Hi

I have upgraded my existing system which was a 0.8M dish to a 1.9M Portuguese dish so i can pick up BBC /ITV etc.

The dish & the LNB were used by a friend who lived nearby & I know worked fine.

I have a modern pace box which I can pick up the astra south beam fine with a transponder of 12129, V, 27.5, 2/3

On south beam i can pick up the usual channels C5, sky news, Euronews etc

If I change to the North beam by changing transponder to 11778, V, 27.5, 2/3 I get no satellite signal & no channels.

I have a basic signal strength meter & it seems to give me max indication where i am pointed at 28.2E location.

Am I doing something silly or what ?

any suggestions please

many thanks

Robin..

I think you need a 2.4M dish to get the North transponder as there is a “kink” in the footprint just round the Costa Blanca area.

John

hi

the dish was used at a friends house less than 1 mile away & just down the road (300m) there is another person who has a 1.9m dish who picks up bbc/itv etc.

though i know this area is week.

should i be using the 11778 transponder or a different one ?

robin…

robin - 02 October 2007 11:19 PM

hi

the dish was used at a friends house less than 1 mile away & just down the road (300m) there is another person who has a 1.9m dish who picks up bbc/itv etc.

though i know this area is week.

should i be using the 11778 transponder or a different one ?

robin…

Once you have set your box on the transponder as you have said (12129 etc), you should be able to watch all the channels you require on a 1.9m with the exception of maybe BBC2 and 3,4 and a few other, ITV , BBC1 should be ok, There should be no requirement to go to 11778, however you will find that after a power cut, heavy weather , or just leavingthe box on a station that loses signal at some time the box will go to the default transponder, this normall should cause not problems, but should you have problems you may have to reset to 12129,, unplugging the box leaving for a couple of mins and just leaving it will usually solve the problem anyway. if it doesnt then you need to reset to 12129.

On the problem of reception of ITV vs CH4/5 it is probably down to dish setup as it is very critical,  The alignment, centering of LNB, and focal distance (From centre of dish to LNB Scalar ring) are all critical, on a 1.9M it should be 76.3mm.  Also ensure that there is no obstruction on the dish shoot to the satelite,  IE HT power cables , trees , chimneys etc.

But it sounds to me that the dish may be very slightly out of alignment. even 1mm can mean the difference between signal or no signal,

There is a very good help file here
http://www.satelliteforcaravans.co.uk/

hi Mike

thanks for detailed information.

I think you are right about the alignment.

I have improved it a bit but need to tweak a little more.

we are getting BBC1 most of the day & ITV sometimes.

Needs a nudge in one direction or another, but as it takes several seconds for any tweak to register on sky box its a little tricky.

I will persevere

thanks

robin..

robin - 28 October 2007 12:59 AM

hi Mike

thanks for detailed information.

I think you are right about the alignment.

I have improved it a bit but need to tweak a little more.

we are getting BBC1 most of the day & ITV sometimes.

Needs a nudge in one direction or another, but as it takes several seconds for any tweak to register on sky box its a little tricky.

I will persevere

thanks

robin..

Try elevation of dish, IE UP Down, just a gnats C*** at a time, you probably need to have the dish a fraction lower on elevation.
Unfortunately the box will always be a pig for this kind of work, if you can get your hands on a Metronic or one of the cheap FTA boxes from Leroy or Carrefour, these have a continous signal and quality strength display, , then you can just set for the freq and adjust for peak reception on the freg for ITV/BBC,,  Would suggest you use the freq for ITV London, or Granada, or Channels Isles, can be found here

http://www.kingofsat.net

get a cheap ricver and try it sly box need a single off 70% to work when the single could be just coming in at 68 %

now if can buy your self a Techomatetm 1000 and get youself a quad LNB then you can have 4 recivers in the house and you can load software in to box and dose lot more pm me i fill you in what it opens
have 2 sly boxes and 3 techomate box in the house and have all radio and tv i need , what i do i do it at home and would try out in a bar as you many get in to bit trouble

robin - 28 October 2007 12:59 AM

hi Mike

thanks for detailed information.

I think you are right about the alignment.

I have improved it a bit but need to tweak a little more.

we are getting BBC1 most of the day & ITV sometimes.

Needs a nudge in one direction or another, but as it takes several seconds for any tweak to register on sky box its a little tricky.

I will persevere

thanks

robin..

Robin, Try setting your TV up outside when adjusting your dish, you can then see when you are getting the best picture.
They say the simple things are best. Good luck Robert.
PS. I’m told that there can also be hot spots, perhaps the disk at your friends was located in one, just a thought.
I’m located near La Nucia and still use a 65 cm perforated disk from England, and it goes without saying that since BBC changed satellites I’ve lost many programs, but in the old days it pulled in virtually everything, on a locked signal no one could believe it, but was told that I was fortunately in an hot spot.

hope you uesding the right LNB ( Low-noise block converter, a satellite-reception component ) you have used the right on 1.9 meter dish , just can wip of the one that was on you old Sky dish ....... 65 cm perforated disk

bigger the dish the hard it two a line aswell ... it not easy .... say you knock you head off the wall there
you say you in the Alicante area will i am Elchle so get the tea on i try to call over ,,, In Madrid next few day at a show

Further to using a TV to line up a satellite.
The wind shear on a large disk can be quiet considerable, it therefore follows that it is a good idea to fix some out riggers to the perimeter of the disk, a simple DIY job that can save both time and money following a storm.
Regards Robert

Hi Robert

i was thinking of doing that.

i was looking in brico house but they did not have any suitable bits.

where / what did you use.

thanks

robin..

my dish is anker to the ground in a foot off Concrete by 2 foot wide with stay wires and two poles that meet the top off the dish in a frame at the back
now dishs (yes 5 dishs ) all on rig system

Robin, might i suggest that you could source your needs at the local tip.
Electric conduit tubing would be ideal heat the ends and flatten.
If you do not wish to concrete then use angle iron driven into the ground at 45 degrees and attach to that.
Depending on the size of dish I would use up to 4 outriggers,top bottom and both sides.
Just remember not to move the dish setup when tightening everything up.
An old mattress frame could be used, also there is some useful angle iron, flat bar and steel box section to be found in a dis guarded bed settee.
Best of luck and I assure you, you will gain great satisfaction in doing the job for nowt.
Robert

can u post a Foto of the dish in question with a close up of the LNB

Hi mike

sent them directly too you.

thanks

Robin..

robin sent to me aswell please , love to see them photos i pm you my email address