Just like the screenname says. . . help?

[4020atemyG25]

Mornin', folks.

I'm hoping the expertise I've leeched off of via lurking as a guest can once again do me right if I out and out ask.

Okay, lessee if I can break it down step-for-step.

Receiver - Pansat 3500s

Dish - Old PhewsNet 4020 approx 35" across. Shaped much like a PrimeStar dish albeit stretch longways.

LNB - The RX LNB of said PhewsNet, transmitter portion removed to save on weight. It's very much Ku-band linear (original use was 2-way Internet access off SatMex @ 116.8 switched to G11-91w's low-end or 129w as needed in the field). Label on the side says DirecPC FSS 10.95GHz - 12.75GHz.

Task - Hitting up G25-97w for funsies.

So. . . I used a look angle calculator that hasn't done me wrong yet as far as point-n-shoot (satsig). I've got it all leveled off, lined up, and a decent idea of where 189 degrees is for my azimuth. The line of sight is decent or better due to the 51.8 degree elevation necessary to hit this bird. The skew is almost negligible @ +7.5, so it's not like I'm having the whole dish-skew crick in the neck from tilting my head sideways.

I can see the thing in the sky if I turn off my front porch light.

. . . . . . .

BUT IT WON'T DIAL IN!!!

I'm pretty sure I'm dancing all around it, as I can get strength up to 80%, but quality fails to make itself present.

So. . . settings? Dish too small (located smack in a powerful area of the footprint in northeastern Louisiana)? Surely the LNB is the right kind. . . isn't it? Someone suggested that I set the LNB in the menu as universal, but that hasn't proven useful as yet, either. I'm REALLY hoping I don't have to opt for a much larger dish. Buddy of mine has a DW7000 dish (1.2m?) he pulled out of a dumpster, but that might not please my landlady too much having that beast out front.

Any ideas, thoughts, and suggestions are most appreciated.

 

[Tron]

You have a standard LNB, so the correct settings are L.O. 10750, standard. That size dish should pick up something from 97w, even if it is undersized vertically. I receive around a hundred channels from that satellite in New Orleans. Remember that on these FTA receivers, quality is all that matters. Signal strength means only that the LNB is connected. So lets go through a checklist:

- If you have switches anywhere between the dish and receiver, first unplug the receiver (or turn it off using the rear switch) and remove them.
- If you have a motor, for now remove it and try to hit the satellite as a fixed dish.
- Receiver settings, standard LNB, L.O. 10750, DiSEqC off, 22k off.
- Don't blindly trust the elevation scale on the dish mount, try to adjust the elevation up and down a bit from the mark where it should be.
- Don't blindly trust compass readings, pan the dish SLOWLY east to west, west to east to see if you can pick up a signal.
- Try a blind scan or flip through the transponders in the list while checking for quality. You have to be on an active transponder to see quality.

Hope this was of some help, keep us updated...

 

[4020atemyG25]

Hrmm. . .

So perhaps bypassing my diseqc then?
Easy enough.

Wish there was a way to increase the vertical size of the dish. Heheh. . . heck, I wonder if there'd be a feasible way to strap on an old 18" to the top. Angling that joker would be a pain, I imagine.

I'll give adjustment of the elevation a shot. Thanks for the tips.

 

[Tron]

If its the dish I'm thinking it is (a very oblong DirecPC dish), it will work. There are other members here using them.

Good luck and don't give up! One of the biggest requirements in this hobby is patience

Remember to DISCONNECT all power to the receiver when disconnecting (or connecting) the switch!

 

[4020atemyG25]

You've got it.
Ugly piece of garbage it is, but most useful when applied to TV.

I might have to move it around a bit more. Seems like the tree that has never given me problems before (gigantic creature) might be causing more interference than birds farther west. Nothing posthole diggers and a sledgehammer can't handle, though. Back and to the left like Kennedy, I suppose!

Iceberg, if you happen upon this, are the strong transponders from your wonderful list still in effect for 97w?

 

[jsattv]

4020atemyg25, the Transponders to set up G25 from Iceberg's great list are: 12155, and 12177, also look at 11966, fora good over 50% Q Signal - it has Russia Today on it.

 

[turbosat]

I have one of those white direcway dishes, measured 39x23 that is parked on G10 right now. The angle calculator I use on the net a lot says elevation for me should be 34, but the one on the side of the dish is actually reading about 44.
So, you may have to play around quite a bit with the settings to find what really works for your area. Those things are the hardest dishes I have found to setup
on a satellite (I suppose if you have signal meters, a bird dog meter etc would be much easier) Those dishes are just picky and tedious, but actually work pretty well for their size.
It just takes time and patience!! If you get a signal strength close to 80 or 81 you may be able to blind scan and find something.

 

[4020atemyG25]

Their elevations DO tend to be off.
When I had to point them for drilling rigs, it would NEVER be what the modem's software suggested.

Which calculator do you use for comparison's sake?

 

[turbosat]

Satellite Look Angles Satellite Heading Calculator Azimuth Elevation Skew Tilt LNBF Latitude and Longitude values
Thats the one I use most, it's for fixed dish installs. Gets you in the ballpark anyway.

 

[4020atemyG25]

Well, I finally got it to dial in.
Seems that my suspicions regarding the nearby oak tree were correct.
I backed the pole and dish up about 4 feet, left elevation and skew alone, and went to town
with it in about ten minutes. 70 to 80 quality on all of 'em.

Never really knew how such a short distance could make so big of a difference, but considering the equivalent that four feet has in relation to orbital proximity. . .

Thanks for the pointers, fellas.

 

[voomvoom]

Congratulations!

Al