SATLink WS-6908 Satellite Meter

[KJ6EO]

Does anyone own a SATLink WS-6908 Satellite Meter that actually works? If so, I'd like to talk to you!

 

[FTA4PA]

Does anyone own a SATLink WS-6908 Satellite Meter that actually works? If so, I'd like to talk to you!

Might want to contact some of the members in this thread. http://www.satelliteguys.us/xen/posts/2971533/

 

[KJ6EO]

Thanks for the thread link. The first WS-6908 that I received didn't work. I contacted the seller (Ebay) and he replaced the meter. The second meter I received works. IMHO this meter certainly isn't for a newbie trying to set up their first dish. I didn't find anything useful on the North America Satellite list so I just deleted it. I manually put in my True South birds for C and Ku and had the meter blind scan them. The scan resulted in a meaningful and accurate TP list for those birds (unlike what was supplied with the meter). The user needs to remember that this is a DVB-S meter. So if you try to scan 125w Ku AMC 21, you're not going to get anything there (most channels there are DVB-S2). It controls my V-Box ok, but it doesn't work on USALS. I think this is because the meter only understands East Positions. I put Eutelsat in as 117W, but for USALS to work correctly I think it has to be entered in as (360-117 = 243) or 243E. Also, I couldn't find any way to put in a (minus) sign before my longitude (-118w) so that might be complicating things and causing USALS not to work. The buttons are hard to push, and the volume of the speaker is annoyingly loud and can't be turned down. If you're an experienced user of this meter, I'd like to hear from you. It would be nice to get it working on USALS.

 

[spongella]

I had a WS-6906 for years, the earlier version, but the rechargeable battery finally died and could not find a replacement. It was a pretty good meter but did not have USALS and would receive only MPEG-2. If I remember the satellite calculator was a bit off, but it did a nice blind scan, and had a lock LED when you found a hot TP. There were no subsequent software updates even though it had a port for updating. The instructions that came with it were minimal and you were pretty much on your own as to figuring out how to use it. It came pre-programmed with most of the C and Ku band sats, and editing/deleting/adding satellites was pretty easy.

The volume control on the WS-6906 was adjustable, it just took a little figuring out. You had to be receiving an FTA program on the screen, then you pressed the left and right arrow buttons where the "OK" button was for increasing/decreasing the volume.

One weird thing is the meter had a male F connection, so you had to screw in a female to female F adapter to connect RG/6 cable.

I did a review of the WS-6906 sometime in 2011 in Monitoring Times magazine. They are still available, mine cost originally $243 (ouch!) but some are going for less than a hundred bucks now. Satlink has blossomed out with many different models these days, they seem to have a lot more available than years ago.

 

[Titanium]

The reversed F-fitting is a great feature. Simply screw in a new barrel fitting when the cinches wear out and quit making good contact. Much more user friendly than disassembling the meter to replace chassis mounted connections.

 

[KJ6EO]

I had a WS-6906 for years, the earlier version, but the rechargeable battery finally died and could not find a replacement. It was a pretty good meter but did not have USALS and would receive only MPEG-2. If I remember the satellite calculator was a bit off, but it did a nice blind scan, and had a lock LED when you found a hot TP. There were no subsequent software updates even though it had a port for updating. The instructions that came with it were minimal and you were pretty much on your own as to figuring out how to use it. It came pre-programmed with most of the C and Ku band sats, and editing/deleting/adding satellites was pretty easy.

The volume control on the WS-6906 was adjustable, it just took a little figuring out. You had to be receiving an FTA program on the screen, then you pressed the left and right arrow buttons where the "OK" button was for increasing/decreasing the volume.

One weird thing is the meter had a male F connection, so you had to screw in a female to female F adapter to connect RG/6 cable.

I did a review of the WS-6906 sometime in 2011 in Monitoring Times magazine. They are still available, mine cost originally $243 (ouch!) but some are going for less than a hundred bucks now. Satlink has blossomed out with many different models these days, they seem to have a lot more available than years ago.

Thanks for your comments. My WS-6908 only supports DVB-S, which isn't a problem for me. All I'm concerned with is that it picks up my True South Birds, and a Bird at each end of the arc. USALS is on the menu but it doesn't seem to work. However, you can enter your VBOX positions in (BUD) and it does work well. I have tried to reduce the volume with the plus/minus while viewing but it didn't seem to work. I paid $125 for the WS-6908. BTW, your comments on the manual are correct, it is pretty well useless.

 

[spongella]

You might want to check with the seller or even Satlink directly regarding the volume and USALS issues, those might just be a simple software fix for them. I recently bought a 8dtek Desired, and had some problems with it, contacted the company,and they fixed some of the problems and came out with a software update as a result. If Satlink states it is USALS capable and that there is a volume control as per their description I'd definitely contact them, you are a customer and they should at least be aware of your dilemma.

Not sure if this meter was ever reviewed, you might want to check back issues of TeleAudioVision magazine.

I agree with Titanium, the reverse fitting was recessed and was actually a good thing.

 

[fred96002001]

I had a WS-6906 for years, the earlier version, but the rechargeable battery finally died and could not find a replacement. It was a pretty good meter but did not have USALS and would receive only MPEG-2. If I remember the satellite calculator was a bit off, but it did a nice blind scan, and had a lock LED when you found a hot TP. There were no subsequent software updates even though it had a port for updating. The instructions that came with it were minimal and you were pretty much on your own as to figuring out how to use it. It came pre-programmed with most of the C and Ku band sats, and editing/deleting/adding satellites was pretty easy.

The volume control on the WS-6906 was adjustable, it just took a little figuring out. You had to be receiving an FTA program on the screen, then you pressed the left and right arrow buttons where the "OK" button was for increasing/decreasing the volume.

One weird thing is the meter had a male F connection, so you had to screw in a female to female F adapter to connect RG/6 cable.

I did a review of the WS-6906 sometime in 2011 in Monitoring Times magazine. They are still available, mine cost originally $243 (ouch!) but some are going for less than a hundred bucks now. Satlink has blossomed out with many different models these days, they seem to have a lot more available than years ago.

i found the battery at aliexpress dot com
Li-ion Battery for Satlink Finder WS-6906 if that is any help.

 

[iBoston]

I use mine every year for tracking in satellites. I got mine two years back used for 50.oo. So, well worth it for me. I also bought a DVBs2 signal meter so i can lock on birds that have no DVBs signals. I prefer the WS6906 if i can use it.

 

[pacificrim]

I have a 6906 for sale for $40 + shipping