Satwork 3816 Newbie Question?

[gqken]

Cool Thanks... Tried Tried and Tried but yet no good quality signal? Thanks Guys for all the help.

 

[carload]

If you're talking about the "quality" measurement jumping to 90 and back to zero, you're simply passing up the satellite. Unless the dish is sitting perfectly still when that happens, then something isn't right...

That's exactly what happened to me. Sometimes it would flash that high quality while just sitting there. It's my belief that it means nothing; maybe it's an occasional static discharge or something.

To gqken, keep trying. Get the mast perpendicular, try approximate elevation and azimuth numbers, and keep blind searching. As soon as you get something, figure out what you have and exactly how far away it is from what you want.

 

[PSB]

I have also noticed the quality level jumps to 90 and back when you pass a satellite and you have a wrong entry in the coordinates for that satellite, whenever you see a blip in the quality level its is a good place for a blind scan! Another giveaway is when the signal strength drops slightly when you pass a satellite!

 

[nasko]

Satwork 3618 problem

Hello,

I got the same setup as gqken, i.e. Satwork 3618, Winegard 30" dish, LNBF - ASC321.
Just installed my setup and was hoping for tons of channels. Alas, I can't get a signal quality that's different than 0%
I have a fair amount of trees on my way but also have a good portion of the south-west sky that is unobstructed but no matter how I turn the dish I get no signal (I am in Northern NY by the way). Is there an easy way to tell if my LNBF is dead? That's really discouraging!
Could somebody put me on the right track? Getting at least one satellite would make my day (and night) lots better

Thanks

By the way I hooked up my receiver to a friend's DishNet antenna and I was getting some channels (mostly radio and preview stuff) and that tells me that the Satwork should be working.

 

[PSB]

Understandably its always the first thing people blame, "the LNBF is not working" MOST of the time its fine, you need to work out exactly what satellite you want to point at then set the elevation on the dish, use a compass to point in the general direction of the satellite.
On the receiver the Frequency, Polarity, and Symbol rate (coordinates) MUST be entered, you can then move the dish VERY slowly while looking at the signal Quality meter, when you see quality on the meter get it as high as you can, then do a blind scan to find all the FTA channels on the satellite. If all else fails get it as close as you can and do a blind scan. Use the below coordinates to try for Telstar 5 (IA5) in your area.


IA5
Elevation=37 deg.
Azim. (compass reading)= 213 deg. + Mag. dev. (+15 deg.) = Aim at 225 deg on a compass.

Skew is 24 deg.

use the same coordinates as above for T5 (IA5)

 

[nasko]

Peter,

Thanks for the quick responce!
I did manage to get a few channels on AMC-4 (Hope, 3ABN)! Yahoo!
This was very rewarding feeling! Part of my problem was that I had to do it right away and by the time I installed the mast it was already dark. Naturally I couldn't see much of the compass to get a good bearing
Thanks again! I appreciate your help!

 

[gqken]

PSB, I understand what you are saying but when I go outside to test it just doesn't make any sense??? I dont get even a little quality like 20% or 50% it just spikes up to 90 for a split second and thats it? Then I try to go back the there is no signal? What are the posibilities of this happening? I just wanted to get a couple of channels? I got a couple of people waiting to buy from me but since I cant get it to work I cannot sell.. sucks

 

[gqken]

Nasko, How did you do it?

 

[nasko]

gqken,

I am really in no position to give any advice since I haven't had even 1 day of satellite experience. I guess first of all is knowing EXACTLY where your desired satellite is.
I am using SatcoDX's World of Satellites Program for calculating the satellites' az and el but there are tons of other sat trackers on the net.(Although I found that different programs give different results)
Then I did manual search on a random program (got the freq, pol and sr from satcodx) and started moving the dish until I got signal. The key is to be very slow I guess and let enough time for the receiver to pick up the signal after the dish was moved (about 3-4 sec for me)
The first time I aquired the signal it was 39% and after that I did a blind scan and picked about 4 tv channels and 4 radio. Then it was easier. On one of the channels (HOPE) I brought the info screen and moved the antenna. Surprisingly even to myself I got 89% signal quality. Another blind scan got me about 40 channels.

PM me so I won't get ripped appart for giving advices without having much experience
Also read lots of the FTA forum, Peter has given some great advices on
sat installation. Thanks Pete!

 

[PSB]

Thanks Nasko,
I know how you feel I have to think twice now before posting here in case they rip me a new one! But we are determined not to let the forum go that direction, no flaming or ripping people apart will be tolerated just because they are new to the hobby, and who are just trying to help others : ) This should be a casual relaxed area free of ridicule and humiliation, where the novice and expert can equally feel at home.

gqken........A compass is really a MUST on a FTA install, otherwise you will be wasting a lot of time, they only cost $5-10 and can be used over and over again. You will get it, take your time and you will get it, good luck!

 

[gqken]

Thanks for the motovation But do you guys know if when I use the manually find do I have to enter the info for IA5? This will probably explain why its not working??? I am using all defaults.

 

[nasko]

As long as I remember on the manual installation there isn't anything you have to enter about a particular satellite. First, point the dish with the correct azimuth and elevation.
What you need then is the Frequency, polarization and the symbol rate of a known channel (preferrably one that is pretty strong in your area - maybe some other members will help you out with this info). Then you go have fun
with the antenna and watch the signal quality bar or have somebody watch the TV for you. In my case I could see the TV set from my dish location.
Tonight I'll try to take some pictures for you if you still haven't got it.
Good look and don't dispear, I know how easy you get to a point that you wish you have a big hammer

 

[carload]

Or, you can get a $10-or-so satellite finder as I did. Then point the dish in the approximate direction, hook up the finder, and slowly turn left-right up-down until it starts squealing. Then take out the finder and let your receiver blind scan it to see what you've found.

 

[gqken]

Success!!!

All right guys.. Got it... After messing with it for almost two days straight I finally got somthing. How can I tell which satillite I'm ON? I pointed to 131 and I an getting lots of asian channels?

 

[gqken]

Thanks for all the help guys and as soon as I get a chance I will donate!

 

[PSB]

Tell us the names of the channels and we will tell you where you are WELL DONE!

 

[gqken]

I'll check them out right now.. I have...TV ENGLISH, TV LATINO, ESPERANZA, HOPE CHANNEL, ATN/ACN, ATN SERVIC, 01-MSNBC,

 

[Cascade]

Sounds like you're on AMC4 at 101W

Edit: AMC 4 is great, you have Chuck up there as well as KUIL.

Another edit: Free-X is up there too, get yourself a few bucks together and take out a sub

 

[gqken]

But I only get like 6 woking channels all the others say scambled?? Whats up with that?

 

[Cascade]

Off AMC4 I get 23 unscrambled and around 5 or 6 radio in the clear.
The rest are scrambled.