Montana pbs impossible to catch

[stogie5150]

I think its dish size related. I realize everyone cannot do this, but since I put up my 1.8 Prodelin, I have not had ANY problems with either LPB or Montana PBS, with any of my boxes. I had trouble with the 1m Primestar, too, when I had it. Seems to me that these DVB-S2 channels on Ku take milspec LNB's, or dishes, or both. My BV with the ADL Quad Ortho has no problems with it either. I haven't had a rain yet since putting up the 1.8 so I don't know how its going to hold up, but I see quality numbers in the 80's on both of those TP's on my Openbox.

 

[rad360]

Dish size has to be the key. I have a 1 meter dish and Montana PBS freezes intermittently. (openbox S9) LPB does well when there are clear skies. I think I need at least a 1.2 meter dish for these.

 

[eurosport]

It's not dish size here. As I said earlier I have a 1.2 on this bird. All signal qualities are 75 or above including Montana. All others play fine. Montana doesn't. It's really a non-issue for me since it's not HD.

Sent from my DROIDX using SatelliteGuys

 

[Keith Brannen]

I also think there is more to it than dish size. Montana PBS is currently at 78-80 on the AZBox Ultra, and was doing the pixelation dance (until I re-scanned it, yet again). Meanwhile, LPB is currently at 52-53 (down from 65-66 earlier today) and there are absolutely no problems at all.

 

[radio]

I tend to agree. Not dish size. Fixed dish .75m Channel master: No go. Birdview: pixelation at best, no lockable signal. Other PBS's on the bird are fine.

 

[whatchel1]

More I read the more I know it is the amp and encoder not working correct from the uplink. Sounds like something is causing the carrier (LO to drift or shift and causing your problems.

 

[jgbayless]

I have a stand alone primestar 1 meter wide x 1 meter plus 10 cm tall dish. The lnbf 0.2 top is about at 10 o'clock instead of straight up. I have a stronger signal to my azbox elite when it is slaved to a coolsat 6000 than when it is connected directly. I have a power block switch to keep from burning up coolsat. I have a 91 to 94 signal on coolsat and 70 to 80 signal and a 60 to 72 quality on azbox elite. The coolsat controls h/v.

 

[jgbayless]

My Azbox Elite AMC 21 PBS Coordinates, It Is Slaved to a coolsat 6000 which controls H/V. I blind scanned feeds. I saved one vert and one horizontal and renamed channels (AMC 21 PBS Vert) and (AMC 21 PBS Horiz). When I want to watch LPB I put on (AMC 21 PBS Horiz) & the OETV, Montana PBS, PBS HD East West Create World I use (AMC 21 PBS Vert) on Coolsat 6000!

My Azbox Elite Coordinates:

LPB tp 12070, sr 12474, Horiz, dvbs2/8psk, 3/5, pilot 0

OETV tp 12113, sr 8702, Vert, dvbs2/8psk, 3/4, pilot 0

Montana tp 12106, sr 2398, Vert, dvbs2/8psk, 2/3, pilot 1

PBS HD East West tp 12140, sr 29997, Vert, dvbs/Qpsk, 3/4, pilot 0

PBS tp 12180, sr 29997, Vert, dvbs/Qpsk, 3/4, pilot 0

 

[Never enough dishes]

Montana PBS has a history of SQ dropouts from the moment it went to DVB-S2. This forum has archives to support this claim. Both of the station's two epoxy encapsulated transmitters have intermittent problems and there is no funding for replacements. I use one of the six foot WSI 'bargain' dishes fixed on AMC-21. The LNB is an Invacom SNF-31 and it mates to an Invacom adjustable prime focus feedhorn. I can get peak SQs to 73% when the weather is clear in Bozeman and at my location and the normal SQ range, under those conditions, is 70 to 73%, day and night. I use an Openbox S9 running the manufacturer's firmware dated 8-08-11. That firmware is more capable of handling the low sample rates of signals like Montana PBS than most of the earlier builds. I found I had to add custom TPs from 12.106 to 12.113 with custom sample rates as high as 2425. There appears to be a positive temperature coefficient effect with the uplink LO frequencies. During the daytime hours in Bozeman (the uplink site), I get good signals at 12.113 but none at 12.106. At night, 12.106 comes in perfectly but not 12.113 and sometimes not even 12.112. My receiver scanned-in Montana PBS as 12.110V 2398. I found the custom higher sample rates seem to act as additional buffering and reduce the occurrences of SQ drops to zero. I also insure I check the Weather Underground Nexrad local radar maps for all the DVB-S2 sites from AMC-21 before a viewing session. I don't like surprises. Those would be for Bozeman, Oklahoma City and Baton Rouge. Even PBS East and West SQs can drop below signal threshold if weather around Washington DC is poor. I learned this radar map trick from years of dealing with DirecPC and DirecWay as my only source of broadband Internet. My local weather is cloud-free typically 300 days a year, so the problems of low SQs for AMC-21 is most always due to uplink weather. Last night for the Montana PBS Britcoms, I had SQs ranging from 50% to 60% and by carefully selecting one of my custom TPs, I ended up with decent video. The problem is there is no way to predict which TP will do the best job on any given day. To have only one TP in your channel list and expect decent video for Montana PBS is asking too much until those uplink transmitters are replaced.

 

[eurosport]

I KNEW there had to be something wrong with that signal!

 

[TRG]

Both of the station's two epoxy encapsulated transmitters have intermittent problems and there is no funding for replacements.

How do you know this? Is there someone at Montana PBS that gave you this information? - Thanks

 

[Never enough dishes]

I apologize for not providing support for my statement regarding the uplink transmitters. Dean Lawver, Director of Technology at Montana PBS, has posted many times in this forum. I originally contacted Dean regarding the low signal levels when Montana PBS first moved from AMC-3 to AMC-21 many years ago. We then moved to corresponding by e-mail until the signal level rose appreciably. On Thursday night, April 14, 2011, the now DVB-S2 signal died during Inspector Morse part 2 and I never learned who the murderer was. The weather here and in Bozeman did not explain that signal loss which extended far into the night. I called Montana PBS the next day and asked to speak to Dean but I was told he was not available. I ended up talking to Norm, an engineer with the station. He informed me of two epoxy encapsulated uplink transmitter units which failed on the previous night. He said there was a long history of problems with those two non-repairable units but that the problems had increased recently. Norm said the replacement cost was about 100K. He asked if I was calling to donate that amount. I declined his offer.

 

[TRG]

Norm said the replacement cost was about 100K. He asked if I was calling to donate that amount. I declined his offer.

Anybody want to pitch in?

 

[toucan-man]

Is 100K a reasonable price?

 

[whatchel1]

Montana PBS has a history of SQ dropouts from the moment it went to DVB-S2. This forum has archives to support this claim. Both of the station's two epoxy encapsulated transmitters have intermittent problems and there is no funding for replacements. I use one of the six foot WSI 'bargain' dishes fixed on AMC-21. The LNB is an Invacom SNF-31 and it mates to an Invacom adjustable prime focus feedhorn. I can get peak SQs to 73% when the weather is clear in Bozeman and at my location and the normal SQ range, under those conditions, is 70 to 73%, day and night. I use an Openbox S9 running the manufacturer's firmware dated 8-08-11. That firmware is more capable of handling the low sample rates of signals like Montana PBS than most of the earlier builds. I found I had to add custom TPs from 12.106 to 12.113 with custom sample rates as high as 2425. There appears to be a positive temperature coefficient effect with the uplink LO frequencies. During the daytime hours in Bozeman (the uplink site), I get good signals at 12.113 but none at 12.106. At night, 12.106 comes in perfectly but not 12.113 and sometimes not even 12.112. My receiver scanned-in Montana PBS as 12.110V 2398. I found the custom higher sample rates seem to act as additional buffering and reduce the occurrences of SQ drops to zero. I also insure I check the Weather Underground Nexrad local radar maps for all the DVB-S2 sites from AMC-21 before a viewing session. I don't like surprises. Those would be for Bozeman, Oklahoma City and Baton Rouge. Even PBS East and West SQs can drop below signal threshold if weather around Washington DC is poor. I learned this radar map trick from years of dealing with DirecPC and DirecWay as my only source of broadband Internet. My local weather is cloud-free typically 300 days a year, so the problems of low SQs for AMC-21 is most always due to uplink weather. Last night for the Montana PBS Britcoms, I had SQs ranging from 50% to 60% and by carefully selecting one of my custom TPs, I ended up with decent video. The problem is there is no way to predict which TP will do the best job on any given day. To have only one TP in your channel list and expect decent video for Montana PBS is asking too much until those uplink transmitters are replaced.

I've been tell people here all along that it sounded like the uplink was having problems. They need to put in a request to replace at least one of the 2 x-mitters ASAP. Maybe grant hunting time.

 

[whatchel1]

Is 100K a reasonable price?

YES, neither x-mitters or uplinks are cheap.