Need help. No quality bar.

[hotshot12345]

Hi guys. I have a 39" dish, Sonicview SV-360 Elite receiver, SG2100 dish and a dual linear LNB.

Latitude: 47.4888°
Longitude: -122.3328°
Name: Moteck SG2100
Distance: 38148km
Motor Latitude: 47.5°
Declination Angle: 7.1°
Dish Elevation: 23°
Azimuth (true): 180.0°
Azimuth (mag.): 163.3° using Compass

My settings are:
Motor elevation: 47.5 (I set this on the latitude inclinometer)
Dish bracket angle: 23

So my mount is plumb. LNB is on a straight line. I pointed the motor and dish to 180 degrees (my true south). Then went into the receiver and selected Galaxy 18 (123 W). This is where I have to idea what to do. I'm only getting a strength bar but not a quality bar.

Just updated the firmware from the SonicViewUSA website as well.

Thanks for the help

 

[upnatm]

Hi Hotshot,

I don't think transponder 11720 is active, try instead; 11732 H 13240 Auto. I just tried it on my
AZbox and got 60% Q, and found the Veteran's Affairs channel. You might have to
enter the TP manually. Once it's in, try moving the dish around for stronger signals.

I was just playing with a similar setup, I used USALS to get the dish pointing close to
my target sat, then switched to DiSEqC to zero in on a strong signal. Then saved sat
position, went back to USALS and selected GoTo (123w in your case). I then went to
the dish and rotated it on the pole until I got the signal back.

This only works if you have the elevations set correctly on both the dish and motor
elev. adjustments.
I'm only 1/2 a degree further north than you, my motor elev. is at 48°, but my
dish elev. is set at 41°. I think maybe you're pointed too low to see any sats.

Good luck, let us know how this works out for you.

 

[hotshot12345]

Hi Hotshot,

I don't think transponder 11720 is active, try instead; 11732 H 13240 Auto. I just tried it on my
AZbox and got 60% Q, and found the Veteran's Affairs channel. You might have to
enter the TP manually. Once it's in, try moving the dish around for stronger signals.

I was just playing with a similar setup, I used USALS to get the dish pointing close to
my target sat, then switched to DiSEqC to zero in on a strong signal. Then saved sat
position, went back to USALS and selected GoTo (123w in your case). I then went to
the dish and rotated it on the pole until I got the signal back.

This only works if you have the elevations set correctly on both the dish and motor
elev. adjustments.
I'm only 1/2 a degree further north than you, my motor elev. is at 48°, but my
dish elev. is set at 41°. I think maybe you're pointed too low to see any sats.

Good luck, let us know how this works out for you.

Thanks man. Dishpointer say to set the dish angle at 23 degrees. I live in Burien, next to Seattle, WA. Did you get your 41 degrees from dishpointer too?

BTW, So basically now I have to aim the set up at 180 degrees, go to the receiver, set the transponder, use the function "go to sat position," and then adjust the dish to get the signal?

 

[migold]

Your longitude is 122.3 W, so your closest true south satellite is 123W. So pointing true south, you should almost be on 123W. I have difficulty using magnetic compass in my location, so I locate the North Star at night and determine true south from that. Good Luck!

 

[Mr Tony]

11720 was the old Equity transponder (RIP ) that hasnt been around for 2 years now (damn cant believe its been that long)

 

[hotshot12345]

1. Dishpointer wants me to set the motor elevation/altitude angle at 47.5 degrees. While the instruction booklet for the motor says that for latitude of 47, I should have the motor elevation angle at 43?
2. I rechecked the pole. Picture 1 is the measurement I used when I mounted it and this is the after picture. However, when I check the other side of the pole, it seems like the measurement is about 1.5 degrees off? Is this acceptable?

 

[SatelliteAV]

I would take a few minutes to get that post PERFECTLY plumb before wasting time trying to compensate for the error and end up fixing it later.

Tracking the arc of satellites becomes increasingly difficult if the pole is not plumb. 1.5 degrees may not seem like much, but since you are aiming at a satellite 23,000 miles away even a fraction of a degree will greatly effect the signal quality.

Set the motor LATITUDE scale to match your install location latitude, 47.5. Set it, forget it and move to the next step.

 

[hotshot12345]

I would take a few minutes to get that post PERFECTLY plumb before wasting time trying to compensate for the error and end up fixing it later.

Tracking the arc of satellites becomes increasingly difficult if the pole is not plumb. 1.5 degrees may not seem like much, but since you are aiming at a satellite 23,000 miles away even a fraction of a degree will greatly effect the signal quality.

Set the motor LATITUDE scale to match your install location latitude, 47.5. Set it, forget it and move to the next step.

Thanks. What do you think of picture 1 vs 2 though? I mean it's really weird because one side is pretty plumb it seems like and the other side is not so much.

 

[upnatm]

Hi again,

Pics 1 vs 2, I noticed you flipped the gauge over to it's other magnetic surface, instead of rotating it around the pole.
There is either a flaw in the pole, or in the tool itself. I'd tend to doubt the accuracy of any small plastic measuring tools.
If you can't position yourself around to the other side to see the dial, use a mirror, and go for a happy medium between
the two readings. Take into account the reversed image in the mirror.
Better yet, get yourself a decent little "torpedo" level, you can see the bubble from either side, splitting the difference is much easier.

As for the 41° setting I got, that's where the reference marks were at, on my dish's elev. markings, after I tuned in on my southern sat.
DishPointer gave me an elev. of 34.9°, I don't know why there's a difference, maybe has to do with "declination offset" or something.

Step A; I used USALS to make the motor think it's pointing at my south sat, then turned off the dish positioner in antenna setup.

Step B; I then oriented my dish and motor by using landmarks I recognized from zooming in on my location with DishPointer.

All that was left to do was to raise and lower the dish on it's elev. pivot, while watching the STB's signal meter. Pivoting a bit at the pole helped too.

Once the signal meter starts jumping, zero in on maximum signal. Once maxed, snug up the clamp nuts.

I've found that after steps A and B are done fairly well, you can use USALS again to point at another sat, in order to use the stronger signals for aiming.
There is almost always one within about 10° on either side of your southern sat. Any further makes the tweaking of the dish a bit tougher.

I was rather lucky with that setup, my first sweep of the arc nailed everything Ku from 30°W to 125°W. The reason I've dismantled it, is because I had no success at pulling in DVB-S2 signals with it. My 10' C/Ku mesh is a good workhorse!

I hope my ramblings will help in some way, I need some sleep!

Cheers.

 

[hotshot12345]

Hi again,

Pics 1 vs 2, I noticed you flipped the gauge over to it's other magnetic surface, instead of rotating it around the pole.
There is either a flaw in the pole, or in the tool itself. I'd tend to doubt the accuracy of any small plastic measuring tools.
If you can't position yourself around to the other side to see the dial, use a mirror, and go for a happy medium between
the two readings. Take into account the reversed image in the mirror.
Better yet, get yourself a decent little "torpedo" level, you can see the bubble from either side, splitting the difference is much easier.

As for the 41° setting I got, that's where the reference marks were at, on my dish's elev. markings, after I tuned in on my southern sat.
DishPointer gave me an elev. of 34.9°, I don't know why there's a difference, maybe has to do with "declination offset" or something.

Step A; I used USALS to make the motor think it's pointing at my south sat, then turned off the dish positioner in antenna setup.

Step B; I then oriented my dish and motor by using landmarks I recognized from zooming in on my location with DishPointer.

All that was left to do was to raise and lower the dish on it's elev. pivot, while watching the STB's signal meter. Pivoting a bit at the pole helped too.

Once the signal meter starts jumping, zero in on maximum signal. Once maxed, snug up the clamp nuts.

I've found that after steps A and B are done fairly well, you can use USALS again to point at another sat, in order to use the stronger signals for aiming.
There is almost always one within about 10° on either side of your southern sat. Any further makes the tweaking of the dish a bit tougher.

I was rather lucky with that setup, my first sweep of the arc nailed everything Ku from 30°W to 125°W. The reason I've dismantled it, is because I had no success at pulling in DVB-S2 signals with it. My 10' C/Ku mesh is a good workhorse!

I hope my ramblings will help in some way, I need some sleep!

Cheers.

The 41 deg, you mean the motor elevation angle right? The motor's booklet has 48 latitude with motor angle of 42.

I do have a question about dishpointer.com though. When I put my address in, the green line runs straight down my house. But the compass wants me to go west a little bit.

 

[Mikey11]

leave the pole as it is for now....install your motor and dish assembly....after you get the motor/dish aimed properly towards your southern satellite and all the bolts snugged then you need to check and see if the MOTORS BRACKET is level....this is more important than the pole itself....

if the motors bracket is not level then you need to adjust the pole until the motors bracket is level....

set the motors LATITUDE SCALE to your latitude and leave it alone.....never change this setting again...

you need to make sure you are selecting an active transponder while you are aiming....if you are not selecting an active transponder then you will NEVER get ANY signal quality....even if you ARE aimed correctly!!!

 

[upnatm]

The 41 deg, you mean the motor elevation angle right? The motor's booklet has 48 latitude with motor angle of 42.

I do have a question about dishpointer.com though. When I put my address in, the green line runs straight down my house. But the compass wants me to go west a little bit.

No, the 41° was on the dish's (Channel Master 90M-1 (36"x39")) scale (declination), not the motor's scale (elevation/latitude).
Because you're using a motor, the dish's scale is now called "declination".

Like Mikey says, set the motor's elev. scale to your lat. (47.5°) and leave it.

Start out with the declination scale (dish) at 40°, but don't cinch it tight, and set up the STB for an active TP on 123°W. (11732 H 13240 A).
Enter your geographic co-ordinates into USALS and click "go to position"

Now you go to the dish and tweak it around by hand to zero in on the signal. Do this slowly, as the signal meter in
the STB takes a moment to respond to any hits. You can adjust for "arc errors" later.

I just found your SG-2100's manual online ( hXXp://www.satcruiser.com/PubFiles/SG_2100.pdf ), you seem to be
getting confused by all the numbers and names you're seeing.
Relax, take a good breath, clear the cobwebs out and take a fresh look at the procedures.

I would trust DishPointer's directions, as they use true north for you. Your compass will point to magnetic
north, that's the discrepancy you're finding between the two.

Keep at it, you're getting close!

 

[SatelliteAV]

To many cooks will spoil the soup....... do not set the dish elevation angle to 40 degrees. The dish will be aimed far too high!!!

For an SG2100 set the motor Latitude scale to match your install location latitude -= 47.5 degrees.
Set the Dish elevation angle 23 degrees.

 

[upnatm]

Sorry SatelliteAV, I was just going by the scale on my dish after it was aimed.

I'm sitting at 48°N, and that's where my Stab-HH90 is set. The scale on the
Channel Master 90M-1 ended up at 41°. With it set like that, I was seeing from
30°W to 125°W and getting good Ku signals across the arc.

My apologies for being misleading, I was just passing along what I felt to be correct.

Now, let's get that HotShot12345 up and running.

 

[hotshot12345]

Alright so I took the motor out to do a fixed set up and nothing. Do you guys thing it's the receiver? I bought it new. I've seen some posts where Sonicview wouldn't get signal.

I wonder if there is a DTV receiver than can receive FTA signal? I may borrow one from someone I know if I can.

 

[hotshot12345]

Does it matter if the names of the satellites aren't up to date. For example, 123W actually says Galaxy 10R. I downloaded the firmware from sonicview website and updated already.

 

[phlatwound]

...I wonder if there is a DTV receiver than can receive FTA signal?

DTV receivers will not receive FTA.

Does it matter if the names of the satellites aren't up to date.

No, that does not matter. Your receiver does not "know", or care what satellite you are pointing at, or what name shows on the screen.

For instance, say you had the hot transponder info for 123W entered in your receiver, and you were on the menu page for 123W, like you are attempting right now.......

Well, you could be pointed at ANY other satellite, and if whatever sat you were pointing at had a hot tp with the same freq/polarity/symbol rate, it would lock the signal and you would get a good quality reading. Your receiver would be "telling you that it was pointed at 123W, but it isn't.

It is possible that there is something wrong with your receiver but from what you have posted so far that is an not obvious issue. I mean, it powers up, responds to your remote, pages through menus, etc, right?

Have you verified that your coax and connectors are good?

If you are attempting to set the dish up without a motor for now (not a bad idea) just to see if you can get that first signal, are you slowing sweeping the dish 10-15 degrees to either side of where you think your true south is, and varying your dish elevation slightly after each sweep?

 

[upnatm]

Hotshot, you haven't really given us many details about your dish.
Can you post a few pics?

Is it new, or used? Can you verify the LNB is at the focal point?

I've used three 1"sq. plastic mirrors with magnetic tape stuck to their backs,
placed them at various points on the pan, covered the LNB with tinfoil and
pointed the dish at the Sun to see where the reflections landed.
If the dish's geometry is correct, each mirror's reflection will hit the focal point.
This is where the LNB must be.

This reminds me of the "solar outage" method to do your aiming.
At a particular time of day, the Sun will be behind a certain satellite.
With an offset dish, you'll need to aim it a bit high to get the LNB's shadow to fall
on the bottom-center of the pan. At the right time, line up the shadow, snug up
the post clamp, tilt the dish onto the signal, record the number on the elev. scale.

Just some thoughts, they've worked for me.

 

[hotshot12345]

OK so right now I'm aiming for 97W on a fixed set up.
My settings are:
elevation = 30.1
Azimuth = 147.3
Skew = -21.4

LNB. I turned this clockwise.

Elevation. You can't see it but the number marking is for 30.

Satellite says intelsat but it is actually 97W


The next few pictures is me trying to show you guys the view from the dish to see if anything is blocking the way.

 

[FaT Air]

There's nothing in the way. The dish looks "offset degrees" up from the perpendicular of the face of the dish. You should be able to tweak the dish around, up/down and find it. (looking at dishpointer, I'd say you're very close in aim, I got Elevation:30.9° Azimuth: 149.7°) If you can't get Q, I'd be suspecting the 360. Have you ever had Q before, or after, loading the FW? Or with this LNBF? FWIW- Is it a single piece of coax, receiver to lnbf? Guess, if it was me, I'd be grabbin' my other, known working, receiver and LNBF, if I couldn't find it in 20 to 30 minutes.