No circular signals received

mythbackend

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Hi Everyone,
I am really stumped and wanted to see if anyone has any ideas.

I have a DM500 and it just refuses to pick up circular signals (linear works). I've bypassed my HH motor and a diseqc switch (for trouble shooting) and the problem persists. The SNR says 40 to 50 constantly. I know my problem is in the Dreambox though because I can hook up a Coolsat receiver and tune circular channels right in. The signal strength shows 97-99%. Why Why Why wont my DM pick them up?

My LNB is an Invacom QPH-301 (and yes using the circular connector). Firmware is Gemini, but the same problem existed with PliJade too.

I did notice that when I set the options for a single satellite, the LNB settings screen is not available - so I can't confirm what the LOF/H is set to. When I had the motor hooked up, I could confirm it was set to 11250 (I'm in NA).

Any thoughts? TIA!
 

ralphmagno

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sorry, i have never set things up in the usa.
the lnb in the usa work on different bands than europe.
i think the lo on the lnb is 11 ghs respect to 9.750/10.600
what channels are you trying to pick up there????
ralph
 

futumsch

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I have no experience on this either, so just some ideas...
As you say, you've connected your coax to the circular output connector, so your receiver shouldn't care less if the RF signal was linear or circularly polarised going into the LNB so I doubt your receiver is faulty, more like your LNB or your LNB set up.

Looking at the Invacom QPH-031 datasheet, and I would expect this is typical for all US market LNBs, is that the Low Band LOF is 10750 and the high band LOF is 11250, so shouldn't you set your LOF/L* in your DM500 to 10750? Otherwise if you have LOF/L set to 9750 your going to have a gap in your received frequecies between 11900 and 12200. If someone think this is wrong, then please correct me.

My other thought is, if you suspect the circular input on the LNB is faulty, you can pick up circular signals on the linear feed, but you lose around 3dB. That is probably a lot of signal strenth to lose for a home DBS system, so that might not work so well.

*Edit: Seems that you guys in the US only need to have one LOF set up on your receiver, but some lists say use 11250, some say 10750. So maybe an LO of 10750 will work?
 

mythbackend

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I'm trying to pick up the NASA channel at 119W, 12370V. In the US, linear stuff uses LOF of 10750 and circular is 11250. My Coolsat receiver, that picks up the signal, is set to Universal LNB, and 11250 for low and high LOF. I put those settings into my DM, and the best I get is 50% signal. I also tried setting LOF/L to 10750 and LOF/H to 11250 also- same results. Setting everything (including the threshold setting) to 11250 yields nothing either.

Is it possible something in my DM receiver that handles circular signals is faulty?
 

mythbackend

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Update! When I set the voltage option in the Sat configuration to 18V or 14V, I get a signal! The default is "H/V" and when I change it to 14 ro 18V, signals come in. I am pretty sure I'm getting half the channels w/ 14V and the other half of channels when I change to 18V. The bad news is, I have to change this setting from 18V to pick up some channels, and 14V to pick up the others. What the heck?
 

futumsch

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Cool. Well I'm glad you got it sort-of working.
I was going to suggest try measuring the voltage on the F-connector and then if no volts try connecting it to the LNB out on your Coolsat receiver. So at least you have some volts coming out and you don't have an electrical fault in your Dm500.

Hoping then, there is another setting to make the DM500 switch automatically when you change from LH to RH signals. Other DM user may help you out there.

Envy you being able to pick up NASA TV off satellite thou.
 

ralphmagno

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hello from italy,

the 18 v and 14 v is the horz and vert pol.
in this case circular right hand and left hand.
you should have on your receiver lnb 10750/11.250 upper band

there is a crossover but for the usa its diff than europe.
once the signal is converted to 950 to 2050 the receiver will detect the signal.
if the lnb is installed wrong or not aligned correctly it will not work.
will have to look and see what the channnel is and sr as well.
be back soom
ralph
ps are you in florida?
 

ralphmagno

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hello,
i am back
looks like 119 west 12.370 r pol
dish network
transponder 11
sr should be 20,000 7/8
this should download some encrypted as well as nasa channel that is in the clear.
ralph
 

ralphmagno

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hello,
looks like the lnb for the usa ku band is just one
10.750 lo
if the tuner go from 950 mhz to 1950 then doing the math 10.750 lo we have a range of 11.700 ghz to 12.700 ghz
there are no upper and lower band in the usa sats.

on the settings no 22khz at all.
18 v and 14 v is for horz and vert or right and left in this case.
sr 20000 and 7/8 should search dish net transponder but only nasa should be in the clear.

keep us informed
ralph from ohio now in italy
 

mythbackend

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Yes. I can pick up NASA now when I have the LNB voltage option set to 14V. There are 4 options- H/V (basically it means automatic?), 14V, 18V, and off. Whenever I set it to H/V, the signal quality drops to a static 40-50%. I'm happy Im getting NASA, but I have to figure out why I have to set the lnb voltage to change from RH and LH polarity.

I have LOF/L and LOF/H set to 11250. I've left the "threshold" at 11750 and probably tried 11250 at some point.

Left to my own, I may try another LNB (circular only) and see if I have these same issues.
 

ralphmagno

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good to go
good to hear.
if i go to the usa i may do satellites like i do here in italy.
or i may work for a tv station
who knows
ralph
 

frankp100

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Can't recieve circular signal from Galaxy 3C
I have a Viewsat Ultra and in Antenna Settings
I get S=80 Q= intermitent 60
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Analoguesat

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Do you have a circular polarity Ku band lnb?
 
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