ChannelMaster Dish

[IndyStorm]

Hello,

I've recently tried entering the FTA hobby but so far I haven't been successful.

I purchased a Twinhan Starbox. I also scrounged an old ChannelMaster dish. I've tried aiming at lots of satellites but my signal quality never goes over 32%. It's like it's stuck on 32%, even with no antenna connected to the Starbox. The highest signal strength I've seen is 45%.

The dish used to be used for receiving stock quotes from a company called Market Corp. I think it's a 1 meter offset dish.

I've been using an in-line signal meter to try and find the satellites. I keep adjusting to find the strongest signal. I've heard that DirecTV satellites are more powerful though, so it makes me wonder if my adjusting has ended up aiming at one of their satellites instead of my target. Off the top of my head, I think I've tried to find AMC7, AMC4 and Galaxy10R. The in-line signal meter always keeps climbing, but the Starbox never finds any channels.

Do you think the LNB could be designed for a "special use" and it's not capable of working with FTA? The whole assembly has a P/N of CM3040645-03. The LNB says "Ku Low Noise Block converter" 11.7 - 12.2 GHz. It also has a bunch of db values with check boxes, but none of them are checked. The electronic part of the LNB has a P/N of GM-6644 on it too.

I'm torn between blaming the Starbox or blaming the LNB. I've successfully aimed dishes while installing DirecTV a few times and the in-line signal meter implies that I'm aiming at something.

Does anyone have any suggestions?? A procedure to follow to get me on track, etc? Which satellite would be the best one to try connecting to first?? What do I use for the LNB frequencies? I've been using the default of 10600 / 9750.

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Barry

 

[PSB]

Hello Barry!

Sounds like you have a Standard KU Linear LNBF, so make sure you use 10750 for the L.O.

Give us your zip and we can give you the full list of satellites,including your true south satellite.

Best to use the signal quality meter on the screen/monitor when pointing the dish, enter a LIVE channel and watch for signal quality. It would be handy to have a Blind Scan receiver when using a card.

 

[IndyStorm]

Yes, I was torn between a blind scan recvr and the starbox, but I wanted to get the HDTV channels and didn't want to spend the money for an HDTV recvr. It's easier with the set top boxes? Maybe I should buy one of those too then.

I tried entering in the 3ABN channel and tuning to it while trying to aim. Although, I'm not sure that will work because the program immediately tells me that it can't recv the channel because of a bad signal. I'm hoping that the channel will "pop on" when I've aimed correctly, but I'm not sure if it will or not.

Hopefully changing the LO from 10600 to 10750 will help??? Do I still use the 9750 setting too?

My zip is 55038.

Here's the LNB setup I plan to use:
LNB Power: ON
LNB Type: Custom
LNB Freq1: 107500
LNB Freq2: 9750
22Khz tone: Disable
Tone Burst: Disable
Data burst: Disable
DiSEqC: Disable

Thanks!

Barry

 

[PSB]

Just 10750, there is no low and hi with a standard LNBF. Just use .....
"LNB Freq 1 107500"

I see you are a fellow Minnesotan You betcha!

I just got a DVB receiver for HD myself! Still knocked out by the quality!

                Centerville, MN 55038
      Latitude 45° 9.768'N Longitude 93° 0.210'W

              Sat Name Sat Lng Az(t) Az(m)   El  Skew
-----------------------------------------------------
            Telstar 12   15.0W  98.6  97.5 -0.3 -44.2
                      
          Intelsat 901   18.0W 100.8  99.7  1.8 -43.8
                      
                 NSS 7   22.0W 103.7 102.6  4.6 -43.2
                      
          Intelsat 905   24.5W 105.6 104.5  6.3 -42.8
                      
          Intelsat 907   27.5W 107.9 106.8  8.4 -42.1
                      
         Hispasat 1C/D   30.0W 109.9 108.8 10.1 -41.5
                      
          Intelsat 801   31.5W 111.1 110.0 11.1 -41.1
                      
          Intelsat 903   34.5W 113.5 112.4 13.1 -40.3
                      
           AMC 12/T 11   37.5W 116.0 114.9 15.1 -39.3
                      
               NSS 806   40.5W 118.5 117.5 17.1 -38.3
                      
             Pas 3R/6B   43.0W 120.8 119.7 18.7 -37.3
                      
                Pas 1R   45.0W 122.6 121.5 20.0 -36.5
                      
          Intelsat 705   50.0W 127.2 126.2 23.0 -34.1
                      
          Intelsat 707   53.0W 130.2 129.1 24.8 -32.6
                      
          Intelsat 805   55.5W 132.7 131.6 26.2 -31.2
                      
                 Pas 9   58.0W 135.4 134.3 27.6 -29.7
                      
              Amazonas   61.0W 138.6 137.5 29.1 -27.8
                      
            EchoStar 3   61.5W 139.2 138.1 29.4 -27.5
                      
             Rainbow 1   61.5W 139.2 138.1 29.4 -27.5
                      
      Estrela do Sul 1   63.0W 140.8 139.7 30.1 -26.4
                      
          Brasilsat B2   65.0W 143.1 142.0 31.1 -25.0
                      
          Brasilsat B1   70.0W 149.1 148.0 33.2 -21.2
                      
              Nahuel 1   71.8W 151.3 150.2 33.9 -19.8
                      
             DirecTV 1   72.5W 152.2 151.1 34.1 -19.2
                      
                 AMC 6   72.0W 151.6 150.5 34.0 -19.6
                      
                 SBS 6   74.0W 154.1 153.0 34.7 -17.9
                      
            Echostar 4   77.0W 158.0 156.9 35.6 -15.3
                      
                 AMC 5   79.0W 160.6 159.5 36.2 -13.5
                      
               Nimiq 2   82.0W 164.7 163.6 36.8 -10.7
                      
                 AMC-9   83.0W 166.0 164.9 37.0  -9.8
                      
          Brasilsat B3   84.0W 167.4 166.3 37.2  -8.8
                      
              AMC 2/16   85.0W 168.8 167.7 37.4  -7.9
                      
                 AMC 3   87.0W 171.6 170.5 37.6  -5.9
                      
                  IA-8   89.0W 174.4 173.3 37.8  -4.0
                      
             Galaxy 11   91.0W 177.2 176.1 38.0  -2.0
                      
             Nimiq 1/3   91.0W 177.2 176.1 38.0  -2.0
                      
          Brasilsat B4   92.0W 178.6 177.5 38.0  -1.0
                      
             Telstar 6   93.0W 180.0 178.9 38.0  -0.0
                      
             Galaxy 3C   95.0W 182.8 181.7 38.0   2.0
                      
             Telstar 5   97.0W 185.6 184.5 37.8   4.0
                      
             Galaxy 4R   99.0W 188.4 187.3 37.6   5.9
                      
       DirecTV 1R/4S/8  101.0W 191.2 190.1 37.4   7.9
                      
                 AMC 4  101.0W 191.2 190.1 37.4   7.9
                      
            Spaceway 1  102.0W 192.6 191.5 37.2   8.8
                      
                 AMC 1  103.0W 194.0 192.9 37.0   9.8
                      
                AMC 15  105.0W 196.7 195.6 36.6  11.7
                      
           Anik F1/F1R  107.3W 199.8 198.7 36.1  13.8
                      
           DirecTV 6/5  109.5W 202.7 201.6 35.5  15.8
                      
            EchoStar 6  110.0W 203.3 202.2 35.3  16.2
                      
            EchoStar 8  110.0W 203.3 202.2 35.3  16.2
                      
               Anik F2  111.1W 204.7 203.6 35.0  17.2
                      
         Solidaridad 2  113.0W 207.2 206.1 34.3  18.8
                      
              SatMex 5  116.8W 211.9 210.8 32.9  21.9
                      
             DirecTV 5  119.0W 214.5 213.4 32.0  23.5
                      
            EchoStar 7  119.0W 214.5 213.4 32.0  23.5
                      
 EchoStar 9/Telstar 13  121.0W 216.9 215.8 31.1  25.0
                      
            Galaxy 10R  123.0W 219.1 218.1 30.1  26.4
                      
             Galaxy 12  125.0W 221.4 220.3 29.1  27.8
                      
         Galaxy 13/H 1  127.0W 223.6 222.5 28.1  29.1
                      
  Telstar 7/Echostar 5  129.0W 225.7 224.6 27.0  30.3
                      
                AMC 11  131.0W 227.8 226.7 25.9  31.5
                      
             Galaxy 1R  133.0W 229.8 228.7 24.8  32.6
                      
                AMC 10  135.0W 231.8 230.7 23.6  33.6
                      
                 AMC 7  137.0W 233.7 232.6 22.4  34.6
                      
                 AMC 8  139.0W 235.6 234.5 21.2  35.6
                      
            EchoStar 1  148.0W 243.6 242.5 15.5  39.2
                      
            EchoStar 2  148.0W 243.6 242.5 15.5  39.2

   Satellite Finder is (c) Copyright 2004, P. Lutus

 

[IndyStorm]

Yes, I'm in minnesota too. Beautiful day today also. I almost forgot what the sun looked like.

Ok, so I should get out the compass and aim at Galaxy3C at 181.7 degrees, because it's my most southern satellite?? I'm also guessing I'd try for the CCTV channel on 11780?

 

[IndyStorm]

Pete, you're a GENIUS!!!

I aimed south and raised the elevation on the dish. I had to turn down the in-line signal meter 3X while raising the dish. I went in the houe and did a scan and it immediately found channels. I'm currently watching CCTV-9 news!! It breaks out occasionally, but I figured I can aim a bit better now that the signal quality is finally registering correctly. It must have been the incorrect LO freq that was making it fail.

I've created a computer program that will "announce" any number that the mouse is hovering over. So when I hover over the sig quality number it speaks out the value, out the computer speaker. So I call my cell phone... then put the phone next to the computer speaker to hear the announcement. It updates once a second. haha I then go outside and adjust the antenna while I listen to the cell phone.

Thanks again for your help!!!

Barry

 

[PSB]

Pete, you're a GENIUS!!!

I totally agree Unfortunately its just me and you that think that

The program you wrote sounds VERY useful, glad you got it going :up

Forgot to add, IA-6 is OUR true south satellite, and my favorite satellite!

I would also try flexing the dish (from behind) very often they come slightly warped and can be coaxed into collecting more signal.

I stand behind the dish put my knee on the mast right in the center of the dish while I pull back on both sides of the dish........watch that signal quality JUMP!

 

[drhydro]

Very innovative program there, great work.

 

[Mr Tony]

Yes, I'm in minnesota too. Beautiful day today also. I almost forgot what the sun looked like.

welcome from another Minnesotan (SW suburbs..about 1/2 hour from ya)

at least you arent trying to do this when its -10 out