1'000'0001 the same question. How to start

[rguarinb]

I suppose I am the several millions user asking the same question.:
I just got my equipment for FTA. The fact this is my second receiver because the first one did not get anything either. I will not say the brand but it was very cheap.
The point is that I have a 30” dish with a motor, and the receiver is a CaptiveWorks 600S Premium. I bought that because according with what I read, it is very easy to set-up but the manual does not say how to orientate the dish or how to do something. I t only shows what Ialready knew.
By the way, that is a suggestion for the CW people. Please write something more explicative. That is not a manual but a unusable booklet.
I would like to get the Galaxy 10 Sat or whatever else. The point is that I try…and try…and try…and I do not get any freaking channel. My wife wants to kill me because I spent a bunch of money, I do not get anything, and what is worse the antenna is in the balcony. You know how is that " Free TV??? right...nothing is free...bla...bla...bla."

Anyway, I live in Anderson SC. 29621.
I tried all satellites and I do not get anything.
The strengh is about 67% but quality is Zero.
Where can I find a step by step manual or indication for setting a CW600S premium up???
If you got a CW 600S premium may be you got the same problem for starting. I need your Help!!!!!!!
I am really excited with the idea of getting channels from everywhere and free, but so far this have been just wasted money.
Please I would appreciate your help

 

[Anole]

Well, we'll need to know the LNB you have on hand...

And I would suggest you set up the dish without the motor and run that way for at least a few weeks... or months, to get your feet wet.
Later, you can go back and add the motor.
You can accept that recommendation or not.
And you will get help either way.

You can get going by putting your ZIP code into this web page.
Then, look all the way to the right, and click on All Common Satellites.
That will give you a PDF listing of where all the birds are located in the sky, from your point of view.

You've chosen your receiver, your dish, and your satellite.
Getting some pictures from just that one bird should get you some confidence.

If you have pictures of your dish or mounting place, that wouldn't hurt.

 

[Wescopc]

You mention having the setup on a balcony, you could put your street address and Zip into this site: DishPointer.com - Satellite Dish Pointer / Alignment Calculator with Google Maps
You can zoom down and see what satellites you will be able to see from your balcony. I have found this site to be very helpful on a new install.
When you have confirmed a line of site for your selected bird set up your receiver to the transponder shown in this thread:
http://www.satelliteguys.us/free-air-fta-discussion/85225-i-need-strong-transponder-aim-my-dish.html
I agree with Anole, don't even try mounting the motor until you have found some satellites and stored them in your receiver.
Good luck, we will stay tuned to your progress and help in any way we can.
Bob

 

[rguarinb]

Thank you Guys. I will do everything you recommend. I am sorry for my motor but it is going to the garage for the next few months.
One more question.
I sthere any Satellite easier to reach than others???

 

[qwert1515]

Try something close to your true south (82 Degrees West Longitude) :

Try 72,74,79 Degrees West.

I need a strong transponder to aim my dish (Edit: Wescopc has already posted this)

 

[rguarinb]

Waw!! Wescopc that webpage is great. I found that my dish is too small for the satellites I wanted to reach. In this area they need bigger dishes. I will try with some others that need smaller dish.

 

[rguarinb]

Anole: Your page is great too. At least in the paper it looks like easy. I will try tomorrow.
Thank you so much

 

[turbosat]

Dont forget you will have to adjust your skew setting manually if you aren't using the motor, sats east of your TS the skew will go counterclockwise a bit, and clockwise if your going west of your true south. Example, Im at 86.5 true south, skew at 0, but over on AMC6 at 72degrees, its about -20 or more. That way you will still get both horiz and vertical signals.

 

[Wescopc]

Waw!! Wescopc that webpage is great. I found that my dish is too small for the satellites I wanted to reach. In this area they need bigger dishes. I will try with some others that need smaller dish.

I am glad you like the site. I believe, when it comes to dish size, the site is very conservative. A 90 CM (36") dish will work for most of the satellites in the USA. Your 30" will work, however, it is harder to find and lock onto a signal and rain will often cause signal loss. Have fun - that is the main thing here!
Bob

 

[rguarinb]

I took the motor out and changed the position of the dish to where I can see the sky very clear. I want to aim to Nimiq 1.
I have two LNB one is 0.3 db and the other one is 0.4. I am using the o.3 db.
I set up the Elevation and The Azimuth. I used the Google page that Anole recomended, which is easy to follow, then there is not the problem.
The Strengh is about 70% but the quality is ZERO.
I used the signal meter and it is very strong. I suppose there is a Bird but I am getting nothing. I scanned all sat close to Niqmiq 1 and nothing either.
I suppose, it is something wron in the receiver setup. Unfortunately, the manual that came with the Receiver does not say anything. I have a CW 600S premium.
May be I am doing something wrong there.
Any help will be appreciated.

 

[SatelliteAV]

Nimiq 1 uses a circular polarized LNB and transmits between 12.2GHz and 12.75GHz. The LNBF that you are using is probably a linear polarization with a lower frequency range (11.7GHz - 12.2GHz?)

What type of LNBF do you have? What is the LO Freq.?

 

[rguarinb]

I am using one with LO freq 10.75
RF Freq 10.7-12.75
IF Output 950-2000MhzNoise

 

[rguarinb]

I am using one with LO freq 10.75
RF Freq 10.7-12.75
IF Output 950-2000Mhz
Noise Figure 0.3db
Gain 55db.
I have no idea what those numbers are but that is what the box says.
I have another LNB that I am not using the specificacions are:
Model BSC321s
RF 11.7-12.5
IF 950-1750
LO 10.75 GHZ

 

[boomer_106]

If you are aiming at 91 west then, you want to look for galaxy 11. You want to bring that up in your antenna setup menu. I don't have that particular receiver so I can't really tell you how. Use that " I need a strong transponder" post and aim at the freq listed. In the setup make sure to set your LO freq to 10750. I've recently gone through this trouble and got help here so I'm trying to save you from making my mistake

If there is a channel scan option somewhere in your receiver that is where you will find the frequency to aim at. For 91 its' Freq. 12060 Vertical polarity and 26700 symbol rate. Once you get that dialed up you should be able to start slowly moving the dish and looking for that. At least that's how it works on my receiver.

Here is a link to icebergs review of this receiver. It may help you in lining up your dish

http://www.satelliteguys.us/fta-mpeg2-equipment-reviews/49990-captiveworks-cw-600s.html

 

[rguarinb]

Today I got my first two channels, but they are not FTA they are scrambled!!!
Can somebody recommend a sbird with "good" channels close to 95?

 

[qwert1515]

The adjacent satellites are good, 93 (feeds), 97 (lots of international channels)

 

[Anole]

too much info

Sometimes we get strangled by too much info.
The satellites you seek are all listed on that PDF I recommended a few posts ago.
But, here is a very minimalist web site with just the birds, and what you can get FTA on them.
Once you are up 'n operating, we'll introduce you to better FTA lists (one here on this site) which will give you more info.

 

[ken2400]

If you don't have a signal meter GET ONE. I use the one that is my avitar. It not worth wasting your time without one. Getting a lock on a digital signal is a pain and a meter helps a lot.

Good luck.

 

[rguarinb]

I have one. But I am not sure if I am using well. I locate the signal and I turn the knob down until it is about the middle and then I try to find whe it goes up.
The problem is that all sat are very close one to the other and then I confuse the signal. How to know what signal is from what bird?
I am sorry I bother you guys, but I am learning and this a new world of knownledge for me. Every new step bring new questions. That is the nice part of the process. The bad part is that I do not get any freaking FTA channel yet.

 

[Wescopc]

AMC 4 at 101°W has some really strong religious Channels - 3ABN (11822 H 5700) is a good one to tune with.
Cheers!
Bob