Best Signal Strength 129 - Use Single 500 Or A 1000?

[fz5j2r]

How much stronger a signal do you get with a Dish 500 compared to a Dish 1000 for 129?

I am having an install this morning and the installer wants to put up a 1000 instead of a 500 for 129. He said in our area a 1000 generates a signal strength of 70 which seems very low to me.

My two 500's give a signal of 100+.

 

[tsduke]

Where are you located? A wing dish is always better but even more so for certain locations.

 

[gadgtfreek]

How much stronger a signal do you get with a Dish 500 compared to a Dish 1000 for 129?

I am having an install this morning and the installer wants to put up a 1000 instead of a 500 for 129. He said in our area a 1000 generates a signal strength of 70 which seems very low to me.

My two 500's give a signal of 100+.

First off, Dish just changed the SS meters on the 622 so we get pretty low numbers now.

I had a 1000.2 for 110/119/129, my 129 numbers were 50-70. I added a D500 for 129 and improved them to 60's-80's which was much better. I generally saw 10-15 points per TP with the 500. I do not know if a 1000 would be any better, and would take up more room for sure.

Regardless, a wing dish(as stated by tsduke) is always better for 129.

Our SS meters now for 129 show 40's to 60's after the software change.

 

[fz5j2r]

Where are you located? A wing dish is always better but even more so for certain locations.

I am located in western Michigan, 35 miles south of Grand Rapids, zip code 49080.

 

[fz5j2r]

First off, Dish just changed the SS meters on the 622 so we get pretty low numbers now.

I had a 1000.2 for 110/119/129, my 129 numbers were 50-70. I added a D500 for 129 and improved them to 60's-80's which was much better. I generally saw 10-15 points per TP with the 500. I do not know if a 1000 would be any better, and would take up more room for sure.

Regardless, a wing dish(as stated by tsduke) is always better for 129.

Our SS meters now for 129 show 40's to 60's after the software change.

It sounds like a 500 would be better. We live close to Lake Michigan and can get periods of heavy lake effect snow which generates a lot of signal drop outs, similar to heavy rain fade. Now if the installer can get it high enough to see 129 over the 80 foot maple trees. I can see 110/119 but 129 is lower and 10 degrees west.

 

[thedamaja]

I have a 1000 here in South Bend, IN and saw very minimal signal increase with a separate 500 on 129.

I'd bet a 1000.2 would pull very similar 129 numbers compared to a 500 at my location.

 

[Hall]

Will this dish only look at 129' or will it be for 110', 119', and 129' ?? If all three, you will not get optimal signal on any of them.

If you already have a Dish 500 pointed at 110'/119', keep that. A 2nd dish, whether it be another 500 or a 1000, will be fine, again, presuming it's pointing at just one satellite location.

 

[fz5j2r]

Well the installer spent four hours yesterday trying to find 129 with no luck. He moved my wing dish to three locations on the roof and while he could "see" 129 with his protractor, we could not get a signal.

I felt bad for the guy because he really tried. The problem was a 60 foot blue spruce and an 80 foot maple. 110/119 were just enough higher to clear the spruce tree. With 129 lower and more westerly, the maple tree came in to play.

I have a spare dish and a tripod and intend to spend some time at another location at the back of our property to see if I can get a signal of sufficient strength.

If successful, I will get the guy back out for a permanent install.

Thanks to everyone who tried to help.

 

[tomtrekkie]

Fussing with the 1000.2 for satellite 129 levels

Hi. New guy here.... I have a 1000.2 & the HD stuff from satellite 129 frequently is "pixelating" and HD recordings are corrupted. The transponder that sends UNIHD seems the worst -- fluctuating 55-65. I've asked the installer to help & they will come out to "peak" aim the 1000.2. As an option, he says I can add a 500 dish for sat129.
2 questions:
1. Do I need to buy another 44 switch, or can we run the cable from the added dish 500 into the internal switch on the 1000.2. The installer wasn't sure. It seems like I should be able to unplug the LNB for sat129 in the 1000.2 and connect the LNB on the additional dish500 to the same point on the 1000.2 switch.
2. He says going to a 24" dish for sat129 would not help. That doesn't make sense to me. Is he right?
Thanks.

 

[Poke]

Well if things go as plan with the MPEG4 Service hopefully Dish can get all of the HD off the 129 onto one of the new Satellites.

 

[Jim5506]

Did he peak it for 129 of 119. Cookie cutter instructions to techs say peak to 119. You must detune 110 and 119 a bit to peak 129, he probably did not do that.

A 24" dish WOULD help, but cost/benefit might not be worth it when you can get a stable signal with a properly peaked D1000 or D1000.2.

 

[fz5j2r]

Well if things go as plan with the MPEG4 Service hopefully Dish can get all of the HD off the 129 onto one of the new Satellites.

Boy, I sure hope so. I had an installer try to mount a dish to receive 129 recently. He worked four hours with no luck.

The sad thing is we have been waiting forever for FSN Detroit to be available in HD. They recently added it to, you guessed it, 129!!

Moving all the RSN HD channels to another satellite would make my day.