Setup Advice - Sky Dish

[GBH]

I have been given an old Sky Dish, and have installed in my back garden where it has a clear view of the southern sky. I purchased a Silvercrest SSR576 A1 receiver from Lidl's. I have connected them using PF100 cable. I also used a LabGear finder to try to set up the system. I followed the instructions with the finder but cannot get a signal on my TV. I set the dish up using the info found on the web which is as folows:-

Your Location	Satellite Data	Dish Setup Data
Latitude: 50.977° Longitude: -1.906°	Name: 28.2E Astra 2A-B-D​ Distance: 39059km	Elevation:25.1° Azimuth (true): 143.2° Azimuth (magn.): 145.3° LNB skew: -14.6°

I used a compass to set the Azimuth as accurately as possible, and set the dish angle to 25.1 by making an inclometer out of a pice of wood which I laid across the face of the dish and rotated the dish until a plumb bob hung down vertically when the dish was at 25.1 deg.

I connected the sat finder and followed the instructions and got a good response, but still no signal received on the TV.

Anyone have any ideas how to get the system working?

The LNB is the existing one that came with the dish and has four connectors on it. I am only interested in receiving Freesat (unscrambled) channels. Will the LNB work with this setup? Which connector should I connect the aerial cable to? Does it matter which connection is used?

Thanks for any replies

Gary

 

[Topper]

Hello and welcome to the forum

Your dish when correctly set should be when viewed from the side almost vertical possibly leaning back at the top by a couple of degrees assuming it is an offset dish.
If the lnb has four outputs then I would suggest it is a modern one however you need to read the details from the lnb as if it is a quattro not a quad then you will have all sorts of problems which will only be solved with a switch.

 

[DragonSat]

Ofset dish have an natural Elevation of 20 or s degrees. Try dropping the dish down to near vertical, the actual LNB view will then be nearer the 25 Degree needed

From when I used to live in Bath, the Sky Dish wasnt much higher than vertical, maybe by 5-10 degrees at the most

 

[PaulR]

... a piece of wood which I laid across the face of the dish and rotated the dish until a plumb bob hung down vertically when the dish was at 25.1 deg.

That's where your problem lies. When a minidish is correctly mounted the face of the dish approximately vertical because the LNB is offset downwards pointing up to the dish.

If you leave the other adjustments alone and simply raise the dish angle this should get you into the right ballpark.

 

[GBH]

Wow, thanks to you all for the very speedy replies. I will reset the dish this evening and see how we go. One other question. The skew angle at -14.6 degrees. What does that mean? On the LNB which is the origuinal one supplied with the Sky dish has some markings around the LNB but they do not seem to equate to degrees. What mark should the rotation of the LNB be set. I think it was originally at 3, but I am not sure now.

Thanks.

gary

 

[Lazarus]

Here's the library pic:

 

[PaulR]

The skew is the amount by which you rotate the LNB in its housing. A $ly dish is a little different as there is a limited amount of adjustment available by slackening and tightening a screw underneath the LNB. There is a table of values available somewhere for the skew angle against your position in the UK but if it is a second hand dish with the LNB already fitted then leave it as it is for the moment.

 

[DragonSat]

That's where your problem lies. When a minidish is correctly mounted the face of the dish approximately vertical because the LNB is offset downwards pointing up to the dish.

If you leave the other adjustments alone and simply raise the dish angle this should get you into the right ballpark.

You mean lower the dish angle to around 1-2 degrees elevation add the 22-23 degrees of the dish gives 25 degrees TRUE elevation.

Exact numbers unknown, but as already said place the dish vertical and you wont be far out on elevation.

 

[PaulR]

You mean lower the dish angle...

Er, yes. Lower the dish to approximately vertical.!

 

[GBH]

Very many thanks for all the info. Looks as though I shall be out in the garden tonight resetting everything.

Gary

 

[GBH]

Well I tried everything that was suggested, but still no signal being received on the TV. I am now thinking that it may be a defective LNB. From what I have seen on the web there does not appear to be any way of testing an LNB, so I guess it is going to have to be a replacement. As I only interested in Freesat, I am assuming that a single LNB will be OK? Is that right, or does anyone else have any suggestions I can try?

Thanks again.

Gary

 

[PaulR]

The LNB may be defective as you suggest but before replacing that take a very close look at the F-plugs at either end of the cable. It is very easy when making the plugs up to overlook a whisper of the copper braid on the outside just touching the inner core. If you have a multi-meter there should be no current flowing between core and braid with both ends unplugged.

Don't forget to check that the plug is screwed in tightly enough (assuming you have that type of plug) onto the copper braid and make sure that the inner core is long enough, it should just be showing outside the plug.

 

[GBH]

I have tried what you suggested but still no signal being received at the TV. I remade the cable ends and screwed in tight. I checked that there was no braid touching the copper core. I made sure that there was about 5 mm length of conductor showing clear of the F plug and even bent the tip of the copper conductor over slightly to make sure it made good contact inside the LNB and Receiver connections. I have the cable running from the LNB to the receiver in one piece with no intermediate joints along it to avoid any problems with additional joints. I have tried the dish in all positions suggested and also tried it with a signal meter. I get a high reading on the meter when the satellite is pointing in the correct direction but no signal on the TV. I am unsure whether the LNB is defective, because I am getting a good response from the meter. Perhaps it is the receiver that is at fault. Any ideas? Thanks. Gary