Aiming a 3LNB dish in metro atlanta, need help.

[Optical Serenity]

Hi everyone, I'm a noob, so sorry for the newbie questions...I'm sure I'll have a bunch. i'm continually searching the archives, but this one is specific to me...so thanks in advance.

Just for reference, I live in the zip code 30062, near Sprayberry Rd and Scufflegrit Rd, in Marietta, GA.

I bought a H-20 receiver and a 3LNB dish. Well, I set all the settings on the dish and mounted it. Only issue is, now I get about 89% signal on satellite C, and 0% on A & B.

On A, I get some signal on two of the transponders (mainly #30), but otherwise nothing.

I've tried fine tuning all the adjustments on the dish, and even replaced my coax with RG-6 copper core to insure that wasn't the problem. I have nothing between my dish and my receiver. Using a 50 foot RG-6 line that is brand new.

I do have a few trees in the backyard directly where the dish is pointing. Unfortunately unless I somehow persuade my neighbor otherwise, I can't do much about the trees as they are his, and the neighborhood has tons of covenants about chopping down trees.

Is there any tips or trick I need to try with this? I've reset the receiver too, no help.

Thanks in advance.

Oh, and btw, with my single LNB dish that this is replacing, I had 98% or so reception.

 

[boba]

Hi everyone, I'm a noob, so sorry for the newbie questions...I'm sure I'll have a bunch. i'm continually searching the archives, but this one is specific to me...so thanks in advance.

Just for reference, I live in the zip code 30062, near Sprayberry Rd and Scufflegrit Rd, in Marietta, GA.

I bought a H-20 receiver and a 3LNB dish. Well, I set all the settings on the dish and mounted it. Only issue is, now I get about 89% signal on satellite C, and 0% on A & B.

On A, I get some signal on two of the transponders (mainly #30), but otherwise nothing.

I've tried fine tuning all the adjustments on the dish, and even replaced my coax with RG-6 copper core to insure that wasn't the problem. I have nothing between my dish and my receiver. Using a 50 foot RG-6 line that is brand new.

I do have a few trees in the backyard directly where the dish is pointing. Unfortunately unless I somehow persuade my neighbor otherwise, I can't do much about the trees as they are his, and the neighborhood has tons of covenants about chopping down trees.

Is there any tips or trick I need to try with this? I've reset the receiver too, no help.

Thanks in advance.

Oh, and btw, with my single LNB dish that this is replacing, I had 98% or so reception.

First problem you have is you bought the wrong dish. If you bought the H20 you have a MPEG4 receiver and for all new HDTV channels you need the AT9 Ka band dish. If you had done your upgrade through Directv you should have cotten a free installation with the correct equipment.

 

[Optical Serenity]

Well, its more complicated than that. For reasons not related to this thread, I have always done the installs myself. I cannot have outside contractors come in my home. (It is work related, I work for the government, and its not allowed, for security purposes).

Anyway, I have always done installs myself, and it has never been a problem. I went to circuit city to buy a H-20 and a 5LNB dish, but they refused to sell me the 5LNB dish. They said they'd love to, but D* would not allow them to. I spoke to d* retentions and they said I could get the 3LNB or I could buy the 5LNB off the net and they'd refund me.

So, for now I have a 3LNB, and I'm ok with that. Its supposed to be easier to point than the AT9 anyway. Also I hardly ever watch local channels, and I can use an OTA antenna.

 

[Jimbo]

Optical Serenity,

You've been given some slightly incorrect info there, you CAN use the 3LNB set up that you purchased with the H-20, however when it comes to the MPEG4 channels, you will not get THEM without the AT-9 dish.

A lot of people were using the 3 LNB with the H-20 in the beginning as D* had a push to get the H-20 out to the market. Yoo don't really need the AT-9 till the Mpeg4 is turned on in your area.

You should be ok if you are mounting you dish in the same locatiion as your old one, perticularly if you had in the 90's for signal strengh.

Set the dish up as you would the old single, make all your adjustment set to what the receiver tells you as a starting point.

Make sure the mast is absolutely level... Very IMPORTANT, you trying to hit sat's 23,000 miles away

Make sure you set it up in the receiver as a 3 LNB set up, not single.
Once you find the original sat, the one you were using . Then you can move the skew slightly till you get your max. peak.

Jimbo

 

[Optical Serenity]

If I have about 90% signal on Sat C, then is it just the tilt adjustment to get A & B?

 

[Jimbo]

If I have about 90% signal on Sat C, then is it just the tilt adjustment to get A & B?

Actually it should be the other way around, get the 101 first, thats the one that the majiority of programming is on, then check the tilt for the other 2, thay should fall right in place when you get the tilt correct, you will notice that the LNB's will be tilted at that time.

If you get the 101 in strong, use the tilt,then when you get a signal,tighten up bolts and then once tight, put pressure on each side to determine if you can peak it any further.

Jimbo

 

[Optical Serenity]

So I should try to get A aligned first? And with A aligned its easy to get the other two using tilt? Ok, guess I will try that...

 

[Optical Serenity]

Ok, I got it aimed!!!!

101 (transponder 1): 77%
119 (transponder 22): 82%
110 (transponder 8): 71%

Everything is working so far, all the HD is fine, and so far all regular channels seam to be great. Do I need to tweak it anymore, or are these fairly typical?

 

[charper1]

Those are low: need to try to tweak to around 90 minimum for the 101 (I get 96 on 101, 91 on 119 and 89 on 110). Are you 110% sure that mast is level & plumb? If it is not perfect the azimuth and elevation are off.

 

[boba]

On a H20 receiver those signals are good. The H20 reads 10-20% lower than other D* receivers. Connect your old receiver and you should see higher signal strengths.

 

[ArtWIS]

Ok, I got it aimed!!!!

101 (transponder 1): 77%
119 (transponder 22): 82%
110 (transponder 8): 71%

Everything is working so far, all the HD is fine, and so far all regular channels seam to be great. Do I need to tweak it anymore, or are these fairly typical?

Hey way to go! I knew the folks here would be able to help you out.

 

[Jimbo]

Hey way to go! I knew the folks here would be able to help you out.

Yes those are good signal strenghs for the H-20 receiver.

Good work ArtWIS,

We knew you could do it.

Now IF all dish connections are tight and you want to tweak to see if you can do any better, go ahaed and apply a SLIGHT amount of pressue on the sides
(Up and down ) (and side to side) to see if it picks up any, remember it could also go down, if so , leave it where it is.

Jimbo

 

[charper1]

On a H20 receiver those signals are good. The H20 reads 10-20% lower than other D* receivers. Connect your old receiver and you should see higher signal strengths.

Sorry, I mis-read. I thought he was using an older receiver and a PhaseIII.