97 W Alignment Results Advice

[rdrunner]

Here are the results of the first alignment attempt on my 500 Dish ku modification on 97 W:

1 11836 20765 v 98 84
2 11842 22000 h 49 10
3 11867 22000 v 98 54
4 11898 22000 v 49 10
5 11929 22000 v 98 86
6 11936 22000 h 49 10
7 11960 22000 v 98 75
8 11966 22000 h 98 58
9 12022 22000 v 49 10
10 12028 21991 h 98 75
11 12053 22000 v 49 10
12 12060 22000 h 49 10
13 12084 22000 v 98 86
14 12090 20000 h 49 10
15 12115 22425 v 98 70
16 12146 22000 v 98 82
17 12152 20000 h 49 10
18 12177 23000 v 98 65
19 12184 21991 h 49 10


One thing that is obvious is that there is definitely a glitch on the Linkbox 9000i Local on the signal strength for failed transponders.

Are my results typical for this scenario? Any suggestions for improvement?

I'm pretty happy with the result, but I wish I was getting 11842 and 12152.

 

[Titanium]

49% Signal Level and 10% Quality reading is typical for an Ali chipset based STB. The receiver is detecting an amplified signal from a working LNBF, but the satellite signal is not strong enough to lock, scan and log the services.

The transponders in your list that are not locking are weaker and require more satellite signal to lock.

Try bumping the dish just a fraction of a degree towards the West. 11842 has interference from the adjacent satellite and will lock with better quality if the dish is slightly dithered away from the interfering signal. The dish 500 reflector may be too small to reject the adjacent satellite interference and may require a larger dish.

 

[kittyhas1000legs]

The Linkbox will show those numbers (49/10) for TPs that don't work. I have another box that was more reasonable with the numbers (and showed something more reliable than 98/98 on a locked transponder) but it doesn't work with a motor. A proper satellite meter or a bigger dish would be best for trying to squeeze out a little more signal and hopefully lock those. Also, the skew would be pretty critical on a dish that small.

 

[Shicks4]

In my testing with a modified dish 500, i received every TP my 90cm dish did. Some were borderline though. I was able to receive all of the english channels I wanted, even when the primary lnbf was pointed at 103w and was picking 97w up on a secondary lnbf. I did have to monkey around a bit with the elevation, azimuth of the dish and the angle, depth and skew of the lnbf to get it perfect the first time though. Sounds like, depending on your location, its going to be sitting around making minor (and i do mean minor) adjustments to get it to lock in. The Dish 500 I used got put in the camper. I was pretty impressed with its actual real world performance. Its not as good as a larger reflector but it did work.

I also tested the dish 500 with 4 different receivers too, the sathawk (dont recall the number) the wetek play 2, an X2 M1 HD+ and a linkbox 9000I local.

 

[spongella]

I found that not all transponders give you the same % quality, keep that in mind, but looks like you got most of the channels. Also saw on a recent scan that a few channels are up for grabs as per the marker cards.

 

[Shicks4]

I found that not all transponders give you the same % quality, keep that in mind, but looks like you got most of the channels. Also saw on a recent scan that a few channels are up for grabs as per the marker cards.

He listed the transponders that he found but said not all of them scanned in channels, specifically mentioned 11842 and 12152 which is #ABN and the mux that carries RT America, Both are transponders i considered must receive when doing my experiment as well as 12053 for Smile of a Child (wife runs daycare and this channel is great for that), and I found that that one is probably harder to receive then the previous 2 mentioned were.

here is a screen capture of the signal and Q I got with a sathawk receiver with the dish 500 with the 97w lnbf 5* off center on 12053 (smile of a child channel)

 

[rdrunner]

My universal LNB adapter is attached directly to the DISH 500 yoke, and when I skew the LNB, the setup is so flimsy, the cable hits the yoke and might be throwing my alignment out. I could solve this problem by leaving the LNB at zero and skewing the dish. Anyone ever successfully do it this way with a 500 on 97 W?

From reading, it's my understanding that the LNB should be skewed to the left as I am facing the dish. Is this correct?

I'm determined to get those other 2 transponders.

 

[Titanium]

The skew angle depends on your location.

Standing in front of the dish, if the target satellite is West of True South (top of the arc), the rotation will be counter clockwise. If to the East, the rotation is clockwise.

 

[bpalone]

When I played with the Dish 500 dish, I set the skew with the dish. I might be wrong, but I figured would get a little better gain due to the shape of the dish.

 

[Shicks4]

In my testing it didnt make that big of a difference, but 97w is only 1 degree east from true south for me too.

 

[rdrunner]

In my testing it didnt make that big of a difference, but 97w is only 1 degree east from true south for me too.

212 here

 

[MosFET77]

11842 22000 h - I notice on my 76cm that this transponder seems to be wacky at times, during the day it can go from 30% to 55% for me,. heh. This one has the first channels like 3ABN and for me it just doesn't seem to work as well as the higher channels like press tv and RT.
All I can say is get a bigger dish! lol BIGGER BIGGER BIGGER!

 

[a33]

When I played with the Dish 500 dish, I set the skew with the dish. I might be wrong, but I figured would get a little better gain due to the shape of the dish.

I am wondering about this issue, too.
For focal issues, it doesn't matter, I think, skewing dish or skewing LNB. That is, with one LNB in the center above the arm.
For multifeed focal issues, skewing the dish is definately better than just hight-adjustments of the by-rider LNBs.

But for single LNB reception: I've read somewhere that skewing the offset dish might be slightly better than skewing the LNB due to crosspolarization effects.
I don't really understand the crosspolarization issue, however, and how it is caused.
Can someone shine a light on that?
Or, on why/if there would be a definate difference between skewing the LNB and skeing the dish?

Greetz,
A33

 

[lamp]

I am wondering about this issue, too.
For focal issues, it doesn't matter, I think, skewing dish or skewing LNB. That is, with one LNB in the center above the arm.
For multifeed focal issues, skewing the dish is definately better than just hight-adjustments of the by-rider LNBs.

But for single LNB reception: I've read somewhere that skewing the offset dish might be slightly better than skewing the LNB due to crosspolarization effects.
I don't really understand the crosspolarization issue, however, and how it is caused.
Can someone shine a light on that?
Or, on why/if there would be a definate difference between skewing the LNB and skeing the dish?

Greetz,
A33

The only reason to skew the lnb is if the dish is not designed to be skewed. Skew the dish if so designed. This skewing compensates for the curvature of the earth and lines up the little antenna wires inside the lnb with the polarization of the satellite signal.

 

[rdrunner]

Is R T still on 97 W?

 

[Shicks4]

Is R T still on 97 W?

yes, and on 103w ku

 

[rdrunner]

Could my LNB be my problem? I bought a Maverick MK1-PLL. The website on the box is MaverickSatellite.com. I don't get good results with that URL. I can aim a dish with the best, having peaked a few thousand with no complaints.

 

[Shicks4]

i suppose its possible, Ive made 4 or 5 dishes for neighbors out of dish network dishes, I got lucky on a box of 12 avenger universal ku lnbf's on ebay and thats what i put on the ones i made for people that wanted em, and they wanted em for the news muxes mostly. On my test I had the sadoun lnbf that came with my first system, a old lnbf i scavenged somplace of unknown make (the plastic cap was long gone) and an x2 universal lnbf. They all worked but as i said getting everything in the sweet spot the first time took probably 6 hours on the first try, and I measured all of the angles and what not and recorded them in a notebook. I then made a template of the bracket i made because i discovered the same bracket for the dish 500 would work on the dish turbo HD dish, just mounted on the bottom of the arm instead of on the top. It probably wouldnt hurt to try a different lnbf just to eliminate that as a possible problem. I can probably pull the bracket i made off the dish 500 I made, its easily accessible in the camper and could measure it if you decide to make a bracket instead of using the one you bought. im including a side view of the first bracket i made which was out of a heavy duty shelf bracket bent to the proper angles. You can see that the lnbf sits up quite a ways off the arm. its possible your lnbf may not be high enough.

 

[Jason S]

About the LNBF, I've had good results out of the equivalent model LNBF. This post (and the thread itself) may be useful:
Best KU LNB for FTA and offset dish. Recomendations?

Here's a handy little jig for getting the position of a replacement LNBF to match the position of the original LNBF(s).:
[URL="http://www.satelliteguys.us/xen/posts/3731634/"]A jig for proper positioning of replacement LNBF[/URL]

The photo below is how my little 500 was set up and sitting on 97W.

 

[KE4EST]

Could my LNB be my problem? I bought a Maverick MK1-PLL. The website on the box is MaverickSatellite.com. I don't get good results with that URL. I can aim a dish with the best, having peaked a few thousand with no complaints.

The MK1-PLL is a very good LNBF. The main problem you have is dish size. It could be also that the LNBF is not in the perfect "sweet" spot.
That LNBF and most you will buy are not designed for elliptical dishes like the 500. Therefore it does not "see" the whole dish.
What you will also notice if only trying to hit one satellite at a time and only using one LNBF, is that skewing the LNBF or the whole dish will not make much of a difference.
That dish has a skew for the whole dish as it was designed for two LNBF's. This way both LNBF's that are designed for that dish type can be adjusted at center to match up with the surface of the dish.
Then you would rotate/skew the whole dish, this will put both LNBF's in the same plane, to match the Clark belt.

Anyway that LNBF is supported and I too hated to see Dave drop the website being as it is imprinted on the gift box.
So assuming your LNBF does not have a mechanical or electrical failure, you have a great LNBF, it is time to find or buy a larger dish.
The GEOSATpro 90cm dish is an excellent choice and not to high priced and will out live that 500.