New Setup - Cband - Quality Jumps - Help

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iBoston

iBoston

SatelliteGuys Pro
Original poster
Jul 15, 2014
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North Central
I got hold of a used 10 foot mesh dish. I have the titanium C1PLL C-band LNBF

I believe i have the dish fairly well tuned. If i move the dish at all in any direction, the MAX quality goes down.
I have a level of 90% and a quality that jumps all over the place. It won't sit still... I tuned to the max of the quality, and i get quality that will jump up to 86% but, the lock light goes in/out and the quality jumps up and down.

For example, 99 degrees KCWY13 at 3776 H 3255 I have a level of 90 and the quality is jumping a little between 60 and 71, but it keeps breaking up the audio, and pixelating...

I am confused..... Any thoughts?
 
A jumping Signal Quality reading with a working LNB(F) normally indicates misalignment.

1. Elevation setting is incorrect (Push down or lift up on the bottom lip of the dish)
2. Skew setting is incorrect (Slight rotation clockwise/counterclockwise)
3. FD setting is incorrect (Slide the feedhorn towards or away from the reflector)
4. LNBF is defective (swap to another LNB(f).
 
Titanium said:
A jumping Signal Quality reading with a working LNB(F) normally indicates misalignment.

1. Elevation setting is incorrect (Push down or lift up on the bottom lip of the dish)
2. Skew setting is incorrect (Slight rotation clockwise/counterclockwise)
3. FD setting is incorrect (Slide the feedhorn towards or away from the reflector)
4. LNBF is defective (swap to another LNB(f).
Click to expand...

I'll move things around again. I don't have another LNB to try. Ill try everything else first. I have played with 1-3 and i have never got a steady signal. I just get higher maxes. With my KU, i had jumping, but it jumped when it was low signal. Just seems weird to have it jump so wildly between 30-87. Is it possible to have an echo signal where i might be off by a lot on a elevation?
 
Titanium said:
A jumping Signal Quality reading with a working LNB(F) normally indicates misalignment.

1. Elevation setting is incorrect (Push down or lift up on the bottom lip of the dish)
2. Skew setting is incorrect (Slight rotation clockwise/counterclockwise)
3. FD setting is incorrect (Slide the feedhorn towards or away from the reflector)
4. LNBF is defective (swap to another LNB(f).
Click to expand...

5. Tree branch or other object swaying in the wind that blocks more or less of the signal reaching your dish. If that is the case and you're really in Boston, you should notice a big improvement in a couple of weeks or so, after the trees have shed their leaves, unless it's an evergreen blocking the path. If there is a hole at the center of the back of the dish, stick a camera behind it and snap a picture - if you see anything other than sky and the LNB and its supports, there's a good chance that is the problem.
 
ancient said:
5. Tree branch or other object swaying in the wind that blocks more or less of the signal reaching your dish. If that is the case and you're really in Boston, you should notice a big improvement in a couple of weeks or so, after the trees have shed their leaves, unless it's an evergreen blocking the path. If there is a hole at the center of the back of the dish, stick a camera behind it and snap a picture - if you see anything other than sky and the LNB and its supports, there's a good chance that is the problem.
Click to expand...

Thanks for that - No, im on 80 acres of land and im in Upper Michigan. Our leaves long since fell. But, no, there are NO trees in the way. I put the dish where there are no obstructions between 30-150 degrees.
 
I'm picking up KCWY13 as 3776/H/3254 with a steady Q of 71%, 90% signal with my MicroHD and the picture/audio is perfect. So 71% Q should be good for that one. Other than the things that Brian suggested, all I can think of is maybe a bad cable? Which receiver are you using? Maybe try one of your other receivers if you haven't already.
 
I put an angle checker to it this morning. It is SPOT on to what dish pointer says its supposed to be, and that was from me fine tuning it myself yesterday without the angle checker. I am on 89 degrees which is TOP OF ARC for me. If i turn the dish at all to the left or right, quality degrades. at 89 degrees and i am getting signal of 90 and quality of 87, but still with the signal dropping to near 0 about every 1 second. If i nudge the dish in any direction, the max quality drops. I have also played with the focal depth. Again, i seem to have that tuned to max signal.

This isn't making any sense to me.

I am starting to believe it is a faulty LNB. It is brand new. I only pulled it out of the box two days ago.
 
If this is occurring on all transponders and all satellites, I would check the cabling, LNBF and receiver.

Does this still happen using a short coax with the STB near the dish?

Does the Signal Quality reading fluctuate using another LNBF? Does the Signal Quality fluctuate using another STB or signal meter? It is a process of elimination.
 
Titanium said:
If this is occurring on all transponders and all satellites, I would check the cabling, LNBF and receiver.

Does this still happen using a short coax with the STB near the dish?

Does the Signal Quality reading fluctuate using another LNBF? Does the Signal Quality fluctuate using another STB or signal meter? It is a process of elimination.
Click to expand...

Yes, this is happening on all transponders and all satellites ( 3 satellites that i have turned too thus far).
Yes, i have tried two different cables. One that has a 100 foot length which is connected to my STB inside the house. The other is a short 6 foot. Same result both cables. I have used 2 STB's. I have the Amiko HDSE and also the WSLINK 8906 hand held which i was using outside with the 6 foot cable. Same result with both receivers. Both receivers work fine with my KU dish.
 
Not terrestrial interference if on all transponders and multiple satellites. Your troubleshooting points to possible LNBF failure. While our LNBFs are multiple tested for specification and performance, product failures can occur. Thank you for the excellent troubleshooting! We are shipping you a replacement.
 
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I did some more troubleshooting. I scanned the arc with the motor from 87 degrees all the way to 105 degrees. Signal qualities +70 for just about everything. Lowest sig 50, highest 90. But, still jumps and cannot get ONE channel that comes in without popping in/out.

My gosh, i hope the HECK it is the LNBF. Because if it's not, i have no clue whats up? I don't see any obvious damage on the dish itselft...

Its as if someone was outside shaking the dish back and forth. And no, there is no wind today.. :)
 
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