RTN on AMC9 with Primestar Dish

[vc2]

I just re-aimed my Primestar dish from G18 to AMC9. I was hoping that the Primestar would be large enough to receive RTN, but that doesn't seem to be the case.

I can receive the NBC signal on H 11774. Strength is 75%, Quality is 70% on a Pansat 2700.

The transponder at 11735 is not being detected. I'm located in upstate NY. Does anybody else have experience with Primestar dishes and RTN reception?

How large of a dish would I need to pick up RTN in this area? Suggestions?

 

[AcWxRadar]

I just re-aimed my Primestar dish from G18 to AMC9. I was hoping that the Primestar would be large enough to receive RTN, but that doesn't seem to be the case.

I can receive the NBC signal on H 11774. Strength is 75%, Quality is 70% on a Pansat 2700.

The transponder at 11735 is not being detected. I'm located in upstate NY. Does anybody else have experience with Primestar dishes and RTN reception?

How large of a dish would I need to pick up RTN in this area? Suggestions?

VC2,

Presented below is the EIRP map for the footprint of AMC 9 @ 83.0W from SatBeams.com.

This should help you determine what dish size is required. Although it recommends a 60 cm dish for your location, you would be better served with a 76 cm dish (such as a Winegard DS-2076) or larger.

I have found that, at least in my location, the larger dish doesn't really result in that much of a gain in signal quality, but it does reduce the affect of other interference sources, especially rain fade.

I originally began with a Winegard 76 cm dish and then upgraded it to a GeoSatPro 1.2 M dish and found some very slight improvements, but a more stable level. According to the EIRP chart or footprint map for AMC 9, my EIRP level near Omaha, NE is supposed to be the same as yours in upstate NY.

RADAR

 

[gremlin411]

I am using 11736 H 4440 on my 5000 and a 84e.

 

[tvropro]

I use a 90cm Primestar in Illinois and have no problems with RTN in NY I would recommend a 1 meter.

 

[AcWxRadar]

Just for everyone's reference, here is the same EIRP map for AMC 9 @ 83W, but with the pointer dialed into an arbitrary location in the SE US.

Notice the difference in minimum recommended dish size.

RADAR

 

[Larobpra]

vc, I am also in upstate NY and just can't seem to get enough RTV signal on my 90cm motorized CM/P* dish to be watchable. I do get some signal though but just below threshold for the Mercury II. I get the rest of the arc from 72 to 129 fine.

 

[melgarga]

Unless there is a major issue like there was recently (uplink isues), RTN on a Primestar should be very reliable. I would recheck all the connectors, be sure there are no "barrel" conectors in the line, for sake of testing, remove any switches etc, and maybe even move the rx and a tv out near the dish and try another short piece of well terminated RG6. Just a 3db (that's 50%!) attenuation from poor connections can hurt you on this TP and can go un noticed on sats with "plenty strong" signals.

The other ABC TP on 83W is very strong by comparison. I dont know what the relative value of 70 is on a Panny, but the reading for the ABC TP.should be as high as the Panny will register.
Good luck.

 

[turbosat]

Larobpra, I see that on my Merc2 at times too. On clear days it will only show about 25%quality, usually that means stable picture, but not always. I can connect my Icon receiver to the same dish, and get solid-as-rock stable signal and quality in the 90% range. That's on a .90primestar. The sensitivity of the receiver may have as much to do with getting RTN as the dish size.

 

[Anole]

what's in a name?

"Primestar" ?
There are a number of different styles 'n sizes.
You didn't specify round nor elliptical, nor size, nor LNB & feedhorn.

...for sake of testing, remove any switches etc, and maybe even move the rx and a tv out near the dish and try another short piece of well terminated RG6.

Didn't sound like you had a motor, but if you do, try bypassing it, along with what Mel said.

 

[ken2400]

I too am in central NY and have the larger oval P* dish and receive about 37 on my receiver. I had to turn the LNB to get the best quality out of it.

Good luck

I just re-aimed my Primestar dish from G18 to AMC9. I was hoping that the Primestar would be large enough to receive RTN, but that doesn't seem to be the case.

I can receive the NBC signal on H 11774. Strength is 75%, Quality is 70% on a Pansat 2700.

The transponder at 11735 is not being detected. I'm located in upstate NY. Does anybody else have experience with Primestar dishes and RTN reception?

How large of a dish would I need to pick up RTN in this area? Suggestions?

 

[1ADAM12]

With my 76 cm winegard I get 95+% reception.

With a Primestar 1m round, you should get good signal.

With a Primestar elliptical and a Conical Ku LNBF you will get no more then 70 cm dish.

With a Primestar elliptical and Primestar feedhorn you will get signal of 84cm dish for the P*E84.

For a 1mX70cm P* and original feed you will get 90 cm results. With Conical Ku lnbf you will get 70cm.

I don't agree with the above posted footprints and dish size, they are way off.

 

[vc2]

My Primestar dish is Channel Master:
P/N 3040865
Mold 1x0.7-1

I did some tweeking and was able to increase the signal. The NBC News signal strength is 82, and the quality is 85. This is a strong signal, but still no RTN.

The charts that were posted suggest that this dish should work well in my area. The charts, however, do not reflect that fact that RTN signal is operating well below the full output power capability of the transponder. (probably an uplink problem)

RTN is not being detected with either Blind Scan or Transponder scan.

Is RTN one of the services that require a manual entry?

 

[Anole]

If you have a 1.0 x 0.7 meter elliptical dish, then for best performance, you should have the original feedhorn.
Or at least one that matches an elliptical dish.

For many less critical applications regular replacement LNBF's with round feedhorns (pretty much all of them) should work fine.
What LNB+feedhorn, or LNBF do you have?

edit:
Is this dish marked with the "Primestar" logo?
... or could it have possibly been used for two-way satellite communications?
I'm wondering if it has a less common feed... ?

 

[Mr Tony]

RTN is not being detected with either Blind Scan or Transponder scan.

Is RTN one of the services that require a manual entry?

no a manual/pid/advanced scan is not necessary. a transponder scan will work fine.

 

[vc2]

If you have a 1.0 x 0.7 meter elliptical dish, then for best performance, you should have the original feedhorn.
Or at least one that matches an elliptical dish.

For many less critical applications regular replacement LNBF's with round feedhorns (pretty much all of them) should work fine.
What LNB+feedhorn, or LNBF do you have?

edit:
Is this dish marked with the "Primestar" logo?
... or could it have possibly been used for two-way satellite communications?
I'm wondering if it has a less common feed... ?

The Dish has the Primestar Logo. The LNB is the original. I'm using the horizontal output. I had been using the dish on G18. With Equity gone, I'm trying to get RTN.

 

[vc2]

RTN Gone from Lyngsat?

I just checked, and the Lyngsat listing for RTN on AMC9 has been removed. The listing was there yesterday as posted by Neil Ardman.

The new listing for that transponder is dated Nov 5 2009 by Varoujan

 

[Mr Tony]

its still there...was off the air temporarily
http://www.satelliteguys.us/free-air-fta-discussion/192963-rtn-gone-amc9.html

and my thoughts on that "update"

obviously the person who sent the info to Lyngsat isnt a satelliteguys member because if they were, they'd know it was an uplink issue

http://www.satelliteguys.us/free-air-fta-discussion/193169-amc9-83w.html

 

[vc2]

I relocated the Primestar to another spot in the yard. It turns out that I was shooting through some tree branches.

I'm now receiving the RTV feeds at a 50% - 60% quality level (NBC is banging in at 100% quality).

 

[turbosat]

Congrats-sometimes its hard to judge whether a tree branch is in your way or not. If I can reach it I'll cut it, if not, then I move the pole too!

 

[B.J.]

Congrats-sometimes its hard to judge whether a tree branch is in your way or not. If I can reach it I'll cut it, if not, then I move the pole too!

??? If you can REACH it??? Heck, for several years, I was cutting branches that were up a good 50' or more into a tree. During the solar outage periods, I'd locate just which branch was in the way, then, I have one of those rope saws that have sort of a chain saw chain with about 20' or rope on each end of the chain. I added another 50 or 60' of rope to reach higher. Then I got a sling-shot and a fishing rod, and use the sling shot to shoot the fishing line over the tree limb (this can sometimes take an hour to get it just right on a very tall limb). With the fishing line, I pull up a light nylon line, and then I use the nylon line to pull up the 50' or extra rope, and then the rope saw. Then you stand directly under the limb, and just pull the saw back and forth cutting through the limb. I at first tried to stand a bit to the side, since the limbs come down pretty fast when you finally cut through, and you have to run fast. However I soon learned that if you're off to one side, the saw will jam, because when off to the side, you're cutting UNDER the limb, and when it bends down, it jams the saw blade into the cut. When I once jammed a saw way up there, I was lucky to have a 2nd rope saw, which I used to get down the first one.

Anyway, for several years, I was cutting specific limbs off trees, trying to keep a view of the arc open. However I then learned that when you cut off limbs like this, the darn trees grow back bunches of small limbs that are even thicker in leaves, and being more numerous are harder to get rid of. I finally decided that cutting limbs was just a temporary solution, and that cutting the whole darn tree was best.

But anyway, those rope saws can let you cut limbs that are WAY higher than you can reach.