Newbie Question

Simba27

Panthera leo massaieus
Joined
Aug 24, 2004
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My Satellite Setup
Comag SL55 receiver. Lidl 0.6 LNB. Lidl 80cm dish. Metronic DiSEqC motor. Phillips Freeview box. JVC SVHS Video .Targa 160GB HDD/DVD recorder. 3 x UHF modulators. 6-way Booster/Splitter.
My Location
Uxbridge UK
Hi everyone,

I've been playing around with old Sky Analogue gear for a couple of years now, but last week I bought the Lidl Kit (Comaq SL55 receiver + 80cm dish) and was very impressed. So impressed that I splashed out on a DiSEqu motor from Maplin to accompany it.

Then I learned how difficult it is to perform the initial alignment for the motor. I was standing on the chimney of my house at 1am last night adjusting it. Heaven knows what the neighbours must have thought.

Anyway, I've now got it to a position where I can find Astra 1, Astra 2, Astra 3A, Eurobird, Hotbird, Eutel Sesat, EutelSat W3, Sirius, Thor, Amos, Nilesat, Telstar 12 and Hispasat. There's also a couple which the receiver identifies as C_Asiasat 2 and 3S, but from looking at a few websites, I'm fairly sure those birds are not visible from the UK - so I don't know what they are. I can't seem to find any others.

Am I right in thinking that having got 13 satellite positions from 36E to 30W, the motor must be pretty much aligned spot on now, or should I try to tweak it some more? I get quite a lot of channels where the quality is about 70%, but the screen is blank, or sometimes pictures but no sound. Is this normal?

Phil.
 

Lancelot

Retired Mod
Joined
Jun 1, 2004
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My Satellite Setup
SS1.
125cm Gibbi with Channelmaster feedhorn and Inverto C120 twin.
36v H to H 62E - 61.5W
My Location
South central
Sounds like you are pretty much there.
However you might want to check Turksat @ 42e just to make sure
if you have enough movement in your system. :)
 

Simba27

Panthera leo massaieus
Joined
Aug 24, 2004
Messages
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My Satellite Setup
Comag SL55 receiver. Lidl 0.6 LNB. Lidl 80cm dish. Metronic DiSEqC motor. Phillips Freeview box. JVC SVHS Video .Targa 160GB HDD/DVD recorder. 3 x UHF modulators. 6-way Booster/Splitter.
My Location
Uxbridge UK
When I got home last night I discovered that I'd lost all the satellites. :eek:

I thought maybe I'd left something loose and the dish had shifted in the wind. So I got the ladder and the signal meter out again. The dish didn't feel loose to me. Then I had another go at aligning it and got Hotbird, Astra 1, and a couple of others - not aligned as good as before. But this morning I've lost them again.

I've decided to take it down and fix up a more solid mounting pole. I'm going to align it and make sure everything is really tight. Then if I lose the satellites again I'm going to start suspecting an equipment fault.

Phil.
 

Simba27

Panthera leo massaieus
Joined
Aug 24, 2004
Messages
150
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0
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My Satellite Setup
Comag SL55 receiver. Lidl 0.6 LNB. Lidl 80cm dish. Metronic DiSEqC motor. Phillips Freeview box. JVC SVHS Video .Targa 160GB HDD/DVD recorder. 3 x UHF modulators. 6-way Booster/Splitter.
My Location
Uxbridge UK
I'm having a problem with my motor and it's really driving me nuts.

I get it lined up nicely and store all the satellites I can find. I usually get 70%+ signal quality. But it seems to go out of alignment. After a few hours, or sometimes even minutes, I'll select a satellite and get nothing but a blank screen. Then I have to jog it a couple of steps one way or the other to get the signal back. Then I store the new position and it's alright for a while, but after a few hours it's gone again.

I called the Metronic helpline and got through to a guy in France who told me it was probably the wind, and that I should tighten the bolts a bit more. But the bolts are tight and we haven't had much wind lately. There doesn't seem to be any play in the motor or the dish.

Is this a fault with the motor? Do all cheap motors to do this? Should I try and live with it, ask them to replace it, or see if I can get a refund and buy a better one?

Phil.
 
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