Suggestions please!! I cannot get 123

[treelover]

OK, be kind! This is what is going on. I am using a 36" eliptical dish trying to get 123. I have worked on this thing for hours without much success.

I first had an G2100 motor on the setup until I tried measuring the signal strength and my meter gave me a "too much current" warning and nothing else. I disconnected the LNB and the problem remained so there appears to be something going on in the motor connection. OK, got rid of that dog and now have a direct cable going from the receiver to the LNB which is a Invacom QPH. I did get some signal strength on my meter but only about 30.

Before I forget, I am using a Coool 5000 with NO BIN , just factory.

Anyway, God shed a little light on me and I was able to get GREEN BARS. So I did an auto scan and ended up with 3 channels......... KBS World........Scrambled , WRDE... Scrambled , Retrojams......no audio.

Went back to the dish setup and no way can I get any green bars!!! For all I know, I could be on the wrog satellite.

OH, I have tried LNB settings for single and universal. The single setting will not give a frequency of 10.75, I do get 9.75/10.75 in the universal setting.

COMMENTS, SUGGESTIONS, CRITICISM, HELP..........ANYTHING PLEASE!!!

Tree

[dirtywill2001]

those channels are on 123w, funny though about retrojams though, i get no audio as well,

[truenorthdv]

The invacom has 4 outputs 2 for linear and 2 for circular
Look at the bottom where the coax goes in it is labeled with a L or C.
Make sure you have it on the L- 123W is a linear sat.
I do think you are on the correct bird. Retro jams is AC-3 audio. you wnt get it unless you have a converter.
Assure you are doing a blind scan.
make sure you have LNB to single

[Sky_Pilot]

Retro Jams is using Dolby or AC3 audio, so it won't likely be heard with a FTA box only. I'm not sure what exactly is need to hear audio on that channel though.

Also, Linear sats like 123w are tougher to get as the signal isn't as strong.

Make sure your dish is perfectly aligned, your mounting pole is 100% level, your settings are correct etc... and that you are using a Linear LNB

123w can be tough to lock in, but with a 36" dish and a Linear LNB, it's just a matter of fine tuning your dish.

I have a 1 meter dish and an Invacom quad LNB pointed at 123w and am watching it right now.

[bill of oz]

Originally Posted by Sky_Pilot

Retro Jams is using Dolby or AC3 audio, so it won't likely be heard with a FTA box only.

you can get the sound with most FTA boxes.....you need to use the fibre optic output of your receiver.....

if you dont have a fibre input on your sound system (or no sound system at all) then you can buy an adapter from fibre optic to RCA sound cables.....

[bill of oz]

Originally Posted by treelover

KBS World........Scrambled , WRDE... Scrambled , Retrojams......no audio.

those channels are all on 123W so your pretty close.....are you skewing the LNB properly?

your LNB type should be set to standard or single.....LNB freq 10750

[treelover]

Thanks folks for reassuring that I was on 123.......not sure where or what I am on now. But earlier I was only able to get 3 channels, two of which were scrambled if I remember correctly. I thought I would get a bunch of channels, enough at least to keep Wifey under control.

I am going to see if I can get the dish back to where it was earlier. What expectations should I have for the number of viewable channels on 123???? What settings should I have for LNB frequency and should I select "single or universal or does it not matter? It seems everything is in red.

Tree

EDIT: I don't know if this has any bearing on my problem, but my location is in the Boston area. My location might require a larger dish and I hope not!

[gibahca]

20+ english and 5+ spanish.
dont know if it is enough to keep the wife in control.(at least not here..hehehe)

[bill of oz]

Originally Posted by treelover

Thanks folks for reassuring that I was on 123.......not sure where or what I am on now. But earlier I was only able to get 3 channels, two of which were scrambled if I remember correctly. I thought I would get a bunch of channels, enough at least to keep Wifey under control.

I am going to see if I can get the dish back to where it was earlier. What expectations should I have for the number of viewable channels on 123???? What settings should I have for LNB frequency and should I select "single or universal or does it not matter? It seems everything is in red.

Tree

EDIT: I don't know if this has any bearing on my problem, but my location is in the Boston area. My location might require a larger dish and I hope not!

it sounds to me like you are receiving the channels that are on the strongest transponder(s) and not getting the weaker ones.....check for quality on TPs 17200 and 11800.....

i get about 45-50 channels but a few are encrypted.....LNB type should be set to standard/single.....LNB freq 10750.....

[VGiddy]

As Bill of Oz suggested in a earlier No 6 quote:

The LNB has to be skewed to increase the Quality reading. Adjust the dish till you pick up S & Q for 123, then skew the LNB (not the dish) clockwise may be about between 15 and 30 deg. Check the skew for that sat on Dishpointing.com.
That is what will give you the max Quality. BTW Coolsat 5000 is the best receiver for True FTA .

Also you need to do a Blind scan and not Auto scan for True FTA Satellites.

[treelover]

Originally Posted by bill of oz

it sounds to me like you are receiving the channels that are on the strongest transponder(s) and not getting the weaker ones.....check for quality on TPs 17200 and 11800.....

i get about 45-50 channels but a few are encrypted.....LNB type should be set to standard/single.....LNB freq 10750.....

Bill-- I agree, I doubt I am getting the lower power transponders. I also think that just maybe I am getting a combination of two satellite when one thinks of how close 123 and 129 are but I really don't know. My dish is 35.5" wide and 26" tall (eliptical).

Maybe I should consider purchasing another dish. I refuse to let this thing get the best of me.

OH-- the 5000 does not seem to give one to change the transponders other than by changing the lnb frequencies and those frequencies are limited.

Tree

[treelover]

The sun set about 2 hours ago, that was when I stopped. The time between then and now, I used to just take my time, read and then read again. What did this accomplish? I found some mistakes I made, critical ones that I intend to correct sometime tomorrow.

Bill_of_Oz along with VGiddy emphasized skew......guess who overlooked that suggestion. Suggestions included in bold remarks that a blind scan is needed.......guess who did an auto scan because that was quicker. Yes, one (ME) needs to pay closer attention to important details.

More later..

Tree.........just maybe, I won't be stumped tomorrow

[bill of oz]

Originally Posted by treelover

The sun set about 2 hours ago, that was when I stopped. The time between then and now, I used to just take my time, read and then read again. What did this accomplish? I found some mistakes I made, critical ones that I intend to correct sometime tomorrow.

Bill_of_Oz along with VGiddy emphasized skew......guess who overlooked that suggestion. Suggestions included in bold remarks that a blind scan is needed.......guess who did an auto scan because that was quicker. Yes, one (ME) needs to pay closer attention to important details.

More later..

Tree.........just maybe, I won't be stumped tomorrow

LNB skew is very important for linear sats, I am suprised you got any Q at all without skewing it,

When you scanned in those couple of channels the dish was probably aimed correctly, then you just needed to adjust the LNB skew

[treelover]

Update--

This morning I went out, put my signal strength meter on the lnb output, swung the dish to about 30-40 degrees skew. The signal strength did increase but not much. Next, went back inside to check the tv, everything in green with good quality.

Did a blind scan and now I receive about 35 stations however many are repeats. No qualms here! The stuff is free and viewable. In fact was able to watch ABC new this morning with George S.

The best answer is as so many others suggested is to use a motor. I own an SG2100 that presented me with an unwanted problem. The motor caused my signal strength meter to indicate "over current" when connected. Could be normal operation or it could be a fault condition in the motor circuitry. The motor does operate as expected connected to the 5000 although it might be affecting the RF signals. At the moment, the motor is not connected.

Tree

[bill of oz]

Originally Posted by treelover

I own an SG2100 that presented me with an unwanted problem. The motor caused my signal strength meter to indicate "over current" when connected.

how are you connecting your meter?.....it should be between the motor and the LNB.....

receiver > motor > signal meter > LNB

dont put the meter between the receiver and the motor (if thats what you were doing).....

you can also bypass the motor completely when trying to aim your motor/dish assembly.....just run the wire from your receiver into the signal meter.....then out of the meter to the LNB......

now do your aiming.....after you have it aimed properly then you can disconnect everything and do your wiring properly.....

oh and its always best to delete all of your channels first before you re-scan a satellite.....this will prevent duplicate channels......

[treelover]

Originally Posted by bill of oz

how are you connecting your meter?.....it should be between the motor and the LNB.....

receiver > motor > signal meter > LNB

dont put the meter between the receiver and the motor (if thats what you were doing).....

you can also bypass the motor completely when trying to aim your motor/dish assembly.....just run the wire from your receiver into the signal meter.....then out of the meter to the LNB......

now do your aiming.....after you have it aimed properly then you can disconnect everything and do your wiring properly.....

oh and its always best to delete all of your channels first before you re-scan a satellite.....this will prevent duplicate channels......

BILL!!! I AM GETTING TIRED OF NEEDING TO GIVE YOU ALL THESE THANK YOU's but on the other hand, you have been a hugh help!!

Of course your right again, I had the #$%^&* meter connected between the ird and the motor instead of between the motor and the lnb. Appears that my motor might just be OK after all.

Duplicate channels-- I don't have duplicate channels, what I see is the same programing on several different channels. I expect things will improve after I reinstall the motor.

Again--- thanks for your help!!!

Tree

[bill of oz]

Originally Posted by treelover

BILL!!! I AM GETTING TIRED OF NEEDING TO GIVE YOU ALL THESE THANK YOU's but on the other hand, you have been a hugh help!!

Of course your right again, I had the #$%^&* meter connected between the ird and the motor instead of between the motor and the lnb. Appears that my motor might just be OK after all.

Duplicate channels-- I don't have duplicate channels, what I see is the same programing on several different channels. I expect things will improve after I reinstall the motor.

Again--- thanks for your help!!!

Tree

no problem.....and the same programming on several different channels is normal for that bird.....

[tb1971]

Now thats what I call, one man helping another! Great Job guys!