Please help: signal level below 20 on Fortec lifetime system

[fta-fan]

Hi,

I started to install the Fortec Lifetime system with SG2100 motor in the past two days. No success up to now. The signal level was no more than 20% on Telstar 5. On G3C, I got 32% signal level and 0% quality. I couldn't lock on any satellite. I used a small TV besides the dish to monitor the signal level on Fortec setup screen.

My latitude: 38.9 N
My longitude: 77.4W

The reading (latitude) on the motor scale: 39
The reading on the dish scale: 24

Skew of the LNBF: 0 degree
LNBF was installed as forward to the sky as possible (as shown on Sadoun.com).

Mast is vertical.

Positioner setting: 1.3

I think the true south here is 10 degrees west of magnetic south (please tell me if I'm wrong). So I just turned the dish assembly 10 degrees to the west from the magnetic south as shown on a compass.

I tried Telstar 5 using transponder 12152. I didn't change any other settings on the menu (Universal 1, LNBF Power on, etc.).

I only got 20% signal and 0% quality after the dish was turned to Telstar 5 by the motor.

I changed the elevation angle of the dish little by little, and couldn't get more than 20% level on T5. I also tried to turn the dish-motor assembly horizontally little by little. That didn't help either.

There is no obstacle in the sky at all.

What could be wrong? Am I missing something? Am I doing something wrong? Should I buy another LNBF?

I know similar questions have been asked before. But I didn't find out what could be the causes of my problem.

Thanks in advance.

[ctg101]

the signal doesnt matter, you could point it a brick wall and it would still show something, i would try setting up the dish without the motor and try, it can be very difficult to setup a motor correctly. set the dish to the correct elevation you figured, then slowly move the dish left to right or vice versa. then add the moter later and use the figure you get without the motor.

[dtsexpert]

Set up the mount and dish elevation, use AMC5 as your true south sat. There are some 24/24 active transponders on this bird. Make sure you also set the LO correctly. Skew is set at 0 when tuning at true south sat.
Michael

Originally Posted by fta-fan

Hi,

I started to install the Fortec Lifetime system with SG2100 motor in the past two days. No success up to now. The signal level was no more than 20% on Telstar 5. On G3C, I got 32% signal level and 0% quality. I couldn't lock on any satellite. I used a small TV besides the dish to monitor the signal level on Fortec setup screen.

My latitude: 38.9 N
My longitude: 77.4W

The reading (latitude) on the motor scale: 39
The reading on the dish scale: 24

Skew of the LNBF: 0 degree
LNBF was installed as forward to the sky as possible (as shown on Sadoun.com).

Mast is vertical.

Positioner setting: 1.3

I think the true south here is 10 degrees west of magnetic south (please tell me if I'm wrong). So I just turned the dish assembly 10 degrees to the west from the magnetic south as shown on a compass.

I tried Telstar 5 using transponder 12152. I didn't change any other settings on the menu (Universal 1, LNBF Power on, etc.).

I only got 20% signal and 0% quality after the dish was turned to Telstar 5 by the motor.

I changed the elevation angle of the dish little by little, and couldn't get more than 20% level on T5. I also tried to turn the dish-motor assembly horizontally little by little. That didn't help either.

There is no obstacle in the sky at all.

What could be wrong? Am I missing something? Am I doing something wrong? Should I buy another LNBF?

I know similar questions have been asked before. But I didn't find out what could be the causes of my problem.

Thanks in advance.

[fta-fan]

Thanks, dtsexpert. Could you tell me the correct LO for AMC5?

How do I find out which transponder on AMC5 is 24/24 active from www.lyngsat.com?

I am using a Fortec star LNB and a Fortec star dish. Do I need to change any default settings on the setup menu?


Thanks.

[dtsexpert]

Check lyngsat.com for the transponders info.
Universal lnbf: low 9750, high 10600
Standare lnbf: 10750.
Michael

Originally Posted by fta-fan

Thanks, dtsexpert. Could you tell me the correct LO for AMC5?

How do I find out which transponder on AMC5 is 24/24 active from www.lyngsat.com?

I am using a Fortec star LNB and a Fortec star dish. Do I need to change any default settings on the setup menu?


Thanks.

[fta-fan]

Still no success yet. I could'n get a quality bar on AMC5 which is my due south. I double checked the LNB type and LO, I used Universal1 and low 9750, high 10600. (My system is Fortec Life time system with fortec dish and fortec universal LNB.) I tried to tune in to the transponders with the following frequencies:

11742: Utah Education Network
12182 : NYN
11808: EMpire Sports

I first turned the whole dish-motor assembly left and right to get the strongest signal and then turn the dish up and down. I did that several iterations. The best signal level I got was 20% and there was no quality bar.

I even went to Bestbuy to buy another LNB and tried it. I guess the LNB bought from Bestbuy was a wrong type.

Should I borrow an analog receiver and use it to get a lock on AMC5 first and then change to my Fortec digital receiver?

I guess it shouldn't be so hard to get a lock on the due south satellite. Is there any way to make sure that my brand new equipment (such as LNB) is working properly?

Thanks.

[dtsexpert]

Unless you are very lucky, you can't simply lock on AMC5 by turning left/right. Try to adjust the DISH elevation up/down. Don't touch the h-h mount elevation.
Michael
Note: make user the polarity and SR for the transponder is correct as well.

Originally Posted by fta-fan

Still no success yet. I could'n get a quality bar on AMC5 which is my due south. I double checked the LNB type and LO, I used Universal1 and low 9750, high 10600. (My system is Fortec Life time system with fortec dish and fortec universal LNB.) I tried to tune in to the transponders with the following frequencies:

11742: Utah Education Network
12182 : NYN
11808: EMpire Sports

I first turned the whole dish-motor assembly left and right to get the strongest signal and then turn the dish up and down. I did that several iterations. The best signal level I got was 20% and there was no quality bar.

I even went to Bestbuy to buy another LNB and tried it. I guess the LNB bought from Bestbuy was a wrong type.

Should I borrow an analog receiver and use it to get a lock on AMC5 first and then change to my Fortec digital receiver?

I guess it shouldn't be so hard to get a lock on the due south satellite. Is there any way to make sure that my brand new equipment (such as LNB) is working properly?

Thanks.

[fta-fan]

I finally made it work.

I used a Garmin Etrex GPS receiver to get the correct bearing of the true south. Then I pointed the dish to that direction with rotor at 0 reference point. Then I turned the dish to the sat closest to the true south using my receive's 1.3 command. I fine-tuned the elevation of the dish and I got strong quality.

For me, the key is to get precise true south using a GPS receiver.

Thanks for your help. Hope this will help others.