Can't seem to lock in on IA 6

[cdlandberg]

I have a Coolsat 6000 premium receiver, a Stab HH90 rotor, a FortecStar FC-90 dish and an InVacon Quad Polar 40mm horn LNB. I live in Austin, MN 55912. My latitude is 43.7, Longitude 93.0W and dish elevation at 38.3. I am trying to lock in on IA 6 93.0W. I'm using RG 6 cables. I get a signal level of 87 to 90% and quality of 5 to 6% in red. I by-passed the motor and hooked the receiver cable directly to the Coolsat 4 x 1 DiseqC 1.2 switch. I am wondering if the switch is defective. From the LNB, I have one cable from L hooked to LNB #1 on the switch and another cable from C hooked to LNB #2 on the switch. Is this the correct way? I have spent hours moving the whole unit ever so slightly east and west and changed the dish elevation too, but no luck. The pole is plumb. What should I do? Would it help to rotate the LNB in its bracket?

 

[Mr Tony]

First thing I would do is remove all switches. Hook a cable from the L side of the Invacom to the reciever. Bring up IA6. From the dish install screen, make sure its set to "SINGLE" and 10750 and save.

Then back out and go down to manual scan. Find the transpnoder that says one of the follwing
11865 frequency
V polarity
3516 symbol rate

or

12175
V
5147

Those are 2 strong transponders. I an in MN too so IA6 is pretty much dead south (a little to the east but not much). When you get a signal quality, the quality bar turns green and doesnt move much. The latitude of the motor is the same as your latitude. Make sure you are looking at the latitude scale on the motor. If there is just an elevation, then its 90-latitude.

Another thing to realize is if you are having the lovely weather like we have in Minneapolis, best to wait until tomorrow or Saturday. Those heavy wet clouds just kills FTA reception

 

[cdlandberg]

Thanks for the detailed instructions which I need! I certainly will try what you suggested on Monday when it's supposed to clearup.

 

[cdlandberg]

Iceberg: The weather was nice here yesterday and I tried everything you recommended above. Moved the whole unit and adjusted dish elevation ever so slightly many times. Got a signal level up to 94 % in red. Do you have anymore suggestions?

 

[Mr Tony]

If you have an active transponder setup (the 2 I posted above) and you still cant get anything, the best thing to do is a blind scan. Aim the dish pretty much south and go into the menu and select "blind scan". In the blind scan menu, just scroll to the right and hit OK. The box will scan and find all active channels at the current location, regardless of satellite. Then we can see how close you are to the true south. There are 5 or 6 satellites that are all the same elevation (all within a 1/2 a degree) so it should hit something if the motor & dish elevations are set correctly.

 

[cdlandberg]

Iceberg: I did what you suggested above and was able to receive two TV channels on IA6 being TV1 11715H and TV2 11715H. Also receive two radio channels being 20500 10819V and 20500 11820V, but no audio. I hooked up the C and L wires to the switch and then to the rotor. I then did a bling scan, but can't seem to locate anymore channels or lock in any other satellites. What should I do now?

 

[Mr Tony]

11715 H sounds like Tip TV & patient Channel on AMC3 so you need to move the whole dish/motor assembly 6 degrees to the west (which if you drew a mark on the mast would be about 1/4" off of that mark

you're close