Am I using the Inclinometer right?

[kelleyga]

OK, each day I get more stupid after failing to get a signal down here in Costa Rica.
Now, I am confused and do not know if I am using the inclinometer right, please help me.

1) First, Costa Rica, Latitud 10 N, Long 82.15. I should set my elevation on my 10 feet dish to 78 according to those values to get AMC 3 at 87. CORRECT?

2) Now, I am confused on how I am using the inclinometer. It looks like this:

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Now, on the elevation bar behind the dish, I was setting the inclinometer using the smallest side to set to 78 degrees. The dish is almost pointing all the way up to the sky, I pretty much used all the inclination screw all the way up. Again, my dish is almot resting horizontally on the pole, the LNB is facing almost all the way to the sky. That should be correct rigth? the lnb for a 78 degree elevation should be pointing like that.

 

[Lak7]

Yes, Dish should be looking almost straight up.
Angles should be set with the dish at it highest point in the arc, True South
According to the Page I posted for you, 78deg would be measured on the dish face.
Mount(elevation bar) is set to 10.27
Dish Offset(deinclination) is set to 1.52 (11.79 = 1.52 + 10.27)

 

[voomvoom]

The dish reflector, if it's a prime focus, would almost be pointing straight up. I doubt there's much if any declination? If it's a polar mount, remember to point the polar bar to north and south.

Nice drawing Lak7.....!

 

[kelleyga]

OK, so at least I am not getting crazy with this SUN here. Well, can any of you guys see in your satellite system what a Good transponder I can use to hit AMC 3 at 87 degree?????
I am tring 3719, H, 4167 and getting Nothing (it is listed on lyngsat but maybe it is not working now)..... Please please please, give a good transponder on AMC 3 I can use to align this baby which is killling me. Thanks guys

LAK 7: By the way I get no quality level on my fortec when connecting the lnb? it shows only 0.4% or less. But I had and extra Lnb a Chaparral C band which is good and I connected it to the Fortec (I was holding it on my hand and I got no signal either????)

 

[Lak7]

I would try the TPs for either the FOX North or Comcast, Those should be On.
Even though you can't view them, you will be able to get a Lock.

No Quality or No Signal?
All switches are removed?

 

[kelleyga]

ok, I will try the FOX ones or Comcast.

Yeah, no quality or signal. Remember I have a BSC 621-2 so it has an internal switch. I do not have any external dseqs. I come with one cable from the BSC 621 to the receiver. Now, with the chaparral the fortec does not show quality or signal either. Now, I also have a viewsat and I connected the cable on that one and it shows signal no quality, for the Chaparral C LNB and the BSC 621-2, I guess the fortec does not show it or mine is bad...?? because it only shows 0.04%. I will try to use the viewsat to see how it works. Thanks, I will go try and post any updates.

 

[Lak7]

Viewsat it is, for now.
For setup, don't even use the jumper, C Band only, add Ku later.
I don't know for sure, but I think the internal switch for the BSC621-2(universal) is DiSEqC not 22Khz.
Make sure to turn the Power Off(using the switch on back or unplugging) when connecting / disconnecting cables.

 

[phlatwound]

Could your cable be bad, do you have another one you can try?

 

[kelleyga]

well, I was turning off the fortec when disconnecting the cable but could have failed to do it once, I am not sure. But I am about to give up. I found a company here that will align it for me for $250. It is not the money, but I wanted to do it myself and that is why I am still trying. I have done back in Florida with my 10 feet dish with not problem, I even helped a couple of friends, but man, this is just killing me. now I tried with the view sat but no luck. I even changed the LNB and I am using the chaparral, I think it was set for Vertical , but I tried a TP with Vertical and another with Horizontal, as I used to use that Chaparral with a Pansan (which can change the polarity V/H). I tried to hit Fox and Comcast and nothing, Nothing, a BIG zero nothing at all. The cables I made myself and to RG6, using the cabling tool and the screw connectors.
If AMC3 footprint goes over Costa Rica as shown in Lyngsat, then all channels in AMC3 I should be able to get, such as FOX or COMCAST, but nothing. I guess I will call those guys. It is also too bad I forgot my satellite finder back in Florida, that would have helped me a lot.

 

[Lak7]

Before you call, in the Viewsat, did you remember to enter the proper LNB settings.
If possible, bring the Receiver and TV out to the Dish
How are you driving the Dish?

 

[kelleyga]

I have a color TV down next to the pole dish. I have a VBox unit. I elevated the dish all the way up and pointed it to the my true south satellite. I set the elevation to 78 degrees. Then I pointed to 197 degrees where supposely AMC3 is at. Then I moved right and left slowly. In the viewsat I set the LNB as Standard and also tried as Universal, 5150 for C band. I also set the TP to the one from FOX, NO Signal. Then I lowered the elevation just a little bit and move right, left again, NO signal, and kept doing that for ever.

One more thing, I made the cables myself, I have done cables before, bu here is what I did. RG6 coax cables using screw on connectors. Using the tool to remove the plastic, I cut the cable with cut it to expose the wire and leaves the small wires hanging lower. I did not cut those wires, just pulled them back and screw the connector on. I made sure none of those little cables would touch the main core cable. I even used the one I am using to connect the receiver the tv and it works ok.

 

[Lak7]

Possible to stand on a ladder and adjust the LNB while watching the TV, or is the Dish pointed too high?

 

[kelleyga]

what do you mean by live TP???? I just went to lyngsat and selected AMC3 and from there I set the viewsat with 3810 V 14,000. I do not know if that TP is working, that could be my problem I have no way to check that. Can you? Could you drive your sat to AMC3 and tell me what is live righ now? Then I could test it.

the satellite is a little hight to play with the lnb.

 

[linuxman]

Hey Kelly!

Try 4158 H SR 8.825

It is on and has a good strong signal. There are two or three channels connected with it.

AMC 3 C-Band at 87W

 

[linuxman]

Kelly,

Another thought.

Hook up an old analog receiver to it and tune to transponder 20 Vertical I think.

Doc Scott should boom in and help you find the spot where AMC 3 is.

It will be called W3 or something else in the analog box.

 

[kelleyga]

Dammit, now it is raining hard, with lighting big time. If people think Tampa is the capital of lighting, they need to come to La Fortuna, San Carlos Costa Rica, it is the real capital of lighting here.

 

[kelleyga]

Guys, Costa Rica is in Mountain time. I do not think this storm will go away soon. If it does I will try those TP.

Are those TP that transmit everyday? That way I could try tomorrow mornin really early, it rains hard here in the afternoons.

Or maybe some one could post for me tomorrow morning to let me know those TP are still there????

 

[linuxman]

Kelly, the one I posted are on most of the time. Especially T 20 Analog. That's on 24/7.

 

[Lak7]

That's the Spirit!

 

[kelleyga]

Great, I am eager to go back, waiting for the rain and lighting to stop, even if it is at midnight, I am going backup the latter and try again.

As for the OLD ANALOG receiver I do not have one here, I have one in Florida but not here too bad. but I will try the other one 4158 H SR 8.825

What channel is that one by the way? Just wondering as I could not find it in Lyngsat.