took the plunge today

[november]

I just ordered a stationary setup today. Fortec Merc II, Invacom LNB, Fortec Star 80 dish. I want to set this is to get Galaxy 10R.
This will be my learning system before I get a motorized setup. I just need to find the setting for Galaxy 10R. - There goes my pc money.....

 

[TRG]

I just ordered a stationary setup today. Fortec Merc II, Invacom LNB, Fortec Star 80 dish. I want to set this is to get Galaxy 10R.
This will be my learning system before I get a motorized setup. I just need to find the setting for Galaxy 10R. - There goes my pc money.....

Sounds like a nice system to start off with. Galaxy 10R and AMC3 are my favorite sats.

When you say "I just need to find the setting for Galaxy 10R" do you mean that you need Azimuth, Elevation and Skew information? If so check out the following link. GeoSatFinder - Satellite Finder Calculator - Satellite AV Put in your zip code and then click "all common satellites" for a nice PDF file with dish aiming coordinates for all the satellites.

 

[fedupwithcablevision590]

Yup, me too. I am going to use it for muzak just for now.

 

[Tron]

G-10R is at 123w, and it is linear Ku. Set your receiver as follows:

If the Invacom is the QUAD (QPH-031) model, it is a Standard with L.O. 10750. Any other Invacom, use Universal, L.O. 9750/10600.

Depending on where you are, you will have to skew (twist) the LNB in the holder to get maximum signal. Check Satellite Look Angles Satellite Heading Calculator Azimuth Elevation Skew Tilt LNBF Latitude and Longitude values for a good guide on installing a fixed dish.

 

[november]

Thanks a bunch..
Thats exactly what I needed,( Azimuth, Elevation and Skew). Now if the UPS ppl would hurry.

 

[november]

I got my Sadoun order Friday. I am able to get Galaxy 10 with no issue. I have a stationary setup and tried to get AM3 and Galaxy 25 ( by moving the dish) The only sat I am able to pickup is Gal 10. The meter that came in the kit (SF95LK) is worthless. I was unable to get the meter to do anything but jump from 0 to 10 on its own. With the dial it was impossible to set it to 5 per the instructions. The Mercury II receiver has very old firmware - from july 06 and I do not have a cable to update it. I did get some good experience from the setup. The Invacom has a wide throat and I did not know where to clamp it down, so I just played with it at different settings. I would have been lost with the post to set skew.

 

[Tron]

Those little sat meters are virtually useless for anything other than DBS. For dish tweaking, it is most helpful to take your receiver and a small TV out to the dish site. This provides a metering system that should be as good as all but the most expensive professional meters.

 

[CryptKeeper]

Sf95lk

I have used Sat Hawk - Trimex and other Meters all the time to set up FTA systems and the little cheap SF95LK meters work just fine. You have to know how to set them abd how to readjust them when looking for the strongest signal. In short it works just fine.

 

[november]

Im glad I got my feet wet with this system, I am now ordering one with a motor. Im going with the visionsat this time and a bigger dish. Thanks for all the help. This site has been the most helpful and informed group.

 

[Anole]

meter success

Congrats on success with your Mercury II.
Good to see a happy user get all set up and functional.

I'm pretty sure you'll be pleased and surprised when you see the Visionsat in operation.
Got mine from SatelliteAV just a week ago, and have been totally blown away.
I put a request into the review thread for docs on the PVR functions, but have 'em pretty much worked out.

I had a lot of experience using the cheapie sat meters on DBS over the years.
So, when I went to find Whitesprings on 129º with a small experimental dish, I used mine to locate the bird.
I knew enough to set my receiver 22khz tone on, since I was using a Universal LNB.
Took two tries, but I found a bird in about the right place, peaked the signal using the meter, then went inside and watched Whitesprings.
The Satpros receiver I was using got 61 signal and 59 quality, so I left it alone.

There's a lot of RF along the arc, and those little meters detect any of it that's hot.
So, they're certainly not a good general solution.
However, used properly, they can be an aid.
Obviously, the final tweak should be done with the receiver.
I think it's like so many other things in the FTA field, when we're new 'n green (no puns about my avatar, now!), everything is a struggle.

 

[aegrotatio]

I am compelled to bump the thread to sing the praises of the cheap analog meters.
Since the birds are co-located it's often enough to use the cheapie meter with the antenna aiming screen on your receiver.
The trick I always use is to turn down the sensitivity so the tone goes away, then move the dish around until the tone comes back.
Repeat that 4 more times and you have a perfect signal.
I tuned both ends of the arc (and the due south position) in my motorized setup that way and it's perfect.