Noob trying to find thor.

danielb · 05-08-2009

Please help, i have read through the guides but nothing is working. I bought a dreambox 500s and it has the enigma image on. I have mounted the satellite (1.1m) Ive been moving the satellite up down, left right for ages, the SNR never moves from 55. Am i supposed to be entering any additional settings before doing this? (attempting to locate thor) Non of the guides say so, the motor is working, so theres power, the SNR drops to 29 if i disconnect the LNB, so i assume thats working. Im lost

Here is the whats on my tv screen as i attempt to find thor.

**mhku** · 05-08-2009

There's a "how to take screenshots" guide in the Idiot's Guide.

Do you have a satellite meter? Have you read http://www.satellite-newbie.co.uk/sa...qcinstall.html

Dreamboxes are not easy to setup/ use as a beginner. It took me ages to set mine up and be prepared for some frustration ahead.

Ive been moving the satellite up down, left right for ages, the SNR never moves from 55

The dish may not be pointing at Thor and the elevation may not be correct. There is a list of strong transponders here:

Strongest / Reference Transponders

danielb · 05-08-2009

I do have a satellite meter, the only time its done anything is when pointing the dish directly as my neighbours

i assume its interference, because the dreambox signal stays put. Yep read that guide too, maybe this image is crap.

I assume you need it plugged into ethernet to take screen shots, ill go read that now.

danielb · 05-08-2009

The dish may not be pointing at Thor and the elevation may not be correct. There is a list of strong transponders here

:

Ive not entered in any transponder, do i do this before aquiring a good SNR?

Appreciate the help.

danielb · 05-08-2009

the dreambox sreenshot tool os quite cool, with remote too

**satelliteman** · 05-08-2009

Originally Posted by danielb

:

Ive not entered in any transponder, do i do this before aquiring a good SNR?

Appreciate the help.

Enter transponder 11.325h for BBC world. You need to input your co-ordinates first and send the dish to Thor before alignment as per the guides.

danielb · 05-08-2009

Nothing, i can point it directly at the floor or straight up, signal level never changes. At this rate I might just sell it all and get a slingboxat friends in norway.

Anyone recommend a good image to try for the dreambox?

danielb · 05-08-2009

I have no way of testing if the tuners dead either

**mhku** · 05-08-2009

You don't even need a receiver to setup the dish. But you do need to be pointing the dish towards Thor with the elevation and motor angles set up correctly.

The details are in the link provided but you'll need your dish and motor manuals to give you the angles.

i can point it directly at the floor or straight up

It takes precision and fine tuning to set up a dish- a few mm "out" will give you no signal. It takes time and patience.

**satelliteman** · 05-08-2009

ok, can you carefully explain everything you have done so far.

danielb · 05-08-2009

Done it all already, had all angles set. Ill try get a strong signal with just the meter.

danielb · 05-08-2009

Mounted pole 100% vertical. adjusted mount angle to match my latitude, as per the manual table, then adjusted the angle on the dish, again with the table in the manual. Mounted the dish, used a tool online to find thor. its inline with a house chimney across the road. So pointed it there. Whacked dreambox on, gone to complex menu at start. Ive now since tilted the dish slowly up and down slowly in that direction, and not once have i had anything change on the SNR bar. So i switched to the astra satellie to the east and tried in that direction. Nothing.

danielb · 05-08-2009

Im blaming the dreambox

**satelliteman** · 05-08-2009

Cable connections?

danielb · 05-08-2009

lnb to lnb input on motor, rec from motor to reciever, no shorts, all terminated properly. The motor works fine, its quite cool

reminds me of only fools and horses satellite. "Switch it off!"

Ill try just the meter in the morning, i know that works.

danielb · 05-08-2009

Thank you for the replies guys, it is appreciated!

**satelliteman** · 05-08-2009

Sounds like your just not finding your reference satellite - keep at it.

danielb · 06-08-2009

I think i found a big part of the problem, the labels are the same as that in the manual. Which would explain why the meter went mad when i lowered the satellite. Could you have a look at this photo please, does this look at the correct angle for birmingham, i assume the satellite is very offset.

danielb · 06-08-2009

# aren't the same.

**mhku** · 06-08-2009

Is it pointing at Thor? The angle of the dish changes as the motor rotates.

danielb · 06-08-2009

Good point lol, yes its at zero on the motor and points towards thor in the photo. No signal change on the motor yet, but im a little more optimistic today. I have a migraine so ill resume the messing tomorrow. Gonna measure the angle of the motor arm too, as i don't trust the instructions now.

Strange policy on the links to host image hosts, but rules are rules, i couldn't see a photo button. I see the an attachment button now though

Thanks

**satelliteman** · 06-08-2009

Yes, know what dish and motor that is

Motor inclination looks about right but check it's set to your Latitude. Not that dish El scales are accurate enough, in theory the dish elevation setting should be around 27° for your due South satellite. This is because this motor has the arm cranked forward by 35° relative to the main polar axis.

Nice flat roof to work from

danielb · 06-08-2009

Alasat 1.1m and dark motor.

Yep my latitude is 52 so i set the scale to 52, its stamped latitude on the motor mount, in the manual is says "elevation" is stamped on it. So i was setting it to to the "elevation A" setting on the manual, so the dish was 14 degrees higher before.

Yes the manual says the motor arm angle is 35 degrees. I need to make sure the disk mount angle is correct next.

Attached the manual page, with confusing photo, and mount close up.

danielb · 06-08-2009

Ill add i meant elevation A value from the table in the back, not the value in the picture, im that dumb yet lol.

**satelliteman** · 06-08-2009

Originally Posted by danielb

I need to make sure the disk mount angle is correct next.

Not all dishes have accurate elevation markings. As a rule the dish should be slightly up from vertical for 1W.

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Noob trying to find thor. Information exchange on LNBs, Single satellite, motorised and multi-satellite systems. DiSEqC switches, positioners, motors, actuators, dish-alignment etc.

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