Can't get signal for VTV4?????????????????

[cuongvu]

Hi all,

My friend moved to a new house, so I helped him set up his own 75cm dish in MN. For the past 5 years, I haved set up at least 20 dishes for my relatives and friends to get VTV4, so I thought it was an easy set up. However, I spent the whole morning but I could not get signal. Signal was good at my house and my brother's house.

I replaced the LNB (2 new ones), new cable and connectors. I was using Birdog meter with the latest version. I suspect that the dish arm has been bend when it was moved from his old house.

Any suggestion? Told my friend that getting VTV4 was a piece of cake. Embarrased :-(((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((( ((((( Thanks.

Cuong

[bobkat]

The signal of T5 on several transponders has been weakened lately. So you need at least a 90 cm dish now to pull in VTV4 with a half-decent signal. At least in Toronto you do so I suspect Minnesota isn't too different.

[bobkat]

Here's a thread to read --> http://www.sadoun.net/forums/vtv4/61...gnal-vtv4.html

I see you have already posted in the above thread so I guess you know about the lower transponder power. Check the dish to make sure it isn't warped and out of plane. Its hard to tell if the LNB arm is bent just by looking at it. Getting a new dish is probably the best thing.

kat

[cuongvu]

Hi Bobkat,

In MN, 76cm is good enough for VTV4 (with your help and Iceberge help I have both VTV4-T5 and VPT-AMC4 on my Winegard 76cm dish).

The problem is my friend does not want a new dish. He keeps telling me that his dish is OK.

Cuong

[bobkat]

One quick way (but not too reliable) to tell if the LNB arm is bent is to push it up and down slightly by hand as you watch the signal quality. If it improves as you bend it then you know the dish is bent. But to be honest, when I run into a situation like that I just slap up an new dish - I mean they are cheap in comparison to what a customer would pay me for playing around trying to fix a bent dish...

kat

[Kanakanak]

Originally Posted by bobkat

The signal of T5 on several transponders has been weakened lately. So you need at least a 90 cm dish now to pull in VTV4 with a half-decent signal. At least in Toronto you do so I suspect Minnesota isn't too different.

Our hope is that the new bird who will be launch next fall and put at 97W (IA9 or maybe G29) will have a stronger signal. It will replace the old IA5 (ex-T5)

[be236]

So, given:
In MN, 76cm is good enough for VTV4 (with your help and Iceberge help I have both VTV4-T5 and VPT-AMC4 on my Winegard 76cm dish).

Is it possible to have both IA5 and AMC4 using two LNBs and on 80cm dish?

Currently my 80cm dish can pick up IA5 (VTV4) okay (quality is around 46%).. but can I simply get another LNB and tape it next to my primary LNB (aka "poorman's dish") can I get both channels (VPT) ... with a DiSeqC switch of course... but 97w and 101w is close to each other, so two LNBs side-by-side should work, eh?

[boroda1]

Originally Posted by be236

Is it possible to have both IA5 and AMC4 using two LNBs and on 80cm dish?

Currently my 80cm dish can pick up IA5 (VTV4) okay (quality is around 46%).. but can I simply get another LNB and tape it next to my primary LNB (aka "poorman's dish") can I get both channels (VPT) ... with a DiSeqC switch of course... but 97w and 101w is close to each other, so two LNBs side-by-side should work, eh?

This is what I had when my motor was out for repairs.
Just make sure to put these two LNB heads as close as possible. One of my LNBf's is KUL2, and it's a slim one! Another one was FSKUv. Because motor is back in place, I don't need that anymore.
But, this could be a "Recommended system to watch Vietnamese channels",
"Recommended system to watch Assyrian channels" and "Recommended system to watch Portuguese channels". And even Polish, if subscribed to Globecast Polish pack!

[be236]

Ah, okay... I have the Fortec Univ LNBs, so it's that FSUk model, and the head (round part) is large, so I guess I can just tie them next to each other and hope for the best. heh...

Also, since I've never pointed to AMC4 (101w) to get that VPT signal (been too lazy.heh), is it much stronger than VTV4?

[bobkat]

Originally Posted by be236

Also, since I've never pointed to AMC4 (101w) to get that VPT signal (been too lazy.heh), is it much stronger than VTV4?

Yes, its easy to pull in AMC4 once you have your dish permanently mounted and aimed at T5. Just experiment with LNB2 (for AMC4) by moving it around by hand (make sure you aren't standing if front of the dish... ) and see where you get the strongest signal -- then remember that position by eyeballing it and use some silicone caulking and tie-wraps to secure LNB2 to LNB1. With some practice it becomes easy.

kat

[be236]

Nice... so I can get both sats with one dish.. cool... saves me from having to install a second dish side-by-side.. heheh... (the neighbours could get too curious)..heeh..

[boroda1]

If you are behind the Dish, LNB2 for AMC4 is on the left side of "central" LNB1 pointed at 97W. If you are in front of the reflector, AMC4 LNB is on your right side. It may be lower or higher than LNB1 - just search for the best signal as Kat recommends

[bobkat]

Originally Posted by boroda1

If you are behind the Dish, LNB2 for AMC4 is on the left side of "central" LNB1 pointed at 97W. If you are in front of the reflector, AMC4 LNB is on your right side. It may be lower or higher than LNB1 - just search for the best signal as Kat recommends

Good point boroda1 -- I forgot to mention that. Here in the Toronto area I find that LNB2 for AMC4 is pointing up slightly compared to LNB1 for T5.

kat

[be236]

Ok, good to know Boroda1... I can give that a try when I have a second linear KU LNB.

I remember that someone posted the position of the LNBs are "reversed" from what you would think when see the position of the sats in the Clarke Belt due to the signal is reflected "reverse." ehehh...

On another note, what's the angle difference that is allow to have to LNBs side-by-side... For example, it seems that 101-97=4 degree diffence allows to strap two LNBs next to each other to work... but if I have two sats like 10 deg or more difference, would that work or not? I am guessing not...

Also, what about 2 degrees diff (like 95w and 97w).. since that is so close, perhaps it's physically impossible to get two LNBs to close to each other?

[boroda1]

Originally Posted by be236

Also, what about 2 degrees diff (like 95w and 97w).. since that is so close, perhaps it's physically impossible to get two LNBs to close to each other?

Right, it's impossible, I tried to aim at 96° W, right in between of them with just one LNB, but had no success with my 80cm dish. Maybe, with 1m dish I would get them, but with small dish either one of them shows acceptable signal level, never both.
For wider than 6 degrees distance, you will need a bracket.

[be236]

ok, I'll keep this in mind.. ( I just need remember that for two LNBs tied together, the two sats should be 4 deg apart, like 97w and 101w.

[wejones]

Also remember that there is only ONE focal point of these dishes. This means that if you put 2 LNBFs on a dish that only ONE of the lnbfs can be in focus. Yes, you can get acceptable off center reception, as several people here do, however the reception will NOT be as good as you get from a single lnbf at the focal point. Because of that, you might be advised to go to a bigger dish to make up for the losses due to being off focus.
This off focus thing was really brought home to me when I did the mirror thing last August. Going even slightly off center resulted in the reflections from different parts of the dish going wildly in all directions.

[bobkat]

Originally Posted by wejones