First tune up of Twinhan 102G

Originally Posted by Corey

Well, I guess I don't understand the 15-20 second thing.

If I use a satellite finder, I get near instantaneous response from it. Once I peak the signal with that, shouldn't I be able to lock using one of the TPs?

Another thing is that even at peak on the satellite finder, the 102G always seems to read approx 70% signal. The level doesn't vary much no matter what direction I point the dish.

You have tunned the knob down to nothing and still get a noise / 10 reading ?

Might then just be wrong sat or close by one = start scan and see what tp's light up / have quality or channels and compare to satellites within 10Deg west and east of what you want to find / think you are looking at.

Had to do the same here. Also check on lyngsat and satcodx unless using 97W list of mine.

70% = wrong tp for sat or wrong satellite browse them higher / lower to see if anything gets a green / quality

[rainman]

Originally Posted by Corey

Well, I guess I don't understand the 15-20 second thing.

If I use a satellite finder, I get near instantaneous response from it. Once I peak the signal with that, shouldn't I be able to lock using one of the TPs?

Another thing is that even at peak on the satellite finder, the 102G always seems to read approx 70% signal. The level doesn't vary much no matter what direction I point the dish.

the 15 to 20 is when you are use the receiver as the signal finder it takes that long for most receivers to see the change.if you are using a signal meter it will be instant change. as warrawarra said you may be on the wrong sat remember 1/8th of a inch can find a signal on a adjacent sat only 2 degrees apart.if you could get a STB and small tv at the dish it makes alignment a lot easier.

[Corey]

Thanks for your quick response, WarraWarra!

Originally Posted by WarraWarra

1 of 2 things either you are not on the correct sat and this is difficult with the dtv program or the cable is bad / east west is a bit off ?

Cable is brand new, and seems to work ok. I'm getting power to the LNB (because the SF95 finder lights up)

Might be that the east west is close to being slightly off.
This is not an excact science it is touch and go unless you have a SF95 signal finder $8 or cheaper on Ebay but this makes it 100 times easier and a lot of noise.

Yep, I have one of those. That's what I am using to peak the signal. I think I'm definitely seeing a signal (or the meter is picking up garbage and giving me a false reading).

Likely you have tried this below. Compare with mine.

97W you should have this :

Dish angle 31.7 give or take 5-8 deg up or down from 31.7 depending on the height above sea level. Should be a very small amount / very close to 31.7.


Azim = 145.7 adding or removing magnetic declination about 17 so compass should read 145.7-17= "128.7" = compass reading.

Yes, nearly identical numbers.

LNB should be 23 deg IE: 7:30pm is about 45 deg so try about 6:45pm on old hands and arm watch. Mine is about where the cable points to the left side of the lnb bracket + lnb metal arm connects should be about right / close not that serious.

Easiest as anyone here would tell you is get a cup of coffee and find true south sat = install pole plumb , them mount dish with 0 zero up/down.

I did rotate the LNBF clockwise by 20 deg.

Next east/west :
123W galaxy 10R = for you at 180 - 17 = "167" on compass is as close to true south and has a few fta channels.

I haven't tried that satellite yet, but I will.

Once you have this as close to correct go ahead and start moving the dish up slowly with the twinhan card set to G-10R 123W and see if something happens.

Making sure the LNB = ON in advanced and you pressed apply. Apply is very important before scanning.

Power is definitely on. Meter needle and sound moves as I tweak the angles.

If then you know / think you are close to correct start the scan.

( Tp 11805 H SymB 4580 ) has 69% level and 79% quality on mine as I type.

Likely 1 or 2 should show up with quality or green = right TP etc. etc.

I know this is frustrating but it needs a bit of toying.

I've scanned many many times after peaking the meter, but no green yet. I'll hang in there for a bit longer before I throw in the towel.

[Corey]

Originally Posted by rainman

the 15 to 20 is when you are use the receiver as the signal finder it takes that long for most receivers to see the change.if you are using a signal meter it will be instant change. as warrawarra said you may be on the wrong sat remember 1/8th of a inch can find a signal on a adjacent sat only 2 degrees apart.if you could get a STB and small tv at the dish it makes alignment a lot easier.

I'm on the verge of ordering an STB, but I'd like to make sure that I can get one satellite before I invest another ~$180 .

[rainman]

Originally Posted by Corey

I'm on the verge of ordering an STB, but I'd like to make sure that I can get one satellite before I invest another ~$180 .

know what you mean do you have a buddy close by that has one maybe you could borrow his to get your dish aligned.

[Corey]

Originally Posted by WarraWarra

You have tunned the knob down to nothing and still get a noise / 10 reading ?

No, I can adjust the satfinder knob, and am able to peak signals by tweaking the az/el angles.

Might then just be wrong sat or close by one = start scan and see what tp's light up / have quality or channels and compare to satellites within 10Deg west and east of what you want to find / think you are looking at.

Had to do the same here. Also check on lyngsat and satcodx unless using 97W list of mine.

70% = wrong tp for sat or wrong satellite browse them higher / lower to see if anything gets a green / quality

Could be that I got the wrong satellite on the three I tried. I will concentrate on 97, and play with E/W a bit to see if I can pick out the right one.

Thanks for all of the suggestions

Pleasure hope it helps.

I had to play around with mine a few times and finally figured most of this out somehow.

Took me a total of 3 days wed afternoon to friday evening to get first usefull amount of channels.

Also see if there is a dish froma neighbor close y and try to copy angle and direction should end up on a direct tv / dish network sat.

[Corey]

Well, I'm kinda "first on the block" with an FTA dish. I can't really point it at Echostar, because they use circular polarization, and I think I won't be able to get a good signal using a linear LNB. (I remember something about 10db signal reduction for linear vs. circular, and vice versa).

I have a buddy who's using me as a guinea pig for it too, so he's no help

If I'm successful at some point, I think he will be ordering gear soon.

[Corey]

Bingo!

I tried tuning in 97W again today, and still no luck with a first try, but I fired up MyTheatre which has a really nice feature of having the satellite's orbital position on the screen, and the satellites are sorted by orbital position instead of alphabetical name. I just walked a couple of satellites up and down and found one that locked -- Galaxy 3C. The quality level is kinda low and the streams are pixellating a bit, but I have not zeroed the dish in well, yet.

Anyway, the bottom line is that I have proven to myself that it's possible to get satellites with the equipment I have, and I want to thank you guys for all your help. I'm sure I'll be asking for more in the future!

Any help just shout.

Now comes the fun part very very slow small movements on the signal meter and then on the computer.

Bit up a bit down a bit east / west .

Best of luck , just get as strong a signal as you can and mark then try the 2 bank card / creditcard thickness part to find other sat's close by. About 2.5 to 3 deg or very close inbetween for the 2 bank card rule.

[rainman]

congrats corey enjoy the hobbie.

[Corey]

Originally Posted by WarraWarra

Any help just shout.

Now comes the fun part very very slow small movements on the signal meter and then on the computer.

Bit up a bit down a bit east / west .

Best of luck , just get as strong a signal as you can and mark then try the 2 bank card / creditcard thickness part to find other sat's close by. About 2.5 to 3 deg or very close inbetween for the 2 bank card rule.

To this point, I've been using a fixed mount, but I do have a motor drive on hand, and I think it will actually help instead of complicate matters. At least I'm hoping it will.

The reason I say this is that the mounting hardware that holds the dish's azimuth, I have to keep loose in order to adjust it, and this looseness affects the elevation adjustment. It's hard to lock the elevation down because as soon as I let go of the dish it still settles down a bit because the azimuth hardware isn't tight.

With a motor, I'll be able to tighten up the azimuth hardware and lock it down, making the elevation adjustment a little easier.

Okay I have 2x 90cm 1 fixed, 1 motor SG 2100 digipower.

The motor makes it 100% easier. I am very lazy

Problem as you mentioned fixing the elevation etc. = same if on motor or on fixed for first install.

Only difference is that for every other sat you want = motor = no more adjustment except east / west 1 stepping to max signal.

Fixed everything gets done over except the mount , lnb skew , elevation and fine tunning etc. etc. you get the idea.

What worked for me was on both:
I took a socket spanner / ratchet / not sure what name it is called .

Then as I try to keep the dish correct tighten the bottom nut of the elevation and then the top and finally the bottom again with small adjustments as it tightens.

It will move with the pressure of tightenning the nut , compensate.

Once it is 90-95% not moving any more you can softly apply pressure bit harder than to push a feather on the top of the dish / bottom / lnb arm.

Top = lnb will move towards the ground.
Bottom = lnb goes away from ground.
Lnb Arm = possibly the focal point closer / further away from the dish.

This way you can find out what to adjust.

PS> LNB distance from dish depends on the lnb arm if slightly bent or not. Both of mine is slighthly different.

Fix = move lnb with small incraments to and from dish as needed.

Once lnb is correct leave it or mark it and then only do the skew if and when needed using same markings.

More than this you will need some fancy/expensive meters

Lastly recheck the new sat's TP's and Symb etc. and enjoy.

[Corey]

Thanks for the tips on tightening up the system.

I'm going to start putting together the motor mount this weekend and see what sort of trouble, and long threads on this board I can start

Motor = dish elevation stays 99.9% same , lnb moves to 0 / zero skew , motor goes to xN position or 34N for mine.

You have a working motor system.

Just have to make sure dish is lined up to motor and all of this is lined up to due south.

BOB's your uncle.

Have not tried to use the twinhan part for the motor movement , looks interesting. Maybe tomorow.