Me vs. Galaxy 11

[Rawmotion]

I'm having trouble getting a good signal from Galaxy 11 (91°W). I'm using a Winegard 76cm dish, which seems to pull good signals from other Ku band satellites just fine. It's just this one that is giving me trouble, especially at the weaker end of the Ku band. In the receiver, I can actually see the signal meter get lower and lower as I descend through the transponder list.

Another weird thing is that I am picking up Bell ExpressVu signals! According to Lyngsat, Bell is not transmitting linear Ku signals, only circular on Nimiq 1 -- so how am I picking up their stuff? Do they have transponders on G11?

 

[Diamond Jim]

Hang in there Rawmotion, the Calvery is on the way. G17 is scheduled to replace G11 in the near future. I can't remember the exact date, but it won't be long.

 

[qwert1515]

The standard LNB goes a little bit into the higher frequency range where circular broadcasts are transmitted. Also a smaller dish has a wide beam width and can see satellites to the side. (more on this below)

So you are picking up the strong circular signals. I have a Universal LNB which in this case is worse because it covers the whole circular band and if I do not stop the scan manual my scan will have all the circular signals. (a few hundred encrypted channels and it is annoying to go back and figure out which ones are FTA)

When I use my smaller dish, 36" and scan the linear 91 or 93 satellite I pick up circular signals from Nimiq @ 91, but with my 1.2 Meter dish I only pick up the circular signals when I am at the 91 location. This is because the beam width of a 1.2 meter dish is more narrow than the beam width of a 36" dish.

 

[Rawmotion]

When I use my smaller dish, 36" and scan the linear 91 or 93 satellite I pick up circular signals from Nimiq @ 91, but with my 1.2 Meter dish I only pick up the circular signals when I am at the 91 location. This is because the beam width of a 1.2 meter dish is more narrow than the beam width of a 36" dish.

Yeah, the 76cm dish is probably too small to get those weak signals. I noticed you're in L.A. Do you know a place in town where I can get a larger dish? It might be better to get it locally than to pay shipping on a large 1.2m dish.

 

[qwert1515]

Sorry but I don't know of any place locally, I have purchased all my FTA equipment from SatelliteAV, Sadoun and EBay (I know there are other members in Los Angeles and they might know of a place).

The shipping for the 1.2 Meter dish was about the same price as the price of the dish . However with my 36" dish I can pick up most signals on G11 (91 West) sometimes feeds are too weak.

A 36" or 39" dish is probably the best price vs. signal, but I really like my 1.2 Meter dish

 

[Tron]

Here's a good price on a 36" dish:

http://www.satelliteguys.us/973266-post7.html

 

[Anole]

L.A. area dish pickup

Yeah, the 76cm dish is probably too small to get those weak signals. I noticed you're in L.A. Do you know a place in town where I can get a larger dish? It might be better to get it locally than to pay shipping on a large 1.2m dish.

In early 2007, there was some discussion about Los Angeles area dealers.
This company came up, as a possibility: dishEXPERTS
The comments about them had something to do with friendly attitude and discount for cash.
Their web site doesn't list your 1.2m dish, but they are supposedly a dealer for 'em.
I would drive by and see if they could get a dish for you, and what the cost would be.

Alternately, we also discussed a little dealer out by Brea.
I actually went there, and didn't give it a very good review.
Certainly not for anyone wishing to order by internet nor phone.
However, if you were to go by for pickup and were happy with their hardware and price, they might be a second option.

edit: in looking for the link to the SkyTech outfit, I ran across this comment I made some time ago about the GeoSatPro 1.2m dish.
...and it's a seriously good point.

 

[Rawmotion]

in looking for the link to the SkyTech outfit, I ran across this comment I made some time ago about the GeoSatPro 1.2m dish.

I looked at this post, and noticed that the 85cm PrimeStar dish scored really well! These seem to be really great dishes to score if you're lucky. And they're fiberglass!

Prior to reading this post, I bought one of the 90cm dishes from 3abn.org. At $53 shipped, I couldn't resist. How can they offer them so inexpensively? Are they donated or something? The shipping alone must cost them $25, unless they have some deal worked out with UPS. Also they might be selling them at cost, because their intent is to get you to watch their channel and donate. I haven't received it yet, but I'll report the results I get vs. what I've been getting from the 76cm Winegard.

It seems the consensus is that they're Azure Shine dishes branded as 3ABN. Is that still the case?

 

[Anole]

My point was that the elevation adjustment on the GeoSatPro 1.2m dish only, was welll worth getting over the one contender, Fortec Star 1.2m.
That argument doesn't hold on any other sizes.

And I came to that conclusion after spending a lot of time with JsatTV as I recall.
He was putting up a dish in Canada, and having trouble adjusting his elevation.
Eventually with a bit of prodding, he made a very nice mod to his FS dish, and gave it a big elevation screw.
Apparently it was well worth the effort.

 

[KevinAPB]

Yeah and one is sitting in the box in my back yard right now.. Nice dish too..

Here's a good price on a 36" dish:

http://www.satelliteguys.us/973266-post7.html

 

[Tron]

Prior to reading this post, I bought one of the 90cm dishes from 3abn.org. At $53 shipped, I couldn't resist. How can they offer them so inexpensively? Are they donated or something? The shipping alone must cost them $25, unless they have some deal worked out with UPS. Also they might be selling them at cost, because their intent is to get you to watch their channel and donate. I haven't received it yet, but I'll report the results I get vs. what I've been getting from the 76cm Winegard.

It seems the consensus is that they're Azure Shine dishes branded as 3ABN. Is that still the case?

Just ordered another one myself, and yes, they're still the 90CM Azure Shine dishes. Reflector is the same as the 90CM Azure Shine offered by sponsor SatelliteAV, without SatelliteAV's improved paint job. The LNB support arms are different; The SatelliteAV version has a LNB support arm that bolts to the dish pole mount, and is supported on either side by reinforcement arms. The 3ABN version has both the main LNB support arm and reinforcement arms bolted directly to the dish reflector. I've installed both versions, and the matter of which is better comes down to personal preference.

 

[hiker]

Just ordered another one myself, and yes, they're still the 90CM Azure Shine dishes. Reflector is the same as the 90CM Azure Shine offered by sponsor SatelliteAV, without SatelliteAV's improved paint job. The LNB support arms are different; The SatelliteAV version has a LNB support arm that bolts to the dish pole mount, and is supported on either side by reinforcement arms. The 3ABN version has both the main LNB support arm and reinforcement arms bolted directly to the dish reflector. I've installed both versions, and the matter of which is better comes down to personal preference.

Did you notice if the 3ABN dish has the same "easy level" universal wall/roof tripod post that comes with the GEOSATpro 90cm?

 

[brentb636]

"Another weird thing is that I am picking up Bell ExpressVu signals! According to Lyngsat, Bell is not transmitting linear Ku signals, only circular on Nimiq 1 -- so how am I picking up their stuff? Do they have transponders on G11?"

That happened to me when using my Buzz Plus for blindscanning. The freq range for blindscan on the buzz/sonicview runs right up to 13 Gz ( almost) and catches the edges of the Nimiq1 signals. Unless I stopped the scan manually at 12200 Mhz, I got a lot of BEV channels too. Very messy situation. This issue was addressed in Iceberg's initial review of the BUZZ, and they've never fixed it.

 

[qwert1515]

That happened to me when using my Buzz Plus for blindscanning. The freq range for blindscan on the buzz/sonicview runs right up to 13 Gz ( almost) and catches the edges of the Nimiq1 signals. Unless I stopped the scan manually at 12200 Mhz, I got a lot of BEV channels too. Very messy situation. This issue was addressed in Iceberg's initial review of the BUZZ, and they've never fixed it.

My Pansats have the same "problem" with my universal LNB, I like the Coolsat because I can specify the scan range

 

[turbosat]

brentb, thanks for the info on the Buzz+. Had been looking at the specs on those, and Iceberg's review. Sounded like a good blind-scanning box, save for that extra freq-range it does.

 

[brentb636]

brentb, thanks for the info on the Buzz+. Had been looking at the specs on those, and Iceberg's review. Sounded like a good blind-scanning box, save for that extra freq-range it does.

If it weren't for the blindscan freq problem, it would likely be my favorite box. There is a lot to like on the Buzz Plus/sonicview sv-1000 , but I got tired of manually halting the scan and then switching polarities. The Merc II is my best all round box at the moment.

 

[Tron]

Did you notice if the 3ABN dish has the same "easy level" universal wall/roof tripod post that comes with the GEOSATpro 90cm?

No, the 3ABN dish does not have that kind of post, it is fixed (you can't vary the level by simply rotating the pole around like you can with the SatelliteAV kit). The post mount has never been an issue for me, however, since it doesn't get used on my motorized installs (which is what this type of dish is perfect for)...