BUD setup

[st_moose]

Setup my first BUD years ago, and although I can find all the same documentation I am losing in setting up this one.

I am at 94* 49'W 39* 45'N making my Galaxy 3C my true south satellite, which would put my declination angle at 40.21*, declination angle at 5.51* and apex elevation at 44.29*

In the attached picture, point A is my apex elevation and point B is my declination angle?, is this correct?

This is were I am losing, I have set the angles as stated above, even switch them because I was not getting anything.

My analog receiver was a Chaparral Sierra III (was because it has died when I was trying to get this BUD setup a few weeks ago and I have not found a replacement yet. My digital receiver is a Coolsat 6000. I have 2 splitters and a DiSEqC switch in the loop, I have tried with and without the splitters and the DiSEqC switch, both without success. Can I run directly to the digital receiver without an analog receiver?

I get a level around 50% and quality at 10%, which I guess could mean a bad LNB because you probably get those levels by point at the ground

any help would be appreciated!

thanks

 

[turbosat]

declination

Yes stick your angle-finder to the backside of the ring (SURFACE B) to measure
declination. I find it easier to do with the dish at due south, jus because the little magnet base holds it better that way , haha.

And yes you can run the coax from the lnb direct to the reciever , it should work if you're aimed at a satellite. Since you didn't say how you're moving the dish, I'm just assuming here that you had it stopped on a satellite when your c-band died.

 

[Cadsulfide]

If you have to, a lawnmower battery can move the dish if it's off a tad.

 

[st_moose]

I am still working on trying to solve my BUD issues and skipped the afternoon day after Christmas shopping to work on it...

I now have an analog receiver moving the BUD nicely across the arc. When I am pointed at my true south G3C, I am getting G16 (and not very clearly even when I try the auto tune on the receiver).

I rechecked that my declination angle is at 40* and apex elevation is at 44*
All the bolts from BUD to pole are tight, the BUD hasn't moved unless the concrete in the ground has moved.

I am guessing that the LNB or the alignment is bad? I checked the LNB which is pointed to the middle of the dish. A couple of the mesh panels are not straight but I don't think that they ever were.

Would a bad LNB cause these issues?

thanks

 

[rv1pop]

BIG IF--- I am reading you right, you used to get good analog signal and now are getting a digital signal but it is not good. Unless the LNB is full of bugs, I think the LNB is OK, but the fine adjustmennts to the dish need to be slightly corrected.... But that ois from reading as I do not have a BUD up yet.

EXPERTS: time for you to chime in ding ding ding!!!!

 

[sergei]

First thing is put a level on the pole and make sure it's OK, also put the level on the mount to make sure it still is level on the pole. I would then move the dish to either G5-5 or G4-16 which are both analog and adjust for the best signal you can get and if your arc is set correctly then the other satellites you need should be easy to find.

 

[turbosat]

tracking

You say you can pick up G16 ( 99degrees ) when you think you're pointing at Galaxy 3? How far either direction from G16 can you still track the sats??
If the pole is still plumb and you have the elevation/declin.set right, all you need to do is rotate the dish a bit to the east on your pole. (which might require a slight lowering on elevation) Try scanning G3 c-band with your fta and see if you can hit anything. Remember to mark on the pole/mount with something you can see, at the place it is now, before you loosen those bolts and make any adjustment. You can always go back to that point. Tiny increments, 1/8" or less will make big differences at 22,000 miles!

 

[st_moose]

thanks for the suggestions...

pole and mount are level....

adjusted for best picture on G4-16, moved to G5(14), getting horizontal (6 and 22, though not a perfect picture, not able to get vertical, so I also have a polarity issue

moved C-band cable from analog receiver (US Electronics Legacy II) to the digital receiver (Coolsat 6000). I get level between 85-90 and a quality lower then 10% no matter if the cable is attached directly, through a splitter or through a DiSEqc switch and with multiple cable between splitter/switch and receiver.

Anything else to check?

thanks...

 

[gabshere]

try bumping the dish a click or two east & west while the digital receiver is locked onto a active transponder

choose one from the list

 

[14karat]

...not able to get vertical, so I also have a polarity issue

What type of feedhorn do you have and what are you using to control polarity?
Also, can you get a measurement of the size of the holes in the mesh and post that as well?

 

[Cadsulfide]

Perhaps your polarotor servo quit at 45 degrees. You can set it to V or H with a screwdriver and duct tape for now, one polarity is better than none. If it is the servo, they're cheap enough to replace. OR...get an orthomode feedhorn and two lnbs....or a BSC421.

 

[st_moose]

I was able to find C3-20 (quality about 5 on a 10 scale), G4-16 (about 8.5/10) and G5 (both V and H) (2/10) late last night. Nothing on the digital side, level still 85/90 quality less than 10. Might the Coolsat receiver be bad?



We have an ice storm going through the area right now, was 60* yesterday. Will go out later to check further.


ADDED information...

while searching for something else I found my first digital receiver (Pansat 2100A). Hooked it up to the BUD, only getting signal strength around 17% when pointed at G4 (I only tried G4 since it is the best analog picture). So unless the Pansat is also bad, I don't think that the Coolsat is bad, might that be correct?

AND a little bit more information....

took that Coolsat to a friend's house who has dishnet, hooked it up, scanned, was watching NASA, so receiver is good!

back home, since I know where G4 and G5 were analog counter wise, I calculate how many clicks I needed to get to my true south G3C. So I moved, scanned, and have partial success. I am getting an encrypted feed at 3894V, but not the mux at 4167V or 4040H, but I will take that for now, until I get outside to get the ice and snow off the BUD and do more fine tuning.

thanks for all the help....