FORTEC STAR SATELLITE problems getting ASTRA 28.2

kilshanny

Sorry if this has been posted before. I bought a DIY satellite kit from Maplin FS-4000v2. Went to satpointer and was told that elevation should be 20.3 for my area , azimuth 141.8 and the LNB -17.2. I thought all I would have to do was adjust the dish to match these numbers .The elevation on the Dish starts at 30 so how do I find 20.3. I found the compass heading alright. As for the LNB reading, there are markings on the top inside rim of the LNB but there is no reference to the scale. So I don't know if these are 5 , 10, are 20, degrees.I attached the satfinder as instructed, a high pitched noise at max turned it down and move the dish around no noise, I've had the Equipment a week in all that time I have only found one satellite at 22/99 on ASTRA 2A-B- and the stations were in russian french and from the middle east I think, then I lost it and nothing since. Has anybody had these problem and how do I go about fixing them. One last thing can I extent the cable by adding anew length of cable or should I buy just buy a longer new cable

Apogee

You can't align a dish just by setting the angles and using a compass alone. That's just the starting point. From there, you have to methodically sweep from east to west slowly while taking note of the signal levels. See here:
http://bytelive.com/wiki/tiki-index.php?page=How+to+align+a+satellite+dish

tomslick

What are you trying to pickup? Is it Freesat ie BBC etc? Is your LNB the FSKUVN one?

kilshanny

tomslick wrote: »

What are you trying to pickup? Is it Freesat ie BBC etc? Is your LNB the FSKUVN one?

yes the LNB is the FSKUVN one and I'm trying to pickup BBCetc

kilshanny

Apogee wrote: »

You can't align a dish just by setting the angles and using a compass alone. That's just the starting point. From there, you have to methodically sweep from east to west slowly while taking note of the signal levels. See here:
http://bytelive.com/wiki/tiki-index.php?page=How+to+align+a+satellite+dish

I've moved it on 180 degrees arch across the southern sky, but if I can't get the angle of the Dish won't I miss the signals

tomslick

hello again. The FSKUVN lnb is your reason you can pickup f**k all. Some smartass thought it would be a good idea to move the center, off center for the skew. Here is a page from anothe website.

This is the LNB FSKUVN, which Maplins sell with their Passion HD package.

The customer had tried to set up the dish himself,but had problems, so I dropped in to do the final alignment.

With the LNB in the usual Skew position for Astra 28.2E, I was getting abysmal quality readings and a very flat spectrum, so I moved it further around until the spectrum improved, but found I was on the opposite polarity.

Well the picture attached is where I had to put it for perfect skew, have included a red line to show where I would have expected it to be.

The lnb should have the cable connection at 4/5 o'clock as you look at it from the front of the dish.

Also if you are only going for one satellite you should forget all the fancy stuff. Angles etc won't help you (if you want to line it up quick). As long as you have a beeper etc you'll have it lined to A satellite in 5mins. Maynot be the correct one but you get the next one soon after.

Let me know how your getting on and maybe I can help more.

kilshanny

I try this out and let you know to-morrow
thanks

kilshanny

I sent tech support details of the problems i was having installing one of their satellite the FS-4000v2. This is the reply
Hi
Going through your details. I would suggest following our instructions not Satpointer. Satpointer is good for motorized set ups but its easier to follow our guide:
On the dish scale set the dish to between 32/34 on our grid ( this is not elevation marking it is our scale ) Next skew the LNB to the centre marking on the LNB your cable should come out slightly to the right once you have done this.
Do you have a Sat Finder ? If you do... Turn it down below half way ... Then set the dish to Zero south.... Then move around slowly towards the east... At 13 degrees you will hear a loud audible sound.... Stop and fine tune. Now you know what you are listening for. Continue until you hear a similar sound... Stop again. Now check your receiver signal meter. You should see approx 80% signal qualty but no picture on any of the channels. This is fine. Now move the dish further east but only slightly
as you do the signal noise will drop slightly then pickup even louder. This is Astra 28.2.... Scan for channels ..... You should have a picture.
I have not tried this yet I will let you know to-morrow if the wind dies down.
One thing my Sat finder still lights up but I've no longer have any sound coming

kilshanny

Please check the reply I got from Fortec Star in Abu Dhabi and tell me what you think

tomslick wrote: »

hello again. The FSKUVN lnb is your reason you can pickup f**k all. Some smartass thought it would be a good idea to move the center, off center for the skew. Here is a page from anothe website.

This is the LNB FSKUVN, which Maplins sell with their Passion HD package.

The customer had tried to set up the dish himself,but had problems, so I dropped in to do the final alignment.

With the LNB in the usual Skew position for Astra 28.2E, I was getting abysmal quality readings and a very flat spectrum, so I moved it further around until the spectrum improved, but found I was on the opposite polarity.

Well the picture attached is where I had to put it for perfect skew, have included a red line to show where I would have expected it to be.

The lnb should have the cable connection at 4/5 o'clock as you look at it from the front of the dish.

Also if you are only going for one satellite you should forget all the fancy stuff. Angles etc won't help you (if you want to line it up quick). As long as you have a beeper etc you'll have it lined to A satellite in 5mins. Maynot be the correct one but you get the next one soon after.

Let me know how your getting on and maybe I can help more.

tomslick

If you do as they say and put the skew mark to the center it'll only be correct for your southern sat. ie 8west or 5west. You only put the skew mark to the center when its on a motor as when the motor rotates so does the lnb.
Your sat finder should always make a noise when its powered up. Should be a low tone with nothing and very high when you hit the target.
The skew should have little effect on finding a sat but is neccessary to fine tune.

kilshanny

Tomslick,
Thanks for all your help I borrow another sat finder a smaller one with an ear piece , and changed the cable and moved the dish from the gable to the roof within 20 mins I picked up Astra 1 then with abit of movement to the east got Astra 2. The roof is exposed to high winds so I'll take note of were Astra 2 is and tried to find it on the gable. Astra was not were I thought it was going to be , nearly 10 degrees further east. Also the skew was at -7.

tomslick wrote: »

If you do as they say and put the skew mark to the center it'll only be correct for your southern sat. ie 8west or 5west. You only put the skew mark to the center when its on a motor as when the motor rotates so does the lnb.
Your sat finder should always make a noise when its powered up. Should be a low tone with nothing and very high when you hit the target.
The skew should have little effect on finding a sat but is neccessary to fine tune.

seos2007

I had the same one. When I finally got it to work using an ALDI satfinder. I checked the compass reading 150 degrees south east and the elavation was at 20 degrees the skrew was between as you look at it head on 6 and 7 o clock on the - settings

kilshanny wrote: »

I sent tech support details of the problems i was having installing one of their satellite the FS-4000v2. This is the reply
Hi
Going through your details. I would suggest following our instructions not Satpointer. Satpointer is good for motorized set ups but its easier to follow our guide:
On the dish scale set the dish to between 32/34 on our grid ( this is not elevation marking it is our scale ) Next skew the LNB to the centre marking on the LNB your cable should come out slightly to the right once you have done this.
Do you have a Sat Finder ? If you do... Turn it down below half way ... Then set the dish to Zero south.... Then move around slowly towards the east... At 13 degrees you will hear a loud audible sound.... Stop and fine tune. Now you know what you are listening for. Continue until you hear a similar sound... Stop again. Now check your receiver signal meter. You should see approx 80% signal qualty but no picture on any of the channels. This is fine. Now move the dish further east but only slightly
as you do the signal noise will drop slightly then pickup even louder. This is Astra 28.2.... Scan for channels ..... You should have a picture.
I have not tried this yet I will let you know to-morrow if the wind dies down.
One thing my Sat finder still lights up but I've no longer have any sound coming

djpk1

ive recently installed this fortec system-no real problem with finding a satallite signal, strenth is at 95% and quality is at 90% im getting over 2000 channels but dont have bbc or c4 etc any ideas greatly apprieciated
thanx
paul