Scanned Transponders with Zero Quality on A3

[Babadem]

Before I go about messing with my CBand Dish, I just wanted to know if anyone using the Amiko A3 has experienced scanning in a bunch of Transponders only to have them display no Quality. I mean absolute "0".

Also, in some cases, I have scanned in some Transponders, and after a few days or so it has "0" quality, but when I edit the transponder, the quality reappears. For instance, let's say I scanned 4127H 2157SR and it plays both Audio and Video fine. After few days the same transponder has to be edited up or down by one digit (4126H) but with the same SR for the Quality to display. This happens to some transponders with Both low or high quality.

Below are samples of Transponders that Scanned in during blind Scan, but have Zero Quality:

61.0°W
3723V 1649SR
3941V 5000SR
4094H 11441SR
4131H 7500SR
4140H 4542SR
4165V 3599SR

83.0°W
3800H 23111SR
3871H 13554SR
3889H 13554SR
4031H 13554SR
4049H 13554SR

If anyone is getting Quality on any of the Frequencies listed above, I will highly appreciate your input.

Moderators please, you can move this Thread to the right section if this is the wrong section to post this.

 

[Corrado]

Although I don't have an A3, offhand my first thought is LNB frequency drift.

 

[Babadem]

Not with the Titanium C2W-PLL Wideband C-band LNBF Dual (2) Outputs 3.4 - 4.2GHz?

 

[Titanium]

Just answered your question on another forum with a comment similar to Corrado's answer.

With a PLL LNBF it would not likely be significant amount of frequency drift. STBs usually auto tune +/-3MHz. Cold solder joints on either the LNBF or the STB could be a cause as well as moisture trapped in the cable can cause some weird signal problems. Have you tried swapping the LNBF and the STBs with other components to narrow it down?

 

[Babadem]

Just answered your question on another forum with a comment similar to Corrado's answer.

With a PLL LNBF it would not likely be significant amount of frequency drift. STBs usually auto tune +/-3MHz. Cold solder joints on either the LNBF or the STB could be a cause as well as moisture trapped in the cable can cause some weird signal problems. Have you tried swapping the LNBF and the STBs with other components to narrow it down?

As I have no way of checking all scanned in transponders on the AzBox Me, I will test with MicroHD and report findings. On the other hand, I don't lose quality on a scanned-in transponder and Edit it to regain the lost quality on the AzBox Me. I will also check the short buried (less that 10ft) portion of my cable to check for moisture. What is a cold solder joint?

 

[KE4EST]

What is a cold solder joint?

During the soldering process sometimes a solder joint may not get heated thoroughly for the solder to properly flow and adhere to the component.
This can also happen if the component(or solder pad) is not cleaned properly before soldering.
....thus you have an intermittent connection.

 

[Babadem]

During the soldering process sometimes a solder joint may not get heated thoroughly for the solder to properly flow and adhere to the component.
This can also happen if the component(or solder pad) is not cleaned properly before soldering.
....thus you have an intermittent connection.

Thanks, I did a quick stop-over at YouTube and found a tutorial. Thanks!! Unfortunately, if that is the case, I maybe out of luck identifying the cold solder points on either the LNBf or the receiver.

 

[KE4EST]

Well if it comes down to that and you decide to crack the case. I would start with the solder joints on the Antenna jack.

 

[Titanium]

If the problem is happening on the A3, but not the me, I would suspect a receiver problem. Receivers also have a reference frequency and I have serviced receivers that would drift off frequency after they would heat up. Rare, but happens!

 

[KE4EST]

Agreed let's see what happens after a receiver swap first.

 

[Titanium]

I am feeling like a popcorn kernel bouncing between two forums posting on two theories for resolving this issue ...

 

[Corrado]

Any switches inline?

I had a Digiwave 8x1 switch that my microHD had issues with. It would allow the TP 4140V 30000 to mix between 99W and 107.3W on 2 separate dishes. Sometimes caused really long delays in channels locking. Same switch when used with a different receiver at the time was ok. I noticed one night the ABC channels were logged into 107.3W without a rescan.

 

[Jim S.]

I hope nobody minds me jumping in here since I don't have a C-band dish...

To address the second question first, the only time I've had my A3 display no signal on a good transponder, then spontaneously start working (or vice-versa!) has been with the transponders at 15 degrees west that have a symbol rate of 45000. Most of these are scrambled, but occasionally some of them will be clear. My Alien2 did exactly the same thing. I don't remember what my Openbox did, and I no longer have it to test.

Now for the first question. My A3's blind scan quite often finds transponders that then show no signal on a channel scan. I think it really is detecting something, because I can scan 78 west, with a 90cm dish, and pick up transponders that are listed as actually existing. No way am I in the footprint of 78 west Ku with a 90cm dish!

 

[Babadem]

Any switches inline?

I had a Digiwave 8x1 switch that my microHD had issues with. It would allow the TP 4140V 30000 to mix between 99W and 107.3W on 2 separate dishes. Sometimes caused really long delays in channels locking. Same switch when used with a different receiver at the time was ok. I noticed one night the ABC channels were logged into 107.3W without a rescan.

Yes there are switches, but I'm not expriencing the issues you described above.

 

[Babadem]

I just completed a test with the MicroHD and I'm not experiencing the issue I outlined in my first post.

Looking at the transponders I listed on my first post does anyone have any of those active or showing quality?

 

[FaT Air]

Looking at the transponders I listed on my first post does anyone have any of those active or showing quality?

Nope here. None of those have scanned in on 83W .. Don't have 61 in my list but IIRR I only have gotten 2 TP's on that one.

 

[mc6809e]

Here's a copy of my response to your question yesterday afternoon over at FridgeFTA:
+ + + + + + + + + + + +
RE: Transponders with Zero Quality on A3
I get quality on a couple of those transponders using the 8ft dish. I'm also getting 4130 H 5000 and 4165 H 3845. Even with the low quality of 23 the channels on 3941V play OK.







The NanoHD blind scans these frequencies (plus or minus 2 or 3) with a little lower SR when connected to the same 8ft dish.

Ernie

Source: http://www.fridgefta.info/forums/showthread.php?tid=37298#ixzz3kmQSGZXP
Under Creative Commons License: Attribution Non-Commercial No Derivatives
+ + + + + + + + + + + + + +

Titanium also responded to that question concerning 83W.

 

[Titanium]

Ernie, that was like a double dog dare to repost here! LOL!!!

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I am unable to see 61w due to the roof line blocking line of sight, but am able to see 83w.

83w has many occasional use and on demand ACM (Adaptive Coding and Modulation) services. Most STBs on the market only receive CCM (Constant Coding and Modulation) signal types. While these CCM capable receivers will identify an ACM carrier and log it as a CCM type, the FEC on a ACM service may shift and the previously logged transponder is no longer able to be decoded and will not show a lock as the receiver is not adaptive.

I have attached a screenshot of the services that were active a few minutes ago on 83w. If I scan again in a few minutes, there will be other ACM carriers lit-up.