New Installation

[james72]

Hey guys:

I'm new to FTA and have been reading a lot over the past few weeks, and now I think I am ready to install my system. Here's what I have. I want to install my stationery fta dish at my hunting cabin. The zipcode is 61459. I am looking for satellite G10R. My lat is 40.497 and my long is 90.388. My elev is 32.5, azi is 224.6 and skew is 32.3. My magnetic deviation is -1, so I change my azi to approx 223.6. I will be using a 31" dish and a Fortec NA system. I used to have Dish there, so my mount is still connected to the post (it's been a while so I'll pull out my level and make sure it's still okay). I'll have the tv nearby, a satellite finder and a simple compass.

Is there anything else I left out? I am going down there this weekend and want to make sure I am ready to knock this thing out! Thanks for your advice!

[elgemcdlf]

Sounds like you have all bases covered. I am assuming that you will be using existing coax. Good luck.

[satnutwillb]

Welcome james72,hope you enjoy fta and good luck.

[rainman]

welcome to the forum. sounds like you got everything you need to get started good luck on the install.

[james72]

I have the existing coax, with was somewhere between 75 - 100 ft. (always had 100+ signal on Dish 110 & 199, so I assume I won't have a problem).

I will report back on Monday evening when I return and let you know how it goes. Thanks!

[bobkat]

Originally Posted by james72

I'll have the tv nearby, a satellite finder and a simple compass. Is there anything else I left out?

Just one thing ... patience You need lots of it.

kat

[Iceberg]

Welcome to the forum

as kat said, patience is key when installing a FTA system. The satellites are lower powered (hence the larger dish) so move the dish very S L O W when aiming

[james72]

Just got back and no go. I had my compass out and was aiming for an azimuth of 224 and my elevation was 32.5 but nothing. I'm not sure if I had the skew right. I connected the lnb to the handle and turned the lnb counterclockwise, but wasn't sure how to measure 32.5 degrees. I moved the dish up, down, left, right, etc. and nothing. Also, I connected by satellite finder up and didn't get any readings (maybe the satellite finder is busted). Anyhow, I am going back to my cabin in a few weeks and will try again. Thanks.

[pmb1010]

you'll get it.
It's pretty much like lining up to the head of a pin... it's that tight.
Have to move in 1/8" increments, looking for a blip on the quality indicator bar. Very easy to miss the spot.

For the amount of skew, while looking AT the dish, twist the lnb counterclockwise, to about 10:00 o'clock. That should get you close.

[rainman]

hang in there James72 you will get it.

[BrutuS2K]

James, try to use TP 11800 V, 26660 or TP 11805 H, 4580. These TP's are much stronger than 11720 V, 27692. I hope this helps.

[james72]

I have finally got my stationary fta system up and running. Wow, that G10R satellite is hard to find. I basically locked into Echo 121 and moved my dish ever so slightly to the west. BINGO! However, a few minor problems:

- I can't seem to lock into tp 11720. I have anywhere between 50% - 80% lock on all other tp's, but 11720 is not more than 15% - 20%.

- It seems that I have duplicate channels. The channels on tp 11799 are also coming up when I scan tp 11800. Not a big deal but very confusing.

Thanks for everyone's help and hopefully I can get 11720 up soon.

[rainman]

good to here James sound like you just need to make some minor adjustments to receive 11720. good luck.

[pmb1010]

11799 and 11800 are the same thing.
Minor differences in receiver electronics will do that. Nothing to worry about.

With the 11720 transponder, it is weaker than the others.
Just the way it is.

I suggest you put your receiver on a 11720 station, and attempt to adjust the dish ever so slightly, maybe even move the LNB towards/away from the dish, and skew to attempt to get higest as you can reading.

[Reinhold]

Congrats on your install.
I too get douplicate stations on GR10.Its a great sat though.
Reinhold.

[james72]

Originally Posted by pmb1010

11799 and 11800 are the same thing.
Minor differences in receiver electronics will do that. Nothing to worry about.

With the 11720 transponder, it is weaker than the others.
Just the way it is.

I suggest you put your receiver on a 11720 station, and attempt to adjust the dish ever so slightly, maybe even move the LNB towards/away from the dish, and skew to attempt to get higest as you can reading.

Thanks for the advice. I assume my elevation shouldn't change. I'll keep you all posted.

[elgemcdlf]

For the record 11720 is no weaker than 11800. I get both tp's at 60-66% readings on the Platinum. In the past with the 76cm dish I seen a large difference between the 2 but with the 90cm they are coming in roughly equal. I can peak things more that would give me 60-66% on 11720 and 66-73% on 11800.

With the 76cm dish I was getting with the same receiver but different lnbf 33-40 for 11720 and 60-66 for 11800. Bottom line is if you have at least a 90cm dish you should be seeing both of them roughly equal. If not alignment is off.

[pmb1010]

something happened a couple weeks ago with 11720.
Increased power, got hit by a meteor, I dont know.
But it came up a quite a bit.

It is higher, but not as high as 11800.
I register about 5 points lower on 11720 than 11800.
It used to be marginable, almost unwatchable. Now it works pretty good. I'm glad, too as there is lots of good stuff on that xponder.

The point I was trying to make with James is to peak on weakest transponder. That should cause the stronger ones to be as good or better.

[satnutwillb]

Same here.