Weak signal

[123tim]

This post is going to look like several post that I've been watching over the past couple of months. I probably have the same problem (New and inexperienced), but I've been fooling around enough with it to finally ask:

I have a Fortec Classic Lifetime Receiver, Universal LNB, and a 36" dish. I thought that I would start out by trying to align to just one satellite. I chose IA5 and finally found it, but my signal fluctuates between 0 and 28 percent. I can't seem to get it any higher. I wonder if I really do have the right satellite? I have an orange bar which is what is supposed to indicate a quality signal. The signal isn't stable either - It constantly jumps around. I set everything back to factory defaults, just in case I had changed some critical setting. Are there any satellites close to IA5 which might throw me off?
I've adjusted everything to everywhere, and moved my skew around as well. I have a clear view to the satellite. Nothing seems to make it better.

Another thing that I don't understand....The level bar sometimes seems to lock up on 0 percent in the antenna setup screen. I use the bar on the screen where you choose the type of motor drive instead. Is this the right thing to do?

Would anyone be able to tell me the first steps to correct my problems?
Thanks!

 

[Mr Tony]

well lets see theres G3, IA6, G11 ande AMC4 all within 4 degrees of IA5

If you're trying to get IA5, make sure to use the following transponder
12177 frequency
V
23000 symbol rate

That is a strong TP.

Tim I've aimed many a dishes using the receiver's quality bar. Remember QUALITY is what you need. Signal strength means nothing. The only thing it's good for is to get near a satellite. The signal seems to fluxuates when its near a satellite (doesnt have to be the right one). Once the meter gets a quality reading, then you can fine tune

move dish S L O W L Y and wait a couple seconds for it to lock. KU takes a little more precise to aim than DBS

 

[123tim]

Thanks Iceberg.
I wondered about the transponder setting but didn't know enough about it to ask a sensible question. I was fooling with different values. That's one of the reasons that I set it back to factory defaults.
I guess that I'm going back outside.

 

[123tim]

Well, I'm back and just finished watching about 80 channels in the snow! I went out and changed my transponder freq. and ended up moving the antenna to where I had it last night, and there it was - a locked signal! I got it to between 68 and 73 percent. I don't know how that will fare with the snowstorm that were supposed to get tonight and tomorrow, but at least I know that the basic receiver and antenna is functional. All of the pictures in the manual are less than that( for whatever that's worth.). I really appreciate all of the help from everyone on this forum. This was well worth the trouble and wait.
I don't think that I would have got it without your help today Iceberg. Thank you. Thanks Pete, and Tracy, Shawn, Tron, Sadoun and everyone else who gave me advice too. I wouldn't have been able to set up this without your advice. I really appreciate it.
I must say that I was surprised at the lack of basic information in the Fortec manual. I had expected to learn a lot from it.
There's a lot that I don't understand about satellite transmission. It will really help having a working receiver to learn from.
Thanks again!

 

[PSB]

Glad to hear it

 

[Tron]

Glad you're watching TV, Tim!

As I said in another thread, those manuals are quite useless. I suspect much of the confusion begins with poor original authorship and is compounded by poor translation

 

[Mr Tony]

123tim

If you locked on 12177 transponder I posted above, 73 is about right. Thats what I'm pulling in MN with a 30" dish