a 510TS and the other being a 610TS HD unit. The older receiver is a Mediastar DC8 that has the Ideto CA card holder init. But again no instructions to change the settings. Why do people make these things so hard to follow. Christopher Columbus is long time dead and buried.

Anyway to all out there HAPPY AUSTRALIA DAY.

Now for me back to the ladder and no beer just

[Fernbay]

Love your suggestion but a 42 inch screen on the roof make a great pic but getting it up the ladder may be a bit of a task. I am keen not that keen as yet.

I was suggesting a 14" portable or even better a smaller LCD.
Given that it's proving a bit had for you to find the alignment I would suggest that borrowing one or even splashing out $100 to buy one could be very economical weighed against the time you have so far invested getting nowhere

The screw the lnb what I have been doing is with the meter on turning it until I got the strongest signal. But in saying that what the Satellite finder says and what I get from the meter is in reverse. My best signal comes from the outlet of the LNB being rotated 10 degrees to the right so if you were facing the dish from the side the output is pointing toward you not away. I will go out and try it the other way now. But sadly without the screen or decoder in toe.

Lets not get the terms screw (as in screw on F type connection) and skew (LNB rotation) confused.

As a general rule (but not always - depends on the LNB manufacturer & the LNB's specifications) a LNB for the Central Coast, looking from the front of the dish, will have the coax exiting the LNB at about 7 O'clock

Turning in receivers to get new satellites seems to be the problems here is there some where I can go to find out information about this as the receivers I have here give no instructions who to do this. 2 of them are space brands. 1: a 510TS and the other being a 610TS HD unit. The older receiver is a Mediastar DC8 that has the Ideto CA card holder init. But again no instructions to change the settings. Why do people make these things so hard to follow. Christopher Columbus is long time dead and buried.

Anyway to all out there HAPPY AUSTRALIA DAY.

Now for me back to the ladder and no beer just

setting the tuning on the receiver should not be that hard.
In the tuning menu, make sure the LNB it set to the same LNB as you are using (like 10700 for example)
Then set the transponder frequency, the symbol rate, the FEC and the polarity.

You might find it easier to take the boxes to someones house that already has foxtel and setting them up on their dish so that you know the settings are correct and when you have figured that out, take the decoder (already scanned in) to you house & try the alignment again

[mannaoz]

Dyslexia what more can I say about that. Skew is what I mean from the Google instructions. I have since screwed the skew to the other side and have a better signal as you can see in the 1st pic. But still missing NITV. Sorry brothers will be there soon.
The receiver has preset sats programed into it. I have pix to show its easier than trying to type.
this shows I have C1 signal strength and quality.
So thats OK
This one shows the pre-installed satellites and at the bottom one can see there is a space for a new setting to be added infact there are many spaces but only wanted to show one so as not to confuse the issue. how do I reprogram the unit to have the new satelittes added or just to do this on a manual one at a time basis.

[mannaoz]

I am onto a ploy that will help people like me view where the C1 is in relationship to the house. Using Gordtrack after you have set your L + L up you can watch the sun pass over all the positions and sight them live. What a neat program that is and all you need to do is sit behind the pole and watch the sun. Well you know what I mean.
this is from the members pages here.