Setting up a Triax TD88 with multi holder

macplaxton

Well I got all my stuff from Germany the other week and spent most of the weekend running up and down the ladder. Only one ladder, so having to run up and down the stairs with it to get into the loft

(positions described looking at the dish from the front)

I've got two quattro LNBs and a Triax multiholder. Object is to get 13E and 28.2E. I fitted the holder bar with the pivot hole lowest. I set up the dish initially on 19.2E with one holder pointing inwards (like in the instructions) about 35mm from the pivot to the right. Positioned bar so west side was at high. Set the elevation around 25 degrees and connect the sat meter to the L/V connection at the back. Got excellent signal quality and about 2/5 strength. Took meter out and strength went up to 4/5. Tightened dish mounts up.

The slid on 2nd LNB on left of bar. Positioned it approximately 80mm from pivot, then fine tuned. Seem like the bar wanted to be higher so moved it to max tilt up to the left. Really want to be a tad higher still. Disconnected meter and got similar boost in signal level.

Went back to 19.2E and it was a bit poor. Decided to have a look for 13E. Moved holder to mark I made which was about 114m from inner edge of holder to pivot. Got set up around there and have about 1/2 signal strength after removing meter.

There seems to be a little vertical movement in the arm even though it has the additional bolt through the back.

Gave up for the night.

a) I only need these two satellite signals, so am I proceeding in the correct direction, or should I start again with 19.2E to the left of the pivot as close to centre as possible have 13E closer to the middle on the right?
b) Should I need that little bit more tilt than an "upside-down" bracket gives?
c) Should I get the mutliswitch wired up rather than only using the L/V?
d) What would be the weakest station on either satellite?

I think I'm nearly there, but not sure how strong a signal I actually should be getting given the nicer parts of the afternoon's weather.

Thanks in advance,
Rich

byte

Flip the LNB-bar upside down to get further tilt.

macplaxton

byte wrote: »

Flip the LNB-bar upside down to get further tilt.

macplaxton wrote: »

...I fitted the holder bar with the pivot hole lowest.

already done that!

Should I need even more than that?

Reyman

macplaxton wrote: »

already done that!

Should I need even more than that?

I recently tuned in 13 deg, 19.5deg & 28.5 deg using a Triax 78 with no previous experience to be honest. Like you I didn't find it a bit easy, particularly tuning into 13E, which seems to be very weak.

I found a tip given by Watty very useful. Essentially he says you need to drill a new hole in the bar a couple of inches (2"-3") to the left of the existing hole (as you look from front at the dish). This places the 13E LNB closer to the centre of the dish and receiving a stronger signal. The 28.5E LNB is correspondingly further from the centre but this doesn't matter because it's easy to pick up.

In your case tune the 13E LNB first and then work on 28.5E.

This is what Watty said exactly (for tuning 3 LNBs): "80cm ish. 78cm Triax is minimum. Point at 16E, and then remove LNB and fit multi-LNB bracket arm without moving dish. You may want to drill a new mount hole about 2" or 3" on bottom on inside curve to left of existing mount, otherwise you run out of bracket for 28.2E when dish pointed at 16E.

The mainland Europe would have the arm with hole at top. Here to get slope as we are more west, you must mount with hole at bottom (it can be assembled either way).

Then mount holders for 13 & 19 either side of arm (reverse one so that they both overhang toward arm/ centre) Adjust each without any change to dish (which was perfect on 16E). Then add 28.2 at west end of arm and adjust slope of arm as well as distance out from arm for LNB. The slope adjustment hardly affects 13E & 19E as they are both close to pivot (hole at bottom half of rail). Another reason to point dish at 16E. "

macplaxton

That's for the reply.

After two weeks (I think Royal Mail put it on the slow-boat) I've got a bag of F-plugs handy and have the Hotbird 13E LNB wired up fully. I've got the lowband Astra 2 28.2E plugged into the multiswitch and have channel scanned again.

I'm pulling in Hotbird and Astra 2 okay it seems, but I'm sure I can improve the signal levels. I'll have another tweak at the dish as it stands to see if I can improve the signal, else I'll follow the suggestion and align the dish more central to 13E and see how it goes.