Having issues tuning in AMC4

[Midas42]

Does anyone have any ideas for help? I tried to help a friend tune in a FTA system recently. We were able to get a strong signal on several sats but could never get ansy "signal quality" so no picture. The tape that came with it said that we were to tune in on AMC4. Is that the best one for a fixed dish? Is there a little "trick" that we weren't aware of that kept the quality from kicking in? A setting or something that we don't kow about. We had signal strength on 80-90 percent.

 

[Mr Tony]

split this off of the Superdish thread...don't want to have the thread hijacked

 

[Midas42]

I am new here and don't understand your message. Sorry.

 

[Mr Tony]

Chill holmes
All I did was split it off since it really didnt have to do with the issue that it was with (the other thread had to do with a Superdish/Primestar dish)...you are trying to get yours set up....so I split it off

 

[Midas42]

Thanks. I will catch on sooner or later.

 

[PipeDream]

Signal Quality is the one to pay attention to. First, you have to be pointed at the satellite correctly. Then the right size dish and type of LNB comes into play. And you will need to have the right settings. It would help to know what receiver you have.

Assuming you have a 30+" dish, and a Standard or Universal Linear LNB, do you have the LNB Type and Frequency correct?

 

[Wholeshoe]

Try the LO setting on your LNB, 10750 for a Ku Standard LNB. Also check to see if the LNB Power is on, a voltmeter placed between the center conductor and the shield of the coax will tell you if there is DC on it.

Give us some info on what the exact equipment he has is (dish, LNB, Receiver, Motor) and we can provide hours of tips and suggestions.

Wholeshoe

 

[mkm4]

What signal are you trying to get and how big is your dish?

 

[ken2400]

This is missleading on some receivers. I say get a SF-95 signal meter off E-bay to help get you in the ballpark. What I like to do is set the angle of the dish and then move it from side to side. When I am close I wil readjuest the angle of the dish to get the best quality. Digital signal are harder to find than analog ones since you need to be real close before you get something on the receiver. A compass and a sat location program also helps.

If you give us your area code someone will most likely llist all the sat locations for your area.


Good luck

Does anyone have any ideas for help? I tried to help a friend tune in a FTA system recently. We were able to get a strong signal on several sats but could never get ansy "signal quality" so no picture. The tape that came with it said that we were to tune in on AMC4. Is that the best one for a fixed dish? Is there a little "trick" that we weren't aware of that kept the quality from kicking in? A setting or something that we don't kow about. We had signal strength on 80-90 percent.

 

[Midas42]

I don't remember the brand of receiver. It came from somewhere in Florida. The dish is 30", universal lnb, no motor. We had a meter, there is voltage, we found several satellites, but never one which would lock on signal quality, only a strong signal strength. AMC4 is what we were after. I even ran new cable to the dish since he had 59 cable when I got there. It didn't make a difference.

 

[Midas42]

The zip code was 62854. The charts list AMC4 as 101. I'm sure we were on it at one point but still no quality reading. Like I said, we hit about 10 different sats with strong signal strength.

 

[PSB]

Remember signal strength means nothing so the chances are you have yet to find a satellite. A meter will not work with a Universal LNBF so you will need to enter a live TP./channel and watch for Signal Quality only on a TV, here are the angles for your zip.


Kinmundy, IL 62854
Latitude 38° 45.354'N Longitude 88° 48.780'W

Sat Name Sat Lng Az(t) Az(m) El Skew
-------------------------------------------------------------

*** All Satellites 61W - 160W ***

EchoStar 3 61.5W 140.5 142.1 36.9 -29.8
Rainbow 1 61.5W 140.5 142.1 36.9 -29.8
Brasilsat A2 (incl. 5.8 deg) 63.0W 142.3 144.0 37.7 -28.5
Brasilsat B2 65.0W 144.8 146.5 38.7 -26.7
Brasilsat B1 70.0W 151.4 153.1 41.0 -21.9
Nahuel 1 71.8W 154.0 155.6 41.7 -20.0
AMC 6 72.0W 154.2 155.9 41.8 -19.8
Galaxy 12 74.0W 157.1 158.8 42.5 -17.7
SBS 6 74.0W 157.1 158.8 42.5 -17.7
GOES 12 75.0W 158.6 160.2 42.9 -16.6
AMC 5 79.0W 164.6 166.2 44.0 -12.0
DirecTV 3 81.8W 168.9 170.5 44.5 -8.6
Nimiq 2 82.0W 169.2 170.9 44.6 -8.4
Brasilsat B3 84.0W 172.3 174.0 44.8 -6.0
XM Roll 85.0W 173.9 175.6 44.9 -4.7
AMC 9 85.0W 173.9 175.6 44.9 -4.7
AMC 3 87.0W 177.1 178.8 45.1 -2.3
Galaxy 9 91.0W 183.5 185.2 45.1 2.7
Galaxy 11 91.0W 183.5 185.2 45.1 2.7
Nimiq 1 91.0W 183.5 185.2 45.1 2.7
Brasilsat B4 92.0W 185.1 186.7 45.0 4.0
Telstar 6 93.0W 186.7 188.3 44.9 5.2
Galaxy 8I (incl. 1.0 deg) 95.0W 189.8 191.5 44.7 7.6
Galaxy 3C 95.0W 189.8 191.5 44.7 7.6
Telstar 5 97.0W 192.9 194.6 44.3 10.1
Inmarsat 2 f2 (incl. 1.7 deg) 98.0W 194.5 196.1 44.1 11.2
Galaxy 4R 99.0W 196.0 197.7 43.9 12.4
DirecTV 2 100.8W 198.7 200.4 43.4 14.5
DirecTV 1R 100.8W 198.7 200.4 43.4 14.5
AMC 4 101.0W 199.0 200.7 43.3 14.7
DirecTV 1 101.0W 199.0 200.7 43.3 14.7
AMSC 1 101.1W 199.2 200.8 43.3 14.8
DirecTV 4S 101.2W 199.3 201.0 43.3 15.0
AMC 1 103.0W 202.0 203.7 42.7 17.0
Solidaridad 1 (incl. 2.8 deg) 103.5W 202.7 204.4 42.6 17.5
AMC 2 105.0W 204.9 206.5 42.0 19.2
G-Star 3 (incl. 11.5 deg) 105.0W 204.9 206.5 42.0 19.2
G-Star 1 (incl. 6.0 deg) 105.0W 204.9 206.5 42.0 19.2
MSAT 1 106.5W 207.0 208.7 41.5 20.7
Anik F1 107.3W 208.1 209.8 41.2 21.6
Anik E1 109.2W 210.7 212.4 40.3 23.5
DirecTV 6 109.8W 211.5 213.2 40.1 24.0
EchoStar 6 110.0W 211.8 213.4 40.0 24.2
EchoStar 8 110.0W 211.8 213.4 40.0 24.2
Anik E2R 111.1W 213.2 214.9 39.5 25.3
Solidaridad 2 113.0W 215.7 217.3 38.6 27.0
Morelos 2 (incl. 4.4 deg) 114.9W 218.0 219.7 37.6 28.7
XM Rock 115.0W 218.2 219.8 37.5 28.8
SatMex 5 116.8W 220.3 222.0 36.5 30.3
Anik E2 118.7W 222.6 224.2 35.5 31.8
DirecTV 5 119.0W 222.9 224.6 35.3 32.1
EchoStar 7 119.0W 222.9 224.6 35.3 32.1
EchoStar 5 119.0W 222.9 224.6 35.3 32.1
EchoStar 9/Telstar 13 121.0W 225.2 226.8 34.1 33.6
Galaxy 10R 123.0W 227.3 229.0 32.9 35.0
Galaxy 5 125.0W 229.4 231.1 31.6 36.3
Galaxy 12 125.0W 229.4 231.1 31.6 36.3
Galaxy 13 127.0W 231.5 233.1 30.3 37.6
Telstar 7 129.0W 233.5 235.1 29.0 38.8
Satcom C3 131.0W 235.4 237.0 27.6 39.9
Galaxy 1R 133.0W 237.2 238.9 26.2 41.0
Satcom C4 135.0W 239.0 240.7 24.8 42.0
GOES 10 135.5W 239.5 241.1 24.4 42.2
AMC 7 137.0W 240.8 242.4 23.3 42.9
AMC 8 139.0W 242.4 244.1 21.9 43.7
Inmarsat 2 f3 (incl. 1.9 deg) 142.0W 244.9 246.6 19.7 44.9
EchoStar 1 148.0W 249.5 251.2 15.1 46.9
EchoStar 2 148.0W 249.5 251.2 15.1 46.9
TDRS 9 (incl. 7.4 deg) 151.0W 251.7 253.4 12.9 47.8
TDRS 10 (incl. 6.2 deg) 151.0W 251.7 253.4 12.9 47.8
EchoStar 4 157.0W 255.9 257.6 8.2 49.2

 

[ken2400]

Good you have a meter. It sounds like you are not right at the dish when pointing? I myself have to get right next to the dish to get these sats. I use a small B&W TV to do so. I know it a pain but it work.

Some other ideas to try. If you have access to an old analog receiver try to point the dish using it and then switch the digital receiver. Another idea is to dig up a 18" dish with a DTV or Dish Network LNBF and tune in one of the sats with it to test the receiver. Do you know this receiver works? Do you have a friend with a dish that you can test it with?

Do you have any switches in the line? Also confirm the LNB LO freq is 10750.

Good luck!

I don't remember the brand of receiver. It came from somewhere in Florida. The dish is 30", universal lnb, no motor. We had a meter, there is voltage, we found several satellites, but never one which would lock on signal quality, only a strong signal strength. AMC4 is what we were after. I even ran new cable to the dish since he had 59 cable when I got there. It didn't make a difference.

 

[Midas42]

Thanks for all the help guys. One of you said that the meter would NOT work and another said that it would. I haven't found one yet that it won't work on but then again, I have never tuned in a FTA system before. I might try taking the receiver out to the dish next time. That's the way we used to tune the BUD's in. It was about 20 below out there last weekend so I didn't try anything like that. Again, thanks.

 

[ken2400]

The meter should work if you have a standard KU LNB 10750 LO. The basic meters don't work on Universal KU LNB tho because of the LO freq are different and you need the 22khz singal.

Thanks for all the help guys. One of you said that the meter would NOT work and another said that it would. I haven't found one yet that it won't work on but then again, I have never tuned in a FTA system before. I might try taking the receiver out to the dish next time. That's the way we used to tune the BUD's in. It was about 20 below out there last weekend so I didn't try anything like that. Again, thanks.