Finally!

[Dee_Ann]

Dewonkify..... ROFL !!

Follow Ices advice, you have the portable TV so tweaking should be a breeze for you, lean the disvLeft, then Right, then Up, then Dwn and the a combination of all 4 ! You'll getit!

My grandparents were Subjects of the British Crown. My grandmother raised me pretty much up till I was about 12yro. So I picked up a lot of stuff from them. And my grandfather's favorite curse word, "Bloody".. Bloody this and bloody that.. I started using it and my grandmother almost had a stroke. That was like a really, really BAD word to use back in the 60's... I still don't use it until I get really mad. Some little voice inside tells me that's like the worst naughty word there is..

But anyway, so yes, I will for sure try my best to follow Mr. Iceberg's advice next time I go give it another try. I know I'm sneaking up on it very slowly with cat like stealth and if I'm very slow and very careful, I might get the prize..

But it's going to have to wait, my day has pretty much come to an end and I'm calling it a night shortly. I'll probably be up and at em about 3am or so.. And we have a cool front coming through so that's gonna be really nice.. It's been sooooo hot and oppressive lately..

 

[Mr Tony]

I will for sure try my best to follow Mr. Iceberg's advice

My dad is Mr Iceberg
I'm just Tony

 

[Dee_Ann]

My dad is Mr Iceberg
I'm just Tony

Okey Dokey, Tony..

 

[Dee_Ann]

Ok, I'm up past my bedtime. If I'm gonna have fried hours I might as well deep fry em...

So. I went out back with my camera and snapped a few pictures.

And then after I shut off my camera and was playing with the dog in the sharp North wind, some joker started snapping pictures of me. I saw a flash go off when I was looking down messing with the dog so I didn't catch the point of origin of it but it was blatantly obvious that someone was hiding somewhere taking photos of me. And that creeped me out big times and made me feel very, very unsafe in my own fenced in yard, German Shepherd or not. So I shut it all down and we went inside. There is one guy in particular that lives behind me that gives me the creeps and for good reason but I won't bring that up here. I can't prove it was him but I'm pretty sure it was. He's the sort of creep to do something like that.

ANYWAY........

This is the dish and stuff after I put the new scaler ring on it. I ~thought~ it was fairly straight but I can see by using my grid that this one too is wonky like the other though not nearly as bad as before.

So, as is obvious, I still have work to do tomorrow. Perhaps a little tweak and I'll hit the jackpot?

Oh and to answer an earlier question, yes, I did try adjusting the skew and I tried moving the lnb in and out of the ring, I had no choice of course when I totally removed the old ring and put this new and much smaller one in it's place. But I didn't get too far with my experiments and bailed out early. But this is a definite step in the right direction, definite progress. Never leaps and bounds, more like an ant tip-toeing through a mine field.

I'll get it. I won't quit until I do.

 

[Dee_Ann]

I am ~thrilled~ to report that that fonky signal at sunrise problem is gone! I went to sleep and left the satellite one MeTV. I woke up in the middle of the Beverly Hillbillies which is right at the time it would always start messing up previously. I hit the info button and there was 377 minutes (about 6 1/2 hours) of tv that I could rewind in the pc. When the signal was bad and it would start gleep-glopping around sunrise, it would zero out the rewind just the same as if I had just now tuned the channel in or had just turned the pc on making rewind impossible.
Under optimal conditions, I can leave a channel on all day and rewind back 8 to 10 hours if I want.

So changing the scaler ring was the right thing to do. It came with the lnb so I guess the lnb was designed to work only with that one.
I thought it looked CHEAP and flimsy so I figured I would put that big, hulking, heavy ring that I had found on an old lnb, way back from the days of "Made in the USA".. I don't understand the ring stuff exactly, but from what I've read I think it's like a combination of a funnel and a shield. How it can be either is beyond me so all I can do is take you guy's word for it and just work with it none the less.

So after changing it out and seeing from my new photos last night that the lnb is slightly wonky still, I am going to go try to tweak it today and see if I can get the ever elusive thisTV. If I can get both MeTV and thisTV on the same dish, same satellite, I will be as happy as a clam at high tide!

I think I can do it...

 

[Mr Tony]

what kind of signal are you showing on MeTV right now (using the Coolsat)?

 

[Dee_Ann]

what kind of signal are you showing on MeTV right now (using the Coolsat)?

Ok, I got some screenies of the coolsat here.

AND, I got the most amazing thing yet, I got my Birdog meter programmed specifically for MeTV!!

It took me ALL DAY and endless tries and hours of googling but I finally figured out how to get the stupid thing to work for C-band!

I connected the dish directly to the Birdog in the house and hooked the Birdog to the pc then using the editor app I made liberal use of the "TEST" button..

Also, I read in multiple posts and in the Birdog manual that you exchange the Frequency and the LNB settings when you are setting up for C-band. (Just so people don't trip out over that.)

NOW that I have the Birdog figured out I am going to set it up for several specific channels on several satellites and see if I can FINALLY get my money out of this paper weight. I've never really found it to be of any real use before except to provide power to the squealy meter.

I'm taking a little break for now but in a bit I'm going to take the Birdog out back and see if I can tweak MeTV in a little better. I've still not had any luck at all finding thisTV yet.

But I think this breakthrough I had with the Birdog may be the turning point in this game of cat and mouse.

Oh, and BTW, I have no idea what any of that stuff on the Birdog means. All I know (assume) is that I should try for bigger numbers, right??

 

[Dee_Ann]

Woo hoo!!!!

GOT IT!!!!!!!!

OMG! This was HARD to do!

I was sure that after spending ALL DAY on this thing that I had really fouled it up beyond repair..

I gave up, folded up my little tripod and went in the house to have supper. Just for fun I decided to have the pc scan and bingo! It turned up thisTV AND MeTV....... HUH??? How did that happen???

So, I AIN'T TOUCHIN NOTHIN!!!!!!!!

Leave it alone!! I'm sure it could be tweaked better but for now, I don't care, I'm leaving it alone and I'm gonna enjoy it for a few days before I go mess with it again.


WHEW!!!!!!!! Man, this stuff is HARD!!
But I finally, finally got it!

 

[Mr Tony]

looks good. 69% and 71% should be good enough (for now)

Congrats on getting both. I would do a blind scan with the Coolsat and see what you get for quality numbers (and maybe just post them...no pics needed...just post the frequency and number)

 

[Dee_Ann]

looks good. 69% and 71% should be good enough (for now)

Congrats on getting both. I would do a blind scan with the Coolsat and see what you get for quality numbers (and maybe just post them...no pics needed...just post the frequency and number)

According to the coolsat, on both transponders for MeTV and thisTV, I am getting an average Level of 92% and the Quality bounces back and forth between 69% to 70%..

Tomorrow I'll put the Birdog on it now that I figured out how to make it work and report the readings it gives. Perhaps those are more technical than the coolsat readings? The Birdog has some weird symbols on it, maybe some math symbols, I don't know, maybe you guys will know what they mean. I sure wish there was a meter that would tell you which direction to tip the lnb, skew it, move it into or away from the dish, etc..

On the little ku dishes they are rock solid, there's no guessing. The big dish, there are no marks, everything is flimsy and is easily moved or distorted by accident and getting it to work is nothing other than dumb luck. Precision is impossible. You can't tell someone "turn the lnb to X and bolt it down. Tip the dish to Z and bolt it down. " Heck, there are NO setting marks at all on it, not one anywhere. :rant:

You really have to know exactly what you're doing or be full up on dumb luck. Having a lot of experience and expensive high end meters is a big plus in this hobby. I still want to save up and buy a fancy pants meter some day. Maybe that will help make up for my abject lack of skill and knowledge..

But anyway, thank you guys, all of you, for helping me through this, it's been very trying and I came really close to calling it quits more than a few times..

 

[Phottoman]

Well, now, here's a small problem as I see it, and this is ONLY my opinion, Dee-Ann. You are still missing things that people are suggesting. Iceberg has asked you twice to post something, you replied to his questions twice by quoting him and NOT answering either question. All the "fancy pants'" equipment in the world will NOT teach you to aim your dish, and there is NO LUCK involved in getting the best signal.

I made several postings to try helping, to the point where I stopped responding, those took a LOT of time to type and explain in as simple terms as I could to try to guide you, but you ignored those suggestions, you went off in other directions and sort of sluffed off the info given as if it weren't important, not just by me, but by several people.

And for someone that claims to not have much money, you keep going out and buying more meters and other equipment that isn't really needed.

And if you don't understand something, or don't like something, it suddenly becomes "stupid" or "wacky" or some other cute term.

Iceberg made a suggestion that you scan with the Coolsat and post the frequency and number, the FREQUENCY and numbers. See how you keep missing things? For all we know the frequency you have may lead to IMPORTANT information that we can't see, maybe you have a setting wrong on your lnb. And we CAN'T help you if you go off in a different direction than requested or told to do.

I would agree with Iceberg on his last request.

Delete ALL the information you have stored for the Coolsat on this satellite, and save just ONE of the channels, something that you don't want to watch, a news channel or scrambled signal, or a NASA channel, save ONLY one of those channels, then do a blind scan. THEN come back and give us a list of the channels you get, with the TRANSPONDERS, and signal you get, strength and quality. Give us a list of at least five to ten channels without pictures. Maybe then we can see what's wrong and guide you better to get the best signal you can get on this satellite.

But of course, this is just my opinion, it doesn't really matter, but it just may help you get a better idea of why you aren't getting everything better than you are now.

Photto

 

[Dee_Ann]

Well, now, here's a small problem as I see it, and this is ONLY my opinion, Dee-Ann. You are still missing things that people are suggesting. Iceberg has asked you twice to post something, you replied to his questions twice by quoting him and NOT answering either question. All the "fancy pants'" equipment in the world will NOT teach you to aim your dish, and there is NO LUCK involved in getting the best signal.

I made several postings to try helping, to the point where I stopped responding, those took a LOT of time to type and explain in as simple terms as I could to try to guide you, but you ignored those suggestions, you went off in other directions and sort of sluffed off the info given as if it weren't important, not just by me, but by several people.

And for someone that claims to not have much money, you keep going out and buying more meters and other equipment that isn't really needed.

And if you don't understand something, or don't like something, it suddenly becomes "stupid" or "wacky" or some other cute term.

Iceberg made a suggestion that you scan with the Coolsat and post the frequency and number, the FREQUENCY and numbers. See how you keep missing things? For all we know the frequency you have may lead to IMPORTANT information that we can't see, maybe you have a setting wrong on your lnb. And we CAN'T help you if you go off in a different direction than requested or told to do.

I would agree with Iceberg on his last request.

Delete ALL the information you have stored for the Coolsat on this satellite, and save just ONE of the channels, something that you don't want to watch, a news channel or scrambled signal, or a NASA channel, save ONLY one of those channels, then do a blind scan. THEN come back and give us a list of the channels you get, with the TRANSPONDERS, and signal you get, strength and quality. Give us a list of at least five to ten channels without pictures. Maybe then we can see what's wrong and guide you better to get the best signal you can get on this satellite.

But of course, this is just my opinion, it doesn't really matter, but it just may help you get a better idea of why you aren't getting everything better than you are now.

Photto

You are right.

What he said, I didn't pick up on it and totally misunderstood.

I get out there and start trying to follow directions, get flustered and throw it all to the wind and all the suggestions get forgotten in my frustration. At that point I'm grabbing straws and trying any/every thing at random.

As for my budget, I do not have a lot of money, I have limited funds, on average I can afford to spend $200 a month on frivolous things, $300 if I really tighten the belt and do without other things. I usually will have to save up for a few weeks for most things.

The birdog meter, I got that more than a year ago, maybe two, I don't remember exactly and it was $100. The little tv set was like $45 and the little tuner/meter thing I ordered was $130. They were a few weeks apart and combined they were under the $200 mark. And I had been frugal with my spending so I had a little spare cash left and that helped me make the decision to buy the new meter gadget.

Getting the tree trimmed back, my dad loaned me the $50 to pay the guy with. He said it was cheaper than the hospital bill or funeral bill had I been dumb enough to try it. Dad also loaned me the $100 to pay the same guy to dig the holes and plant the poles for the big dishes.

I'm far from rich and far from having unlimited funds. IF I am careful with my spending then sometimes I can afford to get some small items that I ~don't need but that I want~. And if it's a bit expensive then I can just save up and get it.


Anyway.... So yeah. I'm not very good at following directions.. It's one of my many shortcomings.

Now, I am going to re-read what you posted, three or four times while I sip on coffee and see if I can understand what you and Iceman were asking of me and TRY to get it right.

 

[Dee_Ann]

1 - 3.761 - 29.200 - H - S 94%, Q 6%
2 - 3.830 - 14.000 - V - S 94%, Q 69%
3 - 3.830 - 3.520 - H - S 93%, Q 64%
4 - 3.834 - 2.734 - H - S 92%, Q 63%-64%
5 - 3.855 - 5.924 - H - S 90%, Q 25%-63%
6 - 3.874 - 8.681 - H - S 91%, Q 60%
7 - 3.965 - 3.023 - V - S 92%, Q 79%
8 - 3.974 - 3.024 - V - S 93%, Q 75%
9 - 3.986 - 6.667 - V - S 93%, Q 75%
10 - 4.001 - 28.112 - H - S 95%, Q 69%
11 - 4.062 - 28.000 - H - S 95%, Q 6%

This is what a blind scan turns up.
Now, I did manually enter the transponders for MeTV and thisTV.
If I didn't, it would have trouble finding them. Also it would find a transponder that is so close to the same as the thisTV transponder but comes up with the wrong stuff. When I would try to correct it or add the correct info it would pop up an error message and say "SAME TP EXIST!" and this would prevent it from finding the right thing.

So to prevent it from finding the wrong stuff I put the two transponders in manually and let it blind scan the rest.

Also, the numbers MAY be slightly wrong, on the LCD tv the picture is not all that great and it's hard to tell a six from an eight. The picture coming out of the coolsat leaves much to be desired..

 

[Dee_Ann]

I'm throwing that dish away. Now nothing is coming in. If I look at this thing sideways it quits working.

It's bent up, it's very visibly warped, twisted and bent out of shape. There is no way this dish is ever going to work.

It is MY FAULT for damaging it when I tried to assemble it. It will never work right so it's going in the frickin garbage.

I will now focus my efforts on the 10 foot dish. This has been a huge waste of time and money.

The six foot dish, game over..

 

[Mr Tony]

I'm throwing that dish away.

[youtube]XO93Edk7xtw[/youtube]

 

[HIFI]

 

[Anole]

the patriotic dish

Yea, yea, yea. Been there. Heard that. Done it all before.
You're getting a very valuable education right now.
Far more value than you would with any sat meter.
The meter won't tune your mount. The meter won't tune your feedhorn.
But learn how to do it once, and you'll do your 2nd very easy.
The one (or two) for Mom 'n Pop will be a breeze! -
Money on the dish was well spent, in that you've already seen the light at the end of the tunnel.

Now, if we're all through with the weekly temper :rant: tantrum, go have a nap. :up
Then, get back out to that dish tonight, and continue your education and training.


Did you see the the Navy SEALs on the news, auditioning to to get into the elite unit?
Those who made the cut, got to go collect bin Laden.
Time to put a name on your dish. I think Osama would be fitting.
Hunt it and beat it 'till you take it prisoner.
Failure is not an option.!.

 

[stanleyjohn]

You had it working well then poof!!! dont blame the dish. It seems to me that the only thing the bigger 10 footer will do for you is give you bigger headachs.

 

[Mr Tony]

I'm throwing that dish away. Now nothing is coming in. If I look at this thing sideways it quits working.

It's bent up, it's very visibly warped, twisted and bent out of shape. There is no way this dish is ever going to work.

It is MY FAULT for damaging it when I tried to assemble it. It will never work right so it's going in the frickin garbage.

I will now focus my efforts on the 10 foot dish. This has been a huge waste of time and money.

The six foot dish, game over..

I will post a response later....right now I'm going outside to do some projects. If I wrote something right now I can guarantee it I would hurt your feelings...and after 16 years of Customer Service I learned to walk away from the e-mail (or in this case the post) for a while, then come back and try rewriting it

 

[trinidex]

I'm throwing that dish away. Now nothing is coming in. If I look at this thing sideways it quits working.

It's bent up, it's very visibly warped, twisted and bent out of shape. There is no way this dish is ever going to work.

It is MY FAULT for damaging it when I tried to assemble it. It will never work right so it's going in the frickin garbage.

I will now focus my efforts on the 10 foot dish. This has been a huge waste of time and money.

The six foot dish, game over..

wow....from hero to zero in a snap....

not sure what happened but you have been sooo close, silly to quit now.

dont know if you drink, i do, this would be an abort situation, have a few jars, do summit else and attack it tommorow.