how to aim with Sat PCI

[sdishpro]

Hello Guys:
I'm in the Caribbean and i need some help around here.
Im stuck in simple thinks like tunnin my antenna.

The first dish that i have was an offset of 45 to 55 cm but in my geo situation was useless so i decide that i need a big one. Now i have a 120 cm prime focus dish. But im so dump that it seam imposible to tune it.
The other thing is were i live nobody have a satellite system (if you cant imagine why is difficult to explain) so i cannot get help of anyone, generally the people help each other but in my case no... and as every body see im a pionner in this... I read a lot and whith all this info i going to answ some questions

I have a 1.20 dish prime focus and like i said and 2 pci cards twinham 1020a and skystar2 2.6D and im interest in free channels in this moment so i think in hispasat. Whith a good footprint in my area and by the way i have 2 LNBs one simple lineal LNB and other universal lineal LNBF.

To tune i use a cheap sat finder (one of the analogic). When i put the azimuth and elevation in my antenna the finder begin to rise the scale so i do the correction in the azimuth and elevation in order to get the best signal, then i reduce the satfinder's sesitivity each time it reaches full scale and Attenuate to half scale, fine adjust dish again and i repeat this until no more gain can be won. when i finish i turn of the PCI and conect direct the cable to the lnb star the pci again and always show p:65% Q:0%. I use the twinham 'couse everybody say is a good pci but if here think the skystar 2 is better ill changed. Ill repeat this 1000 times and always the same.

In one post i don't know where i read that i need to put the transponder list first and peek the sat first and in this sat a strong transponder then star the tunning with the sat finder... is it true?, that is the correct way???
I miss somethink or there are other tips that i don't know ....

please helpme guys
thx in advance

 

[RVD420]

I have found PCI card hard to point dishes with.

I have a Coolsat 5000 that I use for motor control with my Twinhan 102G.

It is just easier to use a STB for finding a bird.

 

[sdishpro]

????

I have found PCI card hard to point dishes with.

I have a Coolsat 5000 that I use for motor control with my Twinhan 102G.

It is just easier to use a STB for finding a bird.

What is a STB ???

 

[RVD420]

What is a STB ???

STB = Set top box.

An FTA box like the Traxis 3500, Coolsat 5000, ect...

Traxis 3500 is great for pointing a dish.

 

[sdishpro]

?

STB = Set top box.

An FTA box like the Traxis 3500, Coolsat 5000, ect...

Traxis 3500 is great for pointing a dish.

I have no possibilities to get one
You know what is BDA drivers

 

[Anole]

a few ideas

The reason the guys like to go satellite hunting with a STB or receiver with blind scan, is that when you find a signal, you can have the receiver scan the satellite and tell you what it found.
Most all FTA PCI cards are lacking that capability.

Normally a receiver or PCI card will only receive what's programmed into it.
So, if you think you are aimed at Hispasat, and have a transponder list loaded for that satellite...
...but are really aimed at a nearby satellite, you will not receive any signals.
No quality.

I applaud your efforts with the signal meter.
You have found something.
However, there are problems relying on a compass for direction.
Different places on the planet give different errors when trying to find true North or South.
Here is a site to calculate your local correction factor.
Let me look a little harder - I'm sure I can find a map for your area...
...you might try this page or the links it contains.
Anyway, try to find a nearby satellite, and peak on it.
Maybe you are just aligned on the wrong one.

Once you've found something reliable and receive a signal, try adjusting the skew of your LNB
Rotate it in small increments in its mount, and see if you can peak the quality of the signal.

The last thing to consider (I know it's obvious), is to verify that you have chosen a transponder that is actually aimed where you live.
Much of the programming on that satellite is for Europe.


Oh, and the FAQ section on our forum has a number of very useful documents to help out with unfamiliar terminology

 

[sdishpro]

hello

HEY!!! anole nice to see you bro!!!

Well let me tell you

I found that somebody do a blind scan program for my Skystar2 model. I looks like this program is useful couse have even have a forum.
You think is a good idea use this card an start it in blind scan modeto se what is the antenna tunnin'??

This declination think make me loss my head i read a lot of this (in other post your) but my question is this results for me: declination 7 grades and 56 min changing by 0 grade 4 min W year ..... what does it really means???

The iceberg's strongs transponders list i think i going to use it... and other thing the normal sequence of align whith a pci card is first put in the general direction of the sat the antenna then select the strong transponder and then do a scan of that transponder. If nothing happen mov a bit the antenna and repeat the procedure???? Thats the way iti is??? im miss something???

Thx for The FAQ i already read it casually recomended for you in other thread.

the best for you

 

[Anole]

There are 100 things that can affect your success.
If any one thing is wrong, you will get no reception.
So, it's good to make everything as easy as possible until you succeed in getting your first satellite signal.
...or at least, that's the way I recommend you proceed.

You obviously have a good cable connection between your DVB card and the LNB, and you are getting power to the LNB.
That is what is making your meter work.
However, you should have no motors and no switches in the coax line for the first tests.
Also, the computer settings differ for each sort of software.
You really should make certain you have those settings chosen correctly.
For instance, do you have the correct LO (local oscillator) frequency for your chosen LNB?
It's 10600 for the Universal, with 22khz on . . . and 10750 for the standard .
Only if you want to get 58ºW, Intelsat 9, would you use Universal with 22khz off.

I think that covers the major things that can go wrong.
After those, it's a matter of aiming at the right place in the sky.
As one of our members points out, you need to aim at a very tiny area, and very accurately.
Being off just a few mm will wreck your day.

So, getting the elevation set accurately is important.
Don't just trust the markings on the dish mount.
Some have been known to be in error by 5º.
Do use a level and make sure the mounting pole if perfectly vertical (we call it plumb)

Then, it's a matter of azimuth... east-west... adjustment.
If you use a compass, it can be affected by nearby ferrous metal and give a false reading.
Use it several feet from such metal, and several meters away from any large electric motors or such electrical equipment.
As I said earlier, the compass may be accurate, but the local magnetic field in your area may be off by 5..10..15º.
Look up the local error using one of those maps, and correct for it when aiming your dish.

Always assume you have still made a small error.
Move your dish east or west in very small increments from where you think it should aim, and see if you get the proper signal.
If you don't find anything, try adjusting the elevation a tiny bit, and repeat.
For this, you might first try the analog signal meter you have there.
You may well locate several signals in the sky with the meter.
Try each one with the receiver, and see if it's the satellite you are searching for.


PS: also verify your LNB is at the proper focal point of the dish.
Can you post some pictures of your dish from different angles?

 

[sdishpro]

Antenna photos

Anole:
My dish is home made. I construct it myselft with some help and always you know (hide) i going to post to you some pictures with a circular LNB please don't take that into consideration couse you will see underground in a side of the dish other LNBF and is linear and my satfinder too. Another thing is that the mechanism of the lnb that you see is to adjust manually the focal point and tune even more the antenna. Another think no motor or switches on my system. The focal point is correct. I got to say that i going to chage my mount by a fix mastil i dont trust in my tripode.
Lockly i do everything you say and im glad in repeat all this steps as you say again.
For me is funny couse i have a lot of things and i cant do this work (5 LNBs, 2 pci cards, satfinder, 2 antennas, line amplifier) hehehe im so dump ... incredable.
Here are the pictures

 

[voomvoom]

Nice pictures!! Amazing ingenuity.... that must have taken a while to construct? Very Good Job! So, how Big is it? 6'? 8'?

Al

 

[RVD420]

Nice work on the Dish.

You you have plans or a how to on building the dish?

Sounds like a fun project.

 

[WyrTwister]

Hello Guys:
I'm in the Caribbean and i need some help around here.
Im stuck in simple thinks like tunnin my antenna.

The first dish that i have was an offset of 45 to 55 cm but in my geo situation was useless so i decide that i need a big one. Now i have a 120 cm prime focus dish. But im so dump that it seam imposible to tune it.
The other thing is were i live nobody have a satellite system (if you cant imagine why is difficult to explain) so i cannot get help of anyone, generally the people help each other but in my case no... and as every body see im a pionner in this... I read a lot and whith all this info i going to answ some questions

I have a 1.20 dish prime focus and like i said and 2 pci cards twinham 1020a and skystar2 2.6D and im interest in free channels in this moment so i think in hispasat. Whith a good footprint in my area and by the way i have 2 LNBs one simple lineal LNB and other universal lineal LNBF.

To tune i use a cheap sat finder (one of the analogic). When i put the azimuth and elevation in my antenna the finder begin to rise the scale so i do the correction in the azimuth and elevation in order to get the best signal, then i reduce the satfinder's sesitivity each time it reaches full scale and Attenuate to half scale, fine adjust dish again and i repeat this until no more gain can be won. when i finish i turn of the PCI and conect direct the cable to the lnb star the pci again and always show p:65% Q:0%. I use the twinham 'couse everybody say is a good pci but if here think the skystar 2 is better ill changed. Ill repeat this 1000 times and always the same.

In one post i don't know where i read that i need to put the transponder list first and peek the sat first and in this sat a strong transponder then star the tunning with the sat finder... is it true?, that is the correct way???
I miss somethink or there are other tips that i don't know ....

please helpme guys
thx in advance

First of all , what program are you using with the PCI DVP-S cards ? I use My Theatre . You can download a free demonstration version . I can help you easier with that program .

Go to Atlantic Ocean - LyngSat and check the the satellites east and west of Hispasat .

If you can not scan in Hispasat , start trying to scan in the satellites to the east or west of Hispasat .

It sounds like you have done a good job of aiming the dish at some unknown satellite , but you really do not know which one .

Which LNBF did you say you have hooked up , standard or universal ?

Be sure to have LOF # 1 & LOF # 2 and SW typed in correctly in the software menue for satellite setup .

If you get chanels scanned in , then compare the channels you are receiving with the list of channels on several satellites ( such as lyngsat.com/hispa1d.html ) . To try to figure out which satellite you are on .

Since , according to your pictures , you do not have a motor , do not worry about declination . Just the total angle of the dish . Lay a straight edge across the dish , vertically and measure that angle .

The angle will be slightly different for each satellite .

Wyr

 

[sdishpro]

!!!

Nice pictures!! Amazing ingenuity.... that must have taken a while to construct? Very Good Job! So, how Big is it? 6'? 8'?

Al

My dish is 1.20 m (or 120 cm) prime focus with a focal ratio of f0.6 (125mm deep).

I made it in 3 or 4 days because where i live the materials are difficult but i imagine that in your country is in 1 day

regards

 

[sdishpro]

First of all , what program are you using with the PCI DVP-S cards ? I use My Theatre . You can download a free demonstration version . I can help you easier with that program .

Go to Atlantic Ocean - LyngSat and check the the satellites east and west of Hispasat .

If you can not scan in Hispasat , start trying to scan in the satellites to the east or west of Hispasat .

It sounds like you have done a good job of aiming the dish at some unknown satellite , but you really do not know which one .

Which LNBF did you say you have hooked up , standard or universal ?

Be sure to have LOF # 1 & LOF # 2 and SW typed in correctly in the software menue for satellite setup .

If you get chanels scanned in , then compare the channels you are receiving with the list of channels on several satellites ( such as lyngsat.com/hispa1d.html ) . To try to figure out which satellite you are on .

Since , according to your pictures , you do not have a motor , do not worry about declination . Just the total angle of the dish . Lay a straight edge across the dish , vertically and measure that angle .

The angle will be slightly different for each satellite .

Wyr

first
LOF1: 9750000
SW: 0
LOF2:10750000

2nd
I hooked up an LNBF universal

 

[sdishpro]

answ

Nice work on the Dish.

You you have plans or a how to on building the dish?

Sounds like a fun project.

Yes i have my friend, and its a good and fun proyect

 

[sdishpro]

???

You really should make certain you have those settings chosen correctly.
For instance, do you have the correct LO (local oscillator) frequency for your chosen LNB?
It's 10600 for the Universal, with 22khz on . . . and 10750 for the standard .
Only if you want to get 58ºW, Intelsat 9, would you use Universal with 22khz off.

I asume that i have to download the transponders from joshyfun and load it to the soft that i ussing ( my theatre) or i cannot see any of this sats....im i wrong???



Can you post some pictures of your dish from different angles?: i Post the photos for you and steel waiting for your oppinion???