Fortec Star Installation Help Needed

ftagreenbean · #1 (**permalink**) 08-22-2006, 12:22 AM

Hello FTA group, I am new to FTA and have just installed a Fortec Star 80 cm dish with Fortec Star Lifetime Classic NA receiver. However, the highest signal strength that I'm able to receive is only around 33% and the receiver will not lock in on the TPs. I'm pretty sure the dish is aligned and point to the right angle as I'm able to lock in on a couple TPs but the channels were all scrembled channels. Could my problem be the LNBF (it s Fortec Star FSKU-V universal Single LNBF)? Any suggestions?

Thank you,
Tony

pmb1010 · #2 (**permalink**) 08-22-2006, 01:21 AM

your zip code?

satellite you are trying to look at?

Compass heading you are using?

fixed dish or motor install?

What angles did you set things to?

ftagreenbean · #3 (**permalink**) 08-22-2006, 03:32 PM

your zip code?
satellite you are trying to look at?
Compass heading you are using?
fixed dish or motor install?
What angles did you set things to?

- My zip code is 60156
- the satellite I'm trying to look at is IA5 (97W)
- compass heading is ~193 Degree
- I'm using a fixed dish
- the satellite is set at 40 Degree; based on the tick mark on the bracket of the dish. When I increase/decrease the angle, the signal level drops below to 0~6.

pmb1010 · #4 (**permalink**) 08-22-2006, 03:46 PM

http://www.census.gov/cgi-bin/gazett...ate=&zip=60156

returns:

Sorry, no matches found for "city=&state=&zip=60156".

ftagreenbean · #5 (**permalink**) 08-22-2006, 08:56 PM

My zip code is relatively new; the city is Lake in the Hills, IL. It used to be 60102 and now it's 60156.

sagirma · #6 (**permalink**) 08-22-2006, 11:35 PM

okay for zipcode 60102 here is what I find:

lat is 42N Long is 88W
azimuth heading from 193.3 to 196
Dish Elevation 40.7 (this can be - or + few degrees)
9.9 degrees LNB SKEW (turn LNB 10 degrees counter clockwise)

On the setup menu make sure your LNB type is set to UNI.

Set your TP to 12053 V sr 22000 while adjusting the dish and your LNB skew, its best to have a small TV out where you are working as it makes things very easy.

Also make sure all of your cabling is good and you have good clean terminations.

Make sure your compass readings are not taken near any metal objects which will make reading inaccurate.

Pole is plumb and straight as much as possible.

And it seems you are very close, so make sure you have the lnb skew set right...

once you have your dish fine tuned to the best signal possible, on the menu set your scan option for power scan or blind scan and let the reciever find all the active TPs for you. You can choose all or FTA.

NOTE:
Also not all TPs will show the same signal level, this is normal as some TPs have stronger signal than others.

Let us know what you find...

ftagreenbean · #7 (**permalink**) 08-26-2006, 09:18 AM

Sorry for the late response... I didn't get a chance to try it again until this morning. Still not working.

For the elevation, where should the angle be measured?
- the vertical part of the arm that holds the LNBF behind the dish?
- the horizontal part of the arm that holds the LNBF in front of the dish?
- the tick mark on the bracket that holds the dish?

I'm using the tick mark (40 degree) on the bracket but when I measure the vertical part of the arm behind the dish it's about 10 degrees off (30 degrees).

elgemcdlf · #8 (**permalink**) 08-26-2006, 10:22 AM

Verify you have the lnbf skewed correctly first. Since you are showing a reading we have something just not sure what yet. If you run a blind scan now do any channels pop up? If so what are they. Write down any tp freqs the receiver finds. This will help us to identify the sat you are looking at even if no channels are found.

Once one of us can identify what you are looking at we will be able to guide you in the proper direction to complete your install. As to your question concerning dish elevation you use the markings on the dish itself. You should be set at 40.7 or roughly 40 3/4. DO NOT MOVE THIS SETTING AT THIS TIME! You have some form of signal now we need to identify that before any dish changes are made.

pmb1010 · #9 (**permalink**) 08-26-2006, 10:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ftagreenbean

Sorry for the late response... I didn't get a chance to try it again until this morning. Still not working.

For the elevation, where should the angle be measured?
- the vertical part of the arm that holds the LNBF behind the dish?
- the horizontal part of the arm that holds the LNBF in front of the dish?
- the tick mark on the bracket that holds the dish?

I'm using the tick mark (40 degree) on the bracket but when I measure the vertical part of the arm behind the dish it's about 10 degrees off (30 degrees).

like this:
http://www.sadoun.com/Sat/Products/F...ishes/Elev.JPG

If I understand you right, you cant measure the vertical part as the dish is "offset" by a set amount (it looks "higher" that it appears), so you must use the tick mark on the dish scale.

wejones · #10 (**permalink**) 08-26-2006, 02:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ftagreenbean

Sorry for the late response... I didn't get a chance to try it again until this morning. Still not working.

For the elevation, where should the angle be measured?
- the vertical part of the arm that holds the LNBF behind the dish?
- the horizontal part of the arm that holds the LNBF in front of the dish?
- the tick mark on the bracket that holds the dish?

I'm using the tick mark (40 degree) on the bracket but when I measure the vertical part of the arm behind the dish it's about 10 degrees off (30 degrees).

There isn't any surface on the dish or arm that you can measure the angle with an inclinometer. Your best choice is what you did. THe Fortec 80cm has an offset angle of approximately 22.75, so the elevation measured from the vertical part of the arm behind the dish would be approximately this amount less, but this is a crude measurement, as it's dependent on where the mount is attached, ie it assumes that this section of the arm is perpindicular to the apparent aim of the dish, and I don't think this is generally the case, although it is often close.
Another issue is that the bracket with the scale may or may not be designed for your dish. My Fortec 90CM came with hardware in a box indicating it was for the 80CM dish, so no telling what hardware you got with your dish, maybe you got the 90CM stuff I should have received. :-)
But as mentioned by sagirma, expect the scale to be off by a few degrees. You can do what I did, in http://www.sadoun.net/forums/install...ervations.html
to determine with mirrors how far off your scale is, but it's easier to just find the signal by trial and error, then note how far off the scale is.

ftagreenbean · #11 (**permalink**) 09-09-2006, 06:46 PM

The most signal strength that I'm able to receive is 33%. Lasted below are the only TPs that I'm able to get a lock on

11860 (V) 10000
11871 (V) 10000
11794 (H) 2893

rainman · #12 (**permalink**) 09-09-2006, 07:59 PM

I am not showing those numbers any where try using 12084v 22000. this is a strong signal on IA5. see if you can get a lock on these.

wejones · #13 (**permalink**) 09-10-2006, 09:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ftagreenbean

The most signal strength that I'm able to receive is 33%. Lasted below are the only TPs that I'm able to get a lock on

11860 (V) 10000
11871 (V) 10000
11794 (H) 2893

I think you are on Anik-F2. See PM.

Richard Seybold · #14 (**permalink**) 09-22-2006, 01:43 PM

Hi, Ihave a lifetime classic N/A reciever, I have a lock on fo 72% on tk5. when i change to channels the satellite at the top of the screen is 1A5. how do I change the satellite on the channels screen.

elgemcdlf · #15 (**permalink**) 09-22-2006, 02:42 PM

Press the sat button and as long as you have other sats programmed in you can change sats there. If you choose ALL SATS you will have a channel list that is all the channels stored in the receiver