signal strength and signal quality

lloowen · 17-08-2009

Hello!

Trying to get a reception on my 2m dish. When I check the signal using the display in the settings on my sky box. I'm getting 60% signal strength and 0% signal quality. No picture
Prior to this satellite, I had an even older metal dish at 1.8m. I was getting 10% signal strength, can't remember the signal quality, but I had a picture and it was possible to view the BBC channels.

I figured the better the signal strength, the better the signal quality. Apparently not. Any ideas or suggestions?

I'm in Sweden at latitude 63, so I don't expect a fantastic reception, though I do know it is possible to get the BBC channels from up here, which is what I want.

thanks in advance

***Tivù*** · 17-08-2009

You will get a default Signal Strength reading even with the Dish pointing to the ground: Until you get close to a Satellite position, all the Strength reading is doing is confirming you've got an LNB connected and powered up.

Once you get close, it is the upward swing in Strength which is important and at much the same time you will start to get a viable Quality Reading.

Ultimately, it is Quality (ie the lack of errors in the detected signal) which is important. A "surplus" of Strength gains (bad pun) you nothing apart from Rain margin.

**Topper** · 17-08-2009

Of course there are good dishes and bad dishes.....
Is the dish a one piece or petallised?
Offset or prime focus?
are you using the same lnb or a different one?
What make is it?

**satelliteman** · 17-08-2009

....in addition, you'll need at least some sort of alignment meter to set up your 2m dish, even if it's a Squawker giving you an audio tone.

***Tivù*** · 17-08-2009

Originally Posted by satelliteman

.... even if it's a Squawker giving you an audio tone.

Ah, yes, that reminds me to put the kettle on. SWMBO is due home soon

***Tivù*** · 17-08-2009

Originally Posted by lloowen

?

I'm in Sweden at latitude 63, so I don't expect a fantastic reception, though I do know it is possible to get the BBC channels from up here, which is what I want.

thanks in advance

I've no idea where Östersund is exactly, but looking at a variety of footprint charts (they are all different!), your Dish is of the right size. There appears to be a warm spot around Stockholm where even a 1.2m will do for 2D, but mainly something in excess of 1.8m is required.

***Huevos*** · 18-08-2009

Originally Posted by lloowen

When I check the signal using the display in the settings on my sky box.

Forget that display. It is completely meaningless. My 2D reception is fine but the quality reading on that page is zero.

If you don't have a proper meter you should hire someone who does. I don't agree with the advice about the squawker, setting up a dish correctly with one of those is hit and miss, and it is impossible to set the skew correctly using one.

lloowen · 18-08-2009

Hello all,

Thanks for the input. I thought I'd better provide some photos. I've been in the garden with a sat finder trying to get a better signal. As far as I can see I'm getting a good signal on astra2d V, well I think it's good for up here!
I'm not getting a lock on any other satellites. What is irritating is that I've managed to get the BBC channels on much worse a reception on my old dish.

Anyhow here's the photos:

picasaweb.google.co.uk/lloowen/SatellitePhotos02?authkey=Gv1sRgCOyR0InfxNnevQE&fe at=directlink

Here's a link to the old dish. Frankly I'm amazed I managed to get a picture on this piece of hardware:

picasaweb.google.co.uk/lloowen/SatellitePhotos?authkey=Gv1sRgCL6jhtKQnt_FSw&feat= directlink

Thanks

***Huevos*** · 18-08-2009

You haven't told us enough information. What is the box doing? Those BER readings are fine so my guess is you are pointing at the wrong satellite (easily done).

lloowen · 18-08-2009

You haven't told us enough information. What is the box doing? Those BER readings are fine so my guess is you are pointing at the wrong satellite (easily done).

Hello.
As far as I can tell. There has only been one satellite that I can reach from up here. That being the Astra2d and . The previous dish I had, worked with just 10% signal strength. The dish I have set up now as you can see is 70%

Not quite sure what you mean by what the box is doing. If you mean the actual sky digital box, well it say when I switch it on " No satellite signal is being recieved"!!!!!
When I go to the "services>system set up" I get information such as

make of box "pace"
model number 1.3.33
version number 9F020A
EPG software version 3.6.4.18
signal strength on the bar shows approx 65%
signal quality shows 0%
lock indicatior is showing "not locked"
network ID "0000"
transport stream "0000"
frequency Ghz 11.778 " I have tried with other values"
Polarization "V"
symbol rate (mbaud) 27.5 " I have tried with other values"
FEC 2/3 "again I have tried with other values"

I think that's all the info I can get from the reciever.

Hope that shed's more light on the problem.

Thanks in advance

***Huevos*** · 18-08-2009

Well the meter is not helping because it has neither NIT nor TV output so it is not possible to reliable identify the satellite. I can't believe you are receiving 2D but not 11778 which is the default transponder. You would only require a 60cm dish in your location to receive the default transponder and get the box to boot. This leads me to believe you are aligned on the wrong satellite, possibly 19.2E.

**satelliteman** · 18-08-2009

Although there would be an indication on network ID and transport stream data.

lloowen · 18-08-2009

Although there would be an indication on network ID and transport stream data.

Do you mean that the info I see on the sat finder would appear in the fields listed on my sky (pace) box?

**satelliteman** · 18-08-2009

If locked onto Astra1 by mistake as said by Huevos, you would have an indication of 0001 as an ID on the receiver signal screen.

Have you tried another receiver? It's not uncommon for these boxes to go down.

lloowen · 18-08-2009

Originally Posted by satelliteman

If locked onto Astra1 by mistake as said by Huevos, you would have an indication of 0001 as an ID on the receiver signal screen.

Have you tried another receiver? It's not uncommon for these boxes to go down.

No I don't have another receiver to try. Well I have a "canal digital" box, but these receivers as in the pace box are custom build for their satellite vendors.

I don't understand, this sat finder is an expensive piece of kit, I figured if it is showing a lock on astra 2d then it is locked onto astra 2d!!
I'm off to have another go, no doubt I'll inform all of my progress..

**satelliteman** · 18-08-2009

In addition, the transport stream for Astra1 is 042c.

**rolfw** · 18-08-2009

Looking at the photographs of your dish on the link above, is it the one using the Swedish microwave LNB?

If it is, then you won't receive the default transponder on a digibox, as it is in high band which the LNB doesn't have and the digibox expects.

***Tivù*** · 18-08-2009

Good spot!

OP needs a Universal LNB (with Band Switching) - and suitable for attachment to that particular Dish, obviously.

That said, the second set of photos appear to show a different (and more suitable) LNB.

Clarification required.

Edit: Recapping over the Thread and putting two and two together, I think the first set of pics relate to "now" and the second set to "then".

So rolfw appears to have hit the bull's eye!

lloowen · 18-08-2009

Originally Posted by satelliteman

If locked onto Astra1 by mistake as said by Huevos, you would have an indication of 0001 as an ID on the receiver signal screen.

Have you tried another receiver? It's not uncommon for these boxes to go down.

No I don't have another receiver to try. Well I have a "canal digital" box, but these receivers as in the pace box are custom build for their satellite vendors.

I don't understand, this sat finder is an expensive piece of kit, I figured if it is showing a lock on astra 2d then it is locked onto astra 2d!!
I'm off to have another go, no doubt I'll inform all of my progress..

***Tivù*** · 18-08-2009

Originally Posted by lloowen

No I don't have another receiver to try. Well I have a "canal digital" box, but these receivers as in the pace box are custom build for their satellite vendors.

I don't understand, this sat finder is an expensive piece of kit, I figured if it is showing a lock on astra 2d then it is locked onto astra 2d!!
I'm off to have another go, no doubt I'll inform all of my progress..

And I think you are right - see Posts 17 & 18 .....................

Edit: I've just replied to Post 19, but now see it is identical to Post 15!

**satelliteman** · 18-08-2009

Nice spot Rolf.

lloowen · 18-08-2009

So I have a LNB that works, but will not give the correct frequency that my pace skybox needs. So what can I do about this?

Is there a sky box that is compatiable with my dish/lnb setup? Is there a reciever that can be adapted to what ever signal the dish picks up?
So if I want to watch the BBC channels do I have to have a sky box setup? Or is there another solution?

The previous owner of the dish used to tune in and watch many channels from all over europe. He must have had some kind of universal satellite reciever that would allow him to be able to jump from satelite to satelite.

Grateful for any help

***Tivù*** · 18-08-2009

Originally Posted by lloowen

So I have a LNB that works, but will not give the correct frequency that my pace skybox needs. So what can I do about this?

Is there a sky box that is compatiable with my dish/lnb setup? Is there a reciever that can be adapted to what ever signal the dish picks up?
So if I want to watch the BBC channels do I have to have a sky box setup? Or is there another solution?

The previous owner of the dish used to tune in and watch many channels from all over europe. He must have had some kind of universal satellite reciever that would allow him to be able to jump from satelite to satelite.

Grateful for any help

The LNB works in a limited fashion only - It is not capable of coping with High Band (above 11.7 GHz approx).

Whatever Receiver you use, you will need to fit a Ku Band Universal LNB with the appropriate mechanical fitting for your dish (C120 ?? Someone will know).

If you don't, not only will you continue to be unable to receive the Transponder 11778 V which carries the Sky EPG etc, but you will be missing half the available Channels.

It is the LNB which is the problem, not the Receiver ...............

So, yes, there is a way around the problem: Buy and fit a Universal LNB.

**rolfw** · 18-08-2009

You also need to lose the polariser in front of the LNB, it looks like a C120 LNB will fit straight onto the feedhorn, but you won't know until you remove the LNB and polariser.

The LNB will have worked fine for the previous owner, but I wouldn't mind betting that he used it back in the old analogue days, where most channels were on low band.

lloowen · 18-08-2009

The LNB will have worked fine for the previous owner, but I wouldn't mind betting that he used it back in the old analogue days, where most channels were on low band.

I you are right on that one. Very probably was used in the analogue days.

Here's a couple of photos of the LNB that worked on the old metal 1.8m dish, that gave a 10% signal, but was watchable..

picasaweb.google.co.uk/lloowen/SatelliteLNB?authkey=Gv1sRgCP7hn6qJn7D50gE&feat=di rectlink

I tried to attach it to the 2m fiberglass dish, but no lock. Someone once suggested that I cut off the front off the lnb and remove the trumpet shape matal bit.

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signal strength and signal quality Information exchange on LNBs, Single satellite, motorised and multi-satellite systems. DiSEqC switches, positioners, motors, actuators, dish-alignment etc.

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