Star choice/birdog question

[detroittech]

I installed my uncle's Starchoice in Windsor the other day. It was the first time i've ever messed around with starchoice, as it's not supposed to be available in the states. I use the birdog meter and in preparation for the install i downloaded everything on birdog.net that said Anik on it (starchoices birds, as i understand, are the two anik sattelites e2 and f1.) which was like 8 or 9 indentifiers.

not one of them worked. i ended up having to go old school and drag the receiver and a tv up on the roof with an extension chord to sight it in. it worked fine, i got both sattelites right away, no problem.

on the off chance i need to know in the future, what was the problem? anyone out there doing starchoice with a birdog? if so, what do i need to download ? it was a stacked lnb with the 60' eliptical dish by the way.

 

[Mr Tony]

the eliptical dish is non stacked, not stacked

The satellites are F1 & F2 (107.3 & 111.1) but the birdog should work. Its KU band

 

[HDTVFanAtic]

I can tell you, I flew someone who is REALLY good with satellites (or was supposed to be) cross country last year to work with me on the farm on my roof (including 2 toroidals which were a real pain).

He brought a Birddog and a SatHawk with him.

Nothing but issues with both of them. 2 days and we really got no service out of either.

The Accutrac I had did most of the work.

I am constantly amazed when I see people raving about these meters as the BS I have seen with them (including him saying that these were known issues and he has spent countless hours on with tech support people but no avail) I just do not understand why these meters don't get blasted at $400 Pieces of S.....

I would never buy one and now know why the commercial installer I deal with in the area will only use a spectrum analyzer.

 

[Jumbo Dumbo]

the eliptical dish is non stacked, not stacked

The first 60e dishes were stacked (external multiswitch)
SC still uses 75e stacked dishes for commercial and MDU accounts