Having trouble setting up CW-600s

[qwiklaff]

Hello All,

I am new to the world of FTA and am having trouble setting up my Captive works FTA system. I was referred to these forums by the company I purchased the system from.
First here is my set-up info.
Receiver: Captive Works CW-600s
Dish: 76cm oval
LNB: Invacom quad polar with 40mm horn
Coolsat 4x1 DiSEqc 1.2 switch
Rotor Sg-2100
I have not done any updates to the software. Everything is as it was when I received the system,

My Location Zip 40204
Long 85.7324
Lat: 38.2296

Here is my problem.
I cannot find any satellites.
Here is what i have done so far.
Day 1:
Mounted pole vertical and plumbed.
Mounted SG-2100 on pole facing south. ( true south not magnetic)
Mounted Dish on rotor
Ran coax ( which is new and has been tested for continuity) from LNB to Coolsat 4x1 DiSEqc 1.2 switch....LNB 1 to switch position 1, LNB 2 to switch position 2 etc.
I set the dish declination angle to 24 ( i have also tried 30)and the elevation to 52. I moved the dish to where 101 AMC 4 should be and got nothing.
I have tried just about every combination i can think of and I still get nothing.
Except one time i did lock onto what i thought was AMC4..it gave me a strength of 90 and a quality of 44..i did a channel search and got nothing. I did a TP search and the front of the receiver displayed FALI.

Day 2:
I removed the dish from the motor and mounted it directly on the pole and pointed it at 191.7 AZ and 55.95 Elevation according to the reading my Sat finder program gave me to find AMC4. I would get a 66 on the strength meter and 0 on the quality.

Day 3:
I removed the dish completely from the pole...brought it into my house...hooked it up and guess what...I am still getting a strength reading of 60-70 %.
I have bypassed the motor as well as the DiSEqC switch and I still get those strength readings. I have plugged the LNB directly into the receiver and still 60-70% strength 0% quality. I am stumped...any help would be appreciated.


Day 4:
I typed this request for help


Thanks,

Bret

 

[PSB]

What company referred you here?

Welcome to the SatelliteGuys.US FTA forum!

I always suggest you remove the motor and find / store your true south satellite first!

Signal strengh means NOTHING, you are only looking for Quality!

Thats the way MOST of us here started!

Here are all the angles to the satellites from your location (without a motor)......

                     Louisville, KY 40204
         Latitude 38° 14.214'N Longitude 85° 43.494'W

                       Sat Name Sat Lng Az(t) Az(m)   El  Skew
--------------------------------------------------------------
                     Telstar 12   15.0W 102.2 106.4  6.4 -50.1
                               
                   Intelsat 901   18.0W 104.2 108.4  8.7 -49.6
                               
                          NSS 7   22.0W 107.0 111.2 11.8 -48.7
                               
                   Intelsat 905   24.5W 108.8 113.0 13.8 -48.0
                               
                   Intelsat 907   27.5W 111.0 115.2 16.1 -47.2
                               
                  Hispasat 1C/D   30.0W 112.9 117.1 18.0 -46.4
                               
                   Intelsat 801   31.5W 114.0 118.2 19.1 -45.8
                               
                   Intelsat 903   34.5W 116.4 120.6 21.4 -44.7
                               
                    AMC 12/T 11   37.5W 118.9 123.2 23.6 -43.4
                               
                        NSS 806   40.5W 121.6 125.8 25.8 -42.0
                               
                      Pas 3R/6B   43.0W 123.8 128.0 27.5 -40.7
                               
                         Pas 1R   45.0W 125.7 129.9 28.9 -39.6
                               
                   Intelsat 705   50.0W 130.7 134.9 32.3 -36.5
                               
                   Intelsat 707   53.0W 133.9 138.1 34.2 -34.5
                               
                   Intelsat 805   55.5W 136.7 140.9 35.7 -32.6
                               
                          Pas 9   58.0W 139.7 143.9 37.1 -30.6
                               
                       Amazonas   61.0W 143.4 147.6 38.7 -28.0
                               
                     EchoStar 3   61.5W 144.0 148.2 39.0 -27.5
                               
                      Rainbow 1   61.5W 144.0 148.2 39.0 -27.5
                               
               Estrela do Sul 1   63.0W 145.9 150.1 39.7 -26.1
                               
                   Brasilsat B2   65.0W 148.6 152.8 40.7 -24.2
                               
                   Brasilsat B1   70.0W 155.5 159.8 42.7 -19.0
                               
                       Nahuel 1   71.8W 158.2 162.4 43.4 -17.0
                               
                      DirecTV 1   72.5W 159.2 163.4 43.6 -16.2
                               
                          AMC 6   72.0W 158.5 162.7 43.4 -16.8
                               
                          SBS 6   74.0W 161.5 165.7 44.0 -14.5
                               
                     Echostar 4   77.0W 166.1 170.3 44.8 -10.9
                               
                          AMC 5   79.0W 169.2 173.4 45.1  -8.5
                               
                        Nimiq 2   82.0W 174.0 178.2 45.5  -4.7
                               
                          AMC-9   83.0W 175.6 179.8 45.6  -3.5
                               
                   Brasilsat B3   84.0W 177.2 181.4 45.7  -2.2
                               
                          AMC 2   85.0W 178.8 183.0 45.7  -0.9
                               
                          AMC 3   87.0W 182.1 186.3 45.7   1.6
                               
                           IA-8   89.0W 185.3 189.5 45.6   4.1
                               
                      Galaxy 11   91.0W 188.5 192.7 45.4   6.7
                               
                      Nimiq 1/3   91.0W 188.5 192.7 45.4   6.7
                               
                   Brasilsat B4   92.0W 190.1 194.3 45.2   7.9
                               
                      Telstar 6   93.0W 191.7 195.9 45.0   9.1
                               
                      Galaxy 3C   95.0W 194.8 199.0 44.6  11.6
                               
                      Telstar 5   97.0W 197.9 202.1 44.1  13.9
                               
                      Galaxy 4R   99.0W 200.9 205.1 43.6  16.2
                               
                     Spaceway 2   99.2W 201.2 205.4 43.5  16.5
                               
                DirecTV 1R/4S/8  101.0W 203.8 208.0 42.9  18.5
                               
                          AMC 4  101.0W 203.8 208.0 42.9  18.5
                               
                     Spaceway 1  102.0W 205.3 209.5 42.5  19.6
                               
                          AMC 1  103.0W 206.7 210.9 42.2  20.6
                               
                         AMC 15  105.0W 209.5 213.7 41.3  22.7
                               
                      Anik F1/R  107.3W 212.6 216.8 40.3  25.0
                               
                      DirecTV 5  109.5W 215.4 219.7 39.2  27.1
                               
                     EchoStar 6  110.0W 216.1 220.3 39.0  27.6
                               
                     EchoStar 8  110.0W 216.1 220.3 39.0  27.6
                               
                        Anik F2  111.1W 217.5 221.7 38.4  28.5
                               
                  Solidaridad 2  113.0W 219.8 224.0 37.4  30.2
                               
                       SatMex 5  116.8W 224.2 228.5 35.2  33.2
                               
                     DirecTV 7s  119.0W 226.7 230.9 33.8  34.8
                               
                     EchoStar 7  119.0W 226.7 230.9 33.8  34.8
                               
          EchoStar 9/Telstar 13  121.0W 228.8 233.0 32.6  36.2
                               
                     Galaxy 10R  123.0W 230.9 235.1 31.3  37.5
                               
                      Galaxy 14  125.0W 232.9 237.1 29.9  38.8
                               
                  Galaxy 13/H 1  127.0W 234.8 239.0 28.5  39.9
                               
 Intelsat Americas 7/Echostar 5  129.0W 236.7 240.9 27.1  41.0
                               
                         AMC 11  131.0W 238.5 242.7 25.7  42.0
                               
                   Galaxy 1R/15  133.0W 240.2 244.5 24.3  43.0
                               
                         AMC 10  135.0W 242.0 246.2 22.8  43.9
                               
                          AMC 7  137.0W 243.6 247.8 21.3  44.7
                               
                          AMC 8  139.0W 245.2 249.4 19.8  45.5
                               
                     EchoStar 1  148.0W 252.0 256.2 13.0  48.3
                               
                     EchoStar 2  148.0W 252.0 256.2 13.0  48.3

       Satellite Finder is (c) Copyright 2004, P. Lutus

Your true south satellite is AMC-2 @ 85w (Same as your Longitude)

When you do put the motor back on watch out as one side is marked for elevation and the other is marked for Latitude.

Motor Elev. = 52 deg

Dish elevation (on motor) = 24 deg.

 

[Mr Tony]

your satfinder program is wrong....as PSB noted, your highest satellite is AMC2 and that is at 46 elevation. the problem is ther really isnt anything 24/7 on AMC2. On AMC9 next door there are some data transmissions. wont get you a picture but will get you signal

freq-12140
pol-V
symbol rate-30000

that should be logged itno the Captiveworks as a transponder already

 

[qwiklaff]

What company referred you here?

http://www.ftacenter.com/index.htm
Their support center referred me to you.


My Next Question is what should the setting on receiver be?
I am stumped when it come to know what Transponder to put it on etc.




Your true south satellite is AMC-2 @ 85w (Same as your Longitude)

When you do put the motor back on watch out as one side is marked for elevation and the other is marked for Latitude.

Motor Elev. = 52 deg

Dish elevation (on motor) = 24 deg.[/QUOTE]

 

[PSB]

"My Next Question is what should the setting on receiver be?
I am stumped when it come to know what Transponder to put it on etc."

Iceberg gave you a LIVE TP. to use above!

The L.O. for the linear side of the LNBF is 10750

The L.O. for the Circular side of the LNBF is 11250

 

[qwiklaff]

Ok...The setting for AMC9
freq-12140
pol-V
symbol rate-30000
were not programmed in but i added it. I have pointed the dish to 179.8( m) and elevation is 46..68% signal strength...0% quality.

I have moved the dish slightly one or two degrees both ways and still no change.

Also There were no settings for AMC 2 preprogrammed on my receiver.

I know there is a simple answer...I guess i'm just to new at this to figure it out.

 

[PSB]

If you think you are close to a satellite use the Blind Scan, let us know what channels you find and we will tell you what way you need to move the dish!

Nothing on AMC-2 right now......

http://www.lyngsat.com/amc2.html

Maybe try AMC-3 for now just to get used to the system!

http://www.lyngsat.com/amc3.html

 

[qwiklaff]

Maybe try AMC-3 for now just to get used to the system!


No luck finding that one either. It's getting too dark to try anymore tonight.
Thanks for the help...i'll keep trying and let you know if i get it working.




Bret

 

[qwiklaff]

If you think you are close to a satellite use the Blind Scan, let us know what channels you find and we will tell you what way you need to move the dish!


I have looked at every menu and sub menu on my receiver and cannot find Blind scan...could it be called something else?

 

[PSB]

Power Scan - Smart Scan - Granny Scan - Auto Scan

They all have their own word for it

OK I made up Granny scan

 

[voomvoom]

OK I made up Granny scan

Are you sure Pete? Sometimes my scan is so slow, it must be a Granny scan.

Al

 

[Mr Tony]

Pete
Captiveworks doesnt have blind scan

 

[qwiklaff]

Day 5:

Ok...first off thank you to everyone trying to help me solve this problem.
Here is what is did today. Tried to find AMC-9 ( at the suggestion of Iceberg)
Set Dish angle at 46. AZ at 179.8 ( m). I moved the dish very slowly side to side and nothing changed ( the strength meter sat on 68% and I never got a quality signal) I moved the dish in the box pattern and going from probably 44 to 48 dish angle slowly moved the dish side to side. I also did the reverse...moved the az from AZ 175 to 190 about 1 degree at a time and moved up and down. No changes on any meters.


When i bought my CW-600s the ad said
This is an incredible feature for people who want a simple one step installation. Connect your satellite sources to the included diseqc switch and the receiver will automatically find the satellites it is connected to.


That was one of he reason i went with this receiver.


Wouldn't that be considered Blind scan?

I don't know what i'm doing wrong. I have set up two other dishes before ( Direct TV and BellexpressVu) and never had problems finding a bird.

Another Question....i still have my Direct TV system set up...could i use that dish and the CW-600s to get at least one signal locked in as a refence for he otehr birds?


Thanks again to all


Bret

 

[PSB]

You can use your DirecTV dish and LNB for a few channels, you would need to set the L.O. to 11250

http://www.satelliteguys.us/showthread.php?t=34131

TP. scan is not the same as blind scan!

IMO, a receiver without blind scan is useless!

 

[Mr Tony]

qwiklaff

The Captiveworks doesnt have blind scan. I have one and the specs was misleading (sadly)

when you aim, you need to move it S L O W L Y and when you get to the vicinity, wait 5 seconds or so for the receiver to register....KU band is much more sensative than DirecTv or ExpressVu. The satellites for KU are lowered power than DBS (Dish, Direct, ExpressVu). Move the dish in 1/4" or 1/8" steps.

If you are aiming for AMC9, make sure you are on the transponder I mentioned. Again, signal quality is what we are looking for. When you move the dish, if the quality goes to a blip then you are close. The quality meter on the Captiveworks is like a heart monitor

 

[Mr Tony]

IMO, a receiver without blind scan is useless!

but if he cant get any quality right now, a blind scan receiver wont help him

 

[PSB]

The beauty of blind scan is it will find the channels for you, right now he is searching using the Freq. Pol. and SR

Very often a new user may be on a wrong satellite so the info entered is invalid, so with a blind scan he WILL get some channels then from there we can tell him what way to go

 

[qwiklaff]

Hello again..Day 6:

I hooked the CW-600s to my direct TV dish. It gave me 100% strength and 75% quality on two different satellites. AMC4 at 101w and Galaxy 11 at 91w.

I tried a channel search on both of these and got nothing.


the only thing different I did see was under the Galaxy 11 info it had


No Freq P SR FEC TV Radio
1 10964 V 19850 3/4 12 0
2 10994 V 20000 3/4 15 12


I'm not sure if i even have the settings right for a proper search search.
I have the LNB set to 11250 like you guys suggested.

What do i try now?


( I am starting to feel like the guy who called tech support and was told to ship everything back because he was too stupid to own the system.)

 

[Mr Tony]

if you are aimed at galaxy 11 with the DirecTV dish, in the receiver setup go to Nimiq 1. That is the DBS slot at 91 also.

LO frequency should be 11250 (for DBS)
Hopefully there is a frequency in there of 12224 V 20000 or 12239 H 20000 (or close to it)
scan for FTA only. You should get 1/2 dozen channels and 40 radio channels.

If you are working with the 30" dish and the KU LNB that came with it, the LO frequency needs to be 10750. For Galaxy 11 a transponder to try is 12060 V 26700

 

[qwiklaff]

Mydirect TV set up is the 18in dish. ( i've had it a long time)
It is pointed at 205 az at 43 degrees from my location. Zip 40204.
I'm not sure if i am pointed at Gall 11 or not.

Also I do not have a Nimiq1 on my receiver set-up.