Signal Strength

josephgall

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I have tried to set up my own satellite system to receive hotbird 13e and astra19.2e using a monoblock LNB. The sat box I am using is a Technomate 1500, the main problem I am having is getting channels with a good strength on the quality and strength bars. The highest signal strength I get with astra is 50% but is constantly jumping between 45%-50% and the highest I can get on hotbird is 30%-40%. I understand that this figure should always be around 70% at the least even if you are not picking up a satellite signal, have you any ideas on how to improve this? And if this improves is it likely the signal quality will improve aswell because I am looking to receive the Art Sports channels and the quality is in and around 38-40%. Thanks for your help.
 

stuntbelly

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Hi Joseph,
What size dish are you using? I would recommend at least 80cm to get anything over 50%. If you have at least 80cm dish then I would suggest it may not be aligned properly
 

josephgall

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stuntbelly said:
Hi Joseph,
What size dish are you using? I would recommend at least 80cm to get anything over 50%. If you have at least 80cm dish then I would suggest it may not be aligned properly

Yes the dish is 80cm, I'll get up on the roof and have a fiddle about with it and see, any other suggestions?
 

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How did you set it up?

Did you use a meter?

Try and get your hands on a small meter and use that up on the roof. Get the strongest signal then put a damp cloth over the LNB.

Adjust the dish slightly to get the best signal again. Once done tighten the bolts take the cloth off and that should be you sorted.

Before you go on the roof check all the F connectors are tight and fitted correctly. check the one on the LNB if you have to go on the roof.

If it was OK and is now not working check the cable and LNB for water penetration.
 

josephgall

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I went up yesterday afternoon, without a meter (don't have a meter but will get one) and managed to improve both astra and hotbird slightly but no real improvement. Hotbird is hovering around the 40% mark and astra 55-60%. I am wondering now could it have anything to do with the way my dish is setup, I have it directly beneath my sky dish and was wondering would it affect the signal? Pictures are attached. Any other suggestions on how to improve it? Just another small question why can I get Sky TG24 at 62% on hotbird and can only get 40% for the art sport channels, if I can get 62% on Sky TG24 does that rule out the chances of dodgy cable being to blame? Thanks
 

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Don't think the Sky dish shouldn't have any effect as it is behind the other dish.

If anything the LNB looks a bit squint - skewed.
 

rolfw

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Looks like you have the wrong side of the LNB in the clamp, reposition it and then line up on Hotbird, that should do the trick, the Astra side should be slightly higher.
 

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rolfw said:
Looks like you have the wrong side of the LNB in the clamp, reposition it and then line up on Hotbird, that should do the trick, the Astra side should be slightly higher.

Are you sure that will work? I always thought that the hotbird LNB should be the one in the clamp
 

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Yes, and unless your pictures are back to front, you have the Astra LNB in the clamp. Remember that you are working on a reflected signal.
 

stuntbelly

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As for signal strengths. You should be able to have a signal over 50%. So quality should be fine apart from bad weather thunderstorms especially.
 
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