Fine Tuning installation problems

[afpdog]

Hey folks, I'm a total newbie and I admit trolling through these forums - you've saved me tons of hours and frustration already.

I've come across a problem that I can't find a solution to anywhere. So to all of you experts out there...I'd love your advice.

Here's the setup:
1m dish
DG380 motor
Invacom QPH-031 LBF
Coolsat 6000 Premium

Got my setup running, but could only get some sats (all of the Nimiq and Echostar Circular polarities) and a few of the Horizontal/Linear sats (ones. I had to move my setup to a slightly different location (about 12 feet east on my roof). btw - I don't have line of sight issues. I re-aimed my dish and got all of the Nimiq/Echostar ones, but now I can't get the earlier horizontal/linear ones AND I'm able to get a bunch of other horizontal/linear sats I couldn't get earlier.

Here's the breakdown...
Used to see, can't see now
74W
93W
97W
105W

Can see now, but couldn't before
89W
95W

Can not see some transponders (and see some others poorly) that I saw earlier
79W
107.3 W
91W

I'm stumped! I ought to be able to get all of them right? I'm sure this is a problem with either how I've got the dish aimed or my LNB is somehow mis-aligned (it's at 0 deg reference because I'm motorized (Right???)).

Many thanks in advance!!!

 

[Anole]

Sounds like you fine-tuned your dish & motor to get the easy circular birds.
But, did you go back and re-align for the linear birds?
They have a lot less tolerance for dish alignment.

I used to test circular LNBs (I had a bunch) by putting 'em on a hand-held dish, and aiming for a signal.
They are -much- stronger, and easier to hit.

edit: oh! you have a 1m dish?
Even more picky about alignment!
If that was a 30" dish, you might not be having this problem.
But, the 1m is a wise choice.!. - :up

 

[afpdog]

Yeah...I did...at least I thought I did. Maybe I "over-aligned" to a single linear bird????

 

[Anole]

Oh, it's a good idea to rough-align to get on the arc by using the circular birds.
But once you have, then stop using them at all!
Align only by the lower powered linear birds.
You'll find it tricky, even though you are close.

(and re-read my post above - I may have edited it while you were typing)

 

[afpdog]

OK. I'll have to wait until this weekend to try it out...but I'll post my results then.

Thanks for the help!

 

[Tron]

One other thing, and I know this has been said over and over, but it is profoundly important in a motorized setup:

Make sure the post is COMPLETELY level after the motor and dish have been installed on it. The weight of the motor can sometimes throw the pole out of level.

 

[afpdog]

I've got the level part drummed into me. It's level from all compass points with the entire installation. But I'll go and check this too. ;-) After reading the other posts, I think I need to just go back and fine tune the linear birds.

 

[afpdog]

Thanks to everyone!!!

3 minutes and about 2 cm adjustment on the dish and I'm in business.

(Now, if I can only figure out how to find those free RTN stations on 123....but if they're not free - forget it.)

 

[Mr Tony]

yep they're free....

 

[Tron]

Scan TPs 11720 and 11800 for most of the RTNs on G-18 Once you find them, you'll want to leave your dish there!

 

[herbiej]

I'm also a newbie and I found this information very helpful. I get strong signal quality on what I believe is the 110W. I say the 110W because it's almost directly true South from my location and that is where I started with my motor at "0". As I navigate through the dish installation menu of my SonicView 8000HD I get high 90s quality on the 119W as well, without moving the motor. Also up in the top right corner it shows "Nimiq 1". Does that mean I'm actually on Nimiq and not 110W?

 

[gillham]

I'm also a newbie and I found this information very helpful. I get strong signal quality on what I believe is the 110W. I say the 110W because it's almost directly true South from my location and that is where I started with my motor at "0". As I navigate through the dish installation menu of my SonicView 8000HD I get high 90s quality on the 119W as well, without moving the motor. Also up in the top right corner it shows "Nimiq 1". Does that mean I'm actually on Nimiq and not 110W?

Definitely sounds like you're at 91° and need to swing the dish over. Repoint to your true south and it should say EchoStar10 or similar on the top right. Look in The List above for 110 and you'll see a D500 channel. That is what you want to find as it is solid proof you're pointed at 110.

 

[turbosat]

Herbiej,
That might just be a software bug. I have a Viewsat that will tell me what satellite I'm pointed at, most of the time it's correct. But sometimes I can be aimed at AMC1 or 123, or 74 and it'll flash up Nimiq 2 or Echostar 5, or some other incorrect bird. It's cool to have when it works right, if you're setting up a satellite. Mine just isn't all that accurate.