Need Help Again Please!

[Blue Crystal]

I have been trying to get my old c band to work (echo Star 7) on a 10 ft dish with a Pansat 2500A.
I have tried everything each one has suggested. I know the lnb needs to be up-dated. But, I was trying it out for testing purposes before up-dating. I can not get any signal.
Is it possible the lnb is not any good at all?
Is there a way to test the lnb to determine if it is good or not or should I just go ahead and up-date and quit guessing?

 

[Lak7]

Do you get a Signal Strength reading, not Quality?

 

[Blue Crystal]

I don't get any quality level reading. I don't get any signal reading. The receiver only shows the "Level" of power going to the LNBF.
I tried the sats that was suggested and entered the new transponders and sr info by hand.
Nothing

 

[Blue Crystal]

No quality reading, No signal. the only thing it shows is the level of power going to the LNBF.
I tried the sats suggested and also up-dated the transponders and sr by hand.
I also smart searched each transponder.
Nothing

 

[fanquon]

Check all the connection first, ooh, did your old receiver is analog receiver ?? or digital receiver, sound to me, you tried used the analog receiver and there not many analog channel left.

 

[Blue Crystal]

The pansat 2500 a is Digital, but the lnbf is 10 or 15 years old and most likely analog

 

[Ironsides]

Q&A

1st thing is your C-Band receiver still hooked up?
If it is the on the back of it come out of the TV out to the Pansat 2500 antenna in. The connections for regular old antennas. then from Antenna out to TV from the Pansat...You can use the internal SW on the Pansat to switch between it or the C-Band...

On the C-Band receiver check to make sure you have the LNB cable correct...You need to use a splitter here...One connects to your C-Band Reciever, make sure its the correct input port and the other to the Pansat...Make sure you are connectiong to the correct input on the Pansat...

The splitter should connect to the LBN then C-Band Receiver and then to the Pansat, this way you are putting the signal to both receivers from the LNB. Make sure its a HF splitter, Radio Shack has them...



Unless you can see both now...and have it hooked up some other way..I did it like this because all the Inputs on my TV are filled up...LOL!

If can move your dish to Galaxy 3 put it on Channel 1 or 2 depending...

Now check to make sure on the Pansat you have Picked Galaxy 3 and then check to make sure

Pansat Settings...

You have LNB type set to Standard
LNB Frequency to 5150
DiseQc to OFF
22hz to OFF...

If you have the option to turn LNB power off on the Pansat, I do because you don't need power to the LNB because your C-Band receiver is making the power...

Make sure you saved this and then go back to Blind Scan and do a blind scan, if you can't get a signal then try channel 2...on the C-Band Receiver..

If you do not have a C-Band Receiver hooked up then ignore everything but the Pansat settings...and then figure out how to switch the polarity on the LNB of the C-Band dish to the correct polarity. Use Lyngsat as a guide to find active Transponders. Galaxy 3 has some channels in Digital on C-Band and plenty of others...

If you have a hand held meter now would be a good time to check to make sure your dish is getting a signal..If you don't you can buy a cheap one on Ebay for less thant $10 bucks or from Sadoun...

Check all connections and Make sure you have to correct settings and the correct satellite...

 

[Blue Crystal]

There is not a c band receiver. When I came across the dish the c band receiver had been thrown away. The only receiver involved is the Pansat 2500a that I bought on Ebay.
Each time I tried to get a signal I entered the 5150, Diseqc to off, and 22hz to off. I also tried the 22hz in the on position. The manual is not as clear as it should be.
I am a little confused as to how the lnb is powered from the Pansat rec. the only wires connected is the coax and I hooked up the skew wires. I moved the dish with a go cart battery. I have also tried to set the dish up as a fixed dish and adjusting my elevation and declination accordingly. Nothing!

 

[Lak7]

Are you adjusting the skew when trying?

Do you have a 2 piece Scalar / Feedhorn and a Dish/DirecTV Circular LNBF?
If so, you could take out the Feedhorn, and try to get a Circular LNB to sit "nice", find Nimiq @ 91, replace the orig Feedhorn and try the Fox TPs.

 

[Ironsides]

Are you

Are you sure you are on a Satellite? You will need a meter to make sure you are and getting a signal before anything else. Like I said, you can purchase a cheap meter for Less than $10 bucks and that's where you need to start.

One quick test is to have someone switch the channels, you stay at the dish and listen to make sure the polarotor is switching Between Vertical and horizontal. That will rule out polarity...On the Polarotor you should have a little Blue Box and it should make some sounds...You should be able to hear it pretty easy...Just guessing you are not using one of the newer feeds but the original?

You really need a meter...

One other thing, make sure you do not have Bee's nests in the LNB and polarotor..Seen that cause hair pulling several times...

If you are positive you are on a Satellite and you are positive you are getting a signal...It would be my guess you are not on a Satellite or getting any signal or you are not on the Satellite you think you are...

I guess it would help to know exactly what type of equipment you are using as in way of C-Band dish, LNB and such...

A C-Band dish can be very difficult to get on target but once it is, you are set. It would make your life a lot easier to have a good meter or someone who has experience with larger dishes.

is the Pole Plumb? I mean dead plumb? You have a clear shot to the southern skies? Did you use some sort of Satellite finder program to get your setup information? If so that is not always exact..normally a couple of degrees off..

1st dish I installed was a 12 footer..It had already been set up before...I had it in my head all I had to do was plant a pole and reset the dish on it and point it at the south. Because it had already been "adjusted"! I didn't consider when I moved it those things might change. So I adjusted everything thing on it...When I was hairless I called a friend and together we managed to get it installed in a matter of hours. I was lucky, I found a working receiver at a yardsale and another at a thrift shop. Both had signal meters on them and at that time several satellites had some analog feeds still going on...

 

[Blue Crystal]

The scalar ring on this unit is plastic. Seems to be the original factory set up. The feed horn is all one piece. I will probably order, this week, the BS621-2 Dual Lnb, which also picks up the circular. that seems to work for you Lak7.
I only adjusted the skew, with the receiver when I was testing.
I set my TV and receiver right behind the dish.
Don't remember any noise from the polarotor. I agree I will need a signal meter. I have been trying to use the receiver to find a signal. I did purchase a magnetic angle finder.
IRONSIDES, the equipment I have is a 10ft "Perfect 10" dish. I guess you call it micro mesh, the holes are so small. It's also a "Prime Focus" unit with the 4 brace arms. "very old" C Band lnb (Echo Star 7), and a Pansat 2500A receiver.

 

[Ironsides]

Very Old C-Band

Ok pretty old? C-Band dish...It will not pick off Echo 7 for starters best I remember. Echo 7 is Circular Ku Band...So the C-Band LNB will not see a signal at all.

The "Perfect" part. I meant the Pole is perfectly plumb...Not necessarly the dish being perfect but the mast pole its mounted on. If the dish itself is bent up or the mesh is banged that will hurt as well...but you covered that you said it was perfect...

I have a 10 foot Sami dish that is almost 20 years old...It will not receive anything on Echo 7...no signal no nothing..I also have a 119,110, 61.5 and Galaxy 3, 18 Ku dishes set up...and that 12 footer monster...And several other dishes just to play around with on other birds.

Neither of the C-Band dishes will pick up anything from the KU...Linear or Circular...

Because it is C-Band you can try, as I said to locate Galaxy 3 using the Pansats meter, use an active transponder from that satellite on C-Band and move the dish till you lock a signal for G3...Galaxy 3 is pretty high on the belt making the nose of the dish at about 40 degrees here in my area...

 

[Lak7]

that seems to work for you Lak7.

I have the BSC621-1 Standard, and happy with it. Ku is touchy, but I also have an 80cm to work with.

 

[Blue Crystal]

The brand of the dish is Perfect 10 and it is in perfect shape. It looks brand new. the polar mount came out plumb. So I believe that part is fine. I'll try G3 tomorrow.

I guess I am hoping my receiver is working ok. If so, I want to go ahead and up-grade my LNB. The LNB, I have, is so old it would probably be best to replace it.
Thanks

 

[Blue Crystal]

Lak7

My main goal for viewing is foreign countries. My wife and I spent a lot of time on the mission fields and it's interesting to some time see where we have been. The BSC621 seems to be an all around unit. I may get the universal set up. Will decide in the next few days.
Thanks

 

[Ironsides]

Get the receiver new?

Did you get the Pansat New or 2nd hand? If you got it second hand, I would recommend you download that lastest firmware for it from Panarex website.
hxxp://www.pansatusa.com/download.htm (replace the XX with tt) I don't know if the allow live links or not...

Reason being someone might have tampered with the original software. If you check it and it's the same version then no need to update it.

My best friend just purchased a 2500a off Ebay and wasn't getting signals on several satellites. We checked it and clearly someone had changed the factory software. We downloaded the last firmware and reinstalled it and that helped solve some of his troubles. That and slaving it correctly to his C-Band receiver!

Seems he had a wire or two wrongly connected!

But the same can be said about Ironsides!

 

[Blue Crystal]

Ironsides

Sorry I missed your last post.
My 2500 was made in 2005 and was bought off Ebay.
Pretty sure it needs to be up-dated, because when I look up the sats, on line, the transponder and other info does not match up. I have entered some by hand. That is a slow job.
I'll check out the link you sent me,
Thanks

 

[Mr Tony]

The 2500 probably hasnt had a update since 05 or 06

my 1500 hasnt had an update available since 05

 

[Ironsides]

neither has mine

Neither has my 2500 been update by way of firmware. But it wouldn't hurt to check Panarex and make sure the firmware matches the last one they show...which I think should be firmware 236??? If his firmware matches then no need for the update. Being it is a 2nd hand receiver, It wouldn't hurt to check? I don't mean to imply anything, I just realized the problems my friend encoutered. By the way not all the fault of the firmware, more his wiring wasn't correct.