Thank You - Thank You - Thank You!!!

Bibbler · #1 (**permalink**) 11-06-2006, 09:14 PM

Well one day after Bill noticed my "bent" LNB arm I am up and running.... GREAT Pickup Bill, (from just a few pics)!!!!!

Well, here's where I am...

1. You must realize that I have lots & lots & lots of trees. Some even said I'd get NOTHING at my house. I was starting to think they were right until the system wouldn't work anywhere else..

2. While I plan to get out the chainsaw this winter, I am THRILLED by my initial results. Here's what I have (all sats have 65% - 90% Signal except where noted).

a. SBS 6 (74)
b. AMC 5 (79)
c. AMC 9 (83)
d. AMC 3 (87)
d. G11 (91) - Barely Locked, not watchable
e. IA 6 (93)
f. G3C (95)
g. IA5 (97)
h. AMC4 (101)
i. AMC 1 (103)

Are there any other "inbetweens" I could try for??????

I may get a few more to the west once I de-tree the property. Unsure why I can't get AMC 6, looks clear and SBS 6 is 75%+.... Unfortunately, I'm afraid G10R is not going to happen unless I trim out a hillside

.....

I would like to get IA8 but it is not in my receiver..... If anyone knows how to do it (The book for the NA doesn't help), I would like some advice. I added the Sat, put in the 89W location, but need the TP Freq, Polarization, and that last number... Is there a good way to get these setting for new sats?????

Well again - thanks for all that offered me advice (especially Bill, as I'm sure if not for him noticing the bent arm, I would be tearing the dish apart again).... This is the most fun I had since 1994 in the C band days!!

I'm off to watch some "feeds"....

Al

rainman · #2 (**permalink**) 11-07-2006, 07:21 AM

congrats Bibbler glad to here you're up and running.

wejones · #3 (**permalink**) 11-07-2006, 07:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bibbler

Unsure why I can't get AMC 6, looks clear and SBS 6 is 75%+.... Unfortunately, I'm afraid G10R is not going to happen unless I trim out a hillside

.....

Yeah, if you get SBS6, no way you can't get AMC6, even if through tree limbs, as the one transponder on that sat is strong enough to go through rock I think. I'm guessing that you aren't set on a 24/7 transponder. That religious channel, 12144,V,2573 Also, try the 12053,V,6890 transponder, which should be a mirror of a transponder on SBS6 . The other transponders on that sat may not be there.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bibbler

I would like to get IA8 but it is not in my receiver..... If anyone knows how to do it (The book for the NA doesn't help), I would like some advice. I added the Sat, put in the 89W location, but need the TP Freq, Polarization, and that last number... Is there a good way to get these setting for new sats?????

A bit confused, because you said that you added the sat? If it's only the transponder info you're missing, go to http://www.lyngsat.com/america.html , and click on IA8. Lyngsat is not allways correct, but it's a good starting place for finding an active transponder, before doing a blind scan yourself.
I haven't been to IA8 for a couple months, but last time I was there, I think the 11780 transponder was active, plus the ABC channels, plus, you can usually get a lock but not scan in any channels, on any of the Hughesnet transponders. Relative to the other numbers, using the 11780 frequency, you see it listed as horizontal, and over to the right of where it says DVB, you'll see a 29000, which is the symbol rate. That should be all you need to enter that transponder into a new satellite. Once you find one transponder, and peak the sat (if necessary), then you should be able to do a blind scan (power scan), and the receiver will enter this data for all transponders it finds.

I'm guessing that on the satellite that you got a poor signal, it was because you had your receiver on a transponder that was not active, or had changed parameters. Make sure that the transponder you are looking at is listed as a 24/7 in Lyngsat, and/or try other transponders. The default transponders in these receivers are often obsolete, and sometimes none of them give any signal.

wejones · #4 (**permalink**) 11-07-2006, 09:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bibbler

1. You must realize that I have lots & lots & lots of trees. Some even said I'd get NOTHING at my house. I was starting to think they were right until the system wouldn't work anywhere else..

2. While I plan to get out the chainsaw this winter, ........
.......
I may get a few more to the west once I de-tree the property. .....

Just a quick comment re "de-tree"ing . You don't need to completely de-tree to get reception. Just as an example, look at a view of what I'm looking through to the SW (taken a couple months ago when still leaves on the trees):

I've added 5 little white circles, which were supposed to approximately show where the sats from G13, thru AMC10 are, however after looking at the image, I see it's off a bit, AMC11 and G15 are actually in those holes where you see a bit of sky near the bottom 3 spots. Actually, in the summer, all I can get is G13 and AMC11, and very poor reception on G15 but from Sept - May I can get fair reception on all but AMC10, which is always poor (it's spot should be lower, and further to the right, behind more trees.
But the point is, that reception of AMC11 and G15 is through a little couple little holes that I created by just removing some offending limbs from some of the trees. The picture doesn't show it well, but I'm looking underneath and through about 4 or 5 big trees to see AMC11. Before my cutting, I had no view of the sky through these trees there. I have cut down a couple trees completely to improve this view, however I still wouldn't have any reception west of G13 if it weren't for using one of those rope saws. I use a sling shot and fishing reel to throw a line over limbs, some of which were about 40' up or more, then used the fishing line to pull up heavier nylon line, then rope that the rope saw is connected to. Then I cut off the limbs with the rope saw. I've probably cut 30 or 40 some branches to get this view.
Initially, this worked very well, however I've found out that after about 3 or 4 years, where I've cut limbs, the tree tends to grow 5 or 6 little limbs back for every big limb I've cut, so it's only a temporary measure. However it is an alternative to removing the whole Tree.
BTW, the view from my little dish is even worse. I lose everything west of G10r behind the building. I could improve this with a taller pole, but then it would block my big dish.
Anyway, keeping the view of these sats open has been an ongoing struggle.

Bibbler · #5 (**permalink**) 11-08-2006, 04:18 AM

Bill, you were correct... The sats are there, I just had the wrong TPs entered. I am blind scanning all the sat nows. Amazing all the things I am finding... Very much like the old C-Band with all the feeds.

This is indeed a learning process... Luckily, My best friend (who I C-banded with in the 80's and helped me on "LNB arm bended day" got so "into it" he ordered his system. Kinda nice when 2 guys are working locally. And we have the support of the folks here...

Anyway, I will be posting some pics of my QTH Bill and see that I am also tree infested. At least right now, it's not a problem except for the most western sats...

More later... Off to work (Well at least it's Wed Already!)