Will A Poor F-Type Connection To The Skybox Result In Total Signal Failure???

Hero Of College

Last night myself and my father got the satellite up on the wall and faced it in as close as the same direction as all the other satellites. I was using one of those satellite finder things, and it was picking up some sort of a signal, even after i lowered the sensitivity.

We ran back and forth for an hour or so, but "NO SIGNAL" was as far as we got.

Afterwards it turned out that the connection of the coaxial to the Skybox via the F-Type was really quite shoddy. My father suggested this could have been the nub of the problem, but also suggested there was part of the connector missing

I'm not sure about that part, AFAIK this is the only connector needed to hook the coaxial {and therefore the satellite} up to the skybox.



Is there another piece which screws in elsewhere??

Just how long am I going to have to spend on the ladder?:D I am using an old skybox with card no formal sky account, I've heard tell of people using a BBC channel to know when they are on right but I can't select a channel as it is "searching for listings"....

Thanks:cool::cool:

Tony

Use the signal meter in the digibox, a poor F connection will definitely not help.

watty

You could be picking up a different satellite. Different one every 3 degrees!

Hero Of College

watty wrote: »

You could be picking up a different satellite. Different one every 3 degrees!

Tell me about it. I'm as good as whupped:(...my problem is that I don't have 100% faith in my LNB, my Coaxial, My Sat Finder....so its really hard to settle on a satellite and say "thats that". I will trim the coaxial the way it is supposed to be and then I will try again.:o

Gadgie

The Sky digibox signal test page will show a network ID of '0002' when you are on the right satellite.

Hero Of College

Gadgie wrote: »

The Sky digibox signal test page will show a network ID of '0002' when you are on the right satellite.

Hi, yes, thanks, thats what I got, we're finally on it. Signal is showing good strength but no real quality. 2 or 3 clicks, max. My old LNB might be jaded. Its been outside for 18 months now, and been in use for 2 and a half years in full.

Setanta is really really sketchy- I rang them and told them to put my old account through, and they seemed to be doing it, Setanta Sports News came through fine but I think that is free anyways- in the mean time the other channels have not been pinged through to me, anyone have any idea why this might be so slow in coming through???

At least I had SOME progress today. A better LNB and some more effort and I might do better again.

Cheers.:cool:

Gadgie

Have you set the LNB skew correctly?

http://bytelive.com/wiki/tiki-index.php?page=How+to+align+a+satellite+dish

Hero Of College

Yeah Gadgie I went thru the full range of motions with the little clicker on the LNB and I think the one I am on is the best.

Can anyone advise me now as to HOW to fine tune the dish, I think the LNB is worn so that might be robbing me.

Why would it be the case that I get a very very GOOD signal for STRENGTH but that QUALITY is lagging way behind it??

Its very hard going doing the fine tuning, up on the ladder, loosening and tightening the satellite, trying to stay safe and get the job done, I have only a basic little sat finder....any help is as ever appreciated.

HoC:cool:

Darth Maul

the adjustments on the lnb on a sky dish are very limited so it is very important that the pole is absolutely vertical. use a small level to make sure.

The signal quality is the most important factor, also Setanta needs a dish to be spot on or you will suffer picture breakup.

what part of the country are you in and what size dish are you using?

Hero Of College

Darth Maul wrote: »

the adjustments on the lnb on a sky dish are very limited so it is very important that the pole is absolutely vertical. use a small level to make sure.

The signal quality is the most important factor, also Setanta needs a dish to be spot on or you will suffer picture breakup.

what part of the country are you in and what size dish are you using?

Wicklow, 2 miles from Irish Sea, think dish is a 60CM...not sure the pole is level thanks for mentioning that, my dad banged it up but I never said it had t be level. Its funny cos when I "twist" the dish, the sat finder whines that bit more.

Cheers.:cool:

watty

looking at front of dish the LNB should be close to this / angle. It's called skew. It doesn't affect the level (strength) though, only quality.

Darth Maul

Yeah a 60cm dish is perfect for there, is it a sky dish, if so you should be able to adjust the pole to make it level on the wall bracket. I doubt that the lnb is the problem, if its the correct type for the type of dish your using.

Just needs a little tweaking and you should be fine, very hard to get that final bit of signal quality without a proper professional meter. I would forget that little cheap meter and use the signal meter on the sky box, the cheap meter is only showing you the signal strength and not the quality. there is cases were you will see the signal strength drop slightly as you fine tune the more important quality.

Signal strength is mostly affected by the up and down movement of dish and quality then is adjusted with the LNB skew. (along with very very slight movements of dish)
Also be careful when your tightening up the bolts as this can throw it off again.

Hero Of College

Hello Darth

As it happens I use both in conjunction...I have it set up so I can run up and down the ladder at will.

As it happens also...it is now raining and I have no signal.:mad:

I only had a few bars of quality to begin with of course.

I have ordered a proper QUAD {Thomson} LNB and thats due in a few days, lets see what difference that makes.

Also...I noticed that when I was cutting the Coaxial to make some connections that there was some sort of a powdery residue inside the cable...does anyone know anything about this??:eek:

Cheers

HoC

Tony

You have water in the cable, the powder is a product of water reacting with copper.

Hero Of College wrote: »

Also...I noticed that when I was cutting the Coaxial to make some connections that there was some sort of a powdery residue inside the cable...does anyone know anything about this??:eek:

Cheers

HoC

Hero Of College

Tony wrote: »

You have water in the cable, the powder is a product of water reacting with copper.

So there is every chance that the cable is shot?? Or is it that the water only seeped a few inches near where the cable was cut? Seems I would be as well off just getting new cable.


By the way I just remembered that the cable was not plugged in at all.....I threw it out the window when I went to bed last night {folks won't let me drill a hole in the window frame, new double glazing you see:eek:} but, before you laugh, what threw me was that the EPG was still up on the box. Why would that be??

No signal but a full EPG??

Anyways....cheers. New cable and more sleep.:p

Tony

Good idea

Hero Of College wrote: »

Seems I would be as well off just getting new cable.

watty

yes, the longer cable exposed, the further back it rots.
20ft in a week is not impossible. Further in the copper goes black, that kind of copper compund makes a good "crystal" radio

make sure it's real satellite cable, not cheap TV flex.

Hero Of College

watty wrote: »

yes, the longer cable exposed, the further back it rots.
20ft in a week is not impossible. Further in the copper goes black, that kind of copper compund makes a good "crystal" radio

make sure it's real satellite cable, not cheap TV flex.

I was wondering why there was such disparity between the strength of the signal and the quality of the signal. My LNB and cable are letting me down. Unfortunately I made an online purchase just before I read your post Watty, could you advise me, as much as pics will allow, as to the quality of this stuff, thanks.



this is the text taken from the ebay listing:-

gazglasgow Store

10m Length Of Satellite NTL Aerial Cable With Fittings

This is high grade digital coax cable - CT100 type that contractors use. A white 10m length will be supplied with prefitted crimped F connectors and fittings. This is a very useful kit. Have a look at what you get:

Tony

What is marked on the cable that you have?

Hero Of College

Tony wrote: »

What is marked on the cable that you have?

Good question...it says "Vision 100". Thats all I can see on the bit that runs into the house.

Its also graded by the metre..so it says "Vision 100 042m..........Vision 100 043m" etc.

Thanks for asking.;)

Tony

Then they guy is lying as he says on his site its ct100. Do yourself a favour and get some good quality cable like pf100 or wf100

Hero Of College wrote: »

Good question...it says "Vision 100". Thats all I can see on the bit that runs into the house.

Its also graded by the metre..so it says "Vision 100 042m..........Vision 100 043m" etc.

Thanks for asking.;)

Hero Of College

Tony wrote: »

Then they guy is lying as he says on his site its ct100. Do yourself a favour and get some good quality cable like pf100 or wf100

Pardon the pun we have "crossed wires"....:pac:

What it says on my existing, ROTTY cable is "Vision 100".

His is advertised as CT100

I only bought it this morning.:p I have not actually held it or looked at it yet.

Sorry if I mislead.:cool: