SES15 at 129W - is anything there?

[Pepper]

I am in need for someone who has an antenna pointed at 129, Ku band, to tell me if anything is there. Lyngsat says 12122 H 17000 should be Reuters Live.

I have cobbled a linear LNBF onto the 129 position of my Superdish/Dish1000+ but for the life of me I can't get anything no matter how much adjusting I do to it. Before I waste more time on this, I'm hoping someone will tell me whether something is there or not. I'm still doing this the old fashioned way, I don't have any sort of signal meter other than putting in values for a known transponder and seeing if my receiver will lock it. Maybe 10 degrees off center for a SuperDish is ok for DBS-band but not good enough for Ku.

 

[comfortably_numb]

Maybe 10 degrees off center for a SuperDish is ok for DBS-band but not good enough for Ku.

Likely the case.

 

[cyberham]

Reuters as shown on Lyngsat is the only transponder that will scan in on a blind scan. I don't see any data transponders now at least in the 11700 to 12900 MHz range. I don't have a universal LNB installed so I can't scan below 11700 MHz.

I don't think an LNB 10 degrees off focus is going to work for this satellite. If you can't find 129W, try for 123W. There are several active transponders on it as shown on Lyngsat.

 

[comfortably_numb]

What size is a SuperDish?

 

[Keith Brannen]

Besides the "normal" North American beam, SES15 has 46 spot beams. I get 4 data transponders (ex. 11709 V 55226, 11770 V 55226, etc.). So you may get some in your area. All are stronger than 12122 H 17000.

10 degrees off-centre would be a no-go in my opinion. I am using a 60e dish (on-centre) and have noticed lately that the signal is not as strong as it was just a month or so ago (getting pixelation a lot of times). Already tried a re-point, could be foliage in the distance.

 

[Pepper]

Thanks guys!

I already have another SuperDish centered on 117 with 123 right next to it. If it's just the one channel on 129, unless it's got some really good stuff I want to see, it will have to wait.

SuperDish is oval 24h x 33.5w.

 

[cyberham]

...If it's just the one channel on 129, unless it's got some really good stuff I want to see, it will have to wait....

Reuters is good for having a well-placed camera w/audio to view world events as they happen. Live feeds go on for hours at times. For example, this morning they have a camera covering the Israel protest by the largest union demanding hostages be released. No commentator just live video/audio of the speeches (presumably in Hebrew). Better than being there due to the changing camera angles.

 

[Pepper]

Reuters is good for having a well-placed camera w/audio to view world events as they happen. Live feeds go on for hours at times. For example, this morning they have a camera covering the Israel protest by the largest union demanding hostages be released. No commentator just live video/audio of the speeches (presumably in Hebrew). Better than being there due to the changing camera angles.

Success! DirecTV slimline, with a universal LNBF. Looks pretty weird due to the 47.7 degree skew.

They are showing an outdoor view of a city with smoke. I'm guessing it's Gaza.

 

[cyberham]

I assume it's Gaza too. They run that cam overnight. When news happens, they interrupt to show live feeds. You don't need a universal LNB unless you want to scan for data tps below 11700 MHz. But if that's what is available, it's good to use.

 

[Pepper]

I assume it's Gaza too. They run that cam overnight. When news happens, they interrupt to show live feeds. You don't need a universal LNB unless you want to scan for data tps below 11700 MHz. But if that's what is available, it's good to use.

Yep, that's just what was left in my pile of LNBFs. For some reason the universals seem easier to find and less expensive than standard. Also, since it's only one transponder and one polarity, I can use an old DirecTV SWM splitter to distribute it (at least for now, maybe someday there's more activity on 129). For the others I'm using Zinwell 4x3 13V/18V splitters into a 8x1 DiSEqC 1.1 switch.

 

[comfortably_numb]

I'm surprised you can pick it up with a Slimline dish. Isn't this feed DVB-S2 8PSK?

 

[cyberham]

I'm surprised you can pick it up with a Slimline dish. Isn't this feed DVB-S2 8PSK?

It is DVB-S2 8PSK but only 3/5 FEC. So locking threshold is 5.5 dB. Now some crowd shots of the large Israel protest again.

 

[Pepper]

I'm surprised you can pick it up with a Slimline dish. Isn't this feed DVB-S2 8PSK?

I'm not 100% sure on the DirecTV specs, but the Slimline is just a bit smaller than a SuperDish and takes a variety of multi-LNB assemblies on the end of it. I do know some of DirecTV's satellites are standard Ku vs DBS/DSS band, so I'm guessing one of those is probably what their center LNB would point at. Just like Dish, back in the day they ran out of capacity on the DBS band and had to get creative with FSS satellites and bigger antennas.

And I did replace the DirecTV LNB assembly with a normal one. If I could figure out how to make their stuff work which actually fits the dish without modification, that would be nice. But my expertise at electronic modification ain't that good.

It's actually getting a fantastic signal, just wish I understood Hebrew (Bibi Netanyahu is speaking currently).