lost signal due to high winds

[sat_man]

Hi,

I recently lost my satellite signal (all satellites) due to high winds. I had a lot of trouble and spent a lot of time aligning my dish in the first place last year (see my previous posts if you want the history). I am back to square one except that I know where Thor is as my Technomate 7755 is still finding e.g. Thor (lots of signal strength but no signal quality). After many hours on the roof again trying to re-align my dish I still cannot get any signal quality (only good signal strength).

Previously I had to take off my titanium LNB and replace it with a cheap universal Sky LNB to get any signal quality. Then once locked on to the best signal strength / quality I replaced the cheap lnb with the more expensive (Smart Titanium) LNB which then worked. i.e. it is no use to locate quality but works ok once locked on to the satellite.

I noticed today that on the side of my titamium lnb that it had a label showing a 10.75 / 12.75 mhz range (universal). Whereas on the set-up screen of my TM7755 for Thor it showed 9.75 / 10.75 for the universal LNB range. It would not let me change the range to match that of the titanium. Could that be why I cannot get any signal using the titanium? I may have to get my cheap LNB out again then try to find the signal quality before switching back to the (low noise) titanium lnb.

Am I right about the LNB range. Could that be why I can get good signal strength but almost no signal quality. (10%)?

Thanks for any advice that you may offer me.

[satsid]

Hi m8,you should use a meter to line,i take you have not got one.Use bbc world its about the best for signel.Myself i have lined without a meter,but you wont get as good results.When iv done i wont use a technomate as i dont like there readings,when doing this.hope you have another receiver,or a friend does.this might help a bit.with out a meter its a lot of farting about.
sid

[Yorks]

Hi sat_man,

If you are using 1.2 settings and have a recalculate option on your receiver, once you have found one sat, you should be able to find all your saved sat positions. If you are using usals then they should all come in automatic once you have re-aligned. As satsid says - choose a strong transponder on your receiver to set up to.

Regards,

Yorks.

[BGonaSTICK]

I think you're getting confused with the LNB ranges. A Universal LNB will cover a working frequency range of 10.70 GHz to 12.70 GHz, but has two Local Oscillator frequencies internally of 9.75 GHz and 10.60 GHz (and which are fixed - one for low band and one for high band.) The LNB's Local Oscillator frequency is switched automatically at the receiver by sending a 22kHz tone up the coax as required.

The LO frequencies employed in the LNB and commanded by the receiver are frequency reference points - a bit like a tuning fork used to tune a piano - and this forms the basis of the 'blocking down' process which (dramatically) reduces the frequency of the signal forwarded to the receiver's tuner.

[wod]

also have you adjusted the dish elevation as that could have altered by the winds

[sat_man]

Thanks for the advice. I was hoping that the LNB frquencies could be the reason for my problems getting signal quality.

On my TM7755 when I select THOR 2/3 and look for the BBC TP it is not there. The nearest that I can find is CANALD1 (11325H). When I then move to LNB settings the TM7755 only offers 9750 LO with HIs of either 10600 or 10650 or 10700 or 10750 then SINGLE S, C BAND or DIRECT INPUT to choose from.

Should change my Smart Titanium 10750 / 12750 range universal LNB for a triple band LNB? Or is there a way of forcing the TM7755 to change the LNB HI & LO settings to match those offered by my Titanium LNB (10.750 / 12750)? Bgonastick suggests that my LNB is capable of picking up 9.750 / 10.750 anyway controlled by the 22v switch. Do I have to toggle the TM7755 to set the 22V switch to on?

I think that this is the right track as last year I tred new Blue Line and two new titanium LNB but could not get signal quality. Then I tried a new cheap universal LNB that I bought along with a dish from an auction. It got signal strength and quality. the when I locked down the dish on the signal I swapped the LNB for my titanium which then worked well until the winds came.

I do have a satellite meter which has a scale and an audible signal when on the satellite. However it does not pick up on signal quality so although I can lock on using the satellite meter I am still no better off as I then still have to move the dish again to try to find the signal quality.

I do feel that it may be LNB related else why can the cheap uni LNB find signal quality and the better quality Blue Line / Titanium cannot. ie. the signal quality band on the TM7755 stick at 10% where ever I point the dish. Yet once I found a decent signal quality and picture using the cheepo LNB the better LNBs the also showed the picture when I swapped them back.

Thanks

[BGonaSTICK]

You're miss-understanding how this works. The two Local Oscillator frequencies internally of 9.75 GHz and 10.60 GHz are FIXED for a universal LNB and have nothing to do with the range of frequencies available from Ku band satellites i.e. 10750 / 12750 range. Your LNB frequencies MUST be set to 9.75 GHz and 10.60 GHz - full stop. There is no way your receiver will operate correctly if you change these values.

The 9.75 GHz and 10.60 GHz are REFERENCE FREQUENCIES, and are subtracted from the frequencies received from the satellites themselves leaving you the difference, which is forwarded to the receiver.

The LNB LO frequencies will always be lower than the frequencies from the satellites. They are not supposed to match up.

[sat_man]

OK thanks,

I was hoping that the LNB frequency would have solved my no signal problem but it looks as though (from your clarification) I will have to look elsewhere. I will look out my cheepo LNB and switch to my old Humax receiver which is much more reactive to dish movement (ie. the signal strength / quality meters) then try again to get a picture on Thor. Then switch the receiver and LNB back again. Thanks for the tips.