OTHER New to fta have a few questions

[breynold76]

Typically, the most difficult channels to receive reliably are:
- PBS (HD feeds, World Channel, FNX) on 125W
- NBC Feeds and Cozi on 103 W (NHK and RT are MUCH easier)
- LPB (PBS Louisiana) on 87W

I'm actually quite impressed that you were able to get NBC on 103 with a Slimline. For a first try, that's really great!

I think you should be able to get 125 and 103 with that Digiwave dish. Like others have said, the Maverick LNBF is very good. I have one that's a few years old and still working perfectly. LPB on 87 should be ok too, but might be a bit borderline.

If you have a clear view on the South East, an interesting challenge from your location is Hispasat at 30W. It has a good variety of channels, mostly in Spanish and in Arabic.

Have fun!

I knew from everything I read on here that fta is much harder to get than direct or dish. I just laid the lnb on the dish and it got a signal. This is probably why the signal kept disappearing. I must have just got lucky the first time as now that I have the lnb secured to the dish I get nothing.

I was thinking about trying for 30w because I have less trees that way than at 97w. I have an app on my phone for azimuth but it seems to jump all over the place. What is the best way to get somewhat close to 30w to start with so I don't have to spend as much time searching for the signal? Could I get a false positive from an adjacent satellite?

 

[Brct203]

I knew from everything I read on here that fta is much harder to get than direct or dish. I just laid the lnb on the dish and it got a signal. This is probably why the signal kept disappearing. I must have just got lucky the first time as now that I have the lnb secured to the dish I get nothing.

I was thinking about trying for 30w because I have less trees that way than at 97w. I have an app on my phone for azimuth but it seems to jump all over the place. What is the best way to get somewhat close to 30w to start with so I don't have to spend as much time searching for the signal? Could I get a false positive from an adjacent satellite?

I also use some apps on my phone. And they are barely usable because on mine too the compass keeps jumping in all directions (I tried with 4 phones, both Apple and Android). However I think they give a fairly accurate elevation.

Also, I don't know if it's the same on your new dish, but on all the dishes I have, the elevation marks on the mount are a bit inaccurate. It will depend of course on the LNBF mount, but it's not uncommon to be off by a few degrees. Of course the mast must be plumb, which is easy in theory but the weight of the dish can easily make a difference of a few degrees. In my opinion, the easiest way to find satellites is to set the approximate elevation and skew on the dish, set the receiver on a known transponder that is easy to receive (the one with NHK on 103 is a great one, also the one with the Jewish channel on 99W and CCTV on 95W. and then move the dish side to side in the approximate direction until you lock on the transponder. If you don't find it, change the elevation by 1 degree and try again, etc. Once you have fond one satellite, between 87W and 125W it's fairly easy to hop from one to the next by making small adjustments to the azimuth and smaller adjustments to the elevation and skew.

Hispasat 30W is a bit isolated from the crowd, so it's not like you can point to a nearby satellite and hop to 30W. While in my case it's not so low (from CT it's about 25 degrees elevation), I still find it somewhat hard to locate. If you have one of those cheap satellite pointer things (under $10, with a meter and an audio tone), which can be useful, be aware that they also give a sound similar to a satellite signal when the dish is pointed at obstacles. So trees and surrounding buildings can give the impression that you are aiming at something where there's actually no satellite.

 

[phlatwound]

Have you tried dishpointer.com?

Your new dish will have 20-some degrees of offset, so it will look like it is almost aiming into the ground when "looking" 14 degrees above the horizon.

Here's a couple of pics where I am aiming a fixed offset dish at 30W from the Springfield MO-area, about 12.2 degrees of elevation here.

 

[a33]

What is the best way to get somewhat close to 30w to start with so I don't have to spend as much time searching for the signal?

I find the sun method very usefull.
I guess it is explained several time in this forum, for instance here?: Pointing Ku dish using Sun, not compass

I always use the website mentioned in this post (sorry, in Dutch!): Berekening op welk uur de zon precies op 23.5 gr en 19.2 gr staat - Schotelpark - Sat4all
(The fields you have to fill in, are mentioned in the post.)

That way, your azimuth is spot on, and you only have to find the right elevation.
And, of course, you and the sun must be at you dish at the right moment.

greetz,
A33

 

[breynold76]

I find the sun method very usefull.
I guess it is explained several time in this forum, for instance here?: Pointing Ku dish using Sun, not compass

I always use the website mentioned in this post (sorry, in Dutch!): Berekening op welk uur de zon precies op 23.5 gr en 19.2 gr staat - Schotelpark - Sat4all
(The fields you have to fill in, are mentioned in the post.)

That way, your azimuth is spot on, and you only have to find the right elevation.
And, of course, you and the sun must be at you dish at the right moment.

greetz,
A33

Thank you for the link. I will read up on this while I wait for the dish to be delivered.

 

[breynold76]

Have you tried dishpointer.com?View attachment 127585 View attachment 127586

Your new dish will have 20-some degrees of offset, so it will look like it is almost aiming into the ground when "looking" 14 degrees above the horizon.

Here's a couple of pics where I am aiming a fixed offset dish at 30W from the Springfield MO-area, about 12.2 degrees of elevation here.

On dishpointer I moved the red marker to my neighbors roof since that is what would be in the way. It says d=68 and H=17. I assume that means at 68 feet away the obstruction can be no more than 17ft high?

 

[FTA4PA]

On dishpointer I moved the red marker to my neighbors roof since that is what would be in the way. It says d=68 and H=17. I assume that means at 68 feet away the obstruction can be no more than 17ft high?

That is correct but double check what units it is measuring in. When I use my pc it shows feet but on my tablet it uses meters.

 

[breynold76]

I received my dish and am in the process of putting it together and getting it installed. There was one thing I forgot to ask is about power lines. there are 3 small diameter wires for electric and 2 large diameter wires for cable tv and att phone/ internet. will these be a problem or will the signal make its way around the wires. If it will then I will forget about 30w and just go for 97w.

 

[KE4EST]

You should be okay. I would go 97W first though as it is easier and then move to others.

 

[breynold76]

How exact does the level of the pole have to be. And from which direction does it need to be level.
It seems that when I get it level on the side then it's not level on the top. I'm not sure if it's supposed to be this way or I'm doing something wrong.

 

[Arion]

Top photo is way off. I wouldn't be comfortable with even a half bubble off. The time spent now to get it right will save you headaches later. Level it across the top all the way around and it will be close on the sides unless the pole is bent.

 

[breynold76]

Is this good or do i need to get closer to the center.

 

[harshness]

For your long-term sanity, the pole must be absolutely vertical (bubble exactly in the center between the lines). You would do well not to have the sticker under the level when you make your measurements.

Remember that your target is 22,000 miles away.

 

[breynold76]

For your long-term sanity, the pole must be absolutely vertical (bubble exactly in the center between the lines). You would do well not to have the sticker under the level when you make your measurements.

Remember that your target is 22,000 miles away.

I wonder if the pole is bent. I got it mostly level on the top. And if I go to the front and the back it's perfectly level but on the left and right side it is off by quite a bit. This is going below the tape and the sticker.

 

[bpalone]

Is the top straight? Personally, I have always gone with using the sides. If you think the pipe is bent, you can check it on a FLAT piece of concrete. Roll it across it while watching for it for bends. Spend the extra time to get it as close to true vertical as you possibly can. Will save a lot of hair pulling later.

 

[breynold76]

I should have checked the pole before I started. The pole says 1.5 inch diameter, the guy at the hardware store says it was 1 5/8 inch and I assumed that would fit. This pole is much larger than the opening on the back of the dish.

 

[zack]

I wonder if the pole is bent. I got it mostly level on the top. And if I go to the front and the back it's perfectly level but on the left and right side it is off by quite a bit. This is going below the tape and the sticker.

The top has been machined and is most likely not square! Remove the tape and sticker, then get the bubble in the middle on all sides!

 

[harshness]

I was concerned when I saw the tapered pipe thread. My guess is that it is 1-1/2" pipe that is 1.900" OD.

What you need for 1-5/8" is a 1-5/8" steel "line post". Some examples are Home Depot part numbers are Model# 328922DPT or Model# 328920DPT. Measure it before you leave.

The aforementioned posts are 16 gauge so if you get a lot of wind, you might need to step up a bit in wall thickness.

 

[waylew]

First,pipe is measured by the inside diameter,not the outside.
Second,bullet levels are notoriously inaccurate,especially cheap ones,get yourself a decent level,at least 2',with a magnet to hold it to the pipe,it will make your life easier.
Third,to "plumb" the pole attach the level to the side of the pipe and adjust the pipe til the bubble is centered.Rotate the level 90 degrees around the pipe and check/adjust again,rinse and repeat til both planes are plumb.
To check the truth of the level,rotate the level 180 degrees,if the bubbles still agree with each other,you're good to go.

 

[harshness]

First,pipe is measured by the inside diameter,not the outside.

This is a false statement.

Pipe is measured by pipe size which is neither ID nor OD (below 14"). For a given pipe size, the OD is constant (and measures larger than the size through 12") but the wall thickness (and with the the ID) changes based on the schedule.

1-1/2" pipe is always 1.900" in outer diameter regardless of the schedule. The wall thickness on 1-1/2" pipe ranges from .065" for schedule 5 to .400" for XXH pipe. As it turns out for 1-1/2" schedule 80 pipe, the ID is 1-1/2" (1.900 - 2x.200 = 1.5) but that doesn't translate to other pipe sizes.

Conduit outer diameters are mostly the same as pipe outer diameters.

Tubing is measured by OD and wall thickness.