New Meter

[excollier]

Looking for some help please.
I own and use a Lacuna MKIV meter which is fine for aligning dishes generally. But I would like to know if it would be worthwhile moving up to a more sophisticated meter and if so, which one would make a good choice for the likes of installing multiswitch set ups, and what extra features would serve me better than the Lacuna, which is fairly quick to use, thanks

 

[satelliteman]

Spectrum analysers are recommended for systems work (multiswitches etc). Have you a budget in mind?

 

[excollier]

No more than £300

 

[satelliteman]

No chance even second hand you'll struggle.

The Emittor Micro has a spectrum trace although I wouldn't want to use it for systems work.

 

[excollier]

I don't want anything too fancy, just a meter that is better and a bit more versatile than the Lacuna, or maybe I don't need anything better than that. I mostly only use it to align dishes anyway.
I have another thread where I am having trouble with a multiswtch install, and someone suggested (on the phone today ) that a Horizon meter would be a big help to me

 

[satelliteman]

Which Horizon meter/model out of interest as some of the basic models will not give you any more info you already have?

The MicroG2 may well be ideal for very occasional systems work. There's another active thread running on the Micro in this section.

 

[excollier]

The HDSM USB Plus

 

[satelliteman]

The USB plus model will probably give you a couple of extra measurements but not the best meter for multiswitch systems.

 

[excollier]

Looks like sticking with the Lacuna then and forget about multiswitch jobs in future. Not much call for them in this part of the world anyway. Usually only single receivers or three at most. I only used a multiswitch recently at one house because the spark had put only one cable to each room and the customer wanted sat/terrestrial to each room. Multiswitch seemed like a good idea at the time, but all it has done is give me grief.

 

[satcatcher]

Satcatcher digipro III or IIIs with spectum would hammer the other you are looking at. check the spec you will see the best value around.

 

[excollier]

Now my Lacuna is becoming very erratic and unstable so I really need sound advice on which meter to go for before the Lacuna dies in the middle of an install. Help please.

 

[Huevos]

Now my Lacuna is becoming very erratic and unstable so I really need sound advice on which meter to go for before the Lacuna dies in the middle of an install. Help please.

Check out post number #10. It's only 225 GBP, got spectrum and diseqc and USALS controls. All settings editable by hand at location.

_http://satellitesuperstore.com/satellitemeters.htm#satcatcher3

 

[excollier]

Yes I was looking at that earlier, but is it any good?There are so many meters, which will prove most useful in the long term?
Incidentally, I bought the Lacuna from there, they say Lacuna has gone into liquidation, and no longer supply them.

 

[Huevos]

Yes I was looking at that earlier, but is it any good?There are so many meters, which will prove most useful in the long term? Incidentally, I bought the Lacuna from there, they say Lacuna has gone into liquidation, and no longer supply them.

The Lacuna is a very basic meter, but personally I love it. It's so clear. There's just one number scale so it's very easy to see if your fine adjustments are working. No good at all for satellite hunting though.

On the Satcatcher you can't go wrong at that price. I've got an Excel-TV, which on top of the features of the Digipro IIIs has a colour screen and DVB-S visualization, but the Digipro IIIs has everything you need to get an install done. And once you get to know the fingerprint of your regular satellites you can be pretty sure you've nailed the right one. And you can keep spectrum pictures of satellites in the memory and overlay them for recognition of satellites you are not so familiar with.

Also, with Satcatcher after sales is second to none.

 

[excollier]

Ok it's a straight contest between the Satcatcher Dgipro IIIs and the Emitor Micro G2. (Also the First Strike looks interesting)
Which one should I go for??
Objective opinions please.

 

[excollier]

Well I ordered the Satlook Micro G2.
Hope it's worth it!!

 

[Channel Hopper]

I've had no issues (well apart from a duff battery - my fault) with the Emitor meter I bought four years ago.

 

[satelliteman]

Well I ordered the Satlook Micro G2.
Hope it's worth it!!

Nice choice

 

[Compusat.ie]

I also use a satlook micro and find it excellent for want we would need it for up around here,

 

[excollier]

Well the meter arrived today, so here's hoping I will be able to use it soon!