Going circular - What sats best?

[TiminMb]

I'm installing a circular LNB along with a disec switch on my motorized dish and I'm wondering which satellites are my best bets for finding circular stations in the clear.

NASA TV Echo7 119W 12370 (v) SR 20.000 still correct?

If your diseqc switch is labeled 1, 2, 3, 4, etc do you try A or B, or is it the numbers only you set your antenna setup to on a Fortec receiver?

 

[Gary Z]

I think Echo 7 is about the only thing you will find anything in the clear on. Make sure your switch goes after the motor.

 

[TiminMb]

Ok. Just need to pick up some more cable and go for it. I think I'll find E7 and save the location before installing the switch, since I'm not certain how easy it is to set up the switch. Hope a 2nd lnb doesn't weigh down the dish too much.

 

[mastermesh]

Basically, with a circular, you should be able to see some tps on all echostars and nimiqs... but won't get the scrambled stuff... However, some of the scrambled hd stuff has audio in the clear on some of them... and on occassion there's some other free stuff up there... 148 is a test bird... so there's usually something on there that's in the clear. You never know what worms you'll find there since the momma bird is are always fiddling with and testing out the taste of various worms to feed to her baby birds (the other dish network satellites). Sometimes, if you have a good pair of binoculars (your circular lnb) you can get a taste of those worms too....

Nimiqs are Bell Express Vu, which is basically Canada's version of Dish Network.

 

[TiminMb]

Basically, with a circular, you should be able to see some tps on all echostars and nimiqs... but won't get the scrambled stuff... However, some of the scrambled hd stuff has audio in the clear on some of them... and on occassion there's some other free stuff up there... 148 is a test bird... so there's usually something on there that's in the clear. You never know what worms you'll find there since the momma bird is are always fiddling with and testing out the taste of various worms to feed to her baby birds (the other dish network satellites). Sometimes, if you have a good pair of binoculars (your circular lnb) you can get a taste of those worms too....

Nimiqs are Bell Express Vu, which is basically Canada's version of Dish Network.

I kind of look at the comings and goings of channels as "catch and release" fishing. Trust us Canadians to come up with a satellite name like Nimiq. WTH?

 

[mrweather]

An Inuit word meaning "an object or force which binds things together".

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nimiq

Most of the stuff on circular (DBS) birds is encrypted but you'll find the occasional in-the-clear channel.

 

[TiminMb]

Alright it worked!!!! Getting NASA channel for the first time. Simply tie wrapped the circular lnb onto the side of the existing one and it coming in very strong.

Now to see if I can make the diseqc switch work.

 

[Mr Tony]

what sat's to get?

All of them

Here is a general list of the DBS slots and what is free
http://www.satelliteguys.us/showthread.php?t=34131

yes there may be some stuff that pops up once in a while, but this is the pretty much common list

 

[TiminMb]

Thanks.

I'm not able to get the diseq switch to work.

It seems to only be selecting my old lnb, regardless of the setting at the receiver. I still get G10R and can select diseqc, Tone A, B, or 1-4 and I keep receiving the fta stations. Its not switching at the diseq switch, yet its always selecting the same position. Do those things work at 0 degree C? Any suggestions? The switch only has 6 male plugs, receiver and 1-5. What's this tone A and B stuff on the receiver? I was getting nasa having set the LO to 11250. Now its dead. Only the linear lnb seems to be picking anything up, and it doesn't get unselected no matter what I set the receiver to (A,B or 1-4). Does this sound broken?

 

[Mr Tony]

It seems to only be selecting my old lnb, regardless of the setting at the receiver. I still get G10R and can select diseqc, Tone A, B, or 1-4 and I keep receiving the fta stations. Its not switching at the diseq switch, yet its always selecting the same position. Do those things work at 0 degree C? Any suggestions? The switch only has 6 male plugs, receiver and 1-5. What's this tone A and B stuff on the receiver? I was getting nasa having set the LO to 11250. Now its dead. Only the linear lnb seems to be picking anything up, and it doesn't get unselected no matter what I set the receiver to (A,B or 1-4). Does this sound broken?

Tim
mkae sure the receiver is powered off with the switch on back before adding/removing the switch. I have the KU on port 1 and the DBS on port 2

and yes the switch works at 0C...it works at...well lets see....my F to C converting sucks when we get into the negative but mine has worked at -30F in the dead of winter with no issues

 

[Mr Tony]

also the thing to remember is the LNB will be off by 5 degrees or so so make sure you have the motor set properly to go to the right spot

 

[TiminMb]

Power was off. I'll try another port. But am I selecting the right thing here:

Setup
Antenna setup
diseqc -Was OFF
diseqc -now either A, B, 1, 2, 3, or 4

Why are there 6 selections and 2 of them letters? My diseqc switch is labeled 1-5 only. No A or B.??

 

[Mr Tony]

I dont know about the A or B. The Pansat & Coolsat only have 1-4

 

[TiminMb]

also the thing to remember is the LNB will be off by 5 degrees or so so make sure you have the motor set properly to go to the right spot

I had it in the right spot. I hooked the cable from the motor, right to the circular lnb, and moved the dish with 1.2 until I got a strong signal, save the position as #41. Did a scan and got NASA and the other Echo7 screens. Then I added the switch, and it doesn't seem to matter what position I select. Nothing changes. It always selecting the old LNB.????? Am I selecting the right way??

 

[TiminMb]

Back up on the roof. I'll switch ports around and see if that makes any difference.

 

[Mr Tony]

on the DBS satellites, pick the port that has the DBS on...I used a Pansat for 2 years (the Pansat & Fortec Ultra are pretty much the same) and it worked fine.

 

[TiminMb]

Back down from the roof.

The switch is labeled ports 1-4 and receiver.

I swapped the two cables running to the linear and circular LNB's. Now only the circular works. Its like the switch is stuck on one port. Even when I am in menu and change ports, it doesn't make a difference. It receives the one port, uninterupted, regardless of setting diseqc off or on, a,b or 1-4.

At least I know the circular lnb works and the 1.2 location I programmed into 119W is working for the offset lnb. But selecting which lnb is the problem I feared I would have. Never been used switch. Came with my receiver.

I'm going to go back on the roof and change the cables to completely different ports. I think the switch is garbage.

Bummer. We are supposedly getting a fair amount of snow tonight. I won't go up on our fairly high pitch roof unless its dry. Way to far to fall.

 

[kymics]

Bummer. We are supposedly getting a fair amount of snow tonight.

Ah! the joys of living in Winnipeg. Speaking of.. we had some freaky snow fall today at 5:30pm. It was like God received a satellite package in the mail and he spilled a bunch of those little foam balls all over the place while taking the dish out of the box

I was considering a motorized install this fall, but I'm putting it off until Spring because I knew I wouldn't get it done before the weather got nasty. I still have a deactivated Dish500 on the garage that I want to repoint to 110/119 for a few channels. I might still do that even if the weather is foul because it's low on the roof.

Time to go to Costco and get them to put my winter tires back on!

 

[TiminMb]

Do you know of a place in Wpg that sells Diseqc switches? One of those computer stores?

 

[kymics]

I sent you a PM because I don't know what the site policy is for posting seller information.