Satlook NIT Battery Question

[linuxman]

I recently acquired a new/used Satlook Digital NIT Meter/Analyzer. As you can see below, it is almost 5 years old.

The previous owner had bought it for one job, and after that put it on the shelf and was never used again. I know that to be true, because the cables were still sealed in the original bags.

I pulled the top off and checked the battery before I started and it was at 5.3 V. After charging for 32 hours it is still at 11.1 Volts.

When I try to turn it on without the AC hook-up it says error: battery empty.

Should I just continue to let it charge and hopefully bring it on up to 12 Volts?

Or should I try and find a battery for it now?

Second question:

The manual says to only operate it for a short time with the AC adapter plugged in and that it is not made for continuous use.

Do you owners operate yours with it plugged in for any long length of times?

Thanks for your help!

Here is a picture of the Date.

 

[Smith P.]

I would buy new battery, old one could discharge too fast in a field.

(What I did first when bought PSA-37D).

 

[linuxman]

Thanks for your quick reply.

Right now, I got tired of waiting on it to charge and just hooked it up with the AC charger, flashed the firmware to the newest version 2.31 I think, and have started playing with it hooked up to my dish.

That's the only way I will learn how to use it is to do it. I have read the manual at least 5 times, and now have it beside the machine while exploring.

Later, I will let it continue to charge and when it is fully charged, I will see how fast the voltage drops. That will tell me if it needs to be replaced right now or not. I figure it will need to be replaced soon though.

This instrument is waaaaaay too cool!!

 

[Smith P.]

But too pricey for a toy !

 

[linuxman]

But too pricey for a toy !

I would think it would be a little pricey for a toy too!

I am trying to get a handle on cross-polarization.

According to the manual, you zoom max and adjust polarity for best signal, then press the x-pol button.

Do the same for an opposite polarity TP.

When finished, the least amount of Db of cross-polarity would be what I am trying to achieve?

Is that correct?

 

[Smith P.]

My SA doesn't do that - I'm just do tune by visual inspection of the screen while switching polarity.

 

[linuxman]

My SA doesn't do that - I'm just do tune by visual inspection of the screen while switching polarity.

Thanks!

Maybe someone who owns one will have an answer for me.

 

[Anole]

rebuild the pack

NiCad or NiMh batteries usually have a service life of 3 years.
If they still work at 4 or 5 years, then they were exceptional.
I had a set in a cordless phone last way too long, maybe 8..10 yrs.
But their run-time was severely limited (to 15 minutes talk time).
And it did actually get longer, as I ran into that limit and recharged 'em! -

Friend bought an old Mac laptop which had Lithium batteries.
A replacement pack was over $100, and he'd only paid maybe $25 for the computer.
I don't recall the particulars, but he rebuilt the pack with replacement cells for $25..40 and now it's as good as new.

I'd recommend looking at the battery, decide what sort of cells it uses, and rebuild the pack.
We can help you locate suitable replacements, and since you are good with a soldering iron, and heat-shrink, I'm sure the results will be outstanding! - :up

 

[linuxman]

I'd recommend looking at the battery, decide what sort of cells it uses, and rebuild the pack.
We can help you locate suitable replacements, and since you are good with a soldering iron, and heat-shrink, I'm sure the results will be outstanding!

As far as I can tell from my reading research, it is just a re-chargeable lead battery. See here.

If it runs down too quickly I'll take it out and get the specs from it to be for sure, but I am sure with all of you guys help, I can replace it pretty easily.

 

[vfrjim]

Looks like the same type in my Satlook 3. I replaced it with a Power Patrol SLA1035, 12v 3.3AH, sla1035 - Google Product Search

Works fine, lasts much longer then the one I had in priorly.

 

[linuxman]

Looks like the same type in my Satlook 3. I replaced it with a Power Patrol SLA1035, 12v 3.3AH, sla1035 - Google Product Search

Works fine, lasts much longer then the one I had in priorly.

Thanks Jim for the information!

I knew I could count on you guys to help me find one if needed.

Still trying to figure out the concept of cross-polarization and how to set the skew using the Satlook.

 

[vfrjim]

Thanks Jim for the information!

I knew I could count on you guys to help me find one if needed.

Still trying to figure out the concept of cross-polarization and how to set the skew using the Satlook.

Can't help you there

 

[linuxman]

That's Ok!!

You have been a great help with the battery.

 

[updatelee]

I had to replace my battery as well when I bought mine used. I just took the battery out and down to the local Mr Battery store and they had one on the shelf, so it must be a pretty common battery.

I havent played with the xpol very much as with receive only systems its not as important. with two way linear based systems like Hugesnet it can be very important as your skew being out can mean your rx and tx are bleeding over, very bad.

what I do is have snapshots taken of the bird im going to be looking for in 13v and 18v then when im on site I can overlay these snapshots from the memory menu. once Ive got the bird in question found I then zoom in on a tp and tweak the dish for best signal, play with the skew a little and done.

if the dish is smaller and bleedover is a problem from adjacent satellites then I will go into digital mode and tweak the db there as well as soemtimes bleedover makes it hard to aim just by signal strength.

 

[linuxman]

what I do is have snapshots taken of the bird im going to be looking for in 13v and 18v then when im on site I can overlay these snapshots from the memory menu. once Ive got the bird in question found I then zoom in on a tp and tweak the dish for best signal, play with the skew a little and done.

if the dish is smaller and bleedover is a problem from adjacent satellites then I will go into digital mode and tweak the db there as well as soemtimes bleedover makes it hard to aim just by signal strength.

Thank you very much!!

That helps a lot to understand the process. I'll be doing a lot of experimenting in the next few days until I get the hang of it, but at least now I know where to start.

Thanks also about the tip on the battery.

 

[Anole]

As you can see, the batteries are not expensive.
Shipping may account for a large portion of the replacement cost.

You might check with the local Radio Shack, and anyone in the yellow pages selling home alarm systems, for a vendor you could drive to and pick one up.
I doubt anything that small would be used on a motorcycle, but I'll leave that to you to determine.

I just took the battery out and down to the local Mr Battery store and they had one on the shelf, so it must be a pretty common battery.

Of course, if you have such a store locally, so much the better.
I think of you living out in the sticks, but in reality, you are quite close to a major city!

 

[linuxman]

Of course, if you have such a store locally, so much the better.
I think of you living out in the sticks, but in reality, you are quite close to a major city!

I don't think there is a Mr Battery store around, but we have Batteries Plus, and Wholesale Batteries both about 20 minutes away.

I am sure I can come up with one very easily with no shipping to pay.

And it looks like I am going to need one. After charging for 48 hours and reaching a 12.26 volt summit, I turn it on, and it lasts about 30 seconds before it shuts down with "battery blank" error.

I put the meter on it and held it while I switched it on and it drops from 12.26 to 11.1 volts in that length of time, so my guess is that there is a dead cell.

I'll take this one out and take it with me to pick one up tomorrow.

Thanks for everyone's help!!

 

[updatelee]

I think I paid $35 if I remember right. prob could have got it cheaper online, but as stated, the things are heavy and shipping probably would have made it not worth while anyhow.

 

[vfrjim]

If I remember right, I paid about $27 shipped. It was like $19+ s/h.

 

[linuxman]

Thanks Guys!

I am going down this morning to see if I can find one locally.