I don’t know if "jl" is still struggling with his new FTA satellite system, but as someone who has just endured a similar ordeal, perhaps some of my experiences might help a bit.
I initially bought the system specifically to watch KBS America, located on Galaxy 10R. When it arrived, I set up the system, and tried
aiming the dish. Four days and about six hours of tedious aiming later – nothing. The Fortec Star’s on-screen level meter showed 72% no matter where I aimed the dish, and the green quality bar never once lit up. So discouraging!
Soon afterwards, I heard that KBS America had gone to encryption, which pretty much took the wind out of my sails, given that KBS America was the main reason I’d bought the dammed thing in the first place. But, not one to readily admit defeat, I figured I might as well keep trying, and I ordered a second LNBF (in case the one I had was defective) as well as one of those cheapo, $17 satellite meters.
Well, the LNBF wasn’t the problem (I didn’t really expect it to be; buying that second one was a just a desperation move on my part) but as it turns out, that El Cheapo satellite meter was an absolute godsend! Son-of-a-gun, there it was, peaking here and there as I swung the dish along the horizon!
I peaked on the strongest signal I could find (I really didn’t care which satellite it was) and then I went through, one by one, selecting satellites on my receiver’s on-screen display. Midway down the list and - BOOM! - the green quality bar finally lit up! I’d found, as it turns out, Galaxy 3C.
Now, you veteran satellite gurus may deride that little El Cheapo satellite meter, but it saved my bacon in two ways. For one thing, it confirmed that my system was working properly (always a lingering doubt) and, for another, now that I knew exactly where Galaxy 3C was, I could have an easier time hunting down Galaxy 10R.
But, it wasn’t that easy, for even though I found a few other satellites, I just couldn’t find Galaxy 10R. I found IA7 booming in at 129 degrees west, and with Galaxy 10R at 123 degrees west, it seemed that nudging the dish just a hair to the south ought to bring it right up. But no, nothing.
Another two days and four hours of frustration followed, until I pointed the dish about where Galaxy 10R “ought” to be and then (desperation time again) randomly started switching through transponder frequencies on the Fortec Star’s on-screen menu. BOOM! - the green quality bar suddenly appeared!
Okay, so I’m a dufus, but how was I to know that the Fortec Star’s default transponder frequency for Galaxy 10R was NFG? Live and learn, I guess (oh, by the way, I quickly discovered that my Fortec Star wouldn’t get half the FTA channels I saw listed at the LyngSat page. Once I figured out how to manually add these transponder frequencies to the receiver’s list, everything worked fine).
The great problem, I guess, is that the
installation of these FTA systems really isn’t meant for anybody short of video engineers and wild-eyed satellite enthusiasts. I don’t fancy myself as a techno-idiot, but even so I frankly found the whole process exceeding frustrating, especially given the lack (in my opinion) of good documentation. Why can’t somebody come up with a really easy to follow, step by step process? I know all you satellite veterans can probably set up systems in your sleep, but for the rest of us, it just shouldn’t be this difficult!
In any case, I hope that exposing some of my mistakes to the world might make things just a bit easier for other newbies who might be coming down the pike.
:lol: :lol: 
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