BATC Forum

I am completely new to this - as may be evident from what I am about to write...!
I am trying to get my MiniTiouner up and running just on Rx at the moment and then I'll think about Tx. One step at a time. So - using the latest MiniTioune V0_9_9_1 package, and following the read me document:
- TestMyMiniTiouner V2_3 gets green LED's. 58% performance which isn't brilliant but (I hope) sufficient to start with
-Chech MiniTiouner Driver and Filters V0_6a gets all green LEDs with moving pictures and associated sounds.
Testing voltages around the board: Supply (input) 13.1V; DC-DC output = 4.1V; L1 = 3.25V; L2 = 1.1V; L3 = 3.25V; LNA A (top) = 12.95V; LNA B (bottom) = 12.95V
So far so good. I think.
MiniTiouner LNA A is connected to 4G LTE Signal Filter and on to 90cms offset dish (which works fine for QO-100 NB). The dish has a Bullseye LNB which, because I am feeding it with 12V (the filter does pass the DC through), I have turned through 90 degrees to horizontal (18V buck converter is on the shopping list).
Then I load the MiniTioune software (I think I have configured the .ini file correctly with callsign, locater etc) looking for the A71A DATV Beacon. And that's where this journey stops I have attached a screen shot of what I get; the kS/s value in the green box in the Symbolrate keeps changing; the Carrier and SR Lock meters 'twitch' but I don't get any green LEDs across the bottom row.
Does the screen shot give any clues - I am doing (or not doing) something daft?
Any help much appreciated
73 Simon GM0SCA

PS - thanks to Justin for the excellent front and rear panels and OLED - makes it look very professional... just need to get it working now!!

Hi Simon,

Have you tried to receive a "normal" TV station on that sat? France24 is on the right hand side as a button available.
Does this work?
And also tried to set DVB mode to "Auto" for the beacon.
And also codec to H264 (right hand side)
Video PID 257

73
Rainer

I don't think that the France24 button changes the frequency. It selects PIDs that have been scanned from a received signal. The ones there at startup must be some defaults.

When you first start the program and put in the beacon frequency if it doesn't default to that, do you see the line in the frequency box below the MiniTioune logo zig-zagging from side to side as it looks for the signal?

Brian

G4EWJ wrote: ↑

Wed May 17, 2023 1:05 am

I don't think that the France24 button changes the frequency. It selects PIDs that have been scanned from a received signal. The ones there at startup must be some defaults.

When you first start the program and put in the beacon frequency if it doesn't default to that, do you see the line in the frequency box below the MiniTioune logo zig-zagging from side to side as it looks for the signal?

Brian

Thanks Brian

The program defaults to the beacon and I get exactly as shown in the screen grab in my earlier post - two separate vertical lines. I do get the zigzag lines if I hit the Scan button and I have left that running for a good few minutes, but no change. I did notice that the Offset was slightly different - on start up it shows 09749997; assuming this refers to the LNB, mine is 9750 but changing the value makes no difference once all three boxes (top left) are green.

Simon.

DG8KD wrote: ↑

Tue May 16, 2023 4:38 pm

Hi Simon,

Have you tried to receive a "normal" TV station on that sat? France24 is on the right hand side as a button available.
Does this work?
And also tried to set DVB mode to "Auto" for the beacon.
And also codec to H264 (right hand side)
Video PID 257

73
Rainer

Hello Rainer

Thanks for your suggestions - sadly no difference

73 Simon

Hi Simon,

The dish is properly aligned on 25.8 E?

Checked with a normal sat receiver?

73
Rainer

How strong was the narrow band centre beacon on this setup? Has it now disappeared with rotating the LNB 90 degrees? Maybe you need to tweak the dish some more to get enough signal on the wideband? Have you tried without the 4g filter? Maybe it's faulty?

Have you tried the other Minitiouner port?

Good luck, sounds rather frustrating but I'm sure you'll sort it.

Maybe you know someone near who can try the Miitiouner on a known working wide band dish setup if you get desperate? I'd do it for you with pleasure but I am not exactly near, you'd have to post it!

Chris 2E0ILY

DG8KD wrote: ↑

Wed May 17, 2023 8:26 am

Hi Simon,

The dish is properly aligned on 25.8 E?

Checked with a normal sat receiver?

73
Rainer

Hi Rainer

Yes - dish is aligned, works fine on NB

Basil wrote: ↑

Wed May 17, 2023 8:40 am

How strong was the narrow band centre beacon on this setup? Has it now disappeared with rotating the LNB 90 degrees? Maybe you need to tweak the dish some more to get enough signal on the wideband? Have you tried without the 4g filter? Maybe it's faulty?

Good luck, sounds rather frustrating but I'm sure you'll sort it.

Maybe you know someone near who can try the Miitiouner on a known working wide band dish setup if you get desperate? I'd do it for you with pleasure but I am not exactly near, you'd have to post it!

Chris 2E0ILY

Hi Chris

OK so... 4G filter makes little difference in / out of circuit. SDR Console shows ~54dBm on the NB PSK beacon (10489.750) with the LNB at -18 degrees skew; virtually nothing with the LNB approx 90 degrees (i.e. horizontal). I'll have another check with the dish alignment. I don't know if there are any GM's near me using QO-100 - it's probably the only way of me getting on DATV due to my location in a valley.

Thanks for your thoughts - 73 Simon

You should be able to see the Beacon Hump in SDR COnsole at least 3-5dB above the noise floor. On the basis you can see NB, you should see the WB beacon with the LNB at 90 degrees rotated.
Good luck.
Gareth