Direcway

I have a question Bob, Or Ron, either one.

If you use the OPI meter, is there any reason it has to be removed from the line after setup? Or could it be left in line if properly protected from the elements (mostly sun and water), Not that it's that hard to remove it from the line but it the destruction,,, ur, instruction sheet I mentioned said that you shut down, remove the OPI and restart,  Seems if you can properly protect the OPI (not a hard job given some of the products Radio Shack carries (Project boxes) and a bit of weather stripping and possibly a bit of plexaglass (optional) does it have to come out of the line?

I'm having fun with my T-2 Automotion,,, Can not lock on the proper bird no matter what I try when the rig is here at home....  Can from the end of the road however, but not from 1 block away, and I loose the bird soon as I start to move... Not good, not good at all. But at least today we got it to actually work,,, That was an improvement

I have heard that some folks do leave the OPI in.  I know one installer that found the original installer had left the OPI installed on the original installation at a house.  As I understand it reason the second installer was there was to add a BOW for TV.

Hello John:

>> If you use the OPI meter, is there any reason it has to be removed from the line after setup? Or could it be left in line if properly protected from the elements (mostly sun and water), Not that it's that hard to remove it from the line but it the destruction,,, ur, instruction sheet I mentioned said that you shut down, remove the OPI and restart,? ?Seems if you can properly protect the OPI (not a hard job given some of the products Radio Shack carries (Project boxes) and a bit of weather stripping and possibly a bit of plexaglass (optional) does it have to come out of the line?
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The newer units require a filter in the line w/the OPI whereas the older unit I have does not. However, either way, it's such a simple task to unhook the OPI and put it back in my tools ditty bag. I like it there because it's protected from the elements. The filter could stay connected to the meter so it would appear a simple task to do the same with the current model dish equipment. I have threatened to put quick connectors on it but have never gotten around to doing that.

The CW analog could not be stay in line because it degraded the signal about 10 units - whereas the OPI has the neat feature of, "what see on the OPI is exactly what is currently being displayed on your computer".

Ron, didn't you upgrade your hardware -- and now use the filter? Also, you don't leave the meter in line, do ?you? I can't recall. I did have my transmitter go out last spring while in Laughlin -- but DW shipped a new one to me so I stayed w/the same equipment otherwise. I had it shipped to Jerry Fitzgerald in LV -- and while visiting, he helped me install it -- and went with me on my "one trip to the roof" to set up the dish and test it.

No I don't normally use the OPI.  Since I have a BD that is what I use.  The only thing I have upgraded is the modem.  I still have the original LNB and Xmiter.  I have the OPI and the filter.  When I do an install I use the OPI during the install and training.

Karl:

?Actually, it does. All you need to do is close the current signal strength display window, go back one page, click on the "enable OPI display" box and reselect "Display Signal Strength". No reboot of either the computer or modem is required.?

I respectfully beg to differ Karl.  The problem I have described is well documented on the RV2waysat forum.  There may be other situations where going back one page works.  No one knows why only certain individuals have the problem I have described.  The most likely culprit in my situation, and this is just an opinion, is the loose mount that Ron pointed out to me.  It only has a fraction of an inch free play.  But Ron was worried about it.

Other remedies besides a reboot have been suggested.  One such remedy simply required inserting the hand in front of the LNB, blocking the signal for about ten seconds.  That never worked for me, and for a number of others.  Both Ron and Ron's dealer suggested a full reboot, and that is the only thing that ever saved my bacon in this situation.

Incidentally, once I have the signal tuned in, I never have to reboot.  This full reboot only occurs on a new setup when the OPI gets stuck on L8L.

Anyways, not worth spending a lot of time on this.  I only brought it up as an example of how one individual might prefer a BD while another individual would prefer an OPI.  I think we can all agree selection of a tuning meter is a matter of personal preference and no one is mandated to use a specified meter.

Bob:

I simply follow Ron?s training, which has me go up to the roof and place the OPI meter in circuit, then tune the sat.  Then I go down below, since I don?t have the luxury of a helper, and progress on to the crosspol page.  Then once I pass the manual cross poll I go to auto crosspol and race back up to the roof to check the OPI.  The system gives me 5 minutes to do this. Most cases I have to make a further skew adjustment.  Already that is 2 trips and if a further skew adjustment is needed I am guaranteed a third trip.  Perhaps Ron can comment on this.  If there is an easier way I will need Ron to confirm it before I will trust it.

Bob, like others develope a procedure that works for them.  For example I  usually always pass cross poll with no further adjustment.  I think that will come with practice.  Set the skew as  applicable, Peak for the best signal possible, perform 4 point pull test, and check cross-pol.  In my case it is usually passes with a very acceptable number.

Smoky:

>> I simply follow Ron?s training, which has me go up to the roof and place the OPI meter in circuit, then tune the sat.? Then I go down below, since I don?t have the luxury of a helper, and progress on to the crosspol page.? Then once I pass the manual cross poll I go to auto crosspol and race back up to the roof to check the OPI.? The system gives me 5 minutes to do this. Most cases I have to make a further skew adjustment.? Already that is 2 trips and if a further skew adjustment is needed I am guaranteed a third trip.
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OK, now I understand the multiple trips. Here's the difference in our procedures. When Ron and I took our training from Dave, he stressed that we always begin with a perfectly vertical mast -- to the point of being paranoid about it.

All of the settings you receive for location by Coord/Zip code are based on a perfectly vertical mast. So if the mast "is" perfectly vertical, the manual setting of the Skew will be very close if not perfect everytime without the need for adjustment. If sloppy with the vertical, more adjustment is necessary because of that deviation.

So that is why I have never done/nor had to do the step you mention about going up and having 5 minutes to pass XPol looking at the OPI. My steps are again, briefly:

1) Turn on computer in rig, step thru to signal strength screen.
2) Go to roof, set skew, Elev, Azimuth, and peak the SS w/the OPI. When finished, take OPI out of line.
3) Put tools and OPI away, return to computer.
4) Continue on after SS screen to ranging and XPol.

When I do the manual XPol in step 4), I'm sitting in front of the comptuer -- not on the roof. Some will say that you should get the super high number on XPol or do it over again. I disagree. Sometimes I will pass in the low 60's -- then come back in 20 minutes and it passes w/an 80 and I haven't adjusted anything. Other times I have passed with an 80 plus, and come back later and it's in the 60's. So passing XPol numbers are all over the place.

There are times when the modem gives me a bad time and takes forever to range and/or pass XPol. If that happens, I go out and back into the SW process to and through the SS screen to ranging and then XPol. Other times I will just exit and do a modem restart. When it restarts, it will auto attempt ranging again -- and XPol. If I haven't moved the rig very far -- or if coming back to the same spot (such as going to the dump station at QZ) I will always just do a SW restart after peaking the SS again. Actually, the system is doing the same thing either way -- in that if it needs to range, it will range. If it needs to XPol, it will XPol.

I made a decision about the 5 minute cross pol from the roof thingy a long time ago -- and that was that if I have to do that every time I set up, I will go back to using a tripod. However, when using a tripod, I set up exactly as mentioned above anyway.

All this said -- I agree with what you say about changing procedures w/o Ron's input. As Ron mentions, we all develop our own methods -- and I agree that you should only work with Ron on how to do or change your setup procedure.

BTW, did you know that the difference between the cost of an OPI and that of a BD would buy you a new 60gb Video IPod -- w/money left over??

Ron

I was just looking at the site to download the satellite info for the BD and I see two lists of available satellites in the selection box, one below the other with a divider between them. There is some duplication of satellites between the two lists, although the top list is longer. Are the ones in the top list the TV sats and the ones in the bottom list the internet sats?

TIA

The Satellites names listed below that line all start with U.  None of the Sats below that line are of any interest to us. As an example for satmex5 there are satellites CV, CH, KV, & KH.  You only need the KV and KH Sats for Direcway.  The TV Sats are also in the upper list.

Thanks Ron. That clarifies it and I'm off to download the latest updates.

Ron Said >> Bob, like others develope a procedure that works for them.? For example I? usually always pass cross poll with no further adjustment.? I think that will come with practice.? Set the skew as? applicable, Peak for the best signal possible, perform 4 point pull test, and check cross-pol.? In my case it is usually passes with a very acceptable number.

Smoky said >> Then once I pass the manual cross poll I go to auto crosspol and race back up to the roof to check the OPI.

Ron, I went thru the BD set up with Ray some time ago. I don't recall him going back to the dish if he passed XPol -- only if he didn't pass after several tries. At that time, we also worked through the trip to adjust skew on the dish if necessary (where 5 minutes is the max time). My question is, why the step Smoky posts of going back to the roof to check XPol on the OPI necessary unless he fails on the computer readout?

Also, once you point the dish with the BD, don't you just go thru ranging and XPol as tho the dish had been pointed with an OPI? Am trying to figure why he is going back to the roof 3-4 times unless he fails XPol and continues to fail.

Thanks, Ron.

Bob,

There is no reason to go back up unless X-pol is not satisfactory whether using the BD or the OPI except to remove the OPI.  As you know with the BD I visit the roof once before even starting the modem and set the skew, find the sat and peak for max ss, remove the BD, insure cable is connected.  Then I go in turn the modem and computer on run Point 4020 program to let the modem know its new location, run through antenna pointing which will be already peaked then X-pol which always passes exit the antenna pointing and I am on line when the modem finishes booting after exiting setup.  With an OPI  the procedure would be similar except it is necessary to start the modem and computer and click on enable OPI at the beginning of antenna pointing.  I think I would remove the OPI when the SS is peaked go inside to check cross pol.  If it passes good if it doesn't pass the its another visit to the roof.  Do you use the point 4020 progam? If not I highly recommend it.

Remember when we got our DW we could check cross-pol like we do now and running X-pol wasn't required to get on line after a move.

When I was on SATMEX5 I sometimes found it necessary to use the OPI to adjust cross pol when at Sam's Camp.  This was due to Sam's Camp is located in an area considered not covered by SATMEX 5.  That is one reason I changed to AMC9.  When the open AMC9 up for the 7000 then I will get the upgrade to the 7000.

Tom said:

Thanks Ron. That clarifies it and I'm off to download the latest updates.

Click to expand...

Glad I could help.

>> There is no reason to go back up unless X-pol is not satisfactory whether using the BD or the OPI except to remove the OPI.?
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OK -- thanks, Ron. That's the way I thought we were both doing it. So the only reason one has to make a second trip to the roof with an OPI "or BD" is if XPol does not pass. As you verify, rarely will one not pass if doing a proper set with perfectly vertical mast. With your coach as well as Smoky's, it should be vertical always after the first setup.

So if Smoky disconnects the OPI after the initial setup, the only way he would need to return for a second trip would be if he fails XPol again and again. In that case, he would have to return to the roof and reconnect the OPI. Of course, the solo BD user would not only have to return, they would have to own an OPI as well. I say that because if I recall, the BD can not do XPol acceptance display.

>> Remember when we got our DW we could check cross-pol like we do now and running X-pol wasn't required to get on line after a move.
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I know -- we've come a long way since then.?

>> When I was on SATMEX5 I sometimes found it necessary to use the OPI to adjust cross pol when at Sam's Camp.? This was due to Sam's Camp is located in an area considered not covered by SATMEX 5.? That is one reason I changed to AMC9.? When the open AMC9 up for the 7000 then I will get the upgrade to the 7000.
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I didn't realize you had changed birds. You and Terry C. were the two I could call to check if any problem I was having was bird related -- now both of you have switched. I checked with DW and it looks like I will be OK with 7000 on SatMex5 and will probably order it soon. I really need the increased upload speed.

>> the 4020 program . . .
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I don't use it. What would it do for me? Is that the one that gives coordinates of new position. I have been OK so far with Zip Codes.

I don't use it. What would it do for me? Is that the one that gives coordinates of new position. I have been OK so far with Zip Codes.

Click to expand...

Using the point 4020 program eliminates the need to go through the full installer registration program after a move of more than a few miles.  The 4020 program allows you to update the location information in you modem and then use just the Antenna pointing/cross poll option in setup.  This program will allow you to use Zip codes or Lat Lon.  You can get it along with some other useful programs at:
http://www.datastormusers.com/articles.cfm

Another usefull program that I consider a must have is the lookangle program which allows you to determine the skew, elev, and azimuth parameters for a given location.  I sometimes get the information for our next stop before tearing down for the move.  With this information and the BD I can set up the dish without even turning the computer on till after the dish is pointed.

Smoky and anybody else on Direcway AMC9 the self install 7000 upgrade is now available on AMC9.  Yes I will be upgrading.

Ron

How far North does the AMC9 footprint go?
My 7000 will arrive shortly.

rhmahoney said:

Ron

How far North does the AMC9 footprint go?
My 7000 will arrive shortly.

Click to expand...

  All of the US and into Canada.  Footprint map for AMC9 can be seen at:
http://www.datastormusers.com/GlossaryTerm.cfm?id=91

This is for Ron mostly

I snagged the 4020 point program and the look-angle program just for the heck of it (along with the zip.txt file)

The look-angle program is very nice... Though I'm farily good at 3 dimensional thinking and visualizing,  The program takes a lot of the work out of it by showing me the look angle instead of just telling me.  Will make some stuff I need to do down the road much easier

I find them very usefull John and I'm sure you will too.  Glad you downloaded them.