How to determine if LNBF is good or bad?

[998ccc]

Hello all. My first post. I just installed my first KU FTA system with 36" motorized dish. The dish was dented in transit, but I was able to remove the dent to the point where it is essentially gone. Given that, using the linear LNBF supplied with the package, I get zero signal on my little inline meter but when testing with a circular LNBF, I get 4 satellites at full signal. The company I bought the system from says the dented dish is to blame, but it seems that I would get at least some signal through the linear LNBF in spite of the dish. Could the dish be the entire problem?
Thanks!
Russ

 

[Phoxx]

To find out if you have a "live" LNB, hook it to your receiver, if you get a "signal" reading then your receiver is communicating with your LNB. If you have no signal reading at all, and you are sure your switches/wiring are OK, then chances are you have a bad LNB.

To see if your LNB is communicating with a satellite check your quality reading, if you have a reading, you are at least hitting a satellite. Then, you can fine tune to the correct sat, etc.

 

[Anole]

Finding one of the very high powered DBS satellites (those circular ones from Dish or Direct) is easy.
Getting on-target with an actual FTA bird it a bit trickier.
Also, those $10 sat meters aren't a lot of good .
...unless you happen to have a DBS satellite at the same orbital location [91°w, or 101°w, maybe?]

You'll need to set up your receiver with a transponder that's on the bird, and then use the Quality meter on the receiver to aim your dish.
There have been plenty of discussions on how to aim a dish.
So, I won't repeat all the minute details.
(but don't forget to set the skew, too)

edit:
Oh, "motorized", eh?
Well, there are about 100 things to get right, and a first-timer is likely to screw up at least half a dozen of 'em.
I'd really suggest you set up the dish without the motor to learn the basics of the dish and especially the receiver.
Then, after a week or so, try to integrate the motor with what you've learned.

 

[998ccc]

Great advice! I put the linear LNB back in and set the receiver to SES-1. Moving the dish, I found a sparkly signal, skewed the LNB, and I am now watching the History Channel. It's a start!!

Thanks!
Russ

 

[FaT Air]

To find other "birds" check TheList for active transponders to program into your receiver (if they're not already) to get a Quality reading. Knowing your Latitude and Longitude is beneficial. maps.google.com find your location and right click on it, then select "What's Here". The location bar on the page will change to Lat-Long. Also: www.dishpointer.com can show where they are. Finding your most southerly satellite now, and marking it's "line" may help in setting up your motor later.

 

[998ccc]

Failing to look for transponders is where I was falling down before, coupled with the fact that my little sat finder meter did not react to the relatively low-powered birds. I pretty much had the motor dialed in earlier today looking at the strong signal birds. So with the advice of this group, I have now got Galaxy 19, SES-1 and AMC-21 located, programmed in and scanned. The receiver and motor are working well and cruising right to them. Not as much out there to watch as I had hoped, but it's FTA.

Thanks!
Russ