We get signal, Captain! Success, and questions...

[intuity]

So, I /finally/ got the 8' solid dish in the ground, plumb and level... Get the saddle mount up on the pole... Assemble the dish... Put it up on the mount and point, aim, tip, rock, and cuss...

Chaparral feedhorn OK, CA LNB bad, polarotor motor failed.

Had a brief flirt with a couple of linear Ku LNB's, no success.

Bought another feedhorn, LNB, and polarotor assembly off eBay. Got it up on the dish, and began to realize that I should have paid attention in trig and geom classes in high school... Wash, rinse, re-point, repeat.

Finally pulled in Galaxy 16, then SES1, then SES3 this evening, and happy, even though it's with a Chinese clone Freesat V7 Max that I was given. Definitely whet my appetite for better hardware - no doubt there.

Questions:

- Polarotor control without 22khz/DiSeqC/voltage changes?
- Considering either a Cisco D9865, or Viewsat 9000HD with 8PSK card... Viewsat may be easier...
- I acquired a Drake APS424 and matching analog reciever. Anyone with a PDF of the manuals?
- APS424 alignment/calibration procedure.... ?
- Adding Ku LNB bracket vs. C/Ku combo feedhorn - ideas?
- WinTV Nova S2 PCI card for hardcore scanning... Yay/nay?

All input welcome Thanks to everyone who contributed to the wealth of info documented here on the site, and I am looking forward to being another resource for newbies one day - one can hope!

Jake

 

[Comptech]

Welcome back, and keep repeating the lather, rinse and repeat till you get it spot on. Actually your V7 is a great blind scanner. Will do most of what you need. With the 8 footer I would stick to C-band only. It is going to have a tough time locking S2 signals to begin with. Adding Ku will only frustrate you more. Get a 1 or 1.2 meter dish for Ku.

 

[Magic Static]

Take a look at the receiver and dish controller (1st two items) here.
Store - Michael Electronics  Satellite Dish Accessories
That and the Hauppauge DVBS tuner you would be good to go

 

[KE4EST]

- Polarotor control without 22khz/DiSeqC/voltage changes?
- Considering either a Cisco D9865, or Viewsat 9000HD with 8PSK card... Viewsat may be easier...
- I acquired a Drake APS424 and matching analog reciever. Anyone with a PDF of the manuals?
- APS424 alignment/calibration procedure.... ?
- Adding Ku LNB bracket vs. C/Ku combo feedhorn - ideas?
- WinTV Nova S2 PCI card for hardcore scanning... Yay/nay?

• Get an ASC1
• The D9865 is a solid receiver, but designed for TV head-ends, harder for end user. Also it has no Blind scan or DVR functionality. Both are older receivers that are EOL.
• Sorry have many PDF's but not that one. Only one analog channel left AFAIK??
• If you are going to stick with feed-horn and polar rotor get a feed horn with Ku and an LNB. C/Ku combos are not idea and Ku suffers.
• Hauppauge

 

[catamount]

And forget the Viewsat. It's a hacker tuner that won't do FTA S2

 

[sgs]

That and the Hauppauge DVBS tuner you would be good to go

Which Hauppauge card/model are you thinking of?

sgs

 

[Magic Static]

Which Hauppauge card/model are you thinking of?

sgs

The Nova S2 is made by Hauppauge. I have used one, not the best but it works.

 

[. Raine]

I have a Nova S2 card too, I used when I was still running WMC years ago. It works, but it's an old card, don't pay a lot for it. Think I spent $20 for mine used, years ago.

 

[sgs]

Ahh sorry I forgot that Nova S2 is made by Hauppauge... thanks!

sgs