Still having problems with DirecPC Dish

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partyharty

SatelliteGuys Pro
Original poster
Mar 6, 2006
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Hello,

Well here I am again, I have done everything I know to do and I still have no tv. So I have a few questions, If you see a problem here please feel free to jump in (because I am at a loss).

Equipment
Satworks 3618 Receiver
DirecPC Dish / LNB
Twinhan PCI Card
I am trying for a single dish g10r setup
and I am in the 72847 area code.
I am using a "pole-in-a-bucket" setup although mine is somewhat on steroids (it is a 20 gallon bucket filled with 160 lbs of concrete). The pole is plumb (both in the bucket and I have also checked it when it is moved around as the ground is not always level).

I was using a very short strand of rg59 between the lnb and the receiver but that has since been swapped out to rg6. Its a straight shot connection between the LNB and the receiver (no switches, motors or anything else).

All I have is the satworks 3618 receiver to test for signal (no sat meter)

#1 According to sadouns website my lnb should have a 35.1 skew. Currently I do not have my lnb skewed. Can this be what is causing me to get no signal quality whatsoever? My signal strength stays in the 50-70 range (it does go up and down around where I think the satellites should be). By the way anyone that has one of these, what size hex key does it take to move this lnb. I have tried my set and it didnt have the key necessary, is it a specialty key (or do I just have the "wrong" set). To set the skew with the DirecPC dish, is it just a guestimate (or is there markings that I havent found yet).

#2 Is it possible that the DirecPC elevation markings (on the side of the mount) is off? The reason I ask this is becauase on our house we have a Dish network dish which is pointed at 119. It appears to be set at a noticebly higher elevation. The only reason I have not checked the elevation of that dish vs my dish is I do not have a tall enough ladder to get on the roof (yet). I also strapped on a DirecTV LNB (all I had) and tried to see if I could get 119 but it didnt work out. I have also moved the elevation multiple times to see if I could find it.

#3 My figures. If anyone can see a problem with these please feel free to correct me

72847 area code
224.8 Az +2 degrees = 226.8
Elevation is 38.3

With that said I have spent consierable time outside trying to test various combinations (sweeping the dish (s-l-o-w-l-y) from south to west) and I have yet to receive any signal (quality) whatsoever.

Now I did make 1 boneheaded mistake (that I figured out). At first I was searching for a transponder that I couldnt receive (C band). I have since switched the setting to a working KU transponder.

I am sure its just a simple miscalculation on my part and I will get it figured out eventually (probably as soon as I walk away from it for a few days). I was just hoping that you guys may have some tips for me.

Any help would be great.

Thanks,
Chris
 
Not having the LNB (On my DirecPC dish the whole dish is skewed) skewed may well result in no signal quality.
I would use the blind scan on the Satworks if you think you are close to a satellite.
 
PSB I would use the blind scan on the Satworks if you think you are close to a satellite.[/QUOTE said:
So you think that even though the satworks is showing no quality signal that it may still pull in some stations (which I can then use to tune the dish in with)?
 
Yes. I use this method a lot, doing it right now on my 40" P* dish, let the blind scan do the work for you!

As long as the LNB L.O. is set correctly if you are near a satellite it will find something, good luck!
 
Cool I am going to try that tomorrow. I figured if there was no "quality" signal there wasnt anything to blind scan.
 
Well I guess I am going to have to put the dish on the roof. I was checking out the site today and it looks like the tree's are getting the signal. I have taken a picture below to show the tree's and their relation to the dish. I was hoping I was shooting above the tree line but since I get no signal I can only believe that it has something to do with the tree's. Although I could get a chainsaw and have a lot of fun its just not going to happen :D

There is a optical illusion at play here. The tree's are approx 100 yds (if not a bit more) from the dish. The illusion is that they are much closer (the ground drops down from where the picture was taken and in it makes the tree's look much closer than they are).
 

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The 1st picture looks more like what the dish should appear with the 35.1 skew. The 2nd picture of the dish looks wrong for the 35.1 skew, but you have the right equipment to find the signal if you put the skew back to 35.1. Then with your elevation set to 38.3 and your azimuth set to 226.8 you need to have the nuts loose enough to move the dish while you look at the receivers quality meter on the tv. And your receiver needs to be on a live TP. Try these two: 11805 H 4580 (V-110,a-111;v-112,a-113), 12114 V 4444 (v-37,a-48 this is scrambled but there;v-38,a-35), you can find these and more on lyngsat. Hope this helps, just stay patient and they will come.

Al
 
Thanks, The first picture is from today. The second picture was from a few days ago (I had not set the dish then). It was on there pretty much to show my testing rig.

I have moved the dish (fanned the dish) but still no signal. Thats why I am guessing that it is a obstical issue. I can get a 90 on the signal quality meter (for like a split second) then it goes away. Thats why I am guessing the tree's are interfering with the signal (winds blowing the leaves or what not which is blocking my signal).

Dont worry though I will get this figured out (I am not one to quit on something like this :>)

Chris
 
If those trees are a football field away (100 yards), I find it hard to believe that the trees are an issue. I could be wrong, but I don't think so. You just haven't found that sweet spot yet. It's there, somewhere.

Al
 
300 feet away them trees would have to be HUGE!!

38 degrees is what my TS is (IA6) so those trees would have top be like 400 feet tall to have issues :)
 
Iceberg said:
300 feet away them trees would have to be HUGE!!

38 degrees is what my TS is (IA6) so those trees would have top be like 400 feet tall to have issues :)

Thats pretty much what I was thinking but its the only thing I can come up with to explain what I am running into. I have tested all of the equipment and the wiring (with the exception of the LNB). I know there is a signal out there (and I have a good idea as to where its at). Its not difficult (or so I thought) to point the dish at the Az. I should be hitting something (unless my elevation is off).

On the plus side I am getting lots of practice with the blind scan and whatnot of the satworks box :D

Chris
 
lets put it this way

On my TS I can take a 36" dish that is maybe 2 feet off the ground and clear my 9 foot roof (dish is back maybe 8 feet) at 38 degrees. I have put a dish on my deck floor to see if it works. I have to shoot over the house :)
 
also remmeber...there is a 22 degree offset

so 38 degrees on an offset is like 60 prime focus (C-Band) so put the levation to 60 and eyeball it to see if it clears the trees :)
 
Chris, the rear of your dish looks exactly like the rear of my 2-way DirecPC dish. Is your dish a 2-way DirecPC dish? If so, then maybe that could be the cause of your problem. 2-way dishes have a strange looking LNB setup (looks sorta like the monster in "Alien". If yours is a 2-way, then maybe you might have hooked up your RG6 to the wrong terminal or something. Hey, could you post a pic of the LNB?
 
:D :D :D :D :D :D

Thanks for the help everyone I got it working tonight

Wife and Kid are watching Family Ties on Retro right Now

:D :D :D :D :D :D

The problem,
I was playing with the dish and I noticed the LNB arm (the part that holds the LNB to the dish) was loose. I tightenend up the bolt and it pulled the arm up (about 1 to 1.5 degree's at most) and looked over at the TV I HAD A SIGNAL). I cant believe I havent noticed that it was loose before (it wasnt loose enough to move side to side but it dropped the lnb enough that I wasnt getting a signal).

Once I got the signal it took mabey 10 minutes to get it fine tuned in and running great.

Now the funny thing. It was pointing in the exact same place that it was when I started. Only difference is my elevation is 40 instead of 38.5 (and the dish is tightened down).

:D :D :D :D :D

Thanks for the help everyone!
Now to get some more dishes :> (I think I have caught the FTA bug).

Oh yeah its a lot easier to find it with the dish tightened up (I moved the dish after I got it working and had to resight in the satellite. Took me like 4 minutes to get it taken care of (of course now I knew exactly where the satellite was also :> )
 
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What a difference a day makes, glad it had a happy ending! Now the fun really starts!
 
Ya know it is kinda funny. I get it setup and working and I am here on satguys reading and posting (vs actually watching tv). My wife and kid are giving it the ole introductory workout though :>

I have never been a tv person (been into radio's (ham, shortwave) and computers). I kinda like the twinhan card though (it will allow me to combine the computers/tv part).

But I can get into this now (just got to get another dish so that I can get some network feeds).

Once again thanks for the help.

Chris
 
DirecPC Here Also

I appreciate your posts. I just got an old DirecPC dish and my reciever comes in the next few days. Ive been reading alot about FTA and Im very interested in it. All my friends are skeptical but I feel confident I can get something out of this equipment. I got my DirecPC Dish used off of ebay for $0.01. You make me more confident that Itll work for me.
 
I have 2 DirecPC dishes and they work really good
(one is 39x23 and the other is 32x18)

Freek...welcome :wave to Satelliteguys

Do you know what size the dish is that you are getting?
 
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