This is just for the sake of discussion....
I am running two receivers here just a bit NW of Omaha, NE. An AZBox Premium and a Coolsat 5000. The Coolsat is running off the IF LOOP OUT from the AZBox. I have a 1.2 M GeoSatPro antenna, with a DG-380 motor and an Invacom QPH-031 LNBF.
Being such a fine day today, 66 degrees (F), clear as a bell and no wind, I decided to see if I could peak my signal better on RTV.
I am using a Super Buddy meter from Applied Instruments with a newly updated field guide software (version 1.71). This however, does not have the RTV TP 11.735 included, so I had to use TP 12.160 H SR 29.999.
When I connected the Super Buddy to my unused linear LNBF port, I detected 85% SQ from TP 12.160.
I first tested the azimuth accuracy. I was very close, within a few tenths of a degree. I moved it just a squeak and gained 1% on signal quality.
I then tested the dish elevation and found that I could certainly improve the signal quality by lowering the elevation. It jumped up to 90-91% on my Super Buddy's IRD scale. I locked the dish elevation in at the center of the peak here.
I then experimented with the LNBF for focal distance and polarity. This did not provide any substantial gains in quality, I could only reduce it. So I ended up setting it back to its original position.
I returned to the AZBox and the Coolsat meters on RTV's TP 11.735 GHz and 4.444 MS/s SR and I detect 46-48% and 70-72% signal quality on both STB's respectively. I originally had 38-40% (AZBox) and 66-68% (Coolsat).
This seems to be the maximum signal quality that I can obtain with this equipment at my location NW of Omaha, NE for RTV.
I have previously used the Winegard DS-2076 (76 cm) dish and the same equipment mentioned above and found that there is not a great deal of difference on this particular signal when compared to my 1.2 M dish. I would like to set up one of each and test them simultaneously with identical other equipment (a mirror setup with only the dish being different) in the future to judge how well each dish handles rain fade.
Thought you might be interested in this information, just for comparison purposes.
RADAR