Complete newbie questions

[mpirie]

Hi guys,

Sorry for the newbie questions, but i guess everyone has to start somewhere?

So here's what I have:
80cm dish, 2x universal LNB's, Humax Freesat box, Sky+ box, compass and a sat finder.

I live south of Oslo in Norway and can get absolutely nothing using any variation of the kit listed above, or any variation in the direction of the dish.

Now it's not unusual for me to do something wrong, but I really am at a loss.

I don't know if it's because of my location, my LNB(s), my cabling, my Sky+ or Humax HD box etc, etc.

Maybe I can't get satellite TV with this kit?

Can someone give my an idiot's guide on how i can test (and hopefully narrow down) the complete lack of success?

Thanks,
Mike

[Rick]

Try for 1w. That will be very strong. You can use the humax in non freesat mode to scan the channels. That will confirm that most of the kit works.

[mpirie]

Hi Rick,

Thanks for coming back to me.

I know there is a "non-Freesat" mode on the Humax, but I can't get to the menu to change because the box is still in the "initial setup" phase.

It looks to me that the setup needs to complete before I can change modes and of course I can't complete the setup because no sat is being found.

Catch 22!!

Thanks,
Mike

[Rick]

If you can change the transponder that the humax is looking for set it to 12480v 27500 2/3. This is on the 2a North beam which will be the strongest for you. Once you have the dish lined up on this, fine tune on weaker channels to see just what you can recieve. I don't know about reception reports from your location but I think you will be pushing it to recieve anything on the 2D beam with an 80cm.

[mpirie]

Hi Rick,

I tried the changes you suggested, but nothing seems to make a difference, hence my suspicion that something is wrong somewhere.

Moving the dish around seems to have little impact on the sat finder. Almost as if there is nothing there to be locked onto.

Even if I could use the Humax for another satellite, at least I'd know it was working!

Thanks again,
Mike

[Rick]

I'd check all the connections first. Check dishpointer.com as this will give you a general idea where to point the dish. Have you got a clear line of sight ?

If the above is ok I can only think its the LNB as you would have to be very unlucky for both recievers not to work.

[mpirie]

Hi Rick,

Yep, clear LOS, all cables and connections clean and tight, cables tested for continuity, tried replacing the LNB and used Dishpointer.com all with no luck.

Thanks.
Mike

[Rick]

If you set the gain on the sat finder to max and you get a tone, I can only think it's an allignment issue. I'm assuming your using a cheap satfinder rather than a professional meter here. With the finders you can usually find the stronger sats regardless of the TP the reciever is set to. Try again for 1w, the allignment has to be spot on, a couple of degrees will stop it from working. If you can get this, you can move the dish East and lower along the Arc to 28e