Fortec How do I re-program my (vintage) Mercury II receiver for ABC News One?

[TexRedNK]

I have been watching ABC News One on bird at 89W for years. Beginning Jan 1016 I read here that it had moved to bird at 91W. I have inserted 91W into my list. Using Power Scan, I only find 4-5 radio channels. But NO TV channels.

From FTAList.com and other places I see the frequency and other data that needs to be input to my receiver.
NOW.: How do I do that ? Do I edit a transponder on that bird with that data ?
Also, when I use the Antenna search and step function the motor (SG2100) to peak the quality signal, and then SAVE that position, do I change only the memory for that one satellite, OR do I affect all the other birds memory positions in the motor memory ?

I have been very happy with this old Fortec receiver ever since I bought it from Sadoun Co at the Dayton Hamfest in 2001 (?).
I later updated to a 1 meter dish to improve my quality signals for a location in N E Dallas County.The old dish is now in my RV and I usually set it up in remote locations when we travel.

Also, I recently found a First Strike meter (FS1) to set up DirecTV Slimline Dishes. Before that I would aim in the dish using the older 4 channel LNB and a simple analog meter in common use for SD DTV receivers. Then I would replace the LNB with the HD SWM LNB and use a receiver and TV to zero in the Slimline dish.

Regards, George KC5PEV

 

[Titanium]

The new transponder on 91w is DVBS QPSK, so the Mercury might be able to watch 2 SD channels of the available 4 channels on the mux. Two of the channels on the transponder are HD and cannot be viewed. The mix of the SD and HD services on the same transponder may cause issues with the Mercury. If so, you may need to manually input each SD channel. I no longer have a Mercury, so unable to confirm.

Adding or editing and existing satellite for 91w is fine. If using DiSEqC 1.2 motor control to move the dish, saving the position only applies to the single satellite that you are programming. Saving a new DiSEqC 1.2 position does not overwrite other DiSEqC 1.2 motor positions.

When 91w is blind scanned, what are the Radio service names?

Does the blind scan log the NewsOne transponder: 12011 V 13333?

If it logs the transponder, but does not log the channels, the SD channels many need to be individually manually added using the VPID, APID, PCR.

If the channels cannot be logged or manually added, might be time to update to a DVBS2 STB.

 

[TexRedNK]

When 91w is blind scanned, what are the Radio service names?

Does the blind scan log the NewsOne transponder: 12011 V 13333?

OK Titanium, The radio channels logged are 20500, 60. 100, and 900. Only 20500 has quality in the 80s. The other radio channels have none. And 20500 only has carrier, but no program sound.

I added two TP frequency of 12010 V 11574 (from FTAList.com) and your frequency of 12011 V 13333 and did both a FTA and a blind scan. Neither found any TV channels, only the before mentioned radio channels

I guess I will have to forget ABC News. I watched that channel mainly for the raw Back hauls that ABC aired during live coverage of major events like fires, toronados, etc.

In time, I may up grade to a new receiver.

 

[Titanium]

I do not log any radio services on 91w. Not sure you are on the correct satellite. If you are on 91w, the STB may be logging data services as radio channels.

Does 12011 V 13333 FEC 3/4 transponder display a Signal Quality reading? If so, try manually entering the SD channels PIDs to create the channels.

SID 1: VPID 308 / APID 256 / PCR 308 (or 8190 as no PCR is mapped in the table).

SID 2: VPID 514 / APID 670 / PCR 288

 

[Keith Brannen]

TexRedNK, you say you have been watching ABC News One on 89W, yet they have been on 91W for a long time. They didn't move, just the TP frequency changed from 12010 V 11574 to 12011 V 13333. Perhaps your 89W is labelled wrong and should be 91W. Go back to your 89W and change the TP frequency you have there to the new one, and re-scan.

 

[TexRedNK]

OK Keith, I will do. As of Jan 1, a lot of DirecTV and local network AM radio stations made changes.. One day all was well with great signals and the next, there was NO quality signal. That was when I checked the forum and FTAList for the new stats. I will go back and change the TP information and re-scan.

 

[TexRedNK]

Ok All, I was changing TP freqs and such and did come up with the ABC News channels ( both of them !) The standby screens even read TP1 & TP3 and TP2 & TP4 respectively . Then I tried to re-scan 91 W and get off 89 W. I decided that I had so messed up the motor memory that it did not know where anything was. Then I did a no no.. deleted 89 W. Then I could not get it back, so then I did a channel save and then a factory reset to get the birds back. By now I really had things messed up. I did get 97W back and channels programmed. I have RTA and a few of the religious channels back.
At this point, I think I need to climb up and do a physical reset to zero on the motor, ck the plumb on the pole and ck the elevation and declination on the motor and dish and start from scratch. My 1 meter dish is about 10 ft higher than the car port post it is fastened to be able to see above trees to the south. Therefore the pole is subject to shifting from high winds.
If someone will tell me how to reset the motor, I will get started. I do not know where my manuals are at the moment. I suppose the manual for the SG-2100 is probably here on the site somewhere ?
Thanks in advance for your patience, I has been a few years since I did this the first time.
Later, George

 

[KE4EST]

Yes you can get it by clicking HERE.
Easy to reset though.
Grab a paper clip.
Go out with power still on.
Manually move the motor to "0", via the East or West buttons.
Push the paper clip up through the reset hole and hold the button for a couple of seconds till the light flashes.

 

[TexRedNK]

Hi KE4EST, Well.. when I did climb up today, I found that the motor is a SG6000 instead of SG2100. However, all the functions are the same. But when I try to move the dish to zero, a few seconds later, the motor moves itself back to the original position. I do have a fix for that. Disconnect the receiver cable and install two 9 V batteries in series !!. I already have that item in my bag of tools and gadgets.
But my next concern is the age of the organic items in the motor. The push button has hardened from the exposure for these hot Texas summers. Now it is crusty, I have to pierce the plastic button with a sharp pick. NOW: Do any of your vendors have replacement parts like this. Today's attempt was aborted because of darkness. (And a 84 yr old really does not need to be climbing after dark !! )

While I was up there, I did check the plumness of the pole. I think it is still in specs.
.I sure am missing my major bad weather and other catastrophic raw news that ABC often covers.

Thanks again for your support. George
PS :KE4EST, look for an email from the Ham radio community.

 

[Titanium]

Be careful!

The STB is automatically issuing a motor move command when the satellite signal is lost. This is returning the motor to the current saved position and fighting against your attempt to manually move.

Two additional ways to address this:
1. Use the STB install menu to "Go To 0" or "Go To Reference". This should return the motor to the the factory "0" position, but check before resetting at the motor.

2. Reset the motor where it is, then manually drive until the pointer is at "0" then reset the motor.

Doubt there are any parts for the motor as they are considered throw away items and not usually repaired. Nothing wrong with your work-around. Maybe seal the holes with spot of silicone sealant? Might check with DMS support department. They might have some candidates for stripping parts.

 

[TexRedNK]

Ok guys, Walk me thru the math in this one !! Good news is I have my ABC chan 1 and chan 2 BACK on my old Fortec Mercury II receiver. Now How I got there: Today was 75 F, Sunny, but a bit windy here in Dallas County.

Per Titanium's instruction, I drove the motor to 0 position and pulled the coax inside to shut off the power. I then climbed up to the antenna and plugged in my two 9 V batteries in series onto the F terminal port going to the motor. With a pocket mirror handy so I could look squarely onto the pointer, I punched the West move button until it moved to the zero mark. Then I pressed the reset sw inside and watched the LED flash and then turn green.

Reconnecting the receiver coax, I returned to the receiver and used the DiSEqC 1.2 menu to find 97 W. I jogged the motor for best Q sig and saved. Then I went to the USALS menu and exercised the 0 and Go to positions. The signal was not there. So, I figured I must be off azimuth position. I returned up to antenna and gave it a hard physical twist to the East. (The USALS position had appeared to be West of the DiSEqC 1.2 position. Returning to the receiver, I checked both positions. This time they both had good Q signals. ( I wonder if I should have changed the Long setting in the USALS menu instead ??)

Now it was time to look for the ABC signals on 91 W. Using USALS, I sent the dish there. There was a weak Q sig, so I went to the TP edit mode and went thru the list. I had previously added the TP 12011 V 13333. Also before did a factory reset, I had Chan1 and Chan2 temporarly. I had jotted down TP 11859 V 13344. I added these to the TP pool and immediately I was getting Q sigs in the 80 + range.
Then I went for the PS (blind scan) and let it finish. Walla ! There were my two ABC channels as well as two Encompas Digital M channels. I suppose these are the HD channels ?

When I went to full screen, there was Blue chan1 with the TP of 12011 V 13333 on the screen. Then to Red Chan2 with the same TP settings. I still do not understand why the advertised TP settings do not seem to work on this Fortec receiver ? So now I went back and recorded my Univ LNB settings for the record. 9750/10600 .In the USALS menu I had set Long = 96.6 and Lat = 32.9

My location data follows:
Garland, TX 75044
Latitude: 32.9415°
Longitude: -96.6628°
I hope with this data you can guide me thru the math of the various mixer frequencies ?

Now I am an amateur Radio Operator with an Extra class license. I should understand the sums and products of two different frequency's being mixed in a mixer circuit. So if someone will point out my errors, I will appreciate it. I know that something is NOT correct about the basic dish set up, but for now I have my 97 w and 91 W signals back. I doubt that the arc will track to the lower birds for PBS and NBC feeds. The dish azimuth is off aprox 5 degrees to the East of due South.

I had previously determined true South by data from a government sun rise, sunset site. I found the local time that the sun would cross my meridian and then observed the shadow of my pole on the ground at that noon time of that day. Magnetic declination is about 3.6 degrees for my location. I wanted something more accurate. I was told by a local satellite installer that the larger the dish, the more narrow the beam. That was the reason it was more difficult to aim in a large dish than a small 30 inch dish.

Thanks for your patience ! 73, George

 

[Titanium]

Before explaining the transponder math, what is the LNBF brand and model? What is the LNBFs LO frequency? I believe the STB LO frequency was not matching the LNBF LO frequency and the LNBF LO frequency has drifted 2MHz. Have you noticed the LNB LO FAQ in this forum? I wrote it several years ago and it might assist you in determining why the wrong downlink LO was logged.

The difference between the DiSEqC 1.2 position and the USALS position was likely due to the reset "0" position being slightly off. As I recall, this model of HH motor had some USALS positioning inaccuracies of several degrees due to a documented manufacturing error.

If your motor was not part of this bad batch, the "0" position may not have been exact when you reset the motor. When the installation menu motor setting type is changed from DiSEqC 1.2 to USALS, this changes the "0" reference from a user setting to an absolute hardware and coded position in the motor. In USALS mode, the satellite position is a calculated offset from hard coded "0" by the set-top box. There is no need to reset the motor when positioned at position "0".

For future reference, there is no need to disconnect the STB and connect 9Vdc batteries when resetting the motor. Simply use the STB to GoTo "0" reference then press the reset switch on the motor.

 

[TexRedNK]

Ok Titanium, I will do some more research and gather information and post the results . Also I will look at your previous post about the motor.
Glad to understand that the USALS setting is hard wired to the motor while the DiSEqC 1.2 is set by user in the software.