Star Choice in Florida.

[mrichor]

I Live in Miami Florida.I am currently in the middle of changing from BEV to *choice.The apartment has sent me a warning to move my BEV dish inside the balcony of my apt. The problem is I then lose site of the bird.So I checked the compass and decided that star choice was the answer. So I bought a receiver and a 60e elliptical dish.(that the only one that will fit my small balcony)Here is where i get stuck.I appear to only get a signal strength of between 18-22(this by the way never drops even if I point the dish at the wall)
Is this related to the size of the dish or poor positioning of the dish. I bought a signal finder but the instuctions were more complicated than the whole star choice deal.(what is the 22khz light for).
I am a complete newbie to this so any help who be greatly appreciated.I really don't want to go back to comcast cable.
I have a motorola DSR315 receiver. I have a clear view of the bird.My cables are all new.
Am I hoping for to much to get a signal? Please help.

 

[derdude]

This link will help you for StarChoice. That meter on the receiver will never move unless you install per instructions or have a Spectrum Analyzer.

http://www.kusat.com/go.php?path=/install/sc.php

 

[ToUgHsPot]

I Live in Miami Florida.I am currently in the middle of changing from BEV to *choice.The apartment has sent me a warning to move my BEV dish inside the balcony of my apt. The problem is I then lose site of the bird.So I checked the compass and decided that star choice was the answer. So I bought a receiver and a 60e elliptical dish.(that the only one that will fit my small balcony)Here is where i get stuck.I appear to only get a signal strength of between 18-22(this by the way never drops even if I point the dish at the wall)
Is this related to the size of the dish or poor positioning of the dish. I bought a signal finder but the instuctions were more complicated than the whole star choice deal.(what is the 22khz light for).
I am a complete newbie to this so any help who be greatly appreciated.I really don't want to go back to comcast cable.
I have a motorola DSR315 receiver. I have a clear view of the bird.My cables are all new.
Am I hoping for to much to get a signal? Please help.

What LNB are you using, it cannot be the same as the one you used for BEV. You must have LINEAR LNB. The 22KHz switch is for the receiver to switch between 2 birds as you will be pointed at 111.1 and 107.3, however if you don't want HD, then you don't need the 22Khz switch and simply point at 111.1

 

[Jumbo Dumbo]

If you have Ku band round dish point @ 107.3 All ellipticals are pointed to 111.1

 

[Mr Tony]

don't use the signal meter on the receiver
options 6-0-5 arrow to diagnostic C and see the +-number to the right. It changes as you move the dish

 

[mrichor]

Thanks for the help.

Thanks for all the info.
I will be trying again this weekend.
Just a bit more info. The LNB is the one that came with the 60e elliptical dish so I assume its the right one.
Iceberg ,I did try using diagnostic c but it did not move the signal at all from -0.3 (sad i know).
Is the dish large enough?.I do not need high quality ( ie HD).Any body else this far south using a 60E? How is the signal?
I have been to the KUsat site it is a cool site.
Any more info on using the sat finder or am I wasting my time because it doesn't actually tell you which bird you are pointing at,and dont i need to point between 2 birds.
Oh and one more thing ,when i go into the system information . It states signal strength from anywhere between 65 up to 99. and quality = 99. What does that mean if anything?
Please keep the tips coming in, any info is great for newbies like myself.
Once again thanks for the info.

 

[mrichor]

Any more help?

Any further tips guys.Let me know.Please read my last update

 

[rkrenicki]

If you are getting a quality of 99.. you are definately pointed at something well.

When you enter the provider ID.. 4128, does it say "Correct Signal Found"?

The footprint for Anik F1 shows 46dbW EIRP in florida, it only increases to 48 where I am.. So, a 60E should work for you.. may have some rain fade, but it will definately work.

Sounds like you just have the dish pointed wrong.

 

[rkrenicki]

The following reference channels should always be used to find your signal:
(if you use anything else, you will NEVER find a signal!)

* On a "virgin" unit (that has never been pointed to the satellite), Channel 284 must be used to tune to Anik F1.

* On a unit that has been "exposed" to Anik F1 for more than 20 seconds, Channel 299 is the reference channel.

Your Azimuth should be 233.4 or so, and your Elevation should be 45.99.

Remember that Elevation on these dishes is done by the white line on the edge of the bracket.. NOT THE BOLT ITSELF! that was my first problem, I didnt notice the white line, and was using the bolt centerline.. That makes the elevation off by about 15 degrees too low.

Also, remember your skew, it should be set to "124.4" that way you can pick up both birds well.

 

[mrichor]

Thanks Guys,
Yep when I input in the provider ID it does come up with correct signal, However it comes up as soon as I punch in the first digit '4'. should this happen? Could the reciever be a problem. I got it a while ago from my broker but never made the switch because the dish was way to big for my small balcony .So it has been sitting in the box for a while. Is there a certain time period before you have to activate it?
I will try the those cordinates. Glad to here the dish is big enough.

 

[rkrenicki]

Your on the wrong channel.. tune to channel 284, and try again.. I ran into the same problem.. my DSR205 defaulted to channel 299.

once it aquires a signal at all, let it sit for a few minutes, and then change to channel 299, and finetune from there.

 

[mrichor]

Thanks for the quick reply,
284 is the channel I am using, the receiver won't tune to 299.

 

[rkrenicki]

You can always try 299, but you have to type it in, I was unable to switch using the channel up-down buttons.

In doing some further research, you may want to invest in a 75E dish.. While you will be able to get the signal on a 60E, but will have quite a bit of rainfade..

 

[mrichor]

Thats how i do it punching the numbers!!.goes straight back to 284.

 

[rkrenicki]

Well, once you get the signal at all, it will make 299 available to you.. as 284 is currently a HD channel, not the promo channel

 

[mrichor]

Thanks,
I will give it a go. I hate to be beaten by this kinda thing

 

[rkrenicki]

I think you have your elevation wrong.. double check it, remember, the white line about 1/4" in front of the bolt should be set to 46. then double check your skew.

Once thats done, since you have a signal meter (if its the same kind as mine, that is), turn the knob on the meter until it just starts to beep quietly.. then swing the dish around until it starts screaming at you. Then turn down the knob, and work on focusing on the bird.

The 22kHz light will be on when its viewing from the 2nd LNB, which is the 107.3 bird, that should not come on during this phase.

 

[Mr Tony]

I think you have your elevation wrong.. double check it, remember, the white line about 1/4" in front of the bolt should be set to 46. then double check your skew.

Once thats done, since you have a signal meter (if its the same kind as mine, that is), turn the knob on the meter until it just starts to beep quietly.. then swing the dish around until it starts screaming at you. Then turn down the knob, and work on focusing on the bird.

make sure to tune slowly...KU band takes a while to hit the signal vs. a DBS slot

The 22kHz light will be on when its viewing from the 2nd LNB, which is the 107.3 bird, that should not come on during this phase.

the 22K is for 111.1, not 107.3
107.3 is the main slot

 

[rkrenicki]

Oh yes, thats right, but the dish will be pointed straight at 111.1.. that is why it is good to make sure that skew is right.

 

[mrichor]

Once again guys thanks for all the input. I will let you know if I have any success.