Fringe reception in Stockholm - what next?

[humpo]

Hi folks,

I've now got a Pace DS430N (replaced my old Panasonic 31) hooked up to my Triax 110 dish here in Lidingo (10km from Stockholm) but I can't get BBC1 at all and only get ITV and BBC2 between 12pm and 4pm. When I do get a signal the picture is perfectly clear.

I need some advice on what to do next. Do I try and tweak my existing Digiality LNB or replace it with another LNB such as the MTI Blue Line or Invacom? Would this make a difference or am I kidding myself and I really need to get a larger dish?

Any advice greatfully received.

Humpo.
(Relative novice!)

 

[Likvid]

Don't have any experience of Triax 110cm dish but there is absolutely no problems receiving the Horizontal 2D transponders here in Stockholm, even in rain!

The vertical channels like ITV2, ITV3, ITV3 comes in good and clear between approx 11AM to 7PM right now during winter time.

The Pace receiver you have is really good, i have the same at home, it got a good tuner.

Problem could be that your Triax dish is warped a little bit, did you buy it locally or from outside Sweden?

The LNB you have i got no experience with but it won't make that great impact as you doesn't even seem to get BBC stable for more than a few hours.

Only way to check your dish is to run strings in different positions.

Maybe the Triax isn'tthat good as some people says.

If that is the case you need a bigger dish.

 

[humpo]

Thanks Likvid,

I thought I'd get better reception with the TRIAX dish, I bought it brand new here in Sweden but didn't fit it myself.

When you say "Only way to check your dish is to run strings in different positions." what exactly do you mean? This is all a bit new to me but I presume I can tweak the LNB slightly as it might be misaligned....

 

[T_G]

If you take two length of string and place them on the dish, one vertically and one horizontally they should "meet" in the middle of the dish, and the strings should touch. If there is a gap it means the dish is warped.
I would also try to carefully move the dish left and right and watch the signal strength just to make sure it is aligned correctly, and once you found the best position do the same up and down. Only then consider the LNB option. In most cases the dish is not set up 100%.

 

[dxsat]

You are probably trying to receive BBC 1 on a vertical transponder, try 10773 H, 22000 5/6 for BBC1 London and the reception pattern will be the same as BBC2.
The Invacom Quad c120 0.3 LNB will extend your reception hours of the BBC quite considerably as it has very high gain, much better than MTI.
If that fails then try replacing the dish with a Gibertini 1.25m, which is extremely good for its size, and not too expensive.

 

[Likvid]

If that fails then try replacing the dish with a Gibertini 1.25m, which is extremely good for its size, and not too expensive.

You compared the Gibertini 125cm to the Channel Master 120cm?

 

[dxsat]

You compared the Gibertini 125cm to the Channel Master 120cm?

I've had both and the performance is nearly identical. Gibertini say their dish is 1.25m but this is edge to edge, the actual dish face is 1.2 metres.
The only difference I could see between the two is that ChannelMaster seems to be better on horizontal transponders, the Gibertini on Vertical.
This seems to be the case on 1.8 metre fibre dishes as well. My Prodelin 1.8m fibre dish has a very high gain on horizontals, enough to give 24 hour reception in Madrid, but it is less good on verticals, with only the equivalent gain to a 1.5m aluminium Gibertini, which I've also used here.

I suspect it is something to do with the design used by ChannelMaster and Prodelin, that is a mesh surrounded by glass fibre. In my view this type of contruction is far superior, being virtually indestructible and not subject to distortion under temperature changes.

 

[humpo]

Thanks Snap,

I'll try and tune to the H transponder and see what happens, if not then I'll give the Invacom a go.

 

[Likvid]

I've had both and the performance is nearly identical. Gibertini say their dish is 1.25m but this is edge to edge, the actual dish face is 1.2 metres.
The only difference I could see between the two is that ChannelMaster seems to be better on horizontal transponders, the Gibertini on Vertical.
This seems to be the case on 1.8 metre fibre dishes as well. My Prodelin 1.8m fibre dish has a very high gain on horizontals, enough to give 24 hour reception in Madrid, but it is less good on verticals, with only the equivalent gain to a 1.5m aluminium Gibertini, which I've also used here.

I suspect it is something to do with the design used by ChannelMaster and Prodelin, that is a mesh surrounded by glass fibre. In my view this type of contruction is far superior, being virtually indestructible and not subject to distortion under temperature changes.

Yes the SMC dishes are superior in robustness, i dropped a 1.2m Channel Master from the roof once, didn't show any signs of damage except some scratches.....

Don't know why but metal dishes tend to warp with time due to the temperature variations in the climate, in the winter the front is warmer than than the back of the dish making it warp if the difference is large.