new to FTA - Can't Get quality Signal

[rjc3895]

I have a Traxis 2500 DVB receiver hooked up to a Fortec Star 80cm dish with FortecStar signle lnb. Currently I'm getting a signal strength of 60-65 but I can't get a quality signal. I'm using a 75ft R6 cable connected from the LNB directly to the receiver. I'm pointing at Telstar 6 and I'm located in the just north of Baltimore, MD. If I'm getting at least a 60 stregth, I assume that the trees in my back yard aren't cauusing my problem.

I've tried turning the lnb for polarization, but nothing seems to work. Your help is greatly appreciated and I thank you in advance.

 

[TuxCoder]

That 60 signal strength is most likely just all noise and interference around you. I always get around 70 even when the dish isn't pointing anywhere near a satellite. Don't trust it to tell you if you're close or not. You'll know you're close when you get something briefly pop up on the quality scale. Then go back and bring quality in as high as you can get it.

 

[PSB]

What coordinates are you using to point the dish, Tux. is right forget signal strength and only look at the quality meter, enter the coordinates you are looking for set the dish to the correct angles for the satellite and point the dish until you see quality, move the dish very slowly and only a few millimeters at a time with a slight pause between moves. The LNBF should be as far away from the dish as you can get it to start with and it should also be straight up and down until you get quality only then is it worth moving.

I use the below to point at IA6 (T6)

May TV channel

12170 Freq.
V. Pol.
3003 S/R.

You will only see quality when you have a live channel entered, good luck!

 

[ken2400]

FYI
http://www.lyngsat.com/ia6.html

 

[rjc3895]

Thank you to everyone for the replies. I learned a lot. I still have no quality signal, but I didn't have much time to mess with it this weekend. I do have one more question about the signal strength/quality issue. Is the background noise that I'm picking up caused by my satellite being too low to the ground or is the height not that important? Curently my dish is pretty low to the ground. Could the background noise interfere with a quality signal? Thanks again for your help.

 

[PSB]

Nothing to do with being too low to the ground, as long as the dish can see the satellite you will be able to get quality! Don't give up!

 

[rjc3895]

Thanks again for the help. I learned that finding a quality signal with the Traxis 2500 is a lot like fishing. You can be at the right spot, but if you're not using the right bait, the fish won't bite. I got a "nibble" last night when I finally found a quality signal by adjusting my frequency; however, I could not get the signal to lock. But at least I know the fish are out are there.

 

[Mr Tony]

do you have a compass? They help out immensily when finding the satellites

 

[maddawg]

I suck at reading a compass, but was able to find T5 with a winegard 76cm dish. You need to move the dish in very small increments. It's not like finding Not much there to watch, but I do have a motor on order. PSB, one question for you. I live in Ontario, Canada but do not have a line of sight to my true southernly satellite at 79w. I can see bell expressvu at 82 and 91. Can I use something in that range as my true south satellite?

 

[TuxCoder]

I believe the best thing to do in that type of situation, kind of what I did, is point your motor to absolute true south, not just toward your true south satellite. Then use your receiver to move the motor to the nearest satellite you can pick up. If your equipment is USALS capable, it's much easier to set up. As long as the motor is pointed absolute true south, and you peak the dish for the nearest one to your south (that you can see), you shouldn't have much if any trouble getting all the rest of them in the arc.

 

[maddawg]

Thank TuxCoder. Now I need to figure out how to read a damn compass.

 

[TuxCoder]

And my statements above are assuming your mast is perfectly level, you've set all the scales properly with as much precision as you can, and that the LNB is vertical (0 skew). Once I corrected my mast and scales, I instantly was able to see all of the arc! My easternmost satellites had low signal though, until I went back a while later and peaked my dish.

Speaking of which, yesterday I got FOX News in at 45% (topping out at 50%) on my Pansat 2500A. That's the highest I've ever seen that transponder. It's usually around 30-35, confirmed by others.

 

[maddawg]

My mast is perfectly level. Whenever I receiver the motor, then my polarization will be set to 0. Well, I'm gonna try getting the the sat at 79w and see what happens. Hopefully the tree that's blocking my view will shed some more leaves.

 

[rjc3895]

My Traxis 2500

So I bought this thing before really researching FTA receivers (I bought it because it was cheap, and I get what I paid for ). Anyway, this question may be for Peter since I read a post were you programmed a Traxis 2500.

1)When I access the Antenna Installation menu, I select the Universal lnb
option. Do I need to change the default values for the lnb low/high frequencies or do I leave this alone?

2) I assume (using lyngsat.com) that I program all transponder frequencies, Symbol Rates, and Polarization via the Transponder Manager. Once I have entered this information, and I see that there is no quality signal, is this when I go out and start to adjust my dish and elevation ? I've used a compass to point to the satellite, so I know I'm in the right area ( I hope).

Any help would be greatly appreciated. This more challenging than setting up my Dish Network (but it's more fun.) Thanks.

 

[PSB]

1. Should not have to change anything as long as you are using a universal LNBF and choose Universal as your LNBF. It should say 09750 as your LNBF L.O. value.

2.You would enter the coordinates of a live channel/transponder in the antenna set up screen (Freq. Pol. S/R.) Then try to find the satellite by moving the dish until you see quality on the Quality meter, you will have to see the TV from the dish, get as much quality as you can, then do a scan.

The Traxis may not have the convenience of Blind scan but when you get it set up it has one of the best picture qualities I have seen, thats after all what we are after.

 

[PSB]

Are you sure its a universal LNBF? What does it say on it?

 

[rjc3895]

It's a FORTEC STAR Single Universal LNBF. I purchased one before I realized that one came with my Forec Star 80cm Dish. So I have two. Thanks for the information. My dish is currently in my back yard, and I can see my television from the dish.

Once I get the hang of this, I'll be OK. Thanks again.

 

[Tom Taylor]

Reasons for not getting a lock,
1. Dish is too high or low, you may be trying to lock on the wrong bird
2. polarity, your lnbf on the dish should be pointed to the direction that the dealer supplied you with in installation instructions.
3. The Doctor is in, look at my tuning tips for Doc Scott on my web site.
4. The Traxis is a good receiver with a sensitive tuner and IA 6 is a strong bird

 

[yooper.mi]

My trouble setting up was i didn't set receiver to known channel so i wasn't getting a quality reading, finally changed to a known channel & had quality signal. i had not moved the dish at all, it was all in setting the it to a known channel. once you get a signal, the fun begins. Lots of luck

 

[TuxCoder]

Sounds like you got lucky like I did. Well, we don't have to call it luck.