Newsfeeds on the 1.2m. Not what they used to be.

[Panavision]

I've been having trouble keeping a consistent lock on DVB-S2 8PSK 5/6 Ku on my 1.2m Andrew. My quality hovers right around 70% on my Micro and this is just enough to keep the audio going, but the video breaks up every few seconds. This never seemed to be a problem with DVB-S MPEG-2 in the past. Is S2/8PSK/MPEG4 really that much harder to pull in? I thought a good 1.2m would be sufficient. Have others been let down by how their systems deal with this higher-order modulation?

 

[primestar31]

It's the 5/6 fec that's probably affecting you most. You MUST completely re-tweak your dish, and lnb to make sure you are getting every single bit of quality you can get. This might mean eliminating couplers and switches, or changing them out for ones with less loss, or even better quality cable. Even 1 db of signal is 26%, and could be the difference between getting it or not. You need to try for 74-75% if at all possible. My DiSEQc switch is rated for only 1.5db loss, and MOST of them are rated at 3db loss! 3db is 1/2 your signal.

 

[Panavision]

Yeah, it really is those darn 5/6 feeds because 3/4 are fine at 70%. I experimented by removing the switches and didn't see any change. I'm running only 50 ft. of RG11 to my motor. I wonder if it has anything to do with my Channel Master feed horn. I got a 10% boost in quality on G16 by moving the feed horn closer to the dish by about 3/4 inch. I'm in MN, am I on the fringe of many footprints?

 

[primestar31]

I don't know, I have no need to check sat footprints out as far as Minnesota. Use this site to figure it out: http://satbeams.com/

Also use Lyngsat to check the "EIRP" power level for your location. The higher the number, the easier to receive that transponder. You have to check each individual satellite you actually want to receive for this.

By the way, I think a good 3 ghz swept quad-shield RG-6 cable is actually better then some RG-11 cable. I've exclusively used quad shield RG-6 for over 10 years, and it works well for me. I use Thomas & Betts connectors, and never use just plain crimped connectors.

 

[skyscanner4ever]

Well I am locked in with my 1.2 meter dish and I am getting 70-78 quality on all sats from 72 to 125 with some up to 83-85 quality on my micro hd. I have to say I pull in tons of news feeds, more at certain times of the day. Heck my entire channel list right now in just a month of scanning is over 1400 and if you take away the 200 channels from G 25 and the other 50 or so from all the other sats then I have scanned in around 1150 or so feeds so far in just a month, well its been a month since I deleted my channel list. So I would say there is still tons of new feeds, in fact I can honestly say usually during the day up until around 7 or so in the evening it is nothing to scan in 5-10 new feeds every time I scan G 17 at 91* or the 99* bird. some such as the SES2 at 87* or the amc 9 at 83* dont have many news feeds, but sats 89,91,and 99 have tons of news on them so I would try to align your dish a little better.

 

[Panavision]

Yep, sounds like an alignment is in order!

 

[Anole]

I got a 10% boost in quality on G16 by moving the feed horn closer to the dish by about 3/4 inch.

That raises a red flag for me.
Just last month, someone discovered they'd had their LNB holder bolted to the wrong place on their (another brand) 1.2 m dish.
I'm wondering if your dish or feed supports are bent/warped or out of alignment?

You've got the best receiver, short coax, and removed switches.
The list of possible culprits is getting shorter.

(did you take the receiver to the dish and bypass ALL existing coax?)

 

[Panavision]

Ha! That was me with the LNB problem! I have another Andrew 1.2m. I could throw its arms on the existing dish to see if anything changes. I get the same results with the Micro at the dish.

 

[Panavision]

The last picture shows how I have the feedhorn pushed closer to the dish. I don't think the arms are bent or misaligned. Does any of this look off?

 

[primestar31]

The last picture shows how I have the feedhorn pushed closer to the dish. I don't think the arms are bent or misaligned. Does any of this look off?

View attachment 81935View attachment 81937View attachment 81936View attachment 81938

Is that a NON-Primestar lnb, mated to a Primestar feedhorn? That could explain it right there; feed mismatch. Your arms and such all look fine from what I can see

Or it's also possible that you have the wrong elevation set on your dish, and when you pushed the feed closer, it adjusted for it, but then it'll be using less surface area of the dish.

 

[Panavision]

It's an Invacom LNB. Why would it matter if it's a Primestar LNB? They mate just fine. I will check my elevation and motor's azimuth position on the pole. Thanks for the suggestion!

 

[primestar31]

It's an Invacom LNB. Why would it matter if it's a Primestar LNB? They mate just fine. I will check my elevation and motor's azimuth position on the pole. Thanks for the suggestion!

Brainstorming theories, just tossing out theories... Sometimes you brainstorm a good one among the chaff... I'd think the elevation one is probably closer to the good one, since the arms appear to be mounted properly.

 

[Panavision]

You probably noticed I have a NPRM on the ground supporting my dishes. I wonder how much the ground moves. I'd put up a pole in concrete, but my wife doesn't want a mound left over when we sell the house.

 

[primestar31]

You probably noticed I have a NPRM on the ground supporting my dishes. I wonder how much the ground moves. I'd put up a pole in concrete, but my wife doesn't want a mound left over when we sell the house.

Why would she care, if she'll never see it again since you are selling? Plant flowers on the mound, problem solved.

 

[Panavision]

Oh, I've tried that argument.

 

[primestar31]

Oh, I've tried that argument.

lol, Whipped...

 

[cyberham]

...my wife doesn't want a mound left over when we sell the house.

My goodness...the things people worry about.

 

[phlatwound]

You could set a pole and stop your concrete a few inches below grade, then just cut off the pole below ground when you left.

 

[FaT Air]

For comparison, measure from the top lip of the dish to the top front of the feed holder. My Pstar 1.2's(Channel Master MOLD#1.2M-1) measurements are 48 7/8 .
I'm not using the factory feed but matched the factories feed location 1.5 inches towards the dish face from the dish side of the feed holder. Found that's where it worked the best on weaker signals. (couldn't see any change on stronger signals)
BTW- what's the feed throat cover look like? Dirt can attenuate.

 

[Panavision]

Primestar, you're right. And I like the idea of the concrete below ground.