Ion TV on AMC1

[Inno]

I finally got around to turning my C-band dish to AMC1 (to check out Ion). I got what I thought was a good signal on 3800 H (about 45-50%) which was all I could seem to muster from the 6' mesh. So I tweaked as best I could then packed it all up and moved inside. When I did a blind scan of the satellite it picked up all the transponders but the quality on 3840H was down to 15-19%, clearly not close to enough signal for an unbroken picture. So after playing around a bit more I decided to go out and tweak a little more just on that transponder. I was able to get 25-35% and it works but I just know that as soon as a large cloud comes or a few drops of rain start to fall I'm going to lose it.
Does anyone else notice this transponder being weaker than the others on AMC1? Is it just the size of my dish? At 6' I realise it's not perfect (and perhaps it's not as straight as I thought it was), but in the spring I hope to put up a 10' mesh and hopefully eliminate these problems. Although I kinda like having one dish per satellite, it makes channel changes nice and speedy!

 

[shultz]

My 8' dish with the pansat only gets a 31-34% on that transponder. Picture comes in great. DW-TV on the same sat is hitting 73-77%.

 

[Mr Tony]

something happened late summer with the signal. I use to get it stable on my 6 footer on an off centre LNB (2nd LNB aimed at AMC1...main was at G4) now even peaked I get very little quality.

The rest on that satellite are nice and strong

 

[Inno]

Hmmm, interesting. At least I know it's not just me.........as long as nothing moves I'll be alright, and it probably will 'cause it's on a very temporary mount.
I tried another LNB that I have to see if that would improve things but it was actually worse. I'm using a Cal-Amp 25deg. unit right now with 65dB gain and the Star Trak unit that I tried was also 25deg. but it's gain was listed I think at 60dB (perhaps a little lower). It might not have mattered back in the analog days but it sure does now! It's the difference between getting a useable signal and not.

 

[Mr Tony]

Here's what I mean with the signal.

I use to have a 2nd LNB bolted to my main LNB at 99W and Ion was at 42 quality on the Pansat 1500...This is on the 6 footer

 

[tvropro]

I finally got around to turning my C-band dish to AMC1 (to check out Ion). I got what I thought was a good signal on 3800 H (about 45-50%) which was all I could seem to muster from the 6' mesh. So I tweaked as best I could then packed it all up and moved inside. When I did a blind scan of the satellite it picked up all the transponders but the quality on 3840H was down to 15-19%, clearly not close to enough signal for an unbroken picture. So after playing around a bit more I decided to go out and tweak a little more just on that transponder. I was able to get 25-35% and it works but I just know that as soon as a large cloud comes or a few drops of rain start to fall I'm going to lose it.
Does anyone else notice this transponder being weaker than the others on AMC1? Is it just the size of my dish? At 6' I realise it's not perfect (and perhaps it's not as straight as I thought it was), but in the spring I hope to put up a 10' mesh and hopefully eliminate these problems. Although I kinda like having one dish per satellite, it makes channel changes nice and speedy!

I just checked ION getting 91 quality in the middle of a snowstorm. This is on my 12 footer. You will see a big difference when you get the 10 footer online. C band likes big dishes

 

[tvropro]

Here's what I mean with the signal.

I use to have a 2nd LNB bolted to my main LNB at 99W and Ion was at 42 quality on the Pansat 1500...This is on the 6 footer

I love the way Iceberg makes things work. He really is a true anything goes hobbyist

 

[Inno]

Nicely done Iceberg, I might give that a try with a 10 footer in the spring. Certainly not on the 6' I have now. I have a tolerable signal now and I was able to watch some of the Ion channels last night at between 24 and 32 quality........it's jumping around quite a bit.

 

[Mr Tony]

Inno
If you're still in NW Ontario thats just up the road from me in Minneapolis so you should be getting them a little better than that.

What are the signal qualities on the other TP's like TLN?

Also in your original statement about rain, rain doesnt affect C-Band much. I've had torrential downpours and C-Band just keeps trucking along

 

[Inno]

Yes I am still in NW Ont.
My qualities for most of the other transponders were up in the mid to high 70s. I'll have a look this evening to confirm. When I set up the dish I peaked it on 3740 and all the other x-ponders were looking good..........except for 3840 which was down around 15 or so. So I had to go and specifically tweak it for that transponder. I ended up with 24-32 fluctuating a bit but the other transponders benefitted from it as they went from low 50s to upwards of 60, over 70 in some cases.