Dead LNB? No signal, any diagnosing help appreciated :-)

arfster

Hi all, I'm hoping someone can help pinpoint my problem. The setup is a Technotrend budget 1500 DVB-S card, Moteck SG2100A motor, Triax TD88 dish, and a Universal SF-10 LNB. Problem is there's no signal at all, not one iota.

On dish elevation, I'm at 56N, 3W. Using satsig's calculator (http://www.satsig.net/ssazelm.htm) I've set polar mount main axis of 56.65, dish offset 7.15. If there was no motor, dish elevation would be at 26.18, and given the TD88 is 26 degrees offset, that means pretty much dead vertical dish face. Using plumb bob, it's exactly that - I've also got 3 other dishes nearby I can see are the same. The line to the satellites isn't blocked at all, at least until it goes out to 50 east or so.

Azimuth: There are several landmarks to aim at. I can rotate the dish using the motor and it's absolutely spot on all of them. Compass bearings (adjusted 4.5 degrees for magnetic declination) give the same results.

Motor: The cable up to the motor measures 12-17V, and the software (progdvb with diseqcu plugin) can rotate it perfectly, with USALS working fine. I've also tested the lnb cable for continuity, no problem. Still no signal to be found, even after all manner of rotating/elevating the dish etc.

LNB: Plugging the main cable straight into the LNB, bypassing the motor entirely, still no signal.


I've tried multiple satellites, every transponder possible, multiple software, different driver versions (BDA and pre-BDA), and all manner of other things. Anybody can make some suggestions? I'm entirely new to this, but I'm thinking at this stage I should have some hint of a signal - even a bad one :-)

Topper

So what are we saying here, this is a new setup and up until now you have not managed a signal is that correct??
Have you ever done an install before?
Have you just mounted the dish?
Could you possibly post a picture??

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arfster

Thanks for answering. Yup, all your suspicions are correct :-) New setup, just put up, first dish I've owned. Anyway, it was a dead LNB - I borrowed another, and voila, instant 100% and all channels.

Just so you can laugh at my installation skills:

Attached Images

sany00063uo.gif (188.5 KB, 19 views)

wod

a good install but some will say you should have used some t&k brackets

whos are the other dishes as when you move the dish to the right looks like it will be close to the other dishes

arfster

Thanks - I take it T&K is a more substantial type of mount? :-) It did occur to me, but the mount was already there, and I don't have the tools nor knowledge to do the drilling. Also, it was previously holding up a much, much heavier dish (at least three times the weight). I've watched the setup in pretty hefty winds midweek, and it was barely moving - I'll keep an eye on it though.

Now that you mention it, it does worry me a bit, although at least there's the compensation that if it does fall it'll fall into an inner roof gully, rather than down onto the street. Just in case, I'll rig up some sort of permanent chain-wire tie, so the dish doesn't go anywhere in a hurricane.

The other dishes behind are further than they look, it wasn't really a good picture. I'm going to get the owner to remove one of the unused dishes in the way - it's rusty and unsafe, and flaps around in the wind a bit as it's lost 2/4 connecting mount bits. Alternatively, I'll do it myself if they don't care.

The higher one you can see is new, but I don't think it'll block anything for me, as the dish will hit the wall before it gets in the way. It looks like I'll get about 30W to 70E rotation, which should do me for now - if I need further west in future, I'll get one of those heftier mounts you mention and put it somewhere it can fully rotate.

All in all, I'm pretty pleased - the whole dish+motor+cabling only cost £75 or so. Bit of a hassle with the broken bit of course, but that's just sheer bad luck.

Llew

Nice chunks of Edinburgh stonework it's fixed to there arfster.

Down here it's crumbly brickwork we have to make do with

Llew

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arfster

Hehe - when I first went up there to investigate satellite possibilities, I wasn't very optimistic. The building is 200 years old*, but fortunately that chimney section is a lot newer :-)


* I have the original title deeds, complete with the requirement that owners refrain from boiling blood - presumably because that's the sort of things witches do.....

Topper

There is nothing to laugh at looks OK apart from the bracket but if it was there and it does the job OK then why not?

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wod

yeah as the other dishes aren't in the way it should be fine as they say if it aint broke dont fix it