Advice Needed Which Sats/Transponders to Align to

[Lazarus]

7W is actually 7.2/7.3W, which is significant given its relative weakness. The odd couple of tenths makes all the difference.

 

[RustySpoons]

7W is actually 7.2/7.3W, which is significant given its relative weakness. The odd couple of tenths makes all the difference.

I thought it was 7.3W, that's the only bird I'm losing really if I get the others spot on.
Maybe thats my problem! I will try some more Westerly sats and see if they need any alignment.

What would be useful is some known Birds/Transponders to go to when aligning a dish, no idea if some birds/transponders are not working right.

 

[moonbase]

For your Zenith satellite of 3.0W there is a test card permanantly active from the satellite operator (ABS). The signal is 11462 V, SR 2993. It is not a strong signal and might be beyond the scope of your dish?

 

[RustySpoons]

@Captain Jack

Captain Jack Was bang on the money, it was overloading the tuner on my box!
If I plugged in my 28.2 dish I had a "Stronger" Signal.

Using another box I'm getting over 18dB on the 1m dish and 17dB with the Fixed!

So it seems as I was peaking one and thinking I was making another weaker, I was actually making it stronger, the stronger it got the box made it look weaker as it was overloading it.

I need to get a decent Satfinder/Meter.
The Freesat V8 Finder was no good as that just showed Full Scale signal on everything.

 

[RustySpoons]

For your Zenith satellite of 3.0W there is a test card permanantly active from the satellite operator (ABS). The signal is 11462 V, SR 2993. It is not a strong signal and might be beyond the scope of your dish?

I'm going to scan that now, be interesting to see if I can pick it up.
Cheers

 

[moonbase]

I'm going to scan that now, be interesting to see if I can pick it up.
Cheers

Your Gibertini 1.0m dish should be able to get the ABS test card? "William" reports it on his list of strongest transponders using the same dish (Gibertini 1.0m)

 

[RustySpoons]

Yes it was definitely overloading that DM800HD, as it's showing 100% on every Astra Transponder on my Miraclebox and the 28.2 dish is showing 95%.

On my TBS card the 1m is showing a higher signal than the fixed 28.2 as well, good thing about the TBS card is the signal meter is better as it doesn't go full scale so easily.

Your Gibertini 1.0m dish should be able to get the ABS test card? "William" reports it on his list of strongest transponders using the same dish (Gibertini 1.0m)

Just having a go with my TBS Card

 

[Terryl]

Are you using the 3W satellite for setting the dish due South? If so then don't, the dish needs to be setup to geographic due South first, (180 degrees true from your location) then you find your closest bird to due South of your longitudinal position, this would be your starting satellite or "0" in the starting line up.

As the satellite numbering system starts on the prime meridian as 0 then 3 W will be 3 degrees West of that line, this satellite may or may-not be exactly due South of your location, once the dish is properly aligned to geographic South then all the birds in the birds in the arc called the Clark belt should fall into line.

This can be tested by looking for the furthest West and furthest East bird view-able and receivable from your location. (satellites with transponders receivable by your satellite receiver)

 

[RustySpoons]

Are you using the 3W satellite for setting the dish due South? If so then don't, the dish needs to be setup to geographic due South first, (180 degrees true from your location) then you find your closest bird to due South of your longitudinal position, this would be your starting satellite or "0" in the starting line up.

As the satellite numbering system starts on the prime meridian as 0 then 3 W will be 3 degrees West of that line, this satellite may or may-not be exactly due South of your location, once the dish is properly aligned to geographic South then all the birds in the birds in the arc called the Clark belt should fall into line.

This can be tested by looking for the furthest West and furthest East bird view-able and receivable from your location. (satellites with transponders receivable by your satellite receiver)

No I set everything to 0, then I send a go to X command to the motor to send it to 0.8W
It's not that sort of issue and seems to be it was due to overloading my tuner rather than alignment

 

[Terryl]

Wow you must have one heck of a signal on that bird, most satellite receivers have an AGC circuit to prevent this, this AGC range is usually -65 to a -25 dBm, if your input levels from the LNB exceed the AGC upper range (-25 dBm) then the tuner could be swamped out.

 

[RustySpoons]

Wow you must have one heck of a signal on that bird, most satellite receivers have an AGC circuit to prevent this, this AGC range is usually -65 to a -25 dBm, if your input levels from the LNB exceed the AGC upper range (-25 dBm) then the tuner could be swamped out.

Yeah 28.2e is STRONG in the UK, you can get it on a 20-30cm dish.
Strange how the AGC was working, it was overloading it so much it made it look weak.

I need to go back up the ladder tomorrow and align it again as I moved it using the DM800HD tuner/signal meter but that was getting swamped ha!

I might order a satellite finder/meter, was a pain being up the ladder looking at a phone

 

[Terryl]

The best way is with an RF spectrum analyzer, but those cost a bit, the one I used in engineering was around 45K USD.

 

[RustySpoons]

The best way is with an RF spectrum analyzer, but those cost a bit, the one I used in engineering was around 45K USD.

I'd love one, I might take the laptop out there tomorrow with my TBS Card

 

[jeallen01]

Taking all the above into account, your first post still indicates to me that the dish is not quite correctly set up, as I - and many others - have seen similar issues
You only have to go back to a few other posts on the forum - and some graphically-illustrated posts in Wot Sat decades ago! - to see the same problems - and solutions - time and again!

 

[RustySpoons]

Taking all the above into account, your first post still indicates to me that the dish is not quite correctly set up, as I - and many others - have seen similar issues
You only have to go back to a few other posts on the forum - and some graphically-illustrated posts in Wot Sat decades ago! - to see the same problems - and solutions - time and again!

Ignore the first post, it's fine.
Everything is working, the tuner was overloaded
Even with that happening, I didn't lose any birds. I was trying to peak it on every sat which is impossible tbh.

 

[jeallen01]

Still don't agree - even if tuner overload is happening, if you have to move the dish to the E to get best reception on a sat on the E of the due South and to the W to get the best reception on a sat to the West of the due South sat, then there is no explanation other than that the dish setup is not quite right.

@Channel Hopper - would be most interested in your views on all this!

 

[RustySpoons]

Still don't agree - even if tuner overload is happening, if you have to move the dish to the E to get best reception on a sat on the E of the due South and to the W to get the best reception on the West of the due South sat, then there is no other explanation other than that the dish setup is not quite right.

@Channel Hopper - would be most interested in your views on all this!

No I don't need to move it any more. That was only happening on the DM800HD, moving it to the E was actually making it weaker, but looked like it was going stronger on the DM800HD, because when it was in the right place it was swamping the tuner, making it look weaker. If that makes any sense?

As swapping cables from my Fixed 28.2 (which i know is weaker) was showing Stronger. on the DM800HD, I think it's time I binned this crappy old thing anyway. Originally I had to use an amp on it for 28.2 (Back in 2011) Known issue with these tuners, I ended up modifying it with new capacitors and new transistors.

Wasn't looking at the obvious till Captain Jack mentioned it and a lightbulb went off.

Now with my TBS and another Satbox, the Fixed 28.2 is showing weaker than my 1m dish, which is correct

 

[RustySpoons]

Pointless me messing around with it as is, I need to get a decent meter and do it properly.
I'll try the Declination angle on a far E or W sat and see if it makes any difference.

 

[Captain Jack]

Yeah 28.2e is STRONG in the UK, you can get it on a 20-30cm dish

You don't even need a dish. A pan lid will do.

No really... Bored...

 

[RustySpoons]

Quick question.
Anyone that's fitted a Stab or any other H-H Diseqc motor.
Has the Latitude scale on the motor been correct to your location, or have you had to adjust it?

My latitude is 51.6 from everything I've been looking at.