Do I need bigger dish?

[rid0617]

After spending 2 days looking for T-5 I could not achieve more than 80% level, 0% quality. So, I decided to see if the equipment was even working and aimed it at Echostar 3. There I got 79% level, 39% quality. Quality would go no higher no matter what I tried. I did get the international channel promotion. Very sporadic freeze framing. Any help appreciated:

Satworks ST3688
Hotbird 75cm dish
DMS International Ku LNBF model ASC 321 (standard ku lnbf 55db gain)
75 feet RG-6
Mounted on 5 foot pole cemented in ground.

Lat: 34.9 N
Long: 82.2 W
Zip code 29651

Thank you in advance

[rid0617]

Guess T-5 is just going to be a bear. Watching Galaxy 4R with no problem so got me on that one.

[rid0617]

Well, I still havent gotten T-5 in but the system is working good. When I thought I was locked in on T-5 for the heck of it I programed in Galaxy 4R. Again 39% quality so this receiver must post low numbers, picture quality good and no freeze framing. Lots of feeds and unfortunately scrambled channels. Sure wish those wern't in there. So, my secret is I am going to tune 1 channel at a time working my way 2 degrees at a time.

[Nsat]

Your Hotdish (low gain, bad performance) and ASC 321 LNBF are some of the worst quality products out there . Cheap, but also bad performance. I heard peopl complain about them all the time. Ask even the dealer you bought it from. That is what you get for paying a few bucks cheaper on a system, and then suffer when you install it.

[DruzeTito]

If the lnb works it works... the reason you had crappy echostar 3 reception is because you need a circular polarity lnb so a universal one will not do it. AS for getting reception on T5, make sure that you have your LO settings right for your lnb and that you took in to account and peaked the skew, elevation, and azimuth. Use TP 11867 on T5, its pretty good strength. If you or other people think its the lnb, then buy a fortec star universal lnb it is really good.

[dtsexpert]

"If the lnb works it works"

That's not true. Some brand pull in weak signal better than the others. DMSI is a junk stuff. I have 3 of them. 2 can't pull in weak signal, the 3rd died after 1 month is service. On the same sats, some transponders are stronger than the others. If you have a bad lnbf, you might miss some of the weak one.
Michael

[DruzeTito]

Well dont get me wrong i know that one will pull in stronger then the other.. DMSI? My sg2100 is DMSI does that mean it blows?

[rid0617]

I have been hearing that a lot about this lnbf and to be honest not real impressed wtih the fact it has no degree markings on it. With the set up I described earlier, which lnbf would you recommend I get? Can't afford to go real high dollar as I live on a crummy disability check.

[dtsexpert]

I speak from my own experiences. Maybe I got a bad badge, who know. I was talking about the DMSI lnbf quality, not Diseqc h-h mount. In fact I have the SG2100 and like its performance.
Michael

Originally Posted by DruzeTito

Well dont get me wrong i know that one will pull in stronger then the other.. DMSI? My sg2100 is DMSI does that mean it blows?

[dtsexpert]

I am using 2 of the Sky Vista dual lnbfs which I got really cheap on ebay. They outperform the DMSI one any day. Check ebay, search for "Sky Vista", there is one listed right now.
Good luck,
Michael

Originally Posted by rid0617

I have been hearing that a lot about this lnbf and to be honest not real impressed wtih the fact it has no degree markings on it. With the set up I described earlier, which lnbf would you recommend I get? Can't afford to go real high dollar as I live on a crummy disability check.

[bobkat]

I wish you guys would stop bickering and use ExpressVu linear LNBs; they are the kat's ass -- so to speak...

kat

[bobkat]

Originally Posted by bobkat

I wish you guys would stop bickering and use ExpressVu linear LNBs; they are the kat's 1212 -- so to speak...

kat

Dang this swear word detector, anyways...

... they are the kat's "azz"

:roll:

kat

[BrianC]

Bell ExpressVu is circular polarity isn't it? Or is this a different LNB your mentioning?

Also: From my experience, albeit less then you experts out here, I have found that even a linear LNB should get high signal level when aimed at Dish or Bell despite using a linear LNB for a circular polairty service. I also am using the DMSI but I nail Bell and Dish at 90% level which appears to be max on the Satworks 3688 anyway.


Brian

[dtsexpert]

In the early day, Bell Vu uses linear. Most of their gears were made and labelled by DishNetwork. The old BellVu linear lnbf is actually very good built. There are 2 type of lnbf shape, L shape and flash light. I have both and like their quality. I beleive Sadoun has the L-shape type. If you are looking for a good budget lnbf, try one of them.
http://www.sadoun.com/Sat/Products/A...ndard-LNBF.htm
Michael

Originally Posted by BrianC

Bell ExpressVu is circular polarity isn't it? Or is this a different LNB your mentioning?

Also: From my experience, albeit less then you experts out here, I have found that even a linear LNB should get high signal level when aimed at Dish or Bell despite using a linear LNB for a circular polairty service. I also am using the DMSI but I nail Bell and Dish at 90% level which appears to be max on the Satworks 3688 anyway.


Brian

[bobkat]

Yeah ... what Michael said.. :wink:

kat

Some peopel are very rude. Why they have to tell somone that their equipement is a junk. Every receiver has good and bad features and a good setup and alligemnt is the important.
Play with your dish and receiver and I am sure you'll find the satellites you are looking for.

[dtsexpert]

I guess your post direct to me. I would like to take this opportunity to appology to you and others if you feel offended becuase of my prior posts. Perhaps I did not choose the words carefully. I never intended to judge other member gears and call them "junk", but for some reason, none of my DMSI lnbfs work as expected. In contrast, the SG2100 mount works just fine and I am happy with its performance. Maybe I got bad badge of lnbf? I don't know.
Michael

Originally Posted by tanjiabdou

Some peopel are very rude. Why they have to tell somone that their equipement is a junk. Every receiver has good and bad features and a good setup and alligemnt is the important.
Play with your dish and receiver and I am sure you'll find the satellites you are looking for.

No problem. I just didn't wnat the guy who statrted this dicussion not be discourged knowing that he put a lot eefortes to get into the dvb stuff. The only thing I got from the DSM is the SG motor and works great. But by just looking on their lnb's, they look like simple ones. I get most of the lnbs I play with from Europe and most the time is cheaper than get in from the USA. I am plesed with the Invacom lnb as I get every single satellite on my arc without any difficultey. I use my eye to see how good or abd a receiver just based on the design and material quality.
Her are some ex:
Cheap stuff:


good ones:

[rid0617]

I was a ham operator for 30+ years but got out of it for various reasons, one of them being equipment wars. I figured even though I was learning disabled (due to blood clot in brain removed) I would try a new hobby.

DTSExpert explained what he meant very well and I'm back posting with ya'll. While I don't want to embaress him [b]I want to thank tanjiabdou very much. He took the time to email me and walk me thru what was going on and courtesy of him I was able to determine the following:

While my LNBF may be weak, everything else works great. Turns out my Satworks ST3688 does work fine, just was programmed wrong. I was pointed at T-5 as I thought but the receiver was programmed wrong. I am receiving all the ethnic radio and television channels I am supposed to recieve but the while the level is 80% the quality is 49%. I guess that is where the LNB comes into play. Any ideas?

Try to move the dish very very slowly east and west and up and down. also make sure the lnb is on the right distance from the satellite dish and its in the right angle from the vetical palne.
If you get a low quality signal but you get all the channels you suppose to get, just leave the dish in its position. Some recivers may show 49% for a signal while others show 70 %; this my own experinece with the few recivers I tested.
You seem like you learning a lot of new things. Keep playing with your setup and that way you'll leran new stuff about satellites.
What are your favorite stations on Telsatr 5?:
http://sadoun.us/Sat/Installation/LNBF-Installation.htm

[Nsat]

Tanjiabdou

You are an asset to this forum. keep up the good work. I read your posts and you and dtsexpert have been very helpful for me and others. :lol: