FTA Channel Help

[reccitron]

First thing to check before you waste alot of time, Does the motor zero. Send a goto zero command and check the motor to see if it's really on zero. If it's not you will need to do a zero reset.

Based on your response, I’m realizing I screwed up when I set the tuner up for the motor because when I have it go to zero it goes to my south satellite.

I originally set the dish up and aligned it without the motor. When I switched the tuner and dish over to use the motor, I think I accidentally zeroed my motor to my south satellite. I think the labels for moving the motor in this tuner are very confusing. The difference between my south satellite and true south is 1.6 degrees. This may account for the 97 channels coming in 95 in my tuner. The next nice evening I will go back up and start from scratch.

 

[reccitron]

I moved the motor to zero with the motor button and hit the motor reset. I loosened the bolts and adjusted the dish to point to true south. I then unplugged the tuner for about a minute. Once it rebooted, I told it to go to my south Sat 79°. The dish rotated clockwise about 15 marks on the motor. This doesn’t seem right to me since my true south and my south satellite are only 1.6 degrees apart. I then went and moved the motor back to zero with the motor button. I turned off the tuner with the switch in the back. Turned it back on and did a factory reset. I then went to set up 79° again. I had to re-enter the Lat and Long in the USALS screen. I then told it to go to 79°. It rotated about 15 marks clockwise again. I then told the tuner to go back to zero. I entered the transponder for KTEL. I then did a scan of that transponder on 79° from zero. The tuner started the scan and started moving the dish to the 79°. Because it started at zero it found KTEL as it started to move. Once the scan was done and dish had stopped moving, I told it to do another scan and it didn’t find anything.

Is my dish supposed to rotate 15 marks clockwise for Sat 79 or am I doing something wrong?

My info:

Latitude: 39.338 N (I entered 39.3)
Longitude: 79.402 W (I entered 79.4 and changed It to West)

South Sat - 79.0°W AMC 5

Magnetic Declination: 9.5°W - So to point to true south I aimed at 190
I have been using USALS mode to move the motor/dish.


Thanks for the help.

 

[Lak7]

"Latitude: 39.338 N (I entered 30.3)"

Is the 30.3 a typo?

 

[reccitron]

Yeah that was a typo. I fixed it in the original version.

 

[Lak7]

In the Receiver's Sat Setup Menu, do you have a Go to Reference or Go to Zero option?

 

[reccitron]

In the Receiver's Sat Setup Menu, do you have a Go to Reference or Go to Zero option?

Yes it has “Go to Reference”. That is the option I was using to get the dish to move to the individual satellites. It seemed like it would work because I would get different stations on the different satellites. The other 3 options are: “Store Position”, “Exit” and “Go To Sat Position”.

If I hit “GoTo Sat Position” it would move the dish back to zero

 

[Lak7]

It sounds like you are using DiSEqC 1.2 for motor vs. USALS
DiSEqC 1.2 has options like you mentioned: “Store Position”, “Exit” and “Go To Sat Position”.
Also, does your SV360 have the Dual Tuners? If so, make sure you are using one for first setup.

 

[reccitron]

The option I have been using is labeled USALS. There is another option that is labeled motor. It only has 3 choices instead of the 4. It has: "Store Position", "Go To Reference" and "Exit". The motor option doesn't have "Go To Sat Position"

 

[reccitron]

The 360 elite does have 2 tuners but I have only been using tuner 1.

 

[Lak7]

Just to clear a few things:
1. When you tell the Motor to Go to Zero, it does Go to Zero.
2. When you tell the Motor to "Any" Sat, it moves in the correct direction(east / west), but does not stop at the correct position.

 

[satcom1]

I have one of th sg2100 that does the same thing. it doesn't do usals. you need to set it up as a diseqc 1.2 motor. remove your lat and lon or it will always try to do usals. then manually goto each satellite with the motor buttons and from the receiver save the position. Stab is the only motor guarenteed to do usals, they wrote the specification all others are unlicensed chinese rip offs.

 

[reccitron]

Just to clear a few things:
1. When you tell the Motor to Go to Zero, it does Go to Zero.
2. When you tell the Motor to "Any" Sat, it moves in the correct direction(east / west), but does not stop at the correct position.

Before I reset the motor this morning:

• While learning how to work the tuner motor controls, I some how set the south Sat. to the motor zero.
• When I would send a “Go To Sat Position”, the dish would always go back to zero / 79.
• When I would go into dish setup, pick a satellite and then push “Go To Reference”, the dish would always move to a non-zero position. I am not sure if it was moving in the correct direction but the stop position was repeatable based on the satellite picked.
• When I would scan 97, I would pick up channels on 95 so I think the dish was slightly off.

After I reset the motor this morning:

• The motor will go back to zero when I pick “Go To Sat Position”
• The dish turns about 15 ticks in the clockwise / SE direction when I pick Sat. 79 and push “Go To Reference”. I am not sure whether that is the correct direction or amount it should move. I would think the dish would only move a small amount since my true south is 189.5 and I can get a low Sat. 79 signal when the dish is at the motors zero.
• I didn’t try any other Satellites this morning and it is now raining and I can’t drag out the receiver and TV.

Will the dish turn 1 way for all satellites higher than my south Satellite and turn the other way for all the satellites lower than south?

 

[Lak7]

"Will the dish turn 1 way for all satellites higher than my south Satellite and turn the other way for all the satellites lower than south?"
Yes. When using USALS, try just selecting the Sat and see if it moves automatically.

Try a different sat, like Horz. 2 @ 74 west(formerly known as Galaxy17 or SBS6)
and see if it Locks. Refer to "The List" tab at the top of this web page for a Live Transponder. It should move to the East.

When you say "15 Ticks" does that mean 15 degrees?

 

[reccitron]

I have one of th sg2100 that does the same thing. it doesn't do usals. you need to set it up as a diseqc 1.2 motor. remove your lat and lon or it will always try to do usals. then manually goto each satellite with the motor buttons and from the receiver save the position. Stab is the only motor guarenteed to do usals, they wrote the specification all others are unlicensed chinese rip offs.

Ok based on Satcom1’s response I will have to switch over to diseqc 1.2 mode.

My thoughts on how to do this are:

• Since my dish is most likely pointing real close to true south and my true south Sat. (79) is coming in a little on my motor zero, I will use the move in the tuner to step towards Sat 79 until I can maximize the quality.
• I would then use the “Store Position” to store the motor position of Sat. 79.
• I would then use the tuner to move to the next Sat. above or below 79. (Ex: 82) and store the position when I have a good quality.
• I would then repeat this for all the satellites up and down the arc.
• I may have to manually adjust the dish up/down or left/right

Is this the correct method?
In the tuner there is a step size. Is each step 1 degree or do I have to keep moving it little by little until I find the strong TP?

 

[Lak7]

Method sounds correct.

For tweaking, I would just work on your True South Sat and a Sat as far West as you can get, like Galaxy 18 @123 west(aka Galaxy 10R). Once you can bounce between those 2 with Good Quality, then fill in the rest of the Sats as you need them, you should not need to tweak Dish.

 

[avg1joe]

I used the linear side of the lnb at a 10,750.

Double check that each satellite you are looking for is set to 10750. Unplugging or powering down the box with the master switch may change this as well.

I've forgotten to reset this in the past and panic when suddenly my box "doesn't work".

 

[reccitron]

I have one of th sg2100 that does the same thing. it doesn't do usals. you need to set it up as a diseqc 1.2 motor. remove your lat and lon or it will always try to do usals. then manually goto each satellite with the motor buttons and from the receiver save the position. Stab is the only motor guarenteed to do usals, they wrote the specification all others are unlicensed chinese rip offs.

I have it working in diseqc 1.2 mode. So far I have “found” 79,95,97,101 and 123. I had trouble last night finding 87 but I will work on that one today so I can watch BBQ U.

I really appreciate everyone’s help.

 

[Lak7]

Now the Fun begins!!!!!
FYI: PBS on AMC3 is kinda weak for some.
What is your Quality reading for the RTN mux on 123?