Finally got 97 (IA5) Dish Elevation was out - How to setup for other Satellites?

[jsattv]

After about 40 trips up and down the ladder, frozen fingers and toes I finally nailed my South Satellite - Intelsat 5 97.0W today. I took a small TV and the ViewSat Receiver up into the snowy roof and started adjusting 1 meter Fortec Dish elevation. (I used Alaska ice crystals on the roof, they work great to melt the ice and snow on the roof, but I hope they didn't ruin my shingles). Now the published elevation for this Fortec Dish and Stab HH120 Motor here in Winnipeg, Manitoba Canada is 22.7. I had nothing until I finally raised the dish elevation to 31 degrees. Then amazingly S and Q values were as high as 75 for most of the Tp's on Sat 97. I am wondering how the elevation can be so far out on the Fortec Dish Scale?? Thanks guys for your advice that the Dish Elevation could be out.

Took everything back down as it was snowing harder and did a scan on Sat 97, & got about 180 channels. What an interesting Bird this is as compared to my Subscription Bell 9220 for Satellite 91. There is a great mixture of foreign and English channels on that Satellite. Got a real scare in that the Display Leds on the ViewSat wouldn't properly display the correct channel numbers, when I brought it back in. I think the receiver got a bit wet from the snowfall. Fortunately this problem cleared up after a couple of hours.

I have a question: Does anyone know which satellites I should try for to check the East and West Arc Travel of the HH120 Motor & Fortec Dish. And what is the procedure for this? The Stab HH120 manual just says that once you have found your South Satellite then your finished! Also what other Satellites are suggested to try for? Are there ones out there as interesting as 97.0W? Are there any PBS & NASA Feeds out there?

 

[gabshere]

well you will have to activate each satellite , since you entered long and lat already all it should take is switch to the next satellite and change the motor to USALS

 

[bidaw]

I hope you have another receiver in case your Viewsat gives you problems with your motor. Most have problems with the combination of a Viewsat and usals. Not all, but most. Good luck!!

 

[mrweather]

Glad to hear you "got r done"!

Using USALS I think the motor will be able to turn roughly 50 degrees east and west of your TS position. With Diseqc a little bit further.

Presuming you have a clear shot of the horizon, you should be able to see everthing of interest in North America. To the east there are couple of birds between 30 and 60w but you'll need a universal LNB to get anything. To the west you'll get 129w which has White Springs TV (great for old movies). There is an Echostar satellite at 148w but there's nothing FTA on it.

As far as the dish elevation being off I experienced the same thing with my 90cm Fortec. I pretty much ignored the scale and adjusted the dish to find the best signal.

 

[mastermesh]

To the east there are couple of birds between 30 and 60w but you'll need a universal LNB to get anything.

Standard should pick up 43 I think.

 

[neil_kc1]

since you are going to have to enter each sat. one at a time why not just the next one in each direction. If your pole is plumb and you elevation is correct you should have little trouble, moving from this sat to the next.