Radio and Telly UK Forum - Commtel Digital Satellite Receiver SA-R1

kurt

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Commtel Digital Satellite Receiver SA-R1
Jan 5^th, 2010 at 3:21pm

Hi,

I am having difficulty in setting up my commtel free to air satellite receiver SA-R1.
I have mounted the dish in accordance with the instructions and run the cable to the receiver using as short a run as possible without severe bends of the cable.
During installation I used the satellite finder included in the kit. I have set the elevation to between 32 degrees and 34 degrees. The dish is facing South and I have offset the LNB 13.7 degrees clockwise looking at the dish. I have moved the dish to look for the Eurobird/Astra 28.2 degrees East and according to the instructions I should have picked up a loud signal on the sat finder at 13 degrees then 19.2 degrees before finally hitting the 28.2 degree setting required.
As soon as I connected the sat finder in line with the LNB and receiver I got a loud audible signal and 10+ on the meter. I turned the sensitivity down and it hovered just under 2. As I moved the dish further East the reading just stayed the same and did not do what I had been expecting from the instructions regarding the 13/19.2 degree signal.
On the TV I selected the Astra 28.2 satellite and carried out all the other set up details and it searched for channels TV/Radio. Nothing was found. I have tried many combinations of elevation/asimuth settings using very fine adjustments from those required to no avail.
I have complied with the instructions but wonder if I am doing something wrong, either major or minor. The dish is not obstructed by trees etc and is in good condition as is all the other equipment. I have used standard F couplers and the cable supplied.
Thank you for any help you can give me on the subject.

regards,

Kurt Cry

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andyfras

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Re: Commtel Digital Satellite Receiver SA-R1
Reply #1 - Jan 5^th, 2010 at 4:36pm

The instructions may have been written for a country in mainland Europe, so the elevation and offset would not necessarily be correct for the UK. Note that each satellite requires a different elevation.

If the dish is the offset type with the LNB mounted below the centre, I have found that a good start point is with the dish itself approximately vertical. Turn the sensitivity of your sat finder up until it is just registering something and have a pan around between 10 to 30 deg E. When and if you find some signal, try adjusting the elevation slightly to get a peak. Then try to work out which satellite you have found by panning either way. When you have found the one you want, you will need to fine-tune the elevation and LNB offset.

What satellite do you want to be on ultimately?

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kurt

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Re: Commtel Digital Satellite Receiver SA-R1
Reply #2 - Jan 5^th, 2010 at 5:20pm

I'm looking for the Astra 28.2 E satellite. The LNB offset is correct for the area of the UK I live in as is the direction 28.2 degrees East from the datum South 0 (180) degrees. I think that you may be correct about the elevation as I am barely able to achieve the 33 degrees due to the dish hitting the wall it is mounted on. My main concern is that the satellite finder just makes a noise wherever you point it. Can that be correct? Maybe I have a faulty sat finder. I did spend a long time gently adjusting both the elevation and the direction so you would think that I would have picked up at least something. I appreciate that each satellite needs specific settings, that's why I went for the single satellite mentioned above. How can I check the LNB is working OK? A faulty piece of equipment could be the answer or am I jumping the gun?

regards,

Kurt Undecided

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andyfras

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Re: Commtel Digital Satellite Receiver SA-R1
Reply #3 - Jan 5^th, 2010 at 5:41pm

You can't easily check the LNB apart from substituting with another. You can check that the receiver is sending power to it though, if you are careful. There should be 13 - 18 volts depending on mode (H & V switching) on the cable, ideally measured at the LNB end. Make sure you do not short the cable while measuring as this can damage the receiver.

If your sat-finder is powered from the cable and is working, the power is probably OK.

Finding a satellite for the first time is quite a tricky process, so I would suspect alignment rather than faulty equipment initially.

The sat finder needs very fine adjustment. Turn up the sensitivity until it is making a noise and then back it off slightly, but not all the way. When the noise increases as you pan and tilt the dish, back it off a little more and continue until you are sure you have found the strongest signal.

It sounds like your elevation could be a long way out, in which case you wouldn't find anything. I have set up this system earlier in the year (I was in Norfolk at the time) and the front of the dish was vertical, so I suggest that you start from there. Don't get too hung up on exact degrees, it never seems to work like that.

Have a look at this website: http://www.satelliteforcaravans.co.uk/ftamain.htm

and: http://www.satelliteforcaravans.co.uk/howtouseameter.htm

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kurt

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Re: Commtel Digital Satellite Receiver SA-R1
Reply #4 - Jan 5^th, 2010 at 7:45pm

The sat finder is indeed powered from the receiver providing both a back light and sound. It may be too rough and ready as it has definate clunk type positions going up and coming down (minus), areas inbetween are not possible. The elevation is hopefully the fly in the ointment although the info I was given stated to elevate from 32-34 degrees. I will definately try it at a less severe angle as you did in Norfolk. Unlike TV aerials, sat dishes really do need very fine adjustment. I will try this tomorrow if the snow lets up. Of course it could be global warming, lol. Thanks for your really good advice.

regards,

Kurt

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kurt

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Re: Commtel Digital Satellite Receiver SA-R1
Reply #5 - Jan 6^th, 2010 at 2:21pm

Further to my posts on the above subject I have now had some success.
As advised I repositioned the dish to almost vertical and moved it horizontally in the direction indicated for the Astra satellites using the sat. finder that did give a very loud audible signal and increased meter reading upon finding a satellite.
Before moving the dish I selected a number of satellites on the receiver that are close to the Astra satellites. When I returned to the TV I found that the Astra satellites at 19.2E, 23.5E and 28.2E were only showing 45% signal intensity and 5% signal quality. The satellites I had found were the BADR 2,3,4 & E at 26 degrees and the C Band BADR at 26.1 degrees. Both these satellites registered 90% signal intensity and 70% signal quality.
I returned to the dish thinking that a couple of degrees movement horizontally East would give me the Astra 2A,B-D at 28.2E but found nothing. I tried altering the elevation at 28.2E but it found nothing.
I am very pleased to have located something, proving the equipment is OK but the satellites I really want to locate are the Astra 2A/2B/2D at 28.2 degrees East.
Is this just a matter of trial and error or is their something I can do to ease the location? Has anybody else had a similar experience when searching for this group of satellites?

regards,

Kurt

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andyfras

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Re: Commtel Digital Satellite Receiver SA-R1
Reply #6 - Jan 6^th, 2010 at 2:36pm

Are you sure that you were picking up the satellite at 26 deg E? According to my information, you would need a 120cm dish to receive a signal from there. The signal levels you quote sound more like what I would expect from 28 deg E.

The signal from the satellites at 28 deg E are quite powerful, so you should have no trouble finding it.

The satellites and channels already pre-programmed into your satellite receiver are a starting point. I suggest that you select a channel such as BBC1 on 28 deg E and move the dish very slowly until you get a picture, using the sat-finder to help you to fine tune the position.

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kurt

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Re: Commtel Digital Satellite Receiver SA-R1
Reply #7 - Jan 6^th, 2010 at 7:43pm

I am absolutely sure that the satellites found were as stated previously. The receiver stated quite clearly the names and positions of the two satellites.
Nothing pre-programmed only what I found and installed from the basic search. BBC 1 does not appear on the programmes listed. Only foreign programmes many of which are scrambled, that's why I don't want the satellites found but it is a start and gives me confidence in the equipment.

regards,

Kurt Grin

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kurt

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Re: Commtel Digital Satellite Receiver SA-R1
Reply #8 - Jan 10^th, 2010 at 5:43pm

Found the Astra A,B-D satellite at 28.2 East.
Not impressed as most channels are scrambled and some of the previously available free-view channels are also scrambled.
Instruction manual not helpful. Is this the best satellite for free to air in the UK? How do you operate the favourite facility on the Commtel rx?
Any advice very welcome.

Kurt Sad

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Re: Commtel Digital Satellite Receiver SA-R1
Reply #9 - Jan 10^th, 2010 at 10:35pm

Some of the Freesat fron Sky channels are Free to View (FTV) rather than Free To Air (FTA). FTV means that they are encrypted but available on a Sky box with a Freesat card or cancelled subscription card. However, the main channels are FTA as are all the secondary BBC and ITV channels. Dave, Virgin 1, Fiver, Five USA, Viva and some others are FTV.

See the list here, but note it is not fully up to date and Five is now FTA:

http://www.vowles-home.demon.co.uk/Sat/SkyFTA.htm

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chrisisclub

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Re: Commtel Digital Satellite Receiver SA-R1
Reply #10 - Feb 8^th, 2010 at 8:44pm

Hi

I have just found this via google.
I also have the commtel SA-R1 set up from Focus do-it-all and have found it to be good. My question is that the satellite list seems to be out of date. I am using it to get 19.2E. The box lists the satellites as 1E,1F,1G and 1H. The Astra website lists 1H and different satellites. My query is - will this mean that my receiver is only getting progs from 1H? (this is the only one on both lists) ... and should I try to updgrade the software for the receiver (reluctantly!).

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