Hotbird Problems

moordown66

I have a problem with some transponders on Hotbird which I wondered if anyone could give me some tips on. I posted this on another forum and was told my dish might be a bit off, but I’ve checked it and re-checked it and can’t seem to get it any better. There’s nothing obvious barring the line of sight either.

I have a Technomate TM5000 DAPCI. I'm in the SE and have an 80cm dish. Signal strength across the board for Hotbird is roughly 70-75%, however Pic Quality varies. Once it gets down to 20% or below I either get massive pixilation or no picture at all.

There are also a number of frequencies which don’t even register, although the signal strength is there. Below is a list of frequencies which I simply can’t receive. I have tried this on a different receiver, also with no luck.

10949v – HB4 – Wide
10992v – HB6 – Europe
11054h – HB6 – Europe
11137h – HB6 – Europe
11200v – HB6 – Europe
11221h – HB1 – Superwide
11283v – HB1 – Superwide
11304h – HB1 – Superwide
11345h – HB1 – Superwide
11387h – HB1 – Superwide
11513h – HB1 – Superwide
11604h – HB6 – Europe
11623v – HB6 – Europe
11642h – HB6 – Europe
11681h – HB6 – Europe
11766v – HB2 – Wide
11804v – HB2 – Wide
11919v – HB2 – Wide
12476h – HB3 – Wide
12564h – HB4 – Wide
12692h – HB4 – Wide
12713v – HB4 – Super
12731h – HB4 – Super

What confuses me is that the beams all vary, the actual satellite varies so I can’t find a pattern to go after as such. One thing to note, on some channels, for example Tele Melody on 11034v (Hotbird 6) the pic quality can vary over the course of a day from 20% up to about 40%. Can’t think of any reason for that either, although I’m no expert.

Has anyone got any tips that I could try out? It’s immensely frustrating!!! Any pointers would be greatly appreciated.

IjonT

What about your LNB? (Have you tried another one or to change it's skew?)
Are you using quality cable?

moordown66

CT100 cable. LNB is a 0.5 and also tried another (0.6).

Haven't changed the skew...just put it in as it were. Could you explain in more detail (and how/why it works) and how much I need to skew it? By that I presume you mean twist it round a bit?

IjonT

It was just an idea. You should always try to adjust the LNB skew because of the polarisation offset of the satellites. It doesn't have much effect normally, but it can help with some LNBs and satellites. Just turn the LNB slowly and see if the signal quality increases or decreases and try to find the best position; that's all.

moordown66

Gave it a twist but it didn't make any difference unfortunately.

RedAltoGL

Hi moordown66

You do not just give the lnb "a twist", everything in digital satellite setting up is "just a small movement, allow to settle, then check levels" then continue until you get the best results.
You mention that you are in the SE, assuming that you are somewhere near 51 north and 1 east, the skew angle (according to the SMW Link) is approx 9.6 degrees clockwise from the vertical looking into the dish from the front. I will go and have a look at the channels that you are having trouble with.
regards Redmund

RedAltoGL

@ moordown66

Running an old Tech 5000DA, 0.6 lnb, 25m (approx) RG6 cable, 85 X 90cm dish, NW London
Receive levels ie Strength/Quality on the transponders you mentioned as follows
10949v – HB4 – Wide 80strength/37quality
10992v – HB6 – Europe
11054h – HB6 – Europe
11137h – HB6 – Europe 82s/96q
11200v – HB6 – Europe
11221h – HB1 – Superwide
11283v – HB1 – Superwide 80s/70q
11304h – HB1 – Superwide
11345h – HB1 – Superwide
11387h – HB1 – Superwide 81s/88q
11513h – HB1 – Superwide 81s/88q
11604h – HB6 – Europe 80s/98q
11623v – HB6 – Europe 81s/98q
11642h – HB6 – Europe 80s/99q
11681h – HB6 – Europe 81s/99q
11766v – HB2 – Wide 80s/81q
11804v – HB2 – Wide 80s/40q
11919v – HB2 – Wide 80s/69q
12476h – HB3 – Wide 80s/61q
12564h – HB4 – Wide
12692h – HB4 – Wide 81s/60q
12713v – HB4 – Super 80s/98q
12731h – HB4 – Super 79s/98q

I did not look at all of the transponders on your list as the list in my receiver is way out of date, I have not done a re-scan of 13 east for ages.

Different sats in the cluster, different o/p powers, different ages of sats, different beams, hence different quality readings obtained.
Suggest a slight tweak in azimuth and/or elevation, different lnb, larger dish.
Past experience with the Technomate will give a clear picture at 20% quality but any slight fluctuation below this will result in broken picture and sound and finally no signal received (which I get with Nilesat and Arabsat when it gets cloudy)

The above are my readings, observations and views, from my location with my set up. I expect others might have different views/suggestions.
regards Redmund.

Dinger

i think i may also need to skew my lnb, my lat and long are 51.6 and -4.9
i have smw link but what figure is my lnb skew? i couldnt see it marked.

Dinger

RedAltoGL

Hi Dinger
Skew is Polarization Angle on the SMW link.
regards Redmund
PS About 14 degrees clockwise from the vertical looking into the dish, do you agree?
Red
PPS Just noticed that you are motorised, ignore my above PS which was for a fixed dish looking at 13 east from your location. Your LNB must be upright at your south satellite. The motor will turn your dish and consequently the dish face and LNB will be square on to the signals coming down from the satellite.
Red

Dinger

thanks, is there any more accurate software? i can only enter 52 and 5 for lat and long in smw link instead of 51.6 and -4.9 so all the figures are slightly off..

Dinger

RedAltoGL

See my update
Red

RedAltoGL

See my update PPS
Red
PS
Try h**p://satlex.de/en/azel_calc-first_1.html
Red

Dinger

thanks for that, i worked out that it was for my south sat.

Dinger

moordown66

I was being a bit flippant when I mentioned 'twist' but thanks anyway. I'm going to run a different dish on a pole in the front garden and see what that does, then swap the LNB's out.

All about isolation innit

moordown66

Woo-hooooooo. Fixed it. Very pleased with myself!

Lancelot

So what did it turn out to be in the end. ?

We're all dying to know now


L.

moordown66

Don't know really. Something to do with the alignment. Swung a different dish round to 13e, lined it up exactly the same way using the same meter and with the exception of one thing (which I'll get to in a minute) they all dropped in with 40+% pic quality. The strongest ones are in the high 80's. Only difference I can think of is that this other dish is about 18" further west!

But one problem…Multivision. It was fine when I checked it after install, but yesterday evening, the signal strength was pulsing up and down from 10% up to 80% via a load of percentages on the way. Only affected this transponder. Was fine again this morning, but I suspect it will go again this evening. I wondered if it was the DECT phone causing interference but it wasn't that. Alignment seems to be good for absolutely everything else now. Any ideas?

Finally. I have a Technomate TM5000 DAPCI. How do I find out if it's patched? I'm currently using a goldcard (as per Analoguesat on a different thread) and a red viaccess cam.