The head on the satellite dish burst. How to check a TV antenna. How to determine that the converter is faulty

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A satellite converter is a special device necessary to reduce the frequency of electromagnetic waves that are transmitted by satellite broadcast in two bands: the Ku band (107 - 1275 GHz) and the C band (35 - 42 GHz). The converter for a satellite dish, in turn, lowers the spectrum of these frequencies to 900 - 2100 MHz, which is enough to not dissipate in the cable. Today in this article we will talk about what you need to pay attention to when you choose a converter for satellite TV, as well as how to choose the right one and how to check this device for its further correct operation.

Converter selection

Choosing a device for converting signals to low-frequency is one of the most important things when mounting a satellite dish. There are many factors to consider here, many of which are not entirely obvious and perhaps incomprehensible. However, in order to make the choice of a converter for a satellite dish more correct, we have prepared several sections for you, each of which considered one or another aspect that you should pay attention to.

Range support

When choosing a device, you should always pay attention to several factors, the main of which is the frequency range used. As we said earlier, there are two types of bands that can be used in broadcast transmission - these are the Ku and C bands.

Satellites made in Europe tend to transmit Ku-waves. Russian satellites, in turn, can broadcast both in the Ku-band and in the C-band. Based on this, you should decide before buying what type of satellite converter you want to purchase. As observations show, there are plenty of devices capable of working with Ku-band on the market and they are the most popular, although there are devices of a mixed type. If you need an example of this, go to any online store and see for yourself.

Signal polarization

If we take converters that work with the Ku band, then here we must also take into account the type of LNB (it can be linear and circular). LNB is a special device that is mounted in front of a satellite dish and amplifies incoming signals. Without going into details of the differences between linear and circular amplifiers, we will immediately tell you that by purchasing a universal converter for a satellite dish, you will receive a linear LNB, which can be made circular at any time.

For the curious, let's say that the circular satellite converter differs from the linear one in that they work with different polarizations, of which there are two types:

circular;
linear.

Different operators use different polarizations, therefore, which converter to choose (satellite circular or linear) is up to you, adjusting to the operator. However, as we said earlier, universal converters can easily solve this problem. Also, such devices are perfect for those who are connected to several operators at the same time, who use different polarizations.

Noise figure and noise temperature

If you have your eye on a satellite converter that works with Ku-type waves, then you need to pay attention to the noise figure, which displays the minimum value of the satellite signal reception level. Accordingly, the higher this value, the better.

For converters that work with C-waves, such an indicator as noise temperature is taken into account. Here everything is a little opposite: the lower the noise temperature value, the better the ability of the converter for satellite TV to receive incoming signals will be. The optimum noise temperature today is considered to be 15 K.

In addition to the above, you should also pay attention to the number of outputs of the converter, because you can easily purchase a satellite converter for 2 outputs in case you need more outputs. There are devices for 1, 2, 4 and 8 independent outputs. In principle, you can always purchase a device with eight outputs, but you may not use all of them, which will only lead to a waste of money. The main principle for choosing the number of outputs is that their number should be equal to the number of TVs in the house.

Device setup

Converter setup always starts with correct installation the plate itself. Understanding how to do this is easy. Another thing is to put it all into practice:

When you achieve an acceptable antenna tilt angle, you can move on to adjusting the satellite converter itself to amplify the incoming signal:

if you do a U-turn satellite converter in one direction or another, you can amplify the incoming signal;
it is not recommended to move the device to the mirror, since by changing the angle of adjustment it will be necessary to perform first.

When you catch the highest quality satellite signal, fix the dish and the satellite antenna converter stronger and start checking the quality of the broadcast. The next step is software configuration, which will be discussed later.

How to check satellite converter

The correct installation of the satellite TV converter can be checked by trying to find a channel:

Using the instructions described in the article, you can set up the converter for both NTV and MTS yourself. However, do not forget that, despite the fact that everything may look very simple in words, in reality everything can be much more complicated. And to make it easier for you in your endeavors, we are ready to answer all your questions on this topic in the comments below.

If you are not confident in your actions and think that your actions can somehow harm the final state of the entire structure, then we strongly recommend that you still seek help from specialists who will help you solve this problem.

to transmitting equipment. And, depending on which device is used and a certain number and quality of channels are received. Now, in most cases, satellite dishes are used. They are equipped with a certain set of equipment: a plate, a cable, a converter, a receiver, and so on.

How to check the performance and technical potential television antenna?

But, like any other technique, this device can fail not only with mechanical damage, but also with improper connection. In such situations, you need to know how to check the television antenna without resorting to the services of specialists.

There are a number of reasons why the satellite dish on the TV does not work:

The absence of a power supply circuit in the receiver-converter stream (both scales are zero, which means there is no contact).
The antenna is not tuned (there is a signal strength scale, but there is no quality scale).
The converter is faulty (signal strength may be present, but there is no quality scale).
The memory in the receiver settings has flown (during a long “rest”).

First of all, you should pay attention to the TV cable. It should be intact, and without any pinches.

If this is a multi-storey building, then you will only have to check the performance of one end of the cable (with a plug). For this, a multimeter (tester) is used, which measures the resistance between the braid and the central core wire. A value of several tens of ohms is considered a normal indicator. If it is greater than or close to "0", an open or short circuit has occurred. In this case, it is better to find out if the neighbors have a signal and, if so, the problem is in the junction box or in the area from it to the plug.
If this is a private house, then you can check the resistance of both ends of the TV cable. First you need to turn off all the equipment from the outlet. Then disconnect the wire from the antenna and from the TV. And in the same way, check the braid and the central core for a short circuit with a tester. Here, the health of the cable shows an infinite value of resistance. But, if you close the central core and the braid, the multimeter should show a value close to "0".

When the device detects a malfunction, it is necessary, first, to find the weak spot in the cable. This usually occurs in places of sharp bends, connected segments or swayed by the wind. If everything is in order with the TV wire, the cause of the problem should be looked for elsewhere.

How to check the head (converter) of a satellite dish

The most common problem with satellite instruments is the failure of the antenna head (LNB) or DISEQC (switch). This is usually understandable if some TV channels suddenly stopped showing. The converter can fail due to precipitation, short circuits and sudden power surges.

To check if this problem is really related to a converter or disk failure, you must:

Turn on the channel that stopped working.
Unscrew the LNB head from the cable.
Disconnect the center wire from the receiver and connect to the LNB.
If in this situation the channel began to show, then the disk (switch) is faulty. Otherwise, the converter is broken.

But, if there is no connection even when replacing the LNB head, then you should look for the reason in the equipment settings.

How to check TV antenna signal

This is a very common error in satellite systems. It seems that the equipment was working fine, but at one fine moment, when you turn on the TV, a window appears on the screen with the inscription " No signal".

To check the level of the satellite signal, go to the receiver settings:

IMPORTANT. When installing new equipment, you can visually inspect the neighboring TV antennas, that is, find out the provider and in which direction they are turned. So you don’t have to find out the location of the settlement, the name and coordinates of the satellite in orbit and make calculations.

How to test a satellite dish receiver

Before proceeding with the next attempt to test the antenna, it is better to try the previous steps again. Perhaps there was a mistake somewhere. If all else fails, you can check the receiver for serviceability.

In any case, you should not immediately rush and buy a faulty item or call the wizard. It is better to try to go through each TV antenna test item 2-3 times. Only then can any conclusions be drawn.

If your satellite system stopped showing some channels, then this may be due to a breakdown of the converter (head) or due to a malfunction of the switch (disc). A malfunction of these devices usually leads to the failure of the television channels of one of the satellites. To identify a head or disk malfunction, you must turn on any satellite television channel that does not work. Near the satellite dish, in its rear part, disconnect the antenna cable by unscrewing the F-nut from the alleged faulty head. Then it is necessary to disconnect the central cable from the disk that goes to the receiver (tuner) and connect it to the alleged faulty head. If, after this action, previously non-working television channels will be shown, then the disc was faulty. How to replace a faulty disk, see the section or on our YouTube channel. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSr59O512uDka0Oj0Sc5GGg. If there are no changes, then the head is faulty or not tuned, the antenna cable that goes from the head to the tuner may be broken, the tuner may also be faulty or the settings of the disk ports in the tuner firmware may be down. See how to adjust the head. How to replace the head, watch the video clip at the link on our website on the "Video clips" page.

How to set up disk ports in the tuner - read the article or watch our YouTube channel. A break in the antenna cable will be visually visible, then it can be eliminated by replacing the entire cable or by connecting the cable using a coupler. A tuner malfunction is found out by replacing it or by diagnosing it in any TV workshop.

More detailed information on this topic is in the video film, which is given with.

Interesting sites about satellite TV -

In this article, we will look at the most common causes of a malfunction in the operation of a satellite dish and how to fix them.

How to check coaxial cable

Often, after repairs, there are problems with the cable. The antenna cable, through which the “head” of the satellite dish is connected to the receiver, can simply be interrupted or shorted after the next repair. There are also cases when the coaxial cable breaks along the line of the central core. To pinpoint the cause of satellite television reception failure, first, check the condition of the cable. Often visual inspection is enough to determine obvious violations of the insulation of the braid, fractures and pinches of the cable.

You can more accurately determine the condition of the cable by armed with a special device - a digital multimeter. If you don’t have such a device at home, then a low-voltage incandescent bulb from a flashlight and a battery is enough mobile phone. Such a simple folk device for checking electrical circuits was popularly called the "arkashka". To check with the help of the "arkashka" you need to connect the core to be tested into a break in the simplest electrical circuit with battery and bulb. If the light comes on, the conductor is intact, and if not, there is a break. Checking a coaxial cable, both with a digital device and with the help of a folk notion such as "arch", is simple: we check in turn the central copper core and the braid.

A working cable should normally call back between the beginnings and ends of the conductors of the same name, but not between opposite ones. Simply put, the central core at the beginning and at the end of the wire should ring normally with the device (the “arch” light will light up), as well as the beginnings and ends of the braids. It is important to bear in mind that between the braid and the core, the device should not ring (the light will not light up). The resistance between these elements should be high - a few mOhm. Low resistance between the aluminum braid and the coaxial cable's copper core indicates a short circuit.

There are also situations when it is not possible to check the integrity of the cable conductors in this way due to the remote location of the dish and the receiver. It is for this case that we can recommend applying the following diagnostic technique: firstly, we check if there is a short circuit between the central core and the screen, and secondly, we intentionally close the core with a shielding braid on one side, and on the other, we check it with the device. If the device squeaks or the “arch” lights up, this means that both the braid line and the core line are completely intact.

Why does a short circuit occur?

The most commonplace option for a short circuit in a cable is incorrect termination of cables and incorrect connection of f-connectors. It's no secret that novice satellite dish installers strive to install this very dish as soon as possible, without giving a damn about reliability and quality. Their main goal is to get the coveted 500 rubles as soon as possible.

To prevent a short circuit, which can cause failure of both the receiver and the LNB, it is necessary to carefully check the correct termination of the cable. There is no particular trick in this process: you need to carefully strip the top insulation by 1.5-2 cm, remove the silver screen back, strip the central gold vein and wind the f-connector. Then it remains only to cut the central copper core so that it protrudes no more than 2-3 mm from the f-connector.

The main mistake that beginners make is that they do not pull the hairs of the aluminum shield of the braid back well enough. These same hairs can eventually come into contact with the central copper core and disable expensive equipment. In fact, a short circuit will occur, which in the worst case will “kill” the receiver. It is also a mistake to cut off the aluminum foil. It is better to simply remove it back so that the f-connector connects better and stays on the coaxial cable. In any case, it is necessary to carefully check whether there is a short circuit between the central core and the “ground” of the braided shield. After applying voltage to the receiver, it will be simply impossible to fix anything.

Breakdowns of LNB “heads”

LNB "head" failures are also very common. Precipitation, short circuit, and overvoltage are the main reasons for the failure of satellite dish converters. To check the failure of a particular LNB, simply disconnect the disk (if you have several converters, of course) and connect the heads one by one directly to the receiver. So in a simple way you will be able to accurately determine the faulty converter.

Hello, dear readers of the blog Man in the house.Ru. In today's article, as you probably already understood, we will consider the most common causes of a malfunction in the operation of a satellite dish and how to fix them.

It's no secret that satellite dish repair can be done by hand. Calling a specialist for tincture can cost you unreasonably expensive. To save the family budget, let's look at how to repair the satellite system with our own hands.

Often, after repairs, there are problems with the cable. The antenna cable, through which the “head” of the satellite dish is connected to the receiver, can simply be interrupted or shorted after the next repair. There are also cases when the coaxial cable breaks along the line of the central core. To pinpoint the cause of satellite television reception failure, first, check the condition of the cable. Often, a visual inspection is sufficient to identify obvious braid insulation failures, cable breaks, and cable pinches.

You can more accurately determine the condition of the cable, armed with a special device - a digital multimeter. If you don’t have such a device at home, then a low-voltage incandescent bulb from a flashlight and a mobile phone battery will suffice. Such a simple folk device for checking electrical circuits was popularly called the "arkashka". To check with the help of the “arch”, you need to connect the core to be tested into a break in the simplest electrical circuit with a battery and a light bulb. If the light comes on, the conductor is intact, and if not, there is a break. Checking a coaxial cable, both with a digital device and with the help of a folk notion such as "arch", is simple: we check in turn the central copper core and the braid.

A working cable should normally call back between the beginnings and ends of the same conductors, but not between opposite ones. Simply put, the central core at the beginning and at the end of the wire should ring normally with the device (the “arch” light will light up), as well as the beginnings and ends of the braids. It is important to bear in mind that between the braid and the core, the device should not ring (the light will not light up). The resistance between these elements should be high - a few mOhm. Low resistance between the aluminum braid and the coaxial cable's copper core indicates a short circuit.

Why does a short circuit occur?

Breakdowns of LNB “heads”

LNB "head" failures are also very common. Precipitation, short circuit, and overvoltage are the main reasons for the failure of satellite dish converters. To check the failure of a particular LNB, simply disconnect the disk (if you have several converters, of course) and connect the heads one by one directly to the receiver. In this simple way, you can accurately determine the faulty converter.