Very newbie install questions

[larry love]

Just joined a short time ago and decided to buy a FTA system..I'm a geezer but I had installed a Directv system a few years ago so thought I could do a FTA without too much trouble...NO NO it is harder. After a couple of days fiddling..no signal yet

Here is what I got: Fortec Mercury II
KUL 1 std. dual LNBF
FC-80 CM Fortec dish
HH 90 Motor

There is plenty of info on what the settings should be. I am in Lexington,KY and pulled up these to use. Lat 38.1 - Lon 84.4 True south
180 + 5= 185 true south..motor elevation 38 and dish elevation 38...(I am going to use AMC2 as my true south sat in setting up 0. I had used others previously but weather got bad and I had to quit..cold on the roof). I think my settings are ok I just haven't found the sweet spot yet.

I could have a problem with setting up the Mercury II..I found the manual a little weak in responding to newbie who doesn't know very much about FTA. Is there a site which can give more info on what choices should be made when going through the menu setup???

I have a signal meter which I inserted in series with rec cable connection
to the motor...when the meter is installed the motor will not move...a bit of pain when you want to change positions of the dish to look elsewhere for a signal. Should the meter be inserted in the LNB cabl/motor cable??

One other thing..when Soudan shipped the dish etc. the package had all of the items I ordered in the dish carton..all loose and rattling around. This put a few dings in the dish which I smoothed out some with a rubber mallet..not perfect but I thought it would be ok..in addition the box was open on one end and appeared to stacked wrong at one time or another there were some serious dents which I cleaned up as best I could..Maybe this is a problem and I need a new dish...What do you think??

Appreciate any remarks forthcoming..

[Soundwav]

im no pro but if you are using a cheap $20 meter they are junk..

make sure your mast is plumb!! i cant say that enough!! otherwise you could be looking for yrs and find nothing.. the mast may be plumb when you first set it up but when you put the dish and the motor on it will move! (happend to me).. so do you best and make sure its plumb! also make sure you are scanning for an active transponder as once again you will be looking for yrs and find nothing..

[crankbooster]

I will advice to use AMC 5 for your initial satellite.
But I have this question for you:-
1. What type of installation are you doing? Roof or Pole mount?
2. you need a TV and the reveiver as close to the dish as possible. this will save you running in and out.

[Corey]

Ku band dishes are pretty sensitive to dings and warps. 0.2 inches out of shape is a big deal at 12GHz, where one wavelenth is about 1 inch.

I'd seriously consider sending it back for a replacement.

When I received mine, it was packed ok and arrived in good shape.

[wejones]

Originally Posted by larry love

I have a signal meter which I inserted in series with rec cable connection
to the motor...when the meter is installed the motor will not move...a bit of pain when you want to change positions of the dish to look elsewhere for a signal. Should the meter be inserted in the LNB cabl/motor cable??

That would probably be better. Some of those meters block the diseqC signals. The meter sold by Saduon, doesn't block the diseqC even though it looks exactly like similar meters sold elsewhere. I know someone called that meter "junk", and at times I've been mad enough at mine to throw it out, but you can get results using it, but it is a little tricky. You have to set it to half scale so that you can watch and listen for very slight changes. I've since changed to a slightly more sensitive meter, but the little meters can be used sucessfully.

Originally Posted by larry love

One other thing..when Soudan shipped the dish etc. the package had all of the items I ordered in the dish carton..all loose and rattling around. This put a few dings in the dish which I smoothed out some with a rubber mallet..not perfect but I thought it would be ok..in addition the box was open on one end and appeared to stacked wrong at one time or another there were some serious dents which I cleaned up as best I could..Maybe this is a problem and I need a new dish...What do you think??

Appreciate any remarks forthcoming..

With a bigger dish, you could stand to have a few dings, but you're 80 is kind of borderline, and the surface on those dishes isn't perfect even undented. It may be a problem, maybe not. My big 10' dish has dents as big as a softball in it due to me hitting it with a broom to knock snow off, but I've got plenty of undented surface left. I'd be more concerned though if the dish or the lnbf arm were bent.

[csmith704]

Originally Posted by larry love

Just joined a short time ago and decided to buy a FTA system..I'm a geezer but I had installed a Directv system a few years ago so thought I could do a FTA without too much trouble...NO NO it is harder. After a couple of days fiddling..no signal yet

Here is what I got: Fortec Mercury II
KUL 1 std. dual LNBF
FC-80 CM Fortec dish
HH 90 Motor

First chose an active transponder with a good signal: (AMC2)-12194 H 3978 (from another forum, not sure if it's proper to link to it).

Also, don't forget about the (up to) 5 degree elevation window on the Fortec dish, there seems to be a variance. I had to add almost 5 degrees (currently 43.5 degrees from original calculation of 39 degrees). Try moving your dish elevation up.

[be236]

Also, in my first experience with Fortec dish, I had to raise my dish 5 degrees higher to get my signal. So for example, 97w sat was listed at about 30 degrees elevation for my location... but for Fortec dish, I discovered it needs to be 5 degrees higher, so 30 + 5 = 35 degrees I set on my install and I picked up 97w just fine... so keep that in mind that you might have to raise your Fortec dish 5 more degrees higher....

[larry love]

Thanks for the input....

Crankbooster...I am installing on the roof..actually on the vertical rise of a roof with multiple elevations..I may need to go to the ground/pole before it is all over with. Why AMC5..?? I may need a geo lesson..when the sat discription says 79.0 doesn't that mean the sat is at compass heading 79.0 ?? My true south is 185.0 compass heading..Tell me a little about where the sat is and how to get the right compass heading, please.

wejones...put the signal meter in the LNB cable and it works ok..still no signal tho.

Spent a couple more hours up on the roof today with no results...I am beginning to see why it must be a real blast when you finally do get a signal.

Still need a place to go for more information on what choices I should make while going thru the menus on the Mercury set up. No comment on the motor/dish settings I used so I assume they are ok.

Thanks

[Corey]

Originally Posted by larry love

I may need a geo lesson..when the sat discription says 79.0 doesn't that mean the sat is at compass heading 79.0 ?? My true south is 185.0 compass heading..Tell me a little about where the sat is and how to get the right compass heading, please.

79 is the longitude line that the satellite is "hovering over", so where you point your dish is relative which longitude line you are on, and to a lesser degree which latitude line you are on. Use the aiming web page on Sadoun to figure out the angle you need to aim towards, and remember to adjust for the magnetic declination.

Satellite Look Angles Satellite Heading Calculator Azimuth Elevation Skew Tilt LNBF Latitude and Longitude values

[csmith704]

Originally Posted by larry love

Thanks for the input....

Crankbooster...I am installing on the roof..actually on the vertical rise of a roof with multiple elevations..I may need to go to the ground/pole before it is all over with. Why AMC5..?? I may need a geo lesson..when the sat discription says 79.0 doesn't that mean the sat is at compass heading 79.0 ?? My true south is 185.0 compass heading..Tell me a little about where the sat is and how to get the right compass heading, please.

wejones...put the signal meter in the LNB cable and it works ok..still no signal tho.

Spent a couple more hours up on the roof today with no results...I am beginning to see why it must be a real blast when you finally do get a signal.

Still need a place to go for more information on what choices I should make while going thru the menus on the Mercury set up. No comment on the motor/dish settings I used so I assume they are ok.

Thanks

What signal meter are you using, bought from sadoun?

First you set your zero point based on your True South (TS) location, not on AMC2.

Once set, turn on receiver and select Antenna Setup.
Highlight "Satellite", press Ok and select AMC2.
Next highlight "LNB Type" and select Standard (check your the specs for the LNB for freq to ensure correct selection).
Highlight "Positioner", press the Ok button and select USALS.

Press Ok again and it should show you the USALS page.
Ensure the "Satellite is set to AMC2.
Highlight "Transponder", press Ok and select 12194 H 3978.
Highlight Longitude and enter your longitude.
Highlight Lattitude and enter your lattitude.
Highlight Go To Position and hit Ok, dish should move to AMC2. (You are very close to it from your TS so you may not see much movement.)

Note that you should make very small changes moving dish elevation up and wait a 10-20 seconds before adjusting again. Note again that Fortec dishes may be up to 5 degrees off. Move left/right in small steps, waiting 10-20 seconds... Once you hit the sat using the meter, use the Signal Quality meter on the receiver to peak it out with your adjustments.

Fortec has short videos that will help:
http://www.ftavideos.com/fortec/cd/v...tallation.html

After signal being received, scanning for channels, transponders, etc:
http://www.ftavideos.com/fortec/cd/v...ry2_scans.html

[larry love]

CSMITH704...thanks for the info..my Mercury II must have different software..there are some minor difs from your directions.

Am using a small black meter I got when I installed the Directv dish .works ok
When I take a Directv dish in the RV I use it with no difficulty. On the FTA I put the meter in series with the cable going from LNB to Motor..this allows me to move the motor position with the meter in the circuit-won't work in the other cable.

You mentioned with a TS of 185 the motor should not move much when going to AMC2..thats because it is at 85 which is right at TS for me..the thing is moving quite a bit West when I go to AMC2 from 0 which is set on TS. I must have something else going on...will continue the fight

[wejones]

Originally Posted by larry love

CSMITH704...thanks for the info..my Mercury II must have different software..there are some minor difs from your directions.

I just checked my Mercury II, and it agrees with what CSMITH said, although there are a couple different ways to do the same thing, such as when at the antenna setup page, you can select USALS with the arrow key instead of hitting OK first, etc, but what he said will work too. BTW, my Mercury II says S/W version 1.33, H/W version 1.00. I have updated the SW, it didn't significantly change this screen.

Originally Posted by larry love

Am using a small black meter I got when I installed the Directv dish .works ok
When I take a Directv dish in the RV I use it with no difficulty. On the FTA I put the meter in series with the cable going from LNB to Motor..this allows me to move the motor position with the meter in the circuit-won't work in the other cable.

As mentioned in an earlier post, some of these meters block DiseqC. The one from Sadoun doesn't. These meters can be fooled by having a strong DBS satellite near the sat you're aiming at. Since Nimiq 2 is at 82, that is pretty close to the 85 sat you're aiming at, so you'll get a strong indication from Nimiq, and you have to watch closely to see the weaker response from the AMC sat.

Originally Posted by larry love

You mentioned with a TS of 185 the motor should not move much when going to AMC2..thats because it is at 85 which is right at TS for me..the thing is moving quite a bit West when I go to AMC2 from 0 which is set on TS. I must have something else going on...will continue the fight

Having a "TS of 185" has nothing to do with it. Hopefully you have not entered 185 anywhere in the receiver setup. But like you said, because AMC2 is at a longitude of 85, and your longitude is 84.4, it should not move much at all, ie less than a degree, or just a couple clicks. If it does move a significant amount, it could be that it wasn't at it's zero position before you told it to move. You might try giving it the GoTo Zero command first, then tell it to go to the sat. If it still moves a significant amount west, then you must have either your longitude or the satellite's longitude set wrong. The most common thing is to have one of them set on east instead of west, although I thought that usually it would just refuse to move at all in that case.

Also, are you sure that you are in the USALS section and not the DiseqC1.2 section? If in the DiseqC1.2 section there is a move command that will cause the motor to just keep moving till you tell it to stop or until it reaches a limit.

[csmith704]

Originally Posted by larry love

CSMITH704...thanks for the info..my Mercury II must have different software..there are some minor difs from your directions.

Purchased mine last month from sadoun, has version 1.06 firmware, 1.0 hardware.

Originally Posted by wejones

BTW, my Mercury II says S/W version 1.33, H/W version 1.00. I have updated the SW, it didn't significantly change this screen.

.... thought I read that sadoun loads the latest version before sending (lastest is 1.34), but apparently not...didn't know updating firmware would void warranty, crazy. Is there a change list for each newer version, couldn't find anything of fortec's website...

[larry love]

Originally Posted by csmith704

Purchased mine last month from sadoun, has version 1.06 firmware, 1.0 hardware.



.... thought I read that sadoun loads the latest version before sending (lastest is 1.34), but apparently not...didn't know updating firmware would void warranty, crazy. Is there a change list for each newer version, couldn't find anything of fortec's website...

Checked my Mercury II and it has the V 1.06 with V 1.00 hardware. Not the latest. Did not get it from Sadoun but it was new coming in..got the motor and dish from Sadoun.

In that my zero is at 84.4 long and the sat I am looking at is 85.0 long when I use the USALS mode and go to it it should not move much...and I am getting a lot of West movement, for that reason I think I have a software issue or receiver issue because I'm sure my zero is set at TS.

Another thing...when you get a signal and have a menu up (a signal that so far has eluded me) isn't the menu super imposed over the signal on the TV and to get out of the menu you click on EXIT leaving your TV signal viewable? I have never been able to calapse the menu..when I click EXIT the screen has the Fortect logo and Press menu..what is supposed to happen there???

Yesterday I was in the DiSEqC mode and stepped from zero and was able to peg the signal meter at a point I thought was AMC2..I still haven't figured out what the display should read when you are actually on the chosen satellite, but still no video picture and the menu refused to go away when I pressed EXIT..Now What???

[wejones]

Originally Posted by larry love

Checked my Mercury II and it has the V 1.06 with V 1.00 hardware. Not the latest. Did not get it from Sadoun but it was new coming in..got the motor and dish from Sadoun.

In that my zero is at 84.4 long and the sat I am looking at is 85.0 long when I use the USALS mode and go to it it should not move much...and I am getting a lot of West movement, for that reason I think I have a software issue or receiver issue because I'm sure my zero is set at TS.

Another thing...when you get a signal and have a menu up (a signal that so far has eluded me) isn't the menu super imposed over the signal on the TV and to get out of the menu you click on EXIT leaving your TV signal viewable? I have never been able to calapse the menu..when I click EXIT the screen has the Fortect logo and Press menu..what is supposed to happen there???

Yesterday I was in the DiSEqC mode and stepped from zero and was able to peg the signal meter at a point I thought was AMC2..I still haven't figured out what the display should read when you are actually on the chosen satellite, but still no video picture and the menu refused to go away when I pressed EXIT..Now What???

I'm not sure I remember exactly, but I think the receiver has different menu behavior when you don't have any channels saved, so it won't behave normally until you save at least one channel. After that, when you hit exit, it will return you to a channel.

You won't get any video until you scan in channels. What you should be looking for first is to get a lock on a known transponder for the sat in question. After you get a lock (ie signal and quality) you can hit scan (I forget what button, usually it gives you some color coded indication on the screen, which gives me trouble being a bit color blind), and if there are any fta channels on that transponder, the unit will scan them in, and after scanning, it will take you out of the menu to one of those channels. But until you tell it to scan, you won't see any video, because you don't have any channel data saved.

After you've scanned in a variety of channels on different sats, you generally hit the sat button, and choose the sat you want, then it gives you a list of channels on that sat. Or, if you remember the channel number, you don't need to go through the sat button. Or you can save things in favorites, etc. Lots of different ways of doing things.

But your first task is to get a lock... preferrably on your south sat.