Bad receiver?

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eyedunno

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Aug 17, 2006
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How can you tell if you have a bad receiver? I recently got an M1 system from Sadoun and am wondering if I might have one. In case you are wondering why I'm not asking this on the Sadoun forum it is because for some reason I can't get confirmation there. Don't ask me why as it took all of one minute to get confirmation here. In any event, my package includes a Fortec Classic NA receiver, a SG2100 motor, their basic dish, and a Fortec universal LNB. I am at 38.95 lat. and 79.28 lon. which is in the eastern side of WV. I'm pretty sure that the AMC5 satellite is my true south one. This is my first attempt at this FTA stuff so feel free to chastise me if needed. As I figure it my true south is 190 magnetic. If so wouldn't that make AMC5 189 magnetic?

I am using a tripod mount on a 4'x4' sheet of 1/2" treated plywood with a 2"x4" frame and 8 cement bolcks on top of the plywood for balast. I have checked my mast for plumb with a level and an inclimometer. In addition to a compass I also have a satellite finder.

Following the instructions on the Sadoun site I have set the motor to 39 degrees on its bracket. Then set the dish to 30-6. I figured this would put me pretty close to where I needed to be.

I hooked up the finder and after a few adjustments E-W and U-D I had a very good signal on the satellite finder. However, when I went in and checked my signal on the TV it was bouncing from 0%-35% and when I scanned AMC5 I got nothing.

I have been at this for three days now. I've taken LOTS of breaks to settle down, but something just doesn't seem right. My cable run is only around 40 feet. I've tried some RG6 that is 50' and 100' but it doesn't matter, still nothing.

No, I am not ready to give up, but I'm beginning to think that it may not be me. But then I've been wrong before. So if you have any ideas I'd like to hear them. Thanks for taking the time to read this far. :)
 
Last edited:
Hello and WELCOME to the Satelliteguys.US FTA forum!

:welcome

I would remove the motor for now and try to find and store a few satellites without it first!

When you do come to adding the motor use the below angles for the SG2100


Motor Elevation = 51º

Dish Elevation (when on motor) = 24º
 
AMC-5 @ 79ºw is your true satellite!

Here are ALL the angles to the satellites from your area, ELEVATIONS are WITHOUT the motor only!



Code:
         Latitude 38° 57.000'N Longitude 79° 16.800'W

                       Sat Name Sat Lng Az(t) Az(m)   El  Skew
--------------------------------------------------------------
      
                               
     Telecom 2D/Atlantic Bird 2    8.0W 102.0 112.3  5.8 -49.5
                               
                     Express A3   11.0W 104.1 114.3  8.1 -49.0
                               
                     Telstar 12   15.0W 106.8 117.1 11.2 -48.1
                               
                   Intelsat 901   18.0W 109.0 119.3 13.5 -47.3
                               
                          NSS 7   22.0W 112.0 122.3 16.5 -46.1
                               
                   Intelsat 905   24.5W 113.9 124.2 18.4 -45.3
                               
                   Intelsat 907   27.5W 116.3 126.6 20.6 -44.2
                               
                  Hispasat 1C/D   30.0W 118.4 128.7 22.5 -43.2
                               
                   Intelsat 801   31.5W 119.7 130.0 23.5 -42.5
                               
                   Intelsat 903   34.5W 122.4 132.6 25.7 -41.1
                               
                    AMC 12/T 11   37.5W 125.1 135.4 27.8 -39.5
                               
                        NSS 806   40.5W 128.0 138.3 29.8 -37.8
                               
                      Pas 3R/6B   43.0W 130.6 140.8 31.4 -36.2
                               
                         Pas 1R   45.0W 132.7 142.9 32.7 -34.9
                               
                   Intelsat 705   50.0W 138.3 148.5 35.7 -31.2
                               
                   Intelsat 707   53.0W 141.9 152.1 37.3 -28.7
                               
                   Intelsat 805   55.5W 145.0 155.2 38.6 -26.5
                               
                          Pas 9   58.0W 148.2 158.5 39.8 -24.2
                               
                       Amazonas   61.0W 152.3 162.5 41.0 -21.2
                               
                     EchoStar 3   61.5W 153.0 163.2 41.2 -20.7
                               
                      Rainbow 1   61.5W 153.0 163.2 41.2 -20.7
                               
               Estrela do Sul 1   63.0W 155.1 165.3 41.8 -19.1
                               
                   Brasilsat B2   65.0W 158.0 168.2 42.5 -17.0
                               
                   Brasilsat B1   70.0W 165.4 175.7 43.9 -11.3
                               
                       Nahuel 1   71.8W 168.2 178.5 44.2  -9.1
                               
                      DirecTV 1   72.5W 169.3 179.6 44.3  -8.3
                               
                          AMC 6   72.0W 168.5 178.8 44.3  -8.9
                               
                          SBS 6   74.0W 171.6 181.9 44.6  -6.5
                               
                     Echostar 4   77.0W 176.4 186.6 44.8  -2.8
                               
                          AMC 5   79.0W 179.6 189.8 44.9  -0.3
                               
                      Nimiq 2/3   82.0W 184.3 194.6 44.8   3.4
                               
                          AMC-9   83.0W 185.9 196.2 44.7   4.6
                               
                   Brasilsat B3   84.0W 187.5 197.7 44.6   5.8
                               
                          AMC 2   85.0W 189.1 199.3 44.5   7.0
                               
                          AMC 3   87.0W 192.2 202.4 44.2   9.4
                               
                           IA-8   89.0W 195.2 205.5 43.8  11.8
                               
                      Galaxy 11   91.0W 198.3 208.5 43.3  14.1
                               
                     Nimiq 1/4i   91.0W 198.3 208.5 43.3  14.1
                               
                   Brasilsat B4   92.0W 199.8 210.0 43.0  15.2
                               
                           IA-6   93.0W 201.2 211.5 42.7  16.4
                               
                      Galaxy 3C   95.0W 204.1 214.4 42.0  18.5
                               
                           IA-5   97.0W 206.9 217.2 41.3  20.6
                               
                      Galaxy 4R   99.0W 209.7 220.0 40.5  22.7
                               
                     Spaceway 2   99.2W 210.0 220.2 40.4  22.9
                               
                DirecTV 1R/4S/8  101.0W 212.4 222.6 39.6  24.6
                               
                          AMC 4  101.0W 212.4 222.6 39.6  24.6
                               
                     Spaceway 1  103.0W 215.0 225.2 38.6  26.5
                               
                          AMC 1  103.0W 215.0 225.2 38.6  26.5
                               
                         AMC 15  105.0W 217.5 227.7 37.6  28.2
                               
                      Anik F1/R  107.3W 220.2 230.5 36.4  30.2
                               
                      DirecTV 5  109.5W 222.8 233.1 35.1  31.9
                               
                EchoStar 6/8/10  110.0W 223.4 233.7 34.8  32.3
                               
                        Anik F2  111.1W 224.6 234.9 34.2  33.1
                               
                  Solidaridad 2  113.0W 226.7 237.0 33.0  34.5
                               
                       SatMex 6  113.0W 226.7 237.0 33.0  34.5
                               
                       SatMex 5  116.8W 230.7 241.0 30.6  37.0
                               
                         AMC-16  119.0W 232.9 243.2 29.1  38.3
                               
                     DirecTV 7s  119.0W 232.9 243.2 29.1  38.3
                               
                     EchoStar 7  119.0W 232.9 243.2 29.1  38.3
                               
          EchoStar 9/Telstar 13  121.0W 234.8 245.1 27.8  39.5
                               
                     Galaxy 10R  123.0W 236.7 246.9 26.4  40.5
                               
                      Galaxy 14  125.0W 238.5 248.8 25.0  41.5
                               
                  Galaxy 13/H 1  127.0W 240.2 250.5 23.6  42.5
                               
 Intelsat Americas 7/Echostar 5  129.0W 242.0 252.2 22.1  43.3
                               
                         AMC 11  131.0W 243.6 253.9 20.7  44.2
                               
                      Galaxy 15  133.0W 245.2 255.5 19.2  44.9
                               
                         AMC 10  135.0W 246.8 257.1 17.7  45.6
                               
                          AMC 7  137.0W 248.3 258.6 16.2  46.3
                               
                          AMC 8  139.0W 249.8 260.1 14.7  46.9
                               
                   EchoStar 1/2  148.0W 256.2 266.5  7.8  49.1

       Satellite Finder is (c) Copyright 2004, P. Lutus
 
Do what pete suggestion, adding a motor to the dish for new commer is like a baby trying to run before knew how to walk.

Know the basic on the system before add other stuff, then there is the fun part.
 
I have to agree with both Pete and sks. Another suggestion i have, when you hit a strong signal on the meter, first "peak" the signal, then blind scan.

After you have scanned you will be able to find out just where you are pointed at(compare channels found to lyngsat.com) , then you can adjust az/el accordingly.

Good Luck :)
 
I'd recommend that you take the receiver and TV out to the dish with you. You will learn a lot more that way. At least, that's how it worked for me. I used a cheap in-line sat meter to optimize my azimuth, and then used the STB to optimize my quality .

Good luck, this is a lot of fun !
 
Thanks for all the info. I may not be able to get to it today but hopefully in a few days I can work on it again. I'll keep you posted how it goes.
 
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