ASL-1 substitute

Nope, that won't work.  That's why the ASL-1 was invented in the first place.  A cheaper solution might be to align the dish using your legacy meter with a non-SWM LNB, then swap to a SWM LNB once the dish is aligned.

this is one of the best meters ever built!  with the proper configuration, using a SW2s splitters it actually works.  I use this meter as a back up (when my Birdog Ultra battery dies) or precise fine tuning when doing Wildblue installs.

Hey peds do you not use your ultra for Wildblue also? To me it is precise as it gets when you set the signal to noise set to db it will give you almost the exact reading you get from WB QOI check.

yes I use the Ultra for Wildblue all the time.   But since Wildblue is scarce is my area, sometimes I forget to charge the battery.   so I always have the ADV1000 as a back up.  Also on rare occasion when I get a red light, I used this back up for fine tuning since you can lower there gain.  BTW, I heard rumors that the Ultra is going to be compatible with the new Wildblue sat.  which I would love, since aligning the new dish with beeps, is not appealing to me!

OK guys,

I've got one yes, one no, and two hijacks.

I know about using a legacy lnb to tune, but I am involved with some situations that would

make leaving the SWM easier.  I know that the power pass splitter works with several legacy

meters (BirDog, Super Buddy, and Applied Inst. 9520).

West9999, What is the "proper configuration" that you refer to?

Thanks to all for trying to help.

Here is yet another hijack.  Why is this not in the installers forum?

dcd,

I'm not an installer, but maybe they will adopt me.

Go kick rocks!

yeah i wish but it will not, response below from Horizon maker of birddog.

1.The Ka-Band carriers on ViaSat-1 are DVB-S2 ACM modulation and the Birdog Ultra is not equipped with a DVB-S2 ACM tuner assembly.

2.The ODU control protocol (FSK data that controls the polarization and Tx and Rx parameters) is proprietary to ViaSat.

Currently at this time there are no meters on the market capable of acquiring a direct lock on ViaSat-1 services and the only technique available to installers would be to use the ODU signal beeper system driven by the modem setup function. Even if splitters were used to pass the signal to a spectrum analyzer it’s is likely that the down-converted frequencies would not within range (as these would likely be sub L-Band below 950MHz).

Peds48_installs

Is the proper configuration that you refer to just the power passing/blocking

splitter, or is something else necessary?

west999 good info!

correct, just the power pass and blocking.

Well, that certainly answers the question.   Your questions and comments indicated a knowledge level well above the average user.  You're welcome here, of course.  If you need me, I'll be out kicking some rocks.

funny....

Sounds like a variation of rock/paper/scissors.  I think you're going to lose.