information about a signal meter, wsi sf99

[chaskuchar]

when i try to adjust my dish with the signal meter, does it see all the signals on the dish or just the transponder that i have the receiver tuned to? for example, if i am tuned to a horizontal transponder does the meter still see the vertical transponders. what i am thinking is that i can use a strong transponder to first setup dish positioning, then tune to a weak transponder to peak the tuning. thanks, charlie

 

[Lak7]

My experience is......
"Signal" meters just find "signals" - not particular Satellites or Transponders
Use the Signal meter to peak a signal, then use the Receiver to scan and find where you are at.
If you are on the desired Sat, then peak using Receiver.
Using a Signal meter, I would always end up on the Nearest Dish / Direct / Bell satellite.

 

[migold]

I have one of those also. It sees ALL the signals coming out of the LNBF. It does not tune to a Transponder and it doesn't know what your receiver is doing. You don't even need a receiver to use the SF99, if you use the battery pack. These meters are good for 'rough tuning', i.e. finding a satellite. Then - as Lak7 says above - use the receiver to determine what satellite you have found and to fine tune the transponder that you want.

 

[FaT Air]

They'll help you find the arc, but not any particular satellite.
A weak satellite, with few TP's 'hot' will not be 'seen' if there's a strong satellite on the vicinity.
You'll only see the meter respond to the strong satellite.
Still use the 80's vintage Bullseye meter now and then.

 

[Larry1]

When using a common voltage switched LNBF, you will only measure one polarity at a time. The polarity is determined by the voltage sent to the LNBF and indicated on the meter by the H/V led. The LNBF sends all the frequencies or signals of the selected polarity down the cable to the satellite box where the tuner filters out all but the selected frequency. Since the satellite meter is between the satellite box and the LNBF, it will measure the signals on the cable which will be all the signals of the selected polarity.

 

[chaskuchar]

thanks for the help. now i know why that light is on the meter when i have the receiver tuned to a polarity. that is a good help. i have been using the meter to zero in on my south satellite after make sure the dish is level. that will be a good help. charlie

 

[northgeorgia]

I smell an FAQ for satellite meters!

 

[KE4EST]

I smell an FAQ for satellite meters!

Wanna do one?

 

[northgeorgia]

I would, but it'd be the blind leading the blind. I just learned something today about polarities making a difference in the readings

 

[KE4EST]

That is the way with me, been messing with FTA for years, but always learn something new.

 

[chaskuchar]

some times my horizontal and vertical are different strengths when my skew is off a little. that happened more when i was starting lineing up the dish. if this weather finally gets decent to go out and play with the 6' dish i will experiment with it. also want to add a k band lnb to it instead of using the dmx741 dual lnb. should ask the question if i should be using lnb or lnbf? i want to see if i get better k band strength using a separate lnb. i have the adapter from satelliteav to install the k band unit. charlie

 

[FaT Air]

I'd install a Ku designed for a prime focus*. The high F/D of those meant for an offset will only see a small % of the dish.**
*BSC-321, SatAV SL1P, Invacom prime focus Ku feedhorn/lnb. **Results can vary. Saying 'it may work good'.
Research fodder: https://www.google.com/search?hl=en...e_2QWYjoCoDw&ved=0CGwQrQIwBA&biw=1088&bih=607

 

[chaskuchar]

now this is getting more interesting. can I fabricate arms for the dish so I could make it an offset dish instead of prime focus? I would use the c-band lnb'f?' as prime focus and use the k-band lnbf as an offset. is that possible? charlie

 

[Wescopc]

now this is getting more interesting. can I fabricate arms for the dish so I could make it an offset dish instead of prime focus? I would use the c-band lnb'f?' as prime focus and use the k-band lnbf as an offset. is that possible? charlie

No - an offset dish is simply a section of a much larger prime focus dish. Think of taking a petal out of a flower. The curve of the petal is the same as the large flower it came from, so its "focal distance to the pistil" is the same as when it was part of the whole flower.
Bob

 

[FaT Air]

Yes/ and no, I guess??? To operate as an offset you'd just place the Ku LNBF looking at one quadrant of the BUD. The feed would still only see that 'corner' - That 1/4 or so of the dish. The focal point does not "move". It's at the same place for prime focus and offset.

Being the focal point is 'the same' no strut mfg needed.
Hope this helped explain that an offset dish is still a parabola, just not the 'whole' of the prime.

 

[Cham]

You can very slightly offset a feedhorn by mounting it close to the prime focus spot... usually done when using multiple feedhorns to pull in more than one satellite at a time. I've done this on my 10' dish with a Ku LNBF. Problem is when it is offset, it doesn't track the arc properly if you are using an equatorial mount/actuator. Farther the distance from the prime focal point, the more distorted the focal point will be and thus lower gain and more interference (noise) from other satellites etc. (lower s/n). With a Ku LNBF mounted right on side of the c-band scaler ring you should get 4-5 sats (10 deg?) before the focal point moves too far off to the side. Hope this makes sense...