Lost in space

[johnny331]

I'm using a pansat fta 2500A and 33 inch dish with a universal Ku LNBF input 11.7 -12.2 GHZ, output 950-1450 MHZ. I'm trying to find Telsar5 Ku from
MIami FL. I set my elavation at 54.5 and the azimuth at 214 but can't find the signal. I changed the LNB frequency from universal 1 to universal 2 on my pansat and still can't get any quality. My pole is plumb.

Help

[pmb1010]

Couple things:

1. Did you adjust your LNB for the amount of Skew needed for Miami? (while looking at the dish from the "sky down" perspective, twist the lnb to the left, counterclockwise, to about 4 o'clock) needs to be 31 degrees.

2. Did you compensate for magnetic deviation when setting up your compass setting for Miami? (you must add 5 to your compass setting for the number given on the calcuation site) so you'd want to set to approx 220 degrees on a compass heading.

3. Have a known transponder value in the receiver at the time you are attempting to find the signal?

Be sure you move the dish in baby steps, being an 1/8" out of wack will lose the signal, these things are that touchy. Give the receiver a few seconds to attept to lock in. If you wave the dish around blindly, it'll never get a chance to lock in.

Report back. Good luck.

[johnny331]

I'm not sure on the LNBF adjustment. There is an arrow which says point to the top. What should I set my LNBF type. Universal 1 or universal 2?
What was that about a transponder.
Yep, still lost...

[pmb1010]

Take a look at this link:

http://www.sadoun.com/Sat/Installati...stallation.htm

This is how you should setup your LNBF skew, the picture at lower right.

I don't know about Pansat, but I suspect you should pick Universal 1.

Transponders on satellites are like frequencies on an FM radio.
For instance, in your area 92.9FM might not have a channel transmitting there, so it would be silly to try to tune the FM radio antenna for best reception to that channel. If 102.5 had a good signal, you'd obviously tune there and maximize the signal with the antenna.

Same thing with these Sats. THere are transponders (transmitters) on differernt frequencies. One sat might have (for example) 11702 active, while another one won't.

Using Lyngsat website, you can scan the sattelite you're interested in getting to find frequencies with and "F" on them (free) they are the ones you want to make your settings in the dish setup screen.

Lyngsat URL:
http://www.lyngsat.com/ia5.html
On that list, it appears that 11836 might be a good candidate.

On to setting up receiver:
Example:

See in the graphic 12152 is selected? That would need to be the active transponder in order for any quality to be had on it's indicator bar...

Now I dont know anything about Pansat, but I suspect its similar and if you position your cursor on that TP spot, you could cycle thru transponder values.

That should explain these items, go ahead and set the skew, take a small TV out by your dish, and watch the TV while you move the dish around and try to get some reading.

[johnny331]

First of all, thanks for all the help from this site.

I set the TP to 11836, the LNBF frequency to universal 1.
I have a wineguard dish with a plastic holder at the end for the LNBf.
This plastic holder is adjustable as to how far or close the LNBF is to the dish.
The eagle aspen LNBF 1705 is straight and does not have a 90 degree angle
like directv LNBFs. I'm not sure it is in the bracket correctly. I'm still unable to get any quality.
Now not only lost but losing brain cells too.

[pmb1010]

I don't know anything about Eagle Aspen LNB. Never heard of it until now.
From what I did search, this appears to be a single frequency LNBF?

If it is, you should set the LNB type to "Standard" and make sure the settings screens shows 10750 frequency for the LNB.

Also, make sure the "LNB Power" setting is ON.

Other than that, I'm out of ideas because of unfamiliar equipment.
Although the basics need to be covered (ie: setting the right skew amount on the LNB) without seeing or having any hands on with the specific equipmnet you bought makes this kinda difficult [for the folks on this board].

Is there any way you can contact the vendor you bought this from for additional installation help?

[johnny331]

I set the LNB frequency to standard 10750 and I started to get quality right away. I was told when I bought the LNB that it was a universal LNBF.
The bracket that holds the LNBF has numbers to the right and left of center and I turned the LNBF counter clockwise to 30.

Thanks for all the help, excuse me for a minute, I have to put my 357 back in the drawer.

[pmb1010]

at least you're getting some signal, and now you can dial your dish in for highest signal level for IA5.

If it is a Universal dual freq LNB, you might be missing either high or low freqs if you do set it to standard as the bandwidth of std lnb does not cover all what the universal can receive.

ONce you get things set, fool around with the lnb settings to see if you can get Uni 1 or Uni 2 to activate some quality. The input and output Local Oscillator of the LNB must match to get the signal back to the box (as you have found out).

You can always just leave it at Standard, and if it will allow you to get the range of channels on IA5 that youi want, it really doesn't matter.