Premier sky meter

ranger4

Anyone know which component could have failed with a premier sky satellite meter which only can find signal strength and quality in verticle mode and register no reading just a search message when searching in horizontal mode, thanks.

kbell

Similarly one of my meters, think its a lacuna mk4 has stopped registering H high, the other 3 are fine in search and quality.
Any ideas? also maybe some one who can repair?, i have another lacuna that needs attention too.

watty

Connect a DVM / Meter and see voltage on V and H polarisation

V: 12 to 14 is OK
H: 17 to 19 is OK

I'm guessing the PSU has failed for 18V/Horizontal mode.

Failure in Hi band is loss of the 22kHz tone.

If it costs more than €150 to replace, it might be worth getting fixed.

I'm not familar exactly what models you have. Good Models with Spectrum analyser are of course €450 to €6,000 depending on features and spectrum covered.

It could be a fuse if you are lucky (could be a minature "pico fuse") or a transistor switch.

ranger4

watty wrote: »

Connect a DVM / Meter and see voltage on V and H polarisation

V: 12 to 14 is OK
H: 17 to 19 is OK

I'm guessing the PSU has failed for 18V/Horizontal mode.

Failure in Hi band is loss of the 22kHz tone.

If it costs more than €150 to replace, it might be worth getting fixed.

I'm not familar exactly what models you have. Good Models with Spectrum analyser are of course €450 to €6,000 depending on features and spectrum covered.

It could be a fuse if you are lucky (could be a minature "pico fuse") or a transistor switch.

I cheaked voltages with h & v at f-connector on meter and it displays voltages withinn your quoted figures with both bands so all ok but why woint meter display anything when H band selected? just searching mode still when H band selected, thanks.

watty

yes.
If you are passing Limerick give a PM

steveon

Another installer rang me today having the very same problem, thinkl he uses a lacuna version 2...

Anyone know wat the problem is??

byte

ranger4 wrote: »

I cheaked voltages with h & v at f-connector on meter and it displays voltages withinn your quoted figures with both bands so all ok but why woint meter display anything when H band selected? just searching mode still when H band selected, thanks.

I'm wondering if it might still be the battery or other power component. I'm thinking that although you get the right voltage with a multimeter, maybe the voltage drops too much when under load (connected to LNB).

Otherwise, maybe reflash firmware?

ranger4

byte wrote: »

I'm wondering if it might still be the battery or other power component. I'm thinking that although you get the right voltage with a multimeter, maybe the voltage drops too much when under load (connected to LNB).

Otherwise, maybe reflash firmware?

Battery is rechargable type and seems to hold workable voltage for few days, Could you explain process to "reflash Firmware" thanks.

AstralTV

lacuna/wolsey software & instructions here,

http://metersupport.co.uk/datagate.htm

new dataset for sky H/H changes 28/09/10

http://www.metersupport.co.uk/

byte

Good find, AstralTV.

I would guess that the new dataset should fix the issue so. I assume that whatever transponders they used for HL and HH readings are dead, thus not working?

AstralTV

I use a Lacuna mkIV as a backup & noticed H/H was showing no quality, after downloading the new dataset all seems well again, as to which transponders they were using it could of been one of these,

Astra 2B (28.2E) - Sky Digital: Retail Info has left 12304.00MHz, pol.H (DVB-S SID:4606 PID:518/646 English) (23h07)
Astra 2B (28.2E) - Sky Digital: Retail Info has left 12304.00MHz, pol.H (DVB-S SID:5504 PID:514/642 English) (23h07)
Astra 2B (28.2E) - Sky Digital: Carbon Calculator has left 12304.00MHz, pol.H (DVB-S SID:8147 APID:2548) (23h07)

New frequencies / SR / FEC / Standard changes

Switched standard: Astra 2A (28.2E), 11758.00MHz pol.H, DVB-S2 QPSK, SR:29500, FEC:3/4 (2010-09-30)