Cnbc, Nbc, Msnbc @ 72w

William Eng · #1 (**permalink**) 09-29-2006, 02:04 PM

I have been watching these NBC feeds/ sometimes complete shows (between 4-7 PM ET). I noticed that signal strength is half of that of GBN. Anybody else notice this difference? Is there a way to increase the signal by tweaking the dish/LNB? or is this normal?

rainman · #2 (**permalink**) 09-29-2006, 02:07 PM

it is normal they seem to be on a week transponder.

elgemcdlf · #3 (**permalink**) 09-29-2006, 02:15 PM

What is the FEC for the feed and GBN?

wejones · #4 (**permalink**) 09-29-2006, 03:25 PM

5/6 and 3/4. Why? I don't think that would affect signal strength, although quality..... perhaps, depending on how a receiver decides to calculate it.

Re signal strength, that GBN feed is about the strongest one I've seen on my system, however I just did a spectrum scan, and the NBC feed doesn't seem that weak to me, it's just that GBN thing is so strong. Both give readings that are in the upper 5% of things I've seen.

rainman · #5 (**permalink**) 09-29-2006, 03:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by elgemcdlf

What is the FEC for the feed and GBN?

GBN is 3/4 not home to check the other feed.

elgemcdlf · #6 (**permalink**) 09-29-2006, 04:49 PM

I have a theory that due to bandwidth costs the higher the FRC the lower the strength reading. Might be the way the receiver reads signal. So a 1/2 might come in at 20% signal strength with lock and quite watchable where a 7/8 would show much stronger signal (more actual content in transmission of readable units) This would/could explain some of the differences in signal strength readings.

But with those for FEC it would be reversed with this theory. But yet again you (Bill) say they are reading roughly the same for you when scanned so perhaps the original poster simply is off a bit in alignment.

William Eng · #7 (**permalink**) 09-29-2006, 05:45 PM

I do know my dish is a tad out of alignment. What puzzles me is why the transponders on the same satellite have different strengths. Are some transponders feed less juice? Anyway, the feeds (NBC, CNBC, and MSNBC) are all very watchable. BTW, "MAD MONEY" with Jim Kramer IS AWESOME!

boroda1 · #8 (**permalink**) 09-29-2006, 06:07 PM

All the transponders may have a slightly different footprints, even within "conus", and they may have more or less power (juice, as you say) on them.

wejones · #9 (**permalink**) 09-29-2006, 06:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by William Eng

I do know my dish is a tad out of alignment. What puzzles me is why the transponders on the same satellite have different strengths. Are some transponders feed less juice? Anyway, the feeds (NBC, CNBC, and MSNBC) are all very watchable. BTW, "MAD MONEY" with Jim Kramer IS AWESOME!

I may be wrong, but it is my understanding that an uplinker is charged for both power and bandwidth, so it is cheaper if they use less power. If they are broadcasting to the masses, they have to use a lot of power, but if it's a transmission to sites that have big dishes that can receive a weak signal, it saves them money to use less power. Those sats only have a certain amount of power available. I know this is different, but on amateur radio satellites, if one uplinker uses a lot of power, it means that other people can't use the transponder, but if everyone uses minimum power, more people can use the sat. With commercial sats, if someone wants to use a lot of power, he has to pay more.

EDIT: Oh, and what Steve said could be part of the calculation too, ie they could use less power and if they use a lower fec, but I think it depends more on who the signal is going to.

archibald · #10 (**permalink**) 10-01-2006, 08:42 AM

Some of the feeds i am watching in South Africa on Telstar 12 at 15 West.Using a polar mount and installing a north/south actuator, i improved my signal.Also try using the lnb setting 9750/10600 if your receiver has the facility.

pmb1010 · #11 (**permalink**) 10-01-2006, 09:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by William Eng

. BTW, "MAD MONEY" with Jim Kramer IS AWESOME!

What time of the day (eastern) do you see this show on the 72w sat?

What transponder freq, or does it move around so it requires blind scan?

wejones · #12 (**permalink**) 10-01-2006, 11:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by archibald

Some of the feeds i am watching in South Africa on Telstar 12 at 15 West.Using a polar mount and installing a north/south actuator, i improved my signal.Also try using the lnb setting 9750/10600 if your receiver has the facility.

I don't think people in the US can see the same transponders you're watching in South Africa, due to the footprints, unless you have a VERY big dish. How big is your dish? I can't see Telstar 12 because that sat is blocked by trees for me. I think I used to be able to see that far east, but my trees have grown up all around me, so now the furthest east I can see is about 55 deg :-( . Maybe when the leaves drop I'll see a bit further.

However, my reason for responding is I'm curious about your "north/south actuator". Are you talking about a declination actuator, or does your actuator move the main motor inclination?
First, if your polar mount is aligned properly, you shouldn't ever need a declination actuator except for sats with inclined orbits, but T12 isn't inclined. Except, however, again, unless you have a very big dish, as I've read comments from some people with very big dishes who claim that the weight of the dish makes it impossible to keep their mount in alignment since it makes the pole bend. So I'm just curious whether that is your situation. THe other thing though, is your description of it as a "north/south" actuator rather than "declination". For some mounts, it is easier to install an actuator on the main motor inclination rather than have it actually change the declination. This will work for sats that aren't too far east or west of you, but you'll probably have trouble following sats that are very far to your east west, if that is what you've done, because you have to move the motor inclination a huge amount to have much affect on sats near your east or west horizon.

Also, your comment to "try using the lnb setting 9750/10600 if your receiver has the facility.", I think the original poster is already using that setting, because I think I remember that he is using a universal LNBF. But this comment has the potential to confuse some people, because some people think that you use different LNBF LO settings for different satellites, but that is not true. This setting should ALWAYS be set to match your hardware, not the satellite. Ie if your LNBF is a 10750, you should NOT try the above settings, because it doesn't match your LNBF. Of course in this case it does match the original poster's lnbf, so it's correct, but I didn't want other people reading this who have other lnbfs to be confused.

archibald · #13 (**permalink**) 10-01-2006, 01:54 PM

I will reply in point form.
1.I am using a 2,3M mesh dish and is tracking the Clarke belt from 22W to 78,5 E.
2.For two years i have had a problem with NBC feeds and in desperation decided to replace my elevation rod with an actuator.I do have a declination setting on my dish.Please note that i only use this actuator for Telstar 12.I move my positioner 8 steps up.
3.My receiver a Topfield which i purchased in the UK does not have a LNB Universal parameter setting,but 10 other settings that can be used.I use the 9750/10700 setting for KU.I was advised by a professional installer to use the 9750/10600 setting for NBC.
By following the above i have increased my signal quality from 50% to 97%.It works for me,so be it.

William Eng · #14 (**permalink**) 10-01-2006, 07:10 PM

The NBC, MSNBC, and CNBC feeds are at 12053 V 6884. I find that it is most reliable around the evening hours 4pm to 7 pm. Also on the weekends. I picked this up doing a blind scan. Enjoy.

wejones · #15 (**permalink**) 10-01-2006, 07:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by William Eng

The NBC, MSNBC, and CNBC feeds are at 12053 V 6884. I find that it is most reliable around the evening hours 4pm to 7 pm. Also on the weekends. I picked this up doing a blind scan. Enjoy.

Those channels have different things on them different times of the day. Seems like in the morning I can get the TODAY show, but after that nothing NBC shows up until evening. MSNBC is on in early afternoon, but I think it then ends and is just occasional feeds of people they are interviewing. They often have a screen up with 4 windows showing different things. They usually have one of the channels with just some text on it. A couple weeks ago I think it got interesting prior to the NBC sunday night football. It is an interesting MUX.

William Eng · #16 (**permalink**) 10-01-2006, 07:31 PM

Just tried resetting the LNB to 9750, it just killed the signal.

So I reset it back to UNI.

wejones · #17 (**permalink**) 10-01-2006, 07:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by William Eng

Just tried resetting the LNB to 9750, it just killed the signal.

So I reset it back to UNI.

Your "UNI" IS 9750 when you've entered a low band freq, but is 10600 when you enter a regular KU freq. Those settings should always match what your LNBF says.