FTA newbie needs help

[Raitech]

Hi guys, I recently was asked to repurpose an unused dish at my place of employment to pick up Intelsat 9. I am not very well versed in satellites in general, but I have installed Direct TV and Dish Network dishes without complication. I started by consulting one of my retailers, who informed me that all of the transponders I am interested in are located in the C-Band, so I purchased a C/Ku band LNBF from Sadoun, and replaced the existing one with the new one. The mounting arms on the dish do not allow me to actually center the LNBF on the dish, instead it is centered left to right, but located about 2/3 of the way toward the bottom. This seems contrary to all of the images of C-Band dishes I have found, but normal for Ku band. Regardless, I attatched the LNB output to the receiver (an ADTH 8600IR), and pointed it in the rough direction of Intelsat 9, and after a few hours of tweaking, I was unable to achieve a better Signal Strength than 63, with a Quality of 0. I'm trying to determine if I need a specific dish to catch C band, or if it has more to do with LNB position, or dish size (current one is 4'), or something else entirely. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks!

 

[Mr Tony]

welcome

a 4 footer is on the small side for C-Band. You would need a 6 footer or larger. The 4 footer might get some strong signals but depending on what channels you want you would need a larger dish

signal strength doesnt mean much. Its signal quality that matters.

I guess what channels on IS9 do you want?
what receiver are you using?

 

[Raitech]

Just received a Technosat IR 7000 which I believe I'm having slightly better luck with. I can get the strength up to 89, but 0 on the quality. I expected a 6' dish to arrive today (okay, a 5.9') but it looks like that is coming Monday. Thanks for the help, hopefully that will solve things. The flat zero on quality has me a bit worried though. Shouldn't I have something?

 

[Raitech]

I don't know if it is relevant, but I'm not actually looking for the FTA stations, I'm using a (legitimate) Irdeto card.

 

[gdavisloop]

I was looking into this problem just a few days ago, and surprisingly, Intelsat does claim a 4-foot dish is adequate for C-band from I8, at least here in California. Interesting to see if it could really work. Keep in mind, Raitech, that you will get a quality of 0 unless the satellite, poliarty, frequency, S/R, and perhaps even FEC and PIDs match the signal you are expecting. This is why it's much easier to setup a dish if you have a blind-scan receiver - then, if you are picking up anything, it is a lot easier to figure out WHAT you are picking up, and adjust your dish accordingly.
--Gary

 

[Raitech]

I threw up (as though it was nothing, he types) a 6 footer today, now have a consistent 83 in strength, haven't yet budged from the zero in signal, but I'll check those things out, gdavisloop.

 

[nycrich]

It also sounds like you first dish is an off-set dish( since you described it as 2/3 down). This would explain why you did not get a signal (signal number alone does not mean you were getting a DVB sig). The focal point and lnb would be different. Folks on this forum have success be using a 4 foot dish but changing the
focal point, and using a conical ring on an lnb, should you need to try that dish again. However I would stick with the six footer.

 

[Raitech]

Correct, first was offset, six foot in centered. I'm ordering a Super Buddy now, hopefully that will help. I'm in NYC as well Rich.
Thanks all!

 

[Raitech]

Never mind, I see you're now in Florida. Thanks anyway!

 

[nycrich]

I have a setup previously in NYC (Queens). Easier to get Dish at 61 degrees then move 2-3 degrees left. However I was using a Chaparral that could get circular and linear . If you don't need a 4 footer there is many members here that would jump on the sale/offer.
I am moving to Ft Lauderdale to a house and just received my six footer from Sadoun. Nice cap and signal meter free from them with my order. Hopefully I could find more DX in the Caribbean feeds.

 

[Raitech]

http://lyngsat.com/intel9.html

That link is the specs on the Intelsat 9 satellite which I am trying to pick up. I am interested in Frequency tp’s 7, 8, and 21. Specifically, Intelsat, Eurochannel, and Al Jazeera English on 7; Euronews on 8; and Telespazio, Raitalia 2, Raitalial 1, Al Jazeera Channel, Raitalia 1, and Al Arabiya on 21. I'm setting up my Super Buddy for the first time. When select the system, do I want C-Band H/V 3.7-4.2, C-Band Cir 3.7-4.2, C-Band H/V 3.4-4.2, C-Band Cir 3.4-4.2, or C-Band Stacked? Thanks!

 

[Raitech]

GeaoSat Pro C KU Band Prime Focus LNBF

That is the LNB I am using (or attempting to use).

 

[turbosat]

1st option on ur superbuddy>C-band H/V 3.7-4.2mhz. Far as I know, I-9 doesnt have circular c-band.

 

[Raitech]

Not to belabor the obvious, but if Intelsat 9 does not use circular C-band, then I should not keep the dielectric installed in the LNBF, correct? (As the paperwork with the LNBF indicated that the dielectric was for use with circular signals)

 

[guapoharry]

Correct.
Left the dielectric block ouf of mine. It works fine on linear polarization.

 

[Mr Tony]

correct. Take out the plate

 

[Raitech]

I can't seem to achieve a lock, not just on Intelsat 9, but on anything surrounding it. My angle is 40 degrees, and I'm pointed approximately SSE around what I believe to be pointed at 58W. Anything stupid I may have overlooked?

 

[Raitech]

Magnetic azimuth I've been basing things off of is 169.4 from a zip code of 10013 on this website:
Satellite Finder / Dish Pointing Calculator with Google Maps | DishPointer.com

 

[Raitech]

Questions five million and five million and 1:
I'm installing onto a terrace twenty-five stories up from ground level. From my location, the dishpointer website and all other information I've found on Intelsat 9 tell me that I should have an elevation of 40.1 degrees. Is that number taken from ground level? Should I reduce the angle to something more acute due to my elevation?

Also: Dishpointer tells me that I should have an LNB skew of -17.8 degrees. Firstly, is the direction of rotation from behind the dish (looking in the same direction the dish is pointing) or from in front of the dish/behind the LNB?

How do I determine what baseline to skew from? Do I Just place the LNB so that the bulging portion that looks like it should be the bottom is toward the ground?

 

[concord]

Skew:

http://www.sadoun.com/Sat/Installation/LNBF-Installation.htm