persistent low signal

[jwwbrennan]

I am trying to install:
Digipower SG-2100 DiSEqC Motor
Winegard DS-2076 31" Dish
Invacom Quad Polar LNBF
SonicView 8000 HD

Everything works but there is a persistent low signal (about 50). I have circumvented or substituted every part with the exception of the Invacom. I have gone directly from the SonicView to L1 with every variation in between. Can anyone suggest why the signal would be low? I have substituted cables and replaced suspect connectors. There is no variation other than the zero given with port 4 disconnected.

I am new at this and may misunderstand the process entirely. I am trying to get a functional signal before even considering the quality.

Regards,

 

[qwert1515]

Signal level just means that your LNB is connected to your receiver, what you want is signal quality.

You dish is kind of small so your levels will be a bit slow.

What satellites are you trying to receive?

 

[jwwbrennan]

I have been trying for several. My setup satellite is 63.0°W Estrela do Sul 1 which, from what I can tell, is as good as not there. I now have a few signals from 74.0°W Horizons 2 that are weak but were very satisfactory in yesterday’s good weather conditions. It is a temporary situation. Once I build familiarity and define some parameters the dish will be moving to a less accessible location that has a window not so limited by trees. (I was planning to put it on a steep pitched roof. That was quickly recognized as a bad idea during the initial setup.)

Although the dish is small it is larger than the ExpressVu units I see on houses so I thought it would be satisfactory for 87.0°W AMC 3 and 123.0°W Galaxy 10R and anything else that might work. The motor is limited to 1.2 meters so if this doesn’t work I will switch.

Update - I just connected the SonicView to an ExpressVu dish a couple of hundred feet from my equipment to check signal and quality. The dish is much smaller. The signal is 70, the quality is 98. Unfortunately there is nothing of interest to me on that satellite but the equipment works nicely. I guess it is time to wrench my way to a decent quality.

Thanks,

 

[starman345]

Estrela only has one feed on it that is pointed at North America and I'm not sure that it is always there. Since you have the Invacom quad, why not setup on Echostar 3 at 61.5 and set your receiver for 12.413H SR 20000. That is the "Congratulations you are pointed at the 61.5 orbital location" channel. You need to be connected to one of the "C" ports on the invacom. Peak your quality there, then you can usals to other birds and fine tune your setup.

 

[jwwbrennan]

Through good fortune that is what I ended up doing. I used ONN as it is FTA, available and worked. It tells me I am pointed at the correct sky. Now there is a dead poplar in the way of some satellites I was leaving for the birds. There are no nests so I guess the woodpeckers will have to make do with all the others in the yard.

Thanks