Help with FTA Setup

[MikeDuncan]

Hi everyone,

I have recently bought my first setup after reading in the forums, and finally received the following from Sadoun:


Invacom .3db Universal LNBF - SNH031
Fortec Star 100CM Dish
Fortec Star Lifetime Ultra Receiver
SM3D12 HH Motor

It is mounted on a plumb 3" galvanized pole beside my house now. I live in Dyersburg Tennessee zip code 38024. I zeroed the HH motor, mounted the satellite according to instructions, and made sure the LNB satellite and motor/mount were all in a straight line. I directed it to 181 degrees on the compass as best I could <there is not much in the way of points of reference on the mounting bracket for this seemingly quite important operation>.

The part that has got me is what angles do I put on the satellite and HH Motor. I feebly attempted to calculate it from the instructions, and used Sadoun's website for lat/lon information, and did the calculation for the motor/sattellite angles as directed, but I am not getting any signal, not even close. My satellite seems to be pointing more downwards than all the directv satellites around, but I do not know if this is from the design of the dish or if it is pointed completely wrong. Also, in the instruction manual it said to point the dish to IA-5 for initial setup, but I seem to vaguely remember someone saying in the forums that you pointed initially to your southernmost satellite.

Alas, I am not surfing the airwaves yet, and am quite disappointed with myself for not being able to decipher the instructions. If someone could point me <pun intended> in the right direction, it would be greatly appreciated and make me hug you muchly

Thanks in advance for any help!

 

[Sadoun]

Welcome to these forums. Nice choice of equipment.

From reading your post, I believe you've already visited the "Motorized system installation help page" on our website.

I recommend that you read the section on that page that refers to "USING USALS" to setup your kit. I find USALS to be very helpful in the initial setup of a motorized system.

 

[MikeDuncan]

I was hoping to get some calculations from someone that I could check mine against as I have little confidence that the dish is aimed right at the moment. In addition it is mounted on a somewhat high pole on the side of my house and I have to stand on a ladder to adjust it. I would like to go up there with some solid numbers to start with to minimize wriggling around on the ladder, thus maximizing my not falling off the ladder

 

[Zero]

Hi Mike,
Here are the calculations for your location. I guess AMC3 or Galaxy 9 is your nearest true south. As experts here say, try without the motor and after locking on to some channels on your TS sat, add motor.. Your elevation should be about 48 deg.
Good Luck!
PSB, Iceberg and team will definitely help you further!
Sat Name Sat Lng Az(t) Az(m) El Skew
AMC 3 87.0W 176.0 176.8 48.1 -3.3
Galaxy 9 91.0W 182.7 183.6 48.1 2.2
Galaxy 11 91.0W 182.7 183.6 48.1 2.2
Dyersburg, TN 38024
Latitude 36° 2.664'N Longitude 89° 23.016'W
Sat Name Sat Lng Az(t) Az(m) El Skew
-------------------------------------------------------------
*** Of Particular Interest ***
EchoStar 3 61.5W 138.0 138.9 38.9 -32.7
EchoStar 6 110.0W 212.6 213.4 42.8 25.8
EchoStar 8 110.0W 212.6 213.4 42.8 25.8
EchoStar 7 119.0W 224.0 224.9 37.8 34.2
EchoStar 5 119.0W 224.0 224.9 37.8 34.2
EchoStar 9/Telstar 13 121.0W 226.3 227.1 36.5 35.8
EchoStar 1 148.0W 250.3 251.1 16.6 49.6
EchoStar 2 148.0W 250.3 251.1 16.6 49.6
EchoStar 4 157.0W 256.4 257.2 9.3 51.8
DirecTV 3 81.8W 167.3 168.1 47.4 -10.3
DirecTV 2 100.8W 198.9 199.8 46.4 15.2
DirecTV 1R 100.8W 198.9 199.8 46.4 15.2
DirecTV 1 101.0W 199.3 200.1 46.4 15.5
DirecTV 4S 101.2W 199.6 200.4 46.3 15.7
DirecTV 6 109.8W 212.3 213.2 42.9 25.6
DirecTV 5 119.0W 224.0 224.9 37.8 34.2
*** All Satellites 61W - 160W ***
EchoStar 3 61.5W 138.0 138.9 38.9 -32.7
Rainbow 1 61.5W 138.0 138.9 38.9 -32.7
Brasilsat A2 (incl. 5.8 deg) 63.0W 139.9 140.7 39.7 -31.4
Brasilsat B2 65.0W 142.4 143.2 40.9 -29.6
Brasilsat B1 70.0W 149.1 150.0 43.4 -24.5
Nahuel 1 71.8W 151.7 152.5 44.2 -22.5
AMC 6 72.0W 152.0 152.8 44.3 -22.3
Galaxy 12 74.0W 154.9 155.8 45.1 -20.0
SBS 6 74.0W 154.9 155.8 45.1 -20.0
GOES 12 75.0W 156.5 157.3 45.5 -18.8
AMC 5 79.0W 162.7 163.6 46.7 -13.9
DirecTV 3 81.8W 167.3 168.1 47.4 -10.3
Nimiq 2 82.0W 167.6 168.4 47.4 -10.0
Brasilsat B3 84.0W 170.9 171.8 47.8 -7.3
XM Roll 85.0W 172.6 173.4 47.9 -6.0
AMC 9 85.0W 172.6 173.4 47.9 -6.0
AMC 3 87.0W 176.0 176.8 48.1 -3.3
Galaxy 9 91.0W 182.7 183.6 48.1 2.2
Galaxy 11 91.0W 182.7 183.6 48.1 2.2
Nimiq 1 91.0W 182.7 183.6 48.1 2.2
Brasilsat B4 92.0W 184.4 185.3 48.1 3.6
Telstar 6 93.0W 186.1 187.0 48.0 5.0
Galaxy 8I (incl. 1.0 deg) 95.0W 189.5 190.3 47.7 7.7
Galaxy 3C 95.0W 189.5 190.3 47.7 7.7
Telstar 5 97.0W 192.8 193.7 47.4 10.3
Inmarsat 2 f2 (incl. 1.7 deg) 98.0W 194.4 195.3 47.2 11.6
Galaxy 4R 99.0W 196.1 196.9 46.9 12.9
DirecTV 2 100.8W 198.9 199.8 46.4 15.2
DirecTV 1R 100.8W 198.9 199.8 46.4 15.2
AMC 4 101.0W 199.3 200.1 46.4 15.5
DirecTV 1 101.0W 199.3 200.1 46.4 15.5
AMSC 1 101.1W 199.4 200.3 46.4 15.6
DirecTV 4S 101.2W 199.6 200.4 46.3 15.7
AMC 1 103.0W 202.4 203.2 45.7 17.9
Solidaridad 1 (incl. 2.8 deg) 103.5W 203.1 204.0 45.6 18.5
AMC 2 105.0W 205.4 206.3 45.0 20.3
G-Star 3 (incl. 11.5 deg) 105.0W 205.4 206.3 45.0 20.3
G-Star 1 (incl. 6.0 deg) 105.0W 205.4 206.3 45.0 20.3
MSAT 1 106.5W 207.6 208.5 44.4 22.0
Anik F1 107.3W 208.8 209.6 44.1 22.9
Anik E1 109.2W 211.5 212.3 43.2 25.0
DirecTV 6 109.8W 212.3 213.2 42.9 25.6
EchoStar 6 110.0W 212.6 213.4 42.8 25.8
EchoStar 8 110.0W 212.6 213.4 42.8 25.8
Anik E2R 111.1W 214.1 214.9 42.3 27.0
Solidaridad 2 113.0W 216.6 217.5 41.3 28.8
Morelos 2 (incl. 4.4 deg) 114.9W 219.0 219.9 40.2 30.6
XM Rock 115.0W 219.2 220.0 40.2 30.7
SatMex 5 116.8W 221.4 222.3 39.1 32.3
Anik E2 118.7W 223.7 224.5 38.0 33.9
DirecTV 5 119.0W 224.0 224.9 37.8 34.2
EchoStar 7 119.0W 224.0 224.9 37.8 34.2
EchoStar 5 119.0W 224.0 224.9 37.8 34.2
EchoStar 9/Telstar 13 121.0W 226.3 227.1 36.5 35.8
Galaxy 10R 123.0W 228.5 229.3 35.2 37.3
Galaxy 5 125.0W 230.6 231.5 33.9 38.7
Galaxy 12 125.0W 230.6 231.5 33.9 38.7
Galaxy 13 127.0W 232.6 233.5 32.5 40.0
Telstar 7 129.0W 234.6 235.4 31.1 41.2
Satcom C3 131.0W 236.5 237.3 29.6 42.4
Galaxy 1R 133.0W 238.3 239.2 28.2 43.5
Satcom C4 135.0W 240.1 240.9 26.7 44.5
GOES 10 135.5W 240.5 241.3 26.3 44.7
AMC 7 137.0W 241.8 242.6 25.2 45.4
AMC 8 139.0W 243.4 244.3 23.6 46.3
Inmarsat 2 f3 (incl. 1.9 deg) 142.0W 245.8 246.6 21.3 47.5
EchoStar 1 148.0W 250.3 251.1 16.6 49.6
EchoStar 2 148.0W 250.3 251.1 16.6 49.6
TDRS 9 (incl. 7.4 deg) 151.0W 252.4 253.2 14.2 50.4
TDRS 10 (incl. 6.2 deg) 151.0W 252.4 253.2 14.2 50.4
EchoStar 4 157.0W 256.4 257.2 9.3 51.8
Satellite Finder is (c) Copyright 2004, P. Lutus

 

[MikeDuncan]

Success! Hitting Nimiq 1/3 @ 91w But no Galaxy 11

Alright guys, I got the motor taken off the dish, and pointed it at nimiq 1/3 - galaxy 11 at 91*w. I am getting 89 signal 89 quality roundabout, it does fluctuate a little. After doing a powerscan with my lifetime ultra, I picked up 4 channels <GOLTV 1-4> but that is all. When I select galaxy 11 in the antenna setup on my receiver, I get about 60 signal but 0 quality <my invacom universal seems to pickup 50 signal even if you bury it in the ground lol >

I am quite excited to be closer, but it only makes me want to pick-up more

Is this a skew problem? Or is the azimuth different for the two satellites even though they are said to both be at 91*w?

Thank you guys for the help so far I am much further along now than 24 hours ago

Here is my setup again:

Invacom .3db Universal LNBF - SNH031
Fortec Star 100CM Dish
Fortec Star Lifetime Ultra Receiver
SM3D12 HH Motor - Not currently in use

 

[MikeDuncan]

Thank you very much for the info Zero, I was able to hit Nimiq 1/3 <replaced Galaxy 9??> and pick up 4 channels from it so far, not getting Galaxy 11 tho?

4 channels is 400% more than I had last night though

 

[MikeDuncan]

I've been trying to point at AMC3, but no luck. Turned over to 176.8 <or as best I could> and shifted back and forth but never got anything as far as a signal. Is there a certain transponder I should have selected on my receiver?

Also, does anyone know an effective way of setting the skew? I have been guessing at it, but am not sure how close I am to -3.3.

Thanks!

Mike

 

[Tron]

What settings are you using for the LNB in the receiver's satellite setup screen?

The Invacom SNH-031 is a universal LNBF, L.O. 9750/10600.

Nimiq 1/3 are circular polarized DBS channels, so I'm surprised you're getting these at all with the linear LNBF.

 

[MikeDuncan]

I have it set to Universal1 in the setup, did I make an incorrect choice in an LNB <should I get a standard>?

I suppose it is also possible that I am pointing at another satellite <This is my first time> But it only shows signal when I select nimiq 1/3 in the setup. I am getting 4 GOLTV channels <same channel all 4 of them> after a powerscan of the satellite, but they are not listed in lyngsat as far as I can tell. I went back out last night and tried to aim at other satellites with no luck, but when I go back over to what I believe to be nimiq 1/3, I can now do it by sight

Tried AMC3 since I thought that it would be easiest to find being so close to nimiq, but never even got a signal spike on the meter on the screen.

Believe me, I am thoroughly confused with it

 

[PSB]

The SNH-031 is a GREAT! LNBF will work perfect for FTA!

 

[Tron]

One thing to remember, the DBS satellites are FAR more powerful than the Ku linear ones that carry most FTA. It's very easy to point in the general direction of a DBS bird and get signal, but for the linear FSS ones, your dish needs to be exactly dead on. I know this probably doesn't sound very helpful, but keep playing with the elevation and azimuth, moving the dish VERY slowly in small increments. Step back from the dish every time you move it to see if you get quality before moving it again.

 

[MikeDuncan]

I will resume the quest for satellite tomorrow, thanks for the help! BTW: I am not really clear on one point, am I actually hitting nimiq 1/3, or is it something else entirely?

 

[Tron]

Do a satellite scan of what you think is Nimiq 1/3. If you get a ton of unviewable pay channels ($) with a symbol rate of 20000, a bunch of radio channels from Canada, and some in-the-clear info channels that explain the ExpressVu service, then you're hitting Nimiq 1/3.