No Signal on Linear Sats with QPH-031 LNB

[LuvFta]

Hello Folks,
Recently got my Fortec FTA motorized system with Invacom QPH-031 LNB but can't catch any linear polarized satellite signals. Still a newbie but I've done tons of research and I'm pretty sure I have everything setup right.

Using LO frequency of 11250 for circular output and 10750 for linear. I was able to find Echostar satellites @ 61.5, 110, and 119 no problem with 80+ signal quality. When switching cable to linear output, I get no signal quality and signal level stays at approx 60% while moving the dish.

Have the dish on a pole mount that I quadruple checked for levelness and it's perfectly plumb. Used Echo 3 as true south starting point being from zip 01832. Made numerous attempts at changing dish angles, etc. with no luck. I figure that if I can move from 61.5W to 119W using USALS and get 80+ quality on the circular outputs of the LNB, then I should be tracking the arc correctly....but yet nothing when I switch to the linear output.

So to say the least, I am frustrated but still ancious to get this working. I'm looking for some advice as to whether or not I could still be doing something wrong, or is there just something wrong with my equipment? Particularly interested in receiving FTA on Hispasat 1D, and AMC4. Any help is greatly appreciated. Thanx.

 

[PSB]

Hello and WELCOME to the SatelliteGuys.US FTA forum

Depending where you are you should be getting more than 80% signal quality on the DBS satellites, I think mine are all pretty much at 99% quality.
What kind of switch are you using? If you are using one by pass it for now, you can add the DBS satellites later but its best to get the arc lined up using the KU satellites.

Here are all the angles to the satellites from your zip code......

                      Haverhill, MA 01832
           Latitude 42° 46.752'N Longitude 71° 6.570'W

                         Sat Name Sat Lng Az(t) Az(m)   El  Skew
----------------------------------------------------------------
                                 
                                 
                     Intelsat 901   18.0W 117.0 133.4 17.9 -40.8
                                 
                     Intelsat 603   20.0W 118.7 135.1 19.2 -40.1
                                 
                            NSS 7   22.0W 120.5 136.9 20.6 -39.2
                                 
                     Intelsat 905   24.5W 122.7 139.1 22.2 -38.1
                                 
                     Intelsat 907   27.5W 125.5 141.9 24.2 -36.7
                                 
                   Hispasat 1C/1D   30.0W 127.9 144.3 25.7 -35.4
                                 
                     Intelsat 801   31.5W 129.4 145.8 26.7 -34.6
                                 
                     Intelsat 903   34.5W 132.4 148.8 28.5 -32.8
                                 
              AMC 12 & Telstar 11   37.5W 135.6 152.0 30.2 -30.9
                                 
                          NSS 806   40.5W 138.9 155.3 31.8 -28.8
                                 
                        PAS 6B/3R   43.0W 141.8 158.2 33.1 -27.0
                                 
                           PAS 1R   45.0W 144.2 160.6 34.0 -25.4
                                 
                     Intelsat 705   50.0W 150.4 166.8 36.2 -21.3
                                 
                     Intelsat 707   53.0W 154.3 170.7 37.3 -18.6
                                 
                     Intelsat 805   55.5W 157.6 174.0 38.2 -16.2
                                 
                            PAS 9   58.0W 161.1 177.5 38.9 -13.8
                                 
                         Amazonas   61.0W 165.3 181.7 39.6 -10.7
                                 
           EchoStar 3 & Rainbow 1   61.5W 166.0 182.4 39.7 -10.2
                                 
                 Estrela do Sul 1   63.0W 168.2 184.6 39.9  -8.7
                                 
                     Brasilsat B2   65.0W 171.0 187.4 40.2  -6.6
                                 
                     Brasilsat B1   70.0W 178.4 194.8 40.6  -1.2
                                 
                 Nahuel 1 & AMC 6   72.0W 181.3 197.7 40.6   1.0
                                 
                            AMC 6   72.0W 181.3 197.7 40.6   1.0
                                 
                        DirecTV 5   72.5W 182.0 198.4 40.6   1.5
                                 
                            SBS 6   74.0W 184.3 200.7 40.5   3.1
                                 
                            AMC 5   79.0W 191.5 207.9 40.0   8.4
                                 
                          Nimiq 2   82.0W 195.8 212.2 39.4  11.5
                                 
                            AMC 9   83.0W 197.2 213.6 39.2  12.6
                                 
                     Brasilsat B3   84.0W 198.6 215.0 38.9  13.6
                                 
                           AMC 16   85.0W 200.0 216.4 38.7  14.5
                                 
                            AMC 3   87.0W 202.7 219.1 38.1  16.5
                                 
              Intelsat Americas 8   89.0W 205.4 221.8 37.4  18.4
                                 
                 Galaxy 11/Nimiq1   91.0W 208.0 224.4 36.7  20.2
                                 
                     Brasilsat B4   92.0W 209.3 225.7 36.3  21.1
                                 
                        Telstar 6   93.0W 210.6 227.0 35.9  21.9
                                 
                        Galaxy 3C   95.0W 213.1 229.5 35.0  23.6
                                 
              Intelsat Americas 5   97.0W 215.6 232.0 34.1  25.3
                                 
                        Galaxy 4R   99.0W 217.9 234.3 33.2  26.8
                                 
                            AMC 4  101.0W 220.2 236.6 32.2  28.3
                                 
                            AMC 1  103.0W 222.5 238.9 31.1  29.7
                                 
                           AMC 15  105.0W 224.7 241.1 30.0  31.1
                                 
                          Anik F1  107.3W 227.1 243.5 28.7  32.5
                                 
         DirecTV 6 & EchoStar 6/8  110.0W 229.9 246.3 27.1  34.2
                                 
                          Anik F2  111.1W 231.0 247.4 26.4  34.8
                                 
                    Solidaridad 2  113.0W 232.9 249.3 25.3  35.8
                                 
                         SatMex 5  116.8W 236.5 252.9 22.8  37.7
                                 
          EchoStar 7 & DirecTV 7S  119.0W 238.5 254.9 21.4  38.7
                                 
  EchoStar 9/Intelsat Americas 13  121.0W 240.2 256.6 20.1  39.6
                                 
                       Galaxy 10R  123.0W 242.0 258.4 18.7  40.4
                                 
                        Galaxy 12  125.0W 243.6 260.0 17.3  41.1
                                 
             Galaxy 13/Horizons 1  127.0W 245.3 261.7 15.9  41.8
                                 
 Intelsat Americas 7 & EchoStar 5  129.0W 246.9 263.3 14.5  42.5
                                 
                           AMC 11  131.0W 248.5 264.9 13.1  43.1
                                 
                        Galaxy 1R  133.0W 250.1 266.5 11.7  43.6
                                 
                           AMC 10  135.0W 251.6 268.0 10.3  44.1
                                 
                            AMC 7  137.0W 253.1 269.5  8.9  44.6
                                 
                            AMC 8  139.0W 254.6 271.0  7.4  45.0
                                 
                     EchoStar 1/2  148.0W 261.0 277.4  0.9  46.5

        Satellite Finder is (c) Copyright 2004, P. Lutus

AMC 6 @ 72.0W would be a good KU satellite to use for true south, ask someone here for a LIVE TP./Channel just before you repoint.

 

[LuvFta]

Thanks PSB. I'm not using a switch right now, just moving the cable manually. I'll try AMC6. Considering I was able to find Echo 3 at 61.5W, should I expect to see some signal quality level on AMC6 just using USALS with no fine tuning of dish angle? Also, should I expect to at least see the signal level go up and down as dish moves across the arc? Thanx again.

 

[PSB]

Forget signal level it means NOTHING! All that matters is signal QUALITY, you will have to enter the Freq./ polarity/ and SR of a LIVE TP./Channels and watch for signal QUALITY as you VERY slowly move the dish. I know you do not want to hear it but its best to find and store your True south satellite BEFORE you add a motor to the scenario.

 

[PSB]

I would motor back to "0" remove the motor, use the above angles for AMC-6.

Here is a LIVE AMC-6 TP. remember they can come and go in minutes so ask again for a "Live One" just before you point the dish!

DFreq : 12089 (V) SR : 3.978 Msps

Good Luck!

 

[Larry1]

Hello, what size dish are you using? The DBS satellites are very powerfull, you should be getting a quality level close to 100 when you are peaked to them. The other satellites are not as powerfull so you may have to move the dish some to fine tune the direction for them.
There are many settings with a motor that can cause it to not line up properly. You may have to turn the motor on the pole a little left or right. The angle setting on the motor may be slightly off (up or down). The dish angle setting on the motor arm may be out (up or down), as well and the dish may not be straight on the arm (left or right). A little off on a few of these settings can cause poor signal levels, and the bigger the dish, the more accurate they need to be. I have just installed my motor 2 weeks ago, and am still fine tuning it. When I first installed it I had a signal on my south satellite, but had to adjust it when I moved to G10R. When moved back to my true south again, it needed adjusting again. With 3 points for adjustment, it takes some time to fine tune it. First try for the strong signals, then for the weaker ones once you get it tuned to at least receive some signals off of multiple satellites. Remember fine adjustments then chack on multiple satellites to see if they get better or worse.

 

[PSB]

"DFreq : 12089 (V) SR : 3.978 Msps"

Just a BLACK screen now but can still be used to lock on to AMC-6

 

[LuvFta]

Thanks for the replies. Still not having any luck locking onto AMC6. I noticed another problem that seems quite strange after removing the motor from my setup. For some reason a get same signal quality from Echo 3 61.5W to Echo 4 157W while the dish position is the same. How can that be possible? Tried changing the LNB to a DBS one that I had from DirectTV and the same happens. Am I going crazy? Is it because the transponder frequencies are the same?

 

[W_Tracy_Parnell]

I would motor back to "0" remove the motor, use the above angles for AMC-6.

Here is a LIVE AMC-6 TP. remember they can come and go in minutes so ask again for a "Live One" just before you point the dish!

DFreq : 12089 (V) SR : 3.978 Msps

Good Luck!

Hey thanks PSB-been looking for a live TP there. BBC feeds right now.

 

[Technojunky]

I am following this thread with intense interest. I have the same system coming this wednesday, and I will be in the same boat.

I have these questions: What does TP stand for?

Will my mounting tower being 1 degree off in one direction?

This is according to my Johnson Angle locator. Will leaving this one degree error make my system hard to setup? Should I be able to compensate with shims?


When I say tower, it is because I have a crank-over for a Ham antenna. I want to mount the dish to the top of the lower section because it will clear the top of the house and be clear of the sky in all directions.

Last question. If I use a pair of DiSeq's, do they both have to be the same brand? I want to order a few from ebay, but the price is all over the place, so the quality is in question. Some expert comments on Diplexers would be great.

Thanks, Joe in Jensen Beach, FL

 

[W_Tracy_Parnell]

TP stands for transponder. Yes, if your tower is one degree off it could effect your ability to track the arc. One other down side to a tower install would be wind causing you to lose signal, but if you have line of sight issues it may be the only option. As far as I know switches can be any brand although some may be better than others. DMSI is a brand recommended here often.

 

[sksatellite]

Hello Folks,
Recently got my Fortec FTA motorized system with Invacom QPH-031 LNB but can't catch any linear polarized satellite signals. Still a newbie but I've done tons of research and I'm pretty sure I have everything setup right.

Using LO frequency of 11250 for circular output and 10750 for linear. I was able to find Echostar satellites @ 61.5, 110, and 119 no problem with 80+ signal quality. When switching cable to linear output, I get no signal quality and signal level stays at approx 60% while moving the dish.

Have the dish on a pole mount that I quadruple checked for levelness and it's perfectly plumb. Used Echo 3 as true south starting point being from zip 01832. Made numerous attempts at changing dish angles, etc. with no luck. I figure that if I can move from 61.5W to 119W using USALS and get 80+ quality on the circular outputs of the LNB, then I should be tracking the arc correctly....but yet nothing when I switch to the linear output.

So to say the least, I am frustrated but still ancious to get this working. I'm looking for some advice as to whether or not I could still be doing something wrong, or is there just something wrong with my equipment? Particularly interested in receiving FTA on Hispasat 1D, and AMC4. Any help is greatly appreciated. Thanx.

Did you separated these two LO setting to antenna 1 and antenna 2 ? If so, there shouldn't be a problem.