Need Sat to start with from N.A.

[delta_charlie]

Tricks to figure out what satellite I'm on?

Hi all, my new FTA system came in on Friday and now I'm trying to get it to work.

Peaked the dish at something around AMC 3 87 W but I can't find any video channels. Found audio on a channel called AAFES.

Ran a power scan and here are some of what the receiver found:
11820/V/30031
12011/V/14391
12025/V/3984
12030/V/3984
12060/V/26719

Any ideas on what satellite I'm on?

My receiver is the Fortec Star Mercury II, I'm having trouble figuring out how to use it. What is the best way to select channels after running a scan? It seems to have lots of channels in memory and I can't find any that work.

Thanks, DC

 

[gabshere]

sounds like 89w

pick a transponder from the list or one stored in the mercury for 87w and slowly adjust your dish until you get the signal from that transponder

 

[delta_charlie]

Hi all, what would be a good FTA satellite to start with for someone that is near Orlando Florida?

Something that has some open channels that are easy to ID would help a lot.

Thanks, DC

 

[Mr Tony]

G11

the 12060/V/26719 gives it away (thats where the 3 color bars channels are)

 

[Mr Tony]

Hi all, what would be a good FTA satellite to start with for someone that is near Orlando Florida?

Something that has some open channels that are easy to ID would help a lot.

Thanks, DC

well according to thelist, your true south is Nimiq2, which is a circular satellite

What I would so is use AMC9 at 83W as your true south. You have to move the motor a little bit as Orlando is at 81.4 degrees west. In the receiver, set up the motor for USALS. Input your lat/longitude (again, check thelist at top if you don't know your latitude) and make the motor move to 83 FIRST.

Select AMC9 and make sure one of these transponders are in there
freq/polarity/symbol rate
12140 V 30000
12160 H 30000
12180 V 30000

they're data transponders but will give you a good signal to lock

 

[delta_charlie]

well according to thelist, your true south is Nimiq2, which is a circular satellite

What I would so is use AMC9 at 83W as your true south. You have to move the motor a little bit as Orlando is at 81.4 degrees west. In the receiver, set up the motor for USALS. Input your lat/longitude (again, check thelist at top if you don't know your latitude) and make the motor move to 83 FIRST.

Hi Iceberg and the group, Thanks for the info. So far I'm not having much luck. Last night I did try to setup on Nimiq2 and found it ok but my motor seemed to have a mind of it's own as soon as I hooked the receiver up to the motor it went nuts and would move all over the place. It was also quite heavy and looked like it was flexing my mast so I decided to take it out of the picture for now. I will take another look at the motor in the future.

For now all I want to do is lock on to one good satellite and enjoy some video and audio.

Decided to try and find Galaxy 25 and peaked the dish on something in that general direction. I found a few audio channels and have one on now named Thuthi FM-Tamil. Found 3 strong frequencies:

11715/V/22016
11904/H/8688
12090/H/20000
The signal level is around 85%
and the Signal Quality around 27%

I check LyngSat for any match as best I could but could not find any frequencies that match from 87W to 99W. Maybe I just do not understand how to read the frequencies.

I think I will take my 13 inch TV up on the roof tonight and try to find G25.

Any tips on what would be the best transponder to try and lock onto using the receivers meter instead of the small inline unit that came with my kit would really help. My main problem seems to be figuring out what satellite I'm on. Finding a signal with the inline meter is easy but I have no idea what satellite it is.

Thanks, DC

 

[Mr Tony]

Thats G25...make sure to skew the LNB (twist it)

check thelist at the top and put in your info. It will tell you the skew for G25

Otherwise you can try AMC5 which is at 79W and near your true south

 

[delta_charlie]

Got it sorted out, it is working now!

Hi all, Thanks for all the replies and info. I got it sorted out Saturday night.

I will post a new update with more info and pictures.

Take care, DC

 

[delta_charlie]

Got it working, TV on the roof did the trick!

Hi all, the install of my first FTA dish was an interesting learning experience but I got it working Saturday evening. I think my main mistake was trying to set the dish using only the inline meter that came with my kit. It may be good for getting the dish on a satellite quickly but I was not able to figure out what satellite I was on. Decided to carry my small 13 TV and the satellite receiver up onto the roof and that made all the difference. Finding and setting the audio ping meter in the receiver on then cranking up the volume way up on the little TV really helped. Selecting a transponder from the receivers memory for the satellite I was trying to find did the trick. I found G25 and peaked on it. I found that mast flex made setting the dish quite a challenge. I had to peak above the satellite then let the dish settle. after some trial and error I got solid signal for G25.

A few things I had not thought about before I decided to use the existing mast was the lack of stiffness and the very hard to access LNB. I have to stand on the last step of a tall step ladder to get to the LNB. After this weekend I can see the advantage of setting up the dish in a different spot. If you look at the first picture there is a window in the back ground. I'm thinking if I install a much larger and stiffer mast to the right of the window I would be able to reach the LNB from the roof instead of the ladder. The plan would be to install the motor drive at the same time as the new stiff mast and then I could swing the dish to the east when I need to reach the LNB.

Well, I'm off to a good start and enjoyed checking out some of the interesting video and audio channels on G25.

Got to run, DC

 

[Lak7]

I see a Motor in your future. LOL

 

[nags]

I normally use a portable dvd player to do the same thing. Just a little more convenient than even a small TV.

 

[jayelem]

............ you have the kind of roof that most people don't mind climbing up onto , sweet.

 

[Tron]

Once again, the small TV and DVB receiver out at the dish site saves the day That is really the best way to tweak a dish without putting down $400 or more on a positive ID meter.

 

[phlatwound]

Congrats on your progress, d-c!

 

[iafirebuff]

CONGRATS! I too used to mount my dishes on my shed roof. Once I set one up on a pole at ground level - WOW! I got spoiled real fast

 

[Sadoun]

Congrats on your success. If you can install the dish at a lower level or even at ground level, it is much better, easier to work with, and safer.