NASA-HD On G13

[BigRyan]

Ok, one more thing, On my true south satellite with the WSI NS741 I have the skew (I thought at zero) How ever NOW I'm confused (as normal) about where the Zero should be. Vertical and Horizontal TPs always match everything online though and I seem to remember checking into this before and being told (or reading) that "0" is at 90 degrees. Now why would that be?

So Zero is like this image looking at front of dish at true south:

 

[BigRyan]

Ok, this is why I have it like that >>> http://www.satelliteguys.us/xen/threads/where-is-the-reference-for-ns741-c-ku-lnb-skew.310022/

 

[waylew]

For the servo control, I'm guessing this is a mod or something I would have to build?

It would mean replacing your LNBF with a polarotor type feedhorn that uses separate LNBs.You would also need a means to control the servo to change polarity and adjust skew,such as an ASC1,old 4DTV or analog receiver.

 

[Titanium]

Alright so the signal for you is a little better today then yesterday and I seem to have a picture today.
Also by that screen cap It appears it can be hard to discern the desired signal from the undesired similar signals.
For the servo control, I'm guessing this is a mod or something I would have to build?
Thanks for always helping me out, I'm such a simple guy, grew up pulling engines out of cars with a come-along and a tree in the back yard. Hard to believe I have learned what I have, lol!

No, the SNR for these three transponders on my system was actually lower today than yesterday.

The Chaparral Corotor feedhorn is an example of a servo polarity control. As Waylew points out, a controller is necessary to rotate the polarity servo motor.

 

[(((Garyd)))]

Being a 6' not 2 degree compliant so prone to adjacent satellite interference,maybe something has changed on the "side"sats.Also with 6',less signal to combat "noise",possibly terrestrial interference has increased in your area.Just some thoughts.

It would mean replacing your LNBF with a polarotor type feedhorn that uses separate LNBs.You would also need a means to control the servo to change polarity and adjust skew,such as an ASC1,old 4DTV or analog receiver.

Well why not, go that way, at least you can fine tune your skew, it will make a huge difference if another bird's side lobe is the issue, and you do have them with that size dish i would go that way, and then you can also check your feed is dead center to the dish, i had made a custom 5 pound brass tool to fit over feeds with a SS pointer coming out don't work if you have a button hook setup but i sold thousands of fixed 6 foot dishes to get the Portuguese on c-band I bought them for dirt cheap they where made for a G1 package before DBS miss those days bought 50 a week, was reselling them to smaller dealers in Mass, and NJ. learned to get the max signal out of a 6 foot dish also string your dish to make sure its not warped

 

[BigRyan]

Well why not, go that way, at least you can fine tune your skew, it will make a huge difference if another bird's side lobe is the issue, and you do have them with that size dish i would go that way, and then you can also check your feed is dead center to the dish, i had made a custom 5 pound brass tool to fit over feeds with a SS pointer coming out don't work if you have a button hook setup but i sold thousands of fixed 6 foot dishes to get the Portuguese on c-band I bought them for dirt cheap they where made for a G1 package before DBS miss those days bought 50 a week, was reselling them to smaller dealers in Mass, and NJ. learned to get the max signal out of a 6 foot dish also string your dish to make sure its not warped

Ok checked the LNBf center in the dish, but it's hard to get it just right because it only has one screw. What do you think about drilling and taping two more holes so I could have three retaining screws. I could then put the LNBf more in the center. Right now where I have it for best signal quality it looks way off. I keep thinking there has to be a better solution for collimating and focusing a dish. I always try to compare my satellite dish to my dobsonian and schmidt cassegrain telescope designs. I would love to see a focuser design for hobbyist, I might try to build one like a rack and pinion style.

Also could you elaborate on stringing my dish to make sure its not warped?

 

[BigRyan]

No, the SNR for these three transponders on my system was actually lower today than yesterday.

The Chaparral Corotor feedhorn is an example of a servo polarity control. As Waylew points out, a controller is necessary to rotate the polarity servo motor.

Oh, I was confused yet again, when I was a cable installer we where taught the SNR should be 32 or better meaning the higher the number the better. I guess I saw the chart you posted and didn't realize those where negative numbers on the chart. I have given up trying to get NASA back, and have accepted the fact that it's gone. It has to be my neighbors tree. I would talk to him but he isn't a real people person if you know what I mean. The rest of the arc is good, its not my dish, there might be less power on the transponder but I should be able to pick them up with a six foot dish, after all I have for years. I'm now looking for another dish and have posted this thread >> http://www.satelliteguys.us/xen/threads/digiwave-2-4-meter-dwd240t.369434/ to see what people think. I plan to place the new one (or swap them) further back so I will have no problems in the future.

 

[(((Garyd)))]

Ok checked the LNBf center in the dish, but it's hard to get it just right because it only has one screw. What do you think about drilling and taping two more holes so I could have three retaining screws. I could then put the LNBf more in the center. Right now where I have it for best signal quality it looks way off. I keep thinking there has to be a better solution for collimating and focusing a dish. I always try to compare my satellite dish to my dobsonian and schmidt cassegrain telescope designs. I would love to see a focuser design for hobbyist, I might try to build one like a rack and pinion style.

Also could you elaborate on stringing my dish to make sure its not warped?

Sure, one screw does push the feed to one side, that is why i made the special tool which goes over the feed and is grabbing the feed, you can wrap metal tape around the feed so its a hard fit, early feeds with LNBs had no screw one piece, for that reason then they got cheap, when I was doing the fixed dishes i used lnbfs that had the feed built into them, can't buy those now, they were only 40 degree ones getting the bull's eye helps a lot.

How to string a dish get some mason line string, tie it to the bottom of the pole of your dish mount put a large nut on the end and throw it over the dish, now tie it to the pole very tie so you now have a string going vertical over the front of the dish, it will be in front of the feed.

Next take some string and tie it to the mount behind the dish, walk over the the other side of the dish and hold it in your hand tie, it should just touch the vertical string.
Now redo the string only this time move the string on the other side of the vertical string, again it should just touch the vertical string if it does not you don't have a parabolic dish, and your losing a lot of signal i always did that before i started to adjust the dish about 2 out of 10 where messed up had to take apart the dish and put it back together to get it right
maybe someone has a video of one, try it with a large dinner plate and some thread
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=how+to+string+a+C-band+satellite+dish
think of it as a throwing a flash light on something, only your not right on the item you want to see, but you are throwing some light, the big question is why not do it right and put it on the bird you want, that distance from space, a C hair off means a lot, you learn get the most out of a dish by thinking what else can i do well moving the lnbf in the feed in and out and looking at the receiver's signal level for a digital receiver, and what ever makes it happy is what you want when your looking for one important channel like you are once i did real nice job for a small cable co, for the NASA CH get a call its dead come back 100 feet away on the building was a small cell phone tower, i told them sorry i did my job, i can't remove the cell tower, the dish is fine, total over load, crap i would not even walk near my dish unless the cell tower was off don't need to die of cancer

 

[BigRyan]

Sure, one screw does push the feed to one side, that is why i made the special tool which goes over the feed and is grabbing the feed, you can wrap metal tape around the feed so its a hard fit, early feeds with LNBs had no screw one piece, for that reason then they got cheap, when I was doing the fixed dishes i used lnbfs that had the feed built into them, can't buy those now, they were only 40 degree ones getting the bull's eye helps a lot.

How to string a dish get some mason line string, tie it to the bottom of the pole of your dish mount put a large nut on the end and throw it over the dish, now tie it to the pole very tie so you now have a string going vertical over the front of the dish, it will be in front of the feed.

Next take some string and tie it to the mount behind the dish, walk over the the other side of the dish and hold it in your hand tie, it should just touch the vertical string.
Now redo the string only this time move the string on the other side of the vertical string, again it should just touch the vertical string if it does not you don't have a parabolic dish, and your losing a lot of signal i always did that before i started to adjust the dish about 2 out of 10 where messed up had to take apart the dish and put it back together to get it right
maybe someone has a video of one, try it with a large dinner plate and some thread
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=how+to+string+a+C-band+satellite+dish

Going to try to do this,thanks for the help, I have never checked (or known about) this, I bet mine is way off because I put it together my self before I really knew much about them at all. Do you recommend putting the dish together on the ground or in the "birdbath" position?

 

[(((Garyd)))]

Going to try to do this,thanks for the help, I have never checked (or known about) this, I bet mine is way off because I put it together my self before I really knew much about them at all. Do you recommend putting the dish together on the ground or in the "birdbath" position?

birdbath... then all the weight is evenly pulled, but why not measure it first you may be lucky, 1/16 of a inch off is OK also if your dish has a rubber push on remove it when you do the test it would throw it off

 

[BigRyan]

So I have been saying trees could be a possible issue. Today we had a storm come trough with high winds. When the wind would blow the tree downward at times I would get NASA at 70% then back to 0%. I know now it has to be the neighbors tree. So, covert ops will be required... Mobilize operation falcon, immediately.

 

[(((Garyd)))]

So I have been saying trees could be a possible issue. Today we had a storm come trough with high winds. When the wind would blow the tree downward at times I would get NASA at 70% then back to 0%. I know now it has to be the neighbors tree. So, covert ops will be required... Mobilize operation falcon, immediately.

I agree; sorry send me a Google view of your place and one of where your dish is, and take the shot with the dish on the NASA bird any chance it can go to another location send it to my most used email account diamondsatellite@snet.net
Gary

 

[KennyR]

Steady aim with a 243 rifle fixed tree top interference for me last week, I live in the country and no close neighbors though.

 

[(((Garyd)))]

Steady aim with a 243 rifle fixed tree top interference for me last week, I live in the country and no close neighbors though.

your lucky trust me not many people could do that

 

[Titanium]

We used to call it "shotgun pruning"! LOL

 

[BigRyan]

Well "operation falcon" was a decent success. Installed strand hooks on the 24' foot extension and utilized the cable company's strand. That plus my Pole Pruner extended all the way got it back at least. Like Eleanor Arroway's Dad (Well he was an Alien actually) said in Contact "This was just a first step. In time you'll take another." "Small moves, Ellie. Small moves." For now I have this at least!