He Shoots >> He Scores ..

[Vipersan]

Well friends ..
This has been my most difficult challenge to date..
Not sure if its freak conditions ...but certainly without Christinas wings this is simply not possible.

4108 L
tp 86 Canal 3 Niger DVB-S 1447-3/4

Intelsat 901 at 18.0°W

Its totally blown me away...
Lnb throat currently at 81cm (a compromise between the correct focal distance and the new focal distance..
An inaccuracy of 2cm ..
reduced on at least 2 wings by some wedged packings to make the dish effectively deeper by 1cm on these 2 wings only..
I'm using the corotor scalar plate positioned at 0.38 FD scale.

Here is the result

 

[MilkyBarKid1]

Well friends ..
This has been my most difficult challenge to date..
Not sure if its freak conditions ...but certainly without Christinas wings this is simply not possible.

4108 L
tp 86 Canal 3 Niger DVB-S 1447-3/4

Intelsat 901 at 18.0°W

Its totally blown me away...
Lnb throat currently at 81cm (a compromise between the correct focal distance and the new focal distance..
An inaccuracy of 2cm ..
reduced on at least 2 wings by some wedged packings to make the dish effectively deeper by 1cm on these 2 wings only..
I'm using the corotor scalar plate positioned at 0.38 FD scale.

Here is the result

Could I just dive in like Ashley Young and ask what dish you are currently using. Im on the lookout for C Band dish and LNB.

 

[Lazarus]

Back of the net, VS, back of the net.

 

[MilkyBarKid1]

They think its all over, it is now. Good result.

 

[Vipersan]

Could I just dive in like Ashley Young and ask what dish you are currently using. Im on the lookout for C Band dish and LNB.

You could ask ...but it would be rather a long and complex explanation..
Much easier if you read the petal extension thread in the fringe reception forum.
Believe me I'm not avoiding an answer ..its just that my dish started life as a prime focus aluminium petal constucted dish made in 80's by a firm called alcoa..
You'd have a heluva job finding one these days ...
..she is what I call ..a working antique ...but recently been added to to create a working antique hybrid...
regards
VS

 

[MilkyBarKid1]

Feed the VS and he will score... I got confused what this alcoa was ... now explains everything.

 

[pride21]

nice one VS i also been trying to get canal 3 niger out of the 3 transponders this is the strongest but i just cannot lock it,what quality did it lock at.cheers

 

[Analoguesat]

Superb result VS :-worship

 

[Vipersan]

nice one VS i also been trying to get canal 3 niger out of the 3 transponders this is the strongest but i just cannot lock it,what quality did it lock at.cheers

According to the very sensitive F15 ...Lock was achieved at 4.7db ..
Which usually equates to Q 47 approx.
Still locked fairly solid this morning with very occasional hesitation re the the picture ...sound not affected.
I'm currently trying to lock it on the Openbox S9HD ...which if successful ...should provide more compatible reference for you ..

BTW ..what is your strongest transponder at 43 West ?
No sign of Cholusat Sur these days ....but I do get about 4db on 4078 V
tp AE13C MGM HD USA DVB-S2
MPEG-4/HD
PowerVu 7200-3/4
8PSK
...not that there is anything to see ...as its totally encrypted.
..but if I can get this over 6db ...maybe it will lock.
rgds
VS

 

[Vipersan]

...Well ....I can't get the Openbox to scan the channel ...but lock of the signal is achieved.
Possibly its the LSR preventing scan as the Openbox doesn't handle such Low Symbol Rates too well ..
Nonetheless it does see Niger and does _effectively_ lock it.
Here is a pic to confirm ..and give an idea of the levels.
rgds
VS

 

[pride21]

at the moment VS i can only get the radio channel radio nederland,cholusat does not seem to have the gain it had,mgm hd channel is about 38% quality no lock even this has a drop in gain.cheers

 

[Vipersan]

...Can't scan this one on the meter either ...but then the 600HDpro is essentially an Openpox in disguise..
Gives a more accurate overview of the signal anyway.(Ignore the sat name I just used Express cos it was there and intelsat 901 ..wasn't in the list)
Once again the F15 proves just how exceptional it really is.
Pity about the lack of support ..and missing audio on some channels.
But ...it is imo the ultimate DX tool ...sadly ...incomplete.
rgds
VS

 

[Vipersan]

...Further proof if any is needed that at least one of the wings is working..
I've moved the gear outside ..to catch a little sun on my back as I experiment.
I have a set of Aluminium step ladders to reach the lnb and feed ..
IF I erect these in front of the dish ..the top 18 inches of the ladder casts an A shaped shadow on the bottom-most wing ...and this is enough to stop Niger locking
I removed them ..and the channel locked once more..
I have pressed back into service my old wooden set ..as these fall short of the wing and thus cast no shadow...allowing a lock ..and me to make adjustments..descend and check results.
rgds
VS

 

[Channel Hopper]

You need a skyhook.

 

[Vipersan]

...Well friends ..I hadn't been able to lock this one since saturday..
Reasons ..I assume these include the removal for adhesive aluminium strip and gelcoating of 2 more panels (4 now complete but for the final ivory spray paint coat)...and thus focus might have changed ...plus I was using the Doctor of Sat plate ..which is exceptional but requires adjustment and tuning ..
So with the 2 plates refitted ...I tried again ..
No lock signal hovering around 3.5 db (F15) ..
I felt a bit deflated after such an achievement ...but not one to give in I dug out my original T plate and swapped out the DOS plate ..which _did_ lock on saturday around 4.5 - 4.6 db
Swung Christina to 18 west ..and bang ...instant lock at a superb 4.8 to 4.9 db
Solid as a rock.
My theory fwiw ..not that the T plate is outperforming the DOS plate ..but the extension outside the LNB throat is more _forgiving _ of the innaccuracies of the extension wings ..and thus gathers /funnels more signal at these LSR levels to the LNBs electronics.
No tuning ..no fiddling ...just compromised and maximised signal gathering.
Its just a theory ..but one I believe has some credibility ..and have long believed this to be why it works so well.
Here are 3 pics to show the dish as it currently is ...plus Canal 3 Niger at 4.8 db ..occasionally pulsing to 4.9..or even 5.0
rgds
VS

 

[Vipersan]

Just started to rain here so I'll get a chance to monitor this one through rain fade ..
Max peak on this channel 5.2 db about an hour ago ..
Light high cloud at that time.
rgds
VS

 

[Vipersan]

Rain has stopped now ..
dropped about 1.5 cm in 30 minutes ...the dish was soaked and water running off in small rivers ...but the F15 never lost lock ..and the signal barely dipped dropping from 5db to 4.7 ..
nice
rgds
VS

 

[Vipersan]

Ok ...another fudge this time on the openboxS9HD..

Blind scan skips over the channel which is clearly there and will lock...
Entering the channel details ....and performing a scan ...
the scan is over too quick as it takes a finite length of time to lock ..and build up the signal to a useable level ..
This I believe is down to the LSR ...so its over too quick to store in the channel details...
Not established before the scan completes ..
Result ...no channel found.
So ..how to get around this ..
After giving it some thought ...I entered three channels with the same details but spaced by 1

So 4107 /1447
4108 /1447
4109 /1447

then set it off on a full satellite scan using the stored details ..
The openbox then scans each of the 3 channels in succession ...effectively using stored channels 1 and 2 as dummy channels ...thus providing a time delay whilst the signal builds to a useable level ...with the tuner effectively set in roughly the correct region of the scan slope.
Bingo ....by the time the scan reaches channel details set 3 ...4109/1447
The signal is present ...sufficient ..and lockable.

here is the result..
This _may_ work for you on a box other than the F15.
rgds
VS

 

[Captain Jack]

Love your ingenuity VS. Is the signal/video/audio just as stable on the Openbox as it is on the F15 or slightly worse?

 

[Vipersan]

Love your ingenuity VS. Is the signal/video/audio just as stable on the Openbox as it is on the F15 or slightly worse?

Hi CJ ..
As expected its slightly worse ...though will remain locked with accasional artifacting when the skies are clear ..
Sadly the rain is a constant drizzle today ...so although the F15 still locks almost solid with occasional dropout ..the openbox is losing the signal more than its holding it.
It just confirms once again for me the superior gain of the F15...though the openbox is a good backup receiver .
Anyone attempting this channel however is going to need a minimum of 1.8 mtrs ...and just possibly Pride with his ally addons might have a chance.
rgds
VS