Sathawk 3000 can't find AMC-4

[Bill_MacClarence]

I found AMC-4 with my audible meter, but was never able to get the Sathawk to say "found." I still found several hundred channels with a blind scan. What's the problem with the Sathawk?

[Admin]

Make sure you use the latest data file update (www.sathawk.tv). Also, verfiy your LNBF type.

[Bill_MacClarence]

Have downloaded March 5 file. Tried with both standard and universal LNB. I'm getting beaucoup channels off AMC 4, but Sathawk says bird isn't there.

[Admin]

Hi Bill

I will pass this info to our SatHawk tech guy so that he will update the datafile to reflect the latest changes to AMC4.

Satellite info changes often, and we will have to keep the datafile up-to-date.

I will keep you posted.

[bobkat]

For the record, my Birdog cannot find AMC4 "vertical" but will find the "horizontal" - it used to work on both VER and HOR; I guess something has changed with the satellite.

kat

[Admin]

Bobkat

Yes that is the case indeed. The SatHawk or the Birdog are programmed to identify a "certain transponder" from a "certain satellite". Once t links the two, it indicates the satelite is "FOUND".

The formula involves many variables (freq, sr, pol, sat name, lnbf LO freq, 22HZ tone, DiSeQc, voltage, and many more variable.) ALL of these variables HAVE to line up perfectly before the meter would say FOUND.

If only one of these variables change, the meter will not identify the satellite.

The meter variables we can control, howevr the satellite and user's variables, we can't. We will have to keep constantly updating.

:mozilla_cool:
It is sunny and I feel gooooood.


Happy mother's day everyone.

[Bill_MacClarence]

I've noticed that I can't get ALL the transponders on most satellites (since I'm in Alaska). For example, even though a blind scan of AMC4 identifies 32 transponders, I have no signal with the first 10 (and between 80 and 95% SQ on the others). So, I guess that's what's happening when the Sathawk can't identify a satellite, huh? Is there any way to get it to manually look at different transponders? I have one of the new 0.2 dB noise envelope universal LNBs on order. Will that help pick up the other transponders?

[bobkat]

Originally Posted by Bill_MacClarence

I have one of the new 0.2 dB noise envelope universal LNBs on order. Will that help pick up the other transponders?

That plus a bigger dish will really help.

BTW: you can't manually select transponders, at least with the Birdog. Probably not with the Sathawk either but I've never used one.


kat

[Bill_MacClarence]

I've got a 4 foot one, and anything bigger will be a problem because I live in a high-wind area. Why are transponders 1-10 weaker than the rest? If they really are, why can't the Sathawk use one of the higher transponders to find the bird?

[bobkat]

Originally Posted by Bill_MacClarence

I've got a 4 foot one, and anything bigger will be a problem because I live in a high-wind area. Why are transponders 1-10 weaker than the rest? If they really are, why can't the Sathawk use one of the higher transponders to find the bird?

Yup, a 4 footer is about the max you want to go. As for the Sathawk issues I think it looks for a particular data stream broadcast from each satellite. This data is unique for each satellite, as Sadoun posted above, and this is how the meter can distinguish any given satellite from all the others. I don't think it looks for a particular transponder but I could be wrong about this. Obviously it is programmed to look for the transponder that is transmitting the identifier beacon. I know that the Birdog can't be set to find a particular transponder; just a particular polarity of a satellite.

As for your desire to check various transponder strengths the only way would be with a spectrum analyzer.

kat

[Bill_MacClarence]

Thanks for bumping me up the learning curve! So, if I can't get the specific transponder that has the identifier beacon (there's not one on each transponder), then the only way to use the Sathawk is to bump up dish size or use a low noise envelope LNB. Correct? However, I'm still confused as to why I wouldn't receive all transponders equally. The footprint for AMC4 in Lyngsat is the same for all of them.

[bobkat]

Originally Posted by Bill_MacClarence

So, if I can't get the specific transponder that has the identifier beacon (there's not one on each transponder), then the only way to use the Sathawk is to bump up dish size or use a low noise envelope LNB. Correct? However, I'm still confused as to why I wouldn't receive all transponders equally. The footprint for AMC4 in Lyngsat is the same for all of them.

You use the Sathawk but just maximize signal strength on whatever transponder it "finds"; theoretically all the transponders should be maximized as well. Having said that, you have to watch out if you maximize strength on HOR - because sometimes the VER transponders will be weak. That's why with my Birdog I always find the satellite and then tweak the dish on say, HOR. Then I switch over to VER and make sure the signal is solid. If it isn't I re-tweak the dish on VER and then verify the HOR - its sort of a trade-off to get decent signal on both polarities. Of course, with my Birdog only identifying HOR on AMC 4 I'm flying blind because I can't verify the VER strengths until I get into the house and check with the receiver. Luckily I have had good signal strengths on both polarities. I really should update my Birdogs. #-o

As for individual transponders, yes, some of them are weaker than others - the footprint I think indicates an overall strength for the entire KU spectrum

kat

[pictureon]

My SatHawk 3000 was not reading Hor on I5A (97 Universal) So I used to get signal on Vertical. But I noticed lately that if I have signal on Vertical and switch to H with the 0 quality displayed if I hit the lnb I would get quality signal and satellite found on Horizontal then I caould peak signal. I do not know why, but it works for me...