my first C-Band set up, need tips (Intelsat 9)

[vixens]

I have a the following hardware I would like to set up for Intelsat 9 @55 Degrees (location Belize, Central America):

* Sadoun 6 foot prime focus, solid
* A BCS 621 KU/C-Band Lnb http://www.sadoun.com/Sat/Products/621-2manual.pdf
* A Lexium DBS7000 C/Ku Sat receiver

I have never done a C band set up, only KU FTA with off set dishes.
Can anyone give me some guidelines ?

Q: is it linear ?
Q: the sat dish's manual does not indicate a focal point (the distance between center and focal point) Any idea ?
Q: is it measured from center to the tip of the feedhorn ?
Q: Search for signal: better with the signal meter or via the signal indicator on the receiver ?
Q: the receiver does not have Intelsat 9 preset; I added it (the name) manually but naturally there are now no transponders which i guess can be added once the signal is locked. Any advise on that ?

Q: receiver/sat set-up:
LNB type ?: standard, Universal, User
22K?: on or off
Polarity: H/V (I assume)

Thanks in advance,
Wolfgang

 

[FaT Air]

I-9 is at 58W Intelsat 9 at 58.0°W - LyngSat
I-805 is at 55.5W Intelsat 9 at 58.0°W - LyngSat
Q: is it linear ?
A According to what lyngsat says, both are linear.
Q: the sat dish's manual does not indicate a focal point (the distance between center and focal point) Any idea ?
A. It can be calculated.

But I bet, the arms are at the correct length. Minor feed tweaking should be all that's left to do. Even the calculated is not perfect.
Q: is it measured from center to the tip of the feedhorn ?
A. from the bottom dead center of the dish, the focal point is usually a 1/4 inch inside the feed throat.
Q: Search for signal: better with the signal meter or via the signal indicator on the receiver ?
A. Either work fairly well, although a meter is more convenient. No taking a TV and receiver out to the dish.
Q: the receiver does not have Intelsat 9 preset; I added it (the name) manually but naturally there are now no transponders which i guess can be added once the signal is locked. Any advise on that ?
A. You must also enter an active transponder in the receiver, or meter, to lock on to, to get a Quality reading. THEN you can scan in other operational transponders.
Q: receiver/sat set-up: LNB type ?: standard, Universal, User 22K?: on or off Polarity: H/V (I assume)
A. BSC621 (NOT the BSC621-2) needs receiver programmed, for C Band reception. TYPE:Standard, L.O. 5150, 22Khz off.
For Ku: TYPE: Standard, L.O. 10750, 22Khz ON.
BSC621-2 uses DISEQC switch for band. 1 for C Band, 2 for Ku. Also change Ku LNB TYPE to Universal. L.O. should be 9750/10600 and AUTO 22Khz. (L.O and 22Khz may be set automatically with Universal selected)
(The above assumes the jumper is used as shown in it's instructions)

 

[vixens]

Great, this is more that I was hoping for . . .thanks !

Q: the lnb/feedhorn is a BSC621-2 C/Ku
Q: ref. A. You must also enter an active transponder in the receiver, or meter, to lock on to, to get a Quality reading. THEN you can scan in other operational transponders.

I played a few hours to get familiar with the receiver . . . I am not sure how to add transponders.
What would be a strong transponder I should add for an initial search ?


Thanks, Wolfgang

 

[truckracer]

A straight c band lnbf will give you better performance on c band than a dual band lnbf

 

[Babadem]

Very detailed guide you put out there, Fat Air.

 

[FaT Air]

Kinda confused yet as to which satellite you're looking for
I-9 is at 58W Intelsat 9 at 58.0°W - LyngSat or
I-805 is at 55.5W Intelsat 9 at 58.0°W - LyngSat
Transponders:
I-9 @ 58W - 3840 Horiz, SR 27690 or 4040 Horiz, SR 26590
I-805 @ 55.5W - 3695 Vert, SR 8888 or 3768 H 4427
BTW: I am also not sure how to add transponders into that receiver, no experience with that model. Also, I agree with Truckracer, a single band LNBF will perform better. The dual band types are a bit of a trade-off performance wise. Many have tuned them up on the primary band of interest and 'take what ya get' on the other band.

 

[vixens]

* I am looking for I-9 at 58W
* I bought the dual LNB because I am not sure if I would also receive some Ku band
* Actually the main channels I am trying to get is DW Latinoamerica and DW Amerika
* Any specific LNBs you can recommend (for later)?

* In regards to the I-805 at 55.5W: I see there are 4 BBC channels. 3 are free (tp23) . . .are these TV or Radio?
* On Lyngsat, how do I recognize if it's a tv or radio channel ?

* In any case, I have now added both sats (I-9 and I-805) to the receiver . . . they are so close together and hopefully I'll find one of them.
Both should come in with a 6 foot dish here in Belize.

REF: Transponders:
I-9 @ 58W - 3840 Horiz, SR 27690 or 4040 Horiz, SR 26590
I-805 @ 55.5W - 3695 Vert, SR 8888 or 3768 H 4427

I still do not understand how to add the above transponders manually; but that's a Lexium problem.

Thanks a lot . . . we'll keep you updated.
ww

 

[FaT Air]

Since these are just C band, I'd fine tune the feed on C band and "take what you get" for Ku. For C band only LNBF, I like my SatelliteAV C2. BTW: I'm a fan of offset Ku dishes for Ku, BUD's for C. Too much 'foolin' around to get Ku on a BUD. KISS principle.
AFAIK there's no Ku at these locations(up here @ 97W 48N anyway), and the Ku shown at lyngsat says all is scrambled to SA. (but they've been wrong)
To see how to determine radio, look at freq 3880 Intelsat 9 at 58.0°W - LyngSat

Studio Universal Argentina

PowerVu

230

3360

3320 Sp

in the above 3360 is the video PID, 3320 is the audio PID - there's no Video PID for radio channels:

China Radio International

1

1122

The BBC there is radio.
I have the 2 DW channels on I-9 58W @ 3840 H 27690 just as lyngsat has them listed.
Satellite Coverage Maps | Intelsat shows good sig to Belize, should get them. Good luck.

 

[vixens]

Thanks ok. still don't understand how to recognize if it is TV or Radio. e.g. 4x BBC on I-805

3936 H
tp 23 BBC World Service DVB-S 3255-2/3

Hemi
37.5-43
4.4 N Chaves
090226
BBC World Service English Americas
13903 6622 E
BBC World Service English News
13910 6692 E
BBC World Service Arabic
13916 6752 A

 

[FaT Air]

The green numbers,are the SID (Service I.D.) they are not a video PID. So, no video PID, radio.
Also, Most of the time, The video and Audio PIDs will resemble each other in the hundreds and thousands value. V 3350, A 3360 or like V 213 and A 223 or V 423, A 422, almost always.

 

[vixens]

The green numbers,are the SID (Service I.D.) they are not a video PID. So, no video PID, radio.
Also, Most of the time, The video and Audio PIDs will resemble each other in the hundreds and thousands value. V 3350, A 3360 or like V 213 and A 223 or V 423, A 422, almost always.

Ok, now I understand. Thanks.

I am ready for a try . . . still can't figure out how to add an initial tp to Intelsat 9 in the Lexium receiver.
I am wondering if this is really necessary or ????

Installation:
* Antenna Set up
* tp scan: -> no tp -> add: new carrier -> search
there is nothing anywhere where I could manually type the actual tp data.

anybody with a Lexium ?
ww

 

[Magic Static]

Just in case you didn't get one

 

[phlatwound]

Just in case you didn't get one

I was just getting ready to post a link to that!

Pages 2 & 3 have the needed info I believe, just need to change the values to the correct ones for the tps you are after.

 

[vixens]

ok, just found --by coincident-- where I type in the first tp . . . ready to search for a signal.
will keep you updated.
thanks !


. . . . of course, now it has started to rain, heavily

 

[phlatwound]

Hey, it's C-band...a little (or a lot of) rain won't hurt (the signal)!

 

[vixens]

I had my first C Band success; however so far the wrong satellite.
I am receiving Amazon 1 at 61W . . . 7 channels only, 3 are scrambled; all C band, no radio and no Ku.
according to:
www.satbeams.com/footprints?position=299
the signal on Ku should be strong in Belize, Central America.

I guess I have to set up Ku band manually in my Lexium receiver as well (why no radio?)
Do I just add one vertical and one horizontal tp (according to Lyngsat) . . what else ?

Thanks for your help.
ww

p.s. the rain hurts the tV and receiver

 

[FaT Air]

I don't have any 'radio' on 61W either. There's just not any there.
I'd adjust the feed (skew & focal length) for max performance on C band while on the 61W satellite.*mark the LNBF scalar position so it can be returned to this position.
Then carefully center the dish on the satellite. Aim accuracy is a lot tighter at Ku freqs. At C band the 'viewing angle' of a 6 ft dish is substantially more than 2 degrees, but at Ku it may only be 1 degree, or less.
Once the dish is 'zeroed in', program a 61w Ku transponder and see if anything 'shows up'. If not, the feeds local length may need to be readjusted. Seems that very rarely do the 'max performance' settings, C and Ku, of the dual band LNBF's occur simultaneously. (the dual band "Trade Off")
If Ku doesn't 'pan out' I'd reset the feed and rethink the options. ID dedicated C & Ku band dishes or upgrade the feed to a C-Ku ortho?
12171 H 27500 12132 H 28800 are the 2 TP's I have Ku @61W.
dishpointer.com may help you find the satellite you're after.

 

[rv1pop]

SUPER!!!! now you know where you are pointing. And you are only 6 degrees off! It should be easy from there. Just a little tweak a blind scan to see where you are and again until --- soon you are there. I have to remember to peak the dish each time I move it or I lose signal and get OH, SO, FRUSTRATED!

 

[vixens]

Thanks guys.
I realized that C band is much easier to find than Ku. C band seems to have a wider range.
However, I am not sure about tweaking to max. with c band.

I am very limited with equipment and standing in the field between bushes with just a tv and the receiver on a table (surrounded by mosquitos). The cheap satellite finder does start beeping but it's not the best for fine tuning.
The Lexium receiver has 2 scales: Satellite Intensity and Satellite Quality.
The Intensity shows 75 all the time no matter where I point; sometimes jumping shortly to zero.
I can tweak the Quality up to 35 or so but whenever my hand gets near the lnb the sat finder gets more excited.

In general, it seems to be very different than DBS where the receiver's scale is more sensitive.
It's good that I had some initial success . . . for 2 or 3 hours I thought I am going to through everything into the bushes

Now I will first add and fine tune Ku and then move the dish to I-9.
Will keep you updated.

Q: the skew is new to me . . . there is really no reception with the LNB straight up but only with the -60 percent skew.
Can I assume that the skew will not matter with Ku ?
Q2: would there be a chance to receive 2 sat on one prime focus if they are just 2.5 degrees apart: e.g. I-9 and I-805, 2 lnbs with one set towards the side of the other?
I know this would work on DBS with off set. (somehow I can assume that this would work only with offset

. .. .going to play a little more tomorrow morning.
Thank to all for the great advise.
ww

 

[FaT Air]

I am very limited with equipment and standing in the field between bushes with just a tv and the receiver on a table (surrounded by mosquitos). The cheap satellite finder does start beeping but it's not the best for fine tuning.
The Lexium receiver has 2 scales: Satellite Intensity and Satellite Quality.

It's a painstaking process. move the feed a bit closer, or further, from the dish face or adjust the skew a bit this way or that. Then get off the ladder and out from in front of the dish and check the Quality meter. Then do it again and again until you have the maximum Quality reading. But there's no other way. I'd remove the satellite meter when tuning with the receivers Quality meter. I've run into some that seem to fool the quality reading. They can come in handy to find the arc, but will almost never find the satellite. Sometimes their highest readings are between satellites.(??) The quality meter of the receiver is the one to go by, as it's the receiver that's has to 'do all the work' producing a picture on the TV. Quality is the signal from the satellite. Strength is the 'connection' to the LNBF.

it seems to be very different than DBS where the receiver's scale is more sensitive.

I would venture to say the difference is these satellites are many times weaker than the DSS satellites. Not that the DSS meter is more sensitive.

Q: the skew is new to me . . . there is really no reception with the LNB straight up but only with the -60 percent skew.
Can I assume that the skew will not matter with Ku ?

If the skew is tuned up on C band, it will also be for Ku. It does matter. If off by 10 degrees, it could mean a substantial loss of signal (Quality) On a larger dish it might be less devestating as the much higher gain of the dish makes up for the reduction in signal caused by the skew being off. But it is still noticeable on the quality meter. (except for 103W where the Ku skew is ~26° different than the C band)

Q2: would there be a chance to receive 2 sat on one prime focus if they are just 2.5 degrees apart: e.g. I-9 and I-805, 2 lnbs with one set towards the side of the other?
I know this would work on DBS with off set. (somehow I can assume that this would work only with offset

Quite a few have multiple C band feeds on their dishes and there's active threads on the subject. Suggest looking them over. I've not tried it myself.