Got 78% signal level, 0% signal quality

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timp

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Mar 27, 2006
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Columbia South Carolina
I have a Pansat 2500a rcvr, with a 90 cm fortec dish and stab hh-90 motor, and a Invacom quad lnb with single cables from c output on lnb to rotor, thru to receiver, my zip is 29073(lexington, s.c.). Am getting almost 80 percent on signal level, but zero quality, have not moved my rotor setting, only tried to adjust east/west, elevation for nimiq 2, to no avail, my usals is set for lnb=standard,lnb freq=11250,22khz=off,diseqc=off, skew=off, tp=(1)12223-v-20.000,positioner set=usals,sat scan= fta&scramble, suspect I have something set up wrong causing zero quality, have many mosquito bites, nothing on picture.Should I hook up both a c and l output on my lnb thru a disqe switch before the rotor plug?I'm a newby to this and any set-up info I can get would be greatly appreciated, thanks to Iceberg I am learning alot of the lingo, this loss of quality is baffling me! thanks timp
 
Should use a Linear output of the QPH-031 LNBF and the LNB is a Standard, with an L.O. of 10750

I would remove all switch and Motor and try to find store a few satellites first before adding the motor and only when you are all set up and on a satellite the switch.


Here are all the angles to the satellites from your area elevations are WITHOUT a motor.

Code:
                     Lexington, SC 29073
         Latitude 33° 51.792'N Longitude 81° 14.106'W

                       Sat Name Sat Lng Az(t) Az(m)   El  Skew
--------------------------------------------------------------
                               
                       Amos 1/2    4.0W  97.2 104.1  1.9 -55.5
                               
                Atlantic Bird 3    5.0W  97.8 104.7  2.7 -55.4
                               
                Nilesat 101/102    7.0W  98.9 105.9  4.4 -55.1
                               
     Telecom 2D/Atlantic Bird 2    8.0W  99.5 106.4  5.2 -55.0
                               
                     Express A3   11.0W 101.3 108.2  7.7 -54.5
                               
                     Telstar 12   15.0W 103.8 110.7 11.0 -53.8
                               
                   Intelsat 901   18.0W 105.7 112.6 13.5 -53.1
                               
                          NSS 7   22.0W 108.4 115.3 16.8 -52.0
                               
                   Intelsat 905   24.5W 110.1 117.0 18.9 -51.3
                               
                   Intelsat 907   27.5W 112.2 119.1 21.3 -50.2
                               
                  Hispasat 1C/D   30.0W 114.1 121.0 23.3 -49.3
                               
                   Intelsat 801   31.5W 115.3 122.2 24.5 -48.7
                               
                   Intelsat 903   34.5W 117.7 124.6 26.9 -47.3
                               
                    AMC 12/T 11   37.5W 120.2 127.1 29.3 -45.9
                               
                        NSS 806   40.5W 122.9 129.8 31.6 -44.2
                               
                      Pas 3R/6B   43.0W 125.3 132.2 33.5 -42.7
                               
                         Pas 1R   45.0W 127.2 134.2 34.9 -41.4
                               
                   Intelsat 705   50.0W 132.6 139.5 38.4 -37.7
                               
                   Intelsat 707   53.0W 136.1 143.0 40.4 -35.2
                               
                   Intelsat 805   55.5W 139.1 146.1 42.0 -32.9
                               
                          Pas 9   58.0W 142.4 149.3 43.4 -30.5
                               
                       Amazonas   61.0W 146.5 153.4 45.0 -27.3
                               
                     EchoStar 3   61.5W 147.2 154.1 45.3 -26.7
                               
                      Rainbow 1   61.5W 147.2 154.1 45.3 -26.7
                               
               Estrela do Sul 1   63.0W 149.4 156.3 46.0 -25.0
                               
                   Brasilsat B2   65.0W 152.4 159.3 46.9 -22.6
                               
                   Brasilsat B1   70.0W 160.4 167.3 48.8 -16.2
                               
                       Nahuel 1   71.8W 163.4 170.3 49.3 -13.7
                               
                      DirecTV 1   72.5W 164.6 171.5 49.5 -12.8
                               
                          AMC 6   72.0W 163.7 170.6 49.4 -13.5
                               
                          SBS 6   74.0W 167.2 174.1 49.9 -10.6
                               
                     Echostar 4   77.0W 172.4 179.3 50.4  -6.3
                               
                          AMC 5   79.0W 176.0 182.9 50.6  -3.3
                               
                      Nimiq 2/3   82.0W 181.4 188.3 50.6   1.1
                               
                          AMC-9   83.0W 183.2 190.1 50.6   2.6
                               
                   Brasilsat B3   84.0W 185.0 191.9 50.5   4.1
                               
                          AMC 2   85.0W 186.7 193.6 50.4   5.6
                               
                          AMC 3   87.0W 190.3 197.2 50.1   8.5
                               
                           IA-8   89.0W 193.8 200.7 49.8  11.4
                               
                      Galaxy 11   91.0W 197.2 204.1 49.3  14.2
                               
                     Nimiq 1/4i   91.0W 197.2 204.1 49.3  14.2
                               
                   Brasilsat B4   92.0W 198.8 205.8 49.0  15.6
                               
                           IA-6   93.0W 200.5 207.4 48.6  16.9
                               
                      Galaxy 3C   95.0W 203.7 210.6 47.9  19.5
                               
                           IA-5   97.0W 206.9 213.8 47.1  22.0
                               
                      Galaxy 4R   99.0W 209.9 216.8 46.3  24.5
                               
                     Spaceway 2   99.2W 210.2 217.1 46.2  24.7
                               
                DirecTV 1R/4S/8  101.0W 212.8 219.7 45.3  26.7
                               
                          AMC 4  101.0W 212.8 219.7 45.3  26.7
                               
                     Spaceway 1  103.0W 215.6 222.5 44.2  28.9
                               
                          AMC 1  103.0W 215.6 222.5 44.2  28.9
                               
                         AMC 15  105.0W 218.3 225.2 43.1  31.0
                               
                      Anik F1/R  107.3W 221.3 228.2 41.8  33.2
                               
                      DirecTV 5  109.5W 224.0 230.9 40.4  35.2
                               
                EchoStar 6/8/10  110.0W 224.6 231.5 40.1  35.6
                               
                        Anik F2  111.1W 225.9 232.8 39.3  36.6
                               
                  Solidaridad 2  113.0W 228.0 234.9 38.1  38.1
                               
                       SatMex 6  115.0W 230.2 237.1 36.7  39.6
                               
                       SatMex 5  116.8W 232.1 239.0 35.4  40.9
                               
                         AMC-16  119.0W 234.3 241.2 33.8  42.4
                               
                     DirecTV 7s  119.0W 234.3 241.2 33.8  42.4
                               
                     EchoStar 7  119.0W 234.3 241.2 33.8  42.4
                               
          EchoStar 9/Telstar 13  121.0W 236.2 243.1 32.3  43.6
                               
                     Galaxy 10R  123.0W 238.0 245.0 30.8  44.8
                               
                      Galaxy 14  125.0W 239.8 246.7 29.3  45.9
                               
                  Galaxy 13/H 1  127.0W 241.5 248.4 27.7  46.9
                               
 Intelsat Americas 7/Echostar 5  129.0W 243.2 250.1 26.1  47.8
                               
                         AMC 11  131.0W 244.8 251.7 24.5  48.7
                               
                      Galaxy 15  133.0W 246.3 253.2 22.9  49.5
                               
                         AMC 10  135.0W 247.8 254.7 21.3  50.2
                               
                          AMC 7  137.0W 249.2 256.1 19.7  50.9
                               
                          AMC 8  139.0W 250.6 257.6 18.0  51.6
                               
                   EchoStar 1/2  148.0W 256.5 263.5 10.6  53.9

       Satellite Finder is (c) Copyright 2004, P. Lutus
 
Last edited:
You want to use a known LIVE (TP.) transponder when pointing the dish, watching the signal quality meter for SIGNAL QUALITY only.
 
Here are some strong DATA transponders for AMC9 @ 83.0w. With these you will get a quality signal, but no video. 12060 V 30000, 12140 V 30000, 12160 H 30000, 12180 V 30000. You should be able to lock on any of these transponders. And, another note, is the Pansat probably has the AMC9 bird listed at 85.0w, when it's actually at 83.0w.

Al
 
I disconnected the rotor, and ran single cable from l output on lnb directly to receiver, my signal level increased to 80% at Nimiq2 but still zero quality level and no picture/scan. moved towards amc 9, same results.got me buffaloed, I know rotor works, it moves fro m my true south to Nimiq2 when I tell it, but cant figure out why I cant scan any channels with the tp's listed for nimiq 2 or amc 9. will try after the fourth, maybe the fireworks will blast away afew more mosquito'es.. have a great one !!
 
I've moved my dish several degrees around Nimiq2 , musta picked up other nearby satellites, as my signal levels change, but still no quality levels to read, can't lock onto anything to see what channels/ satelite it is.I will try to re-hook motor back up, find true south again and give it another go, any ideas as to why I get no quality levels?? tks timp
 
If you think you are close to a satellite try a BLIND SCAN, if you do find some channels then we can tell you what way to move the dish.
 
when i was messing around with my dish, i got the same situation (high signal level, 0% signal quality) no matter where i pointed the dish. i disconnected the lnb from the coax, and i was still getting a high signal level. it wasn't until i disconnected the coax from the receiver that the signal level dropped to the low 20%'s.
so i was under the impression that the level was just a measure of how good a connection you've got from the receiver to the lnb, and not necessarily anything to do with how well you are or aren't receiving a signal.
 
Thanks Warhound/Pete, gonna try some other settings, am alittle confused as to where to point dish when trying to hit certain sattellites, I know by compass setting, what my true south is, ( 180 plus 7 degrees for my 29073 zip code) and know that Nimiq 2 is just fraction off this setting, which my rotor bumps to, but cant get signal quality when tweaking east/west/,up, down. talk at ya later, thanks again timp
 
Have tried all above ideas on getting some kinda signal , may have something set wrong in antenna set up for my pansat 2500, any ideas on what else I can try? thanks.Am trying to lock on nimiq2 or amc 5 at 82/85 degrees for my true south satellite, my hh-90 is working, but no signal quality is acheived after moving via rotor or manually up/down, east/west. tks, timp
 
Hope this info is helpful. The signal level just tells you something is connected to the IF input. And an LNB always puts out some sort of signal anytime it has power to it, whether it be an empty carrier or information from a satillite. I just did a quick experiment with my equipment. I tuned in my 2700A to a strong signal and noted the signal percentage. Then I went and put a tin can over my LNB so no signal could be received from the satellite. The reading only dropped 10 percent. Your 80 percent reading probably is just the normal output of the LNB. If you get anything significantly higher, that's a satellite signal.

To get anything on the signal quality, you must have the transponder frequency, polarity, and symbol rate correct. Signal quality indicates that the computer in your receiver is decoding the information it received and is trying to output it to the TV set. If the signal quality is high enough, you get a nice steady picture. If not, it will jump in and out and pixelate.

It sound to me like you either weren't pointed at a satellite, or when the signal level increased, you didn't have the freq, polarity or sym rate correct. Also, for your elevation setup to be correct your pole must be set perfectly straight up. Otherwise, you'll have to do some readjustment.

Here's what I've done in the past when a satellite was being particularly difficult. Pick a satellite with a strong signal (as reported by others). Set the receiver to the proper freq, polarity, and sym rate. Put the receiver in the mode where the signal quality displays a graph and has that beeping audio sound when it locks on to a signal. Open the window so you can hear the beeping when it starts (I'm a hermit so I have to do everything alone). Take your best guess with the compass and elevation gage and point your dish toward the satellite. Then make very minor, slow movements till you hear the beeping start. Once you get any beeping, you know you've found the satellite and can start adjusting for best signal quality by slightly adjusting the dish or skewing the LNB for best signal.

Have fun.
 
I still havent locked onto any signal quality, am now trying to locate AMC 5 satellite, which is near my true south location for my zip code(29073, lexington, s.c.), suspect maybe my Pansat 2500 needs new program flash for FTA reception. Does anyone know what program and where to find it would work for this, and how do I know where AMC 5 is without signal meter, I do have a compass, can't figure how to go from compass reading to satellite location( 79 degrees west??) Thanks for help, am currently cabled from one L port on QPH-031 lnb to hh-90 rotor then to receiver, still trying to figure what to set antenna set-up to. timp
 
I would removre the motor and try to find the satellite before adding it to the installation.

No new software is needed for legal FTA channels.

To find any satellite without a satellite meter, enter a know live transponder and watch for signal quality only as you slowly move the dish!
 
for your area, AMC5 is at

51 elevation (on the dish)
186 azimuth 9really close to staright south

Select AMC5 for the satellite. There should be a transponder there that says
11742 V 11110...use that to aim the dish

I assume you have the LNB LO set properly to 10750?
 
If the HH90 is like the HH120 one of the first things you have to do is adjust the motor for your latitude and LOCK IT DOWN.

Also, be sure your dish is sitting (well, hanging in the case of the HH90) from the motor tube properly. That is it should be aligned with the 0 position of the motor (assuming the motor is zeroed to begin with). Lock it down and only adjust the azimuth by moving the whole motor+dish contraption.

Use small movements (1/8") when adjusting the elevation and azimuth and WAIT for the receiver to respond.

Another TP you could try on AMC-5 is 11900H. I get a solid 98% on my Coolsat using that one. The 11742V gives me around 87%.

What I've found while doing research is: snag the satellite using the strongest transponder then fine tune the dish using the weakest.

Oh yes, and the most important thing with a motor set up? Your mast/pole MUST be perfectly plumb. If it isn't, you won't track the satellites very well (if at all).
 
Hey guys, are there any ways of testing my lnb to make sure its working, I removed motor, set my dish elevation etc per Iceberg, ohmed out my cables, still cant lock onto satellite, am thinking on raising my dish up in the air via pole or mounting atop my porch roof to make sure it clears my neighbors house, his roof is just off to the west of my true south reading, wish I had a doggone satellite finder meter!!. Any ideas??, tks alot you guys have ejucated me alot!! Timp
 
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