Considering a new foray into FTA... what do I need?

[Cham]

There should be a "beep" function that can be enabled. Not sure if the new Amiko receiver has this but I would expect it does. Receiver makes a noise as soon as it detects the signal. Can be helpful if not in full view of the display all the time where you might miss the signal otherwise when panning the dish.

Looking at the menu in the HD-RE, it is a symbol that looks like a "fish"? on the right side 4 from bottom. What remote key is that??

 

[waylew]

Get one of the elcheapo meters,they don't tell you much but it will show when you're pointed at something.

 

[Phalaenopsis]

Here’s how to add an active transponder

 

[comfortably_numb]

Now I’ve got bigger problems. All of a sudden the IR dongle on the Amiko stopped working. Dead. Can’t do anything. Changed the batteries, unplugged the IR dongle then plugged back in, reboot etc.

Edit: I kept fidgeting with the IR plug until it worked. Whew. Nervous moments there.

 

[comfortably_numb]

Woo hoo! I’ve got signal!

 

[KE4EST]

Just got home and was catching up and what do I see...SIGNAL!!!

You will never forget your first time.

 

[comfortably_numb]

Just got home and was catching up and what do I see...SIGNAL!!!

You will never forget your first time.

I knew it had to be something simple I was doing wrong

 

[KE4EST]

Yes, I have pondered putting a few transponders back. I quit since some of them change so much and have had a couple people complain they had to do so much deleting. Of course I tried to explain how fast it is in the transponder edit menu....or, just hit one button and wipe 'em all out and re blind scan yourself.

Now you can tweak that signal up as high as you can and then blind scan and watch the channels come in.

 

[comfortably_numb]

Yes, I have pondered putting a few transponders back

As a newbie, I just assumed that when I selected a satellite from the menu, the receiver was looking for any frequency it could find on that bird. I didn't realize I had to manually input a transponder. That was the major difference for me between pointing/aiming a Dish Network dish and this FTA. Once I realized I had to manually input a known transponder, it was super easy.

 

[Phalaenopsis]

Good job!

 

[comfortably_numb]

Now I'm ready to try 103. What's a good strong transponder I can use on that bird to help me align?

 

[kittyhas1000legs]

11940 v 20000 is the way to go. It'll get you NHK, RT, and some other stuff. Once you have the best possible signal on that TP, you can go for the NBC's.

 

[Horsepower]

Don't you want to blindscan 97W first? You should get about 200 channels.

 

[comfortably_numb]

Don't you want to blindscan 97W first? You should get about 200 channels.

Doing that now

 

[comfortably_numb]

Why do the signal qualities vary so widely? Some are 82, some 10 or 0. Is it the location of the uplink? Or different transponder power? Signal strength stays about 92.

 

[phlatwound]

As a newbie, I just assumed that when I selected a satellite from the menu, the receiver was looking for any frequency it could find on that bird. I didn't realize I had to manually input a transponder. That was the major difference for me between pointing/aiming a Dish Network dish and this FTA. Once I realized I had to manually input a known transponder, it was super easy.

Not only was it not looking for any frequency but the typical FTA receiver does not know what satellite it is looking at, even though it shows 97W (or any other sat) on the menu.

As long as you have all the other settings correct you can be aimed at any satellite and it will pick up signals and show quality no matter what sat location is showing on your setup screen.

Congrats on your progress!

 

[comfortably_numb]

For the life of me, I cannot pick up 103. It’s 103 W SES3 KU right?

 

[phlatwound]

For the life of me, I cannot pick up 103. It’s 103 W SES3 KU right?

I know you just went through this to get 97W but will ask again...Do you have an active transponder frequency entered for whatever satellite (103W) you are attempting to aim at?

That is the key...as I said just above it doesn't matter what satellite designation you are seeing on your "Satellite Installation" screen, as long as you have a hot tp entered and the other setting parameters are correct.

 

[comfortably_numb]

I know you just went through this to get 97W but will ask again...Do you have an active transponder frequency entered for whatever satellite (103W) you are attempting to aim at?

That is the key...as I said just above it doesn't matter what satellite designation you are seeing on your "Satellite Installation" screen, as long as you have a hot tp entered and the other setting parameters are correct.

Yes, 11940 20000 Vertical

I can lock on 97 as easy as pie, 103 not a blip

 

[phlatwound]

Did you adjust your LNBF skew for 103W?