Dish install problems at the lake

[Mgbguy]

I am attempting to utilize the Wally receiver that was installed at my home with a new dish installed at my lake cabin. We will only use the Wally at one location or the other but not both at the same time.

At home a dish tech installed a DishPro Plus twin LNBF antenna that uses a double coax cable connected to a dp44 switch that feeds three Wally receivers in my home. I seem to be receiving the 61.5 and 72.7 satellites and the system works perfectly.

I purchased a DPP1000.2 WA antenna for my lake as well as new coax to run from the dish to receiver. I am attempting to use a single coax directly to one Wally receiver brought from home. I followed the dish instructions to a T and have attempted to find the 119 satellite using several methods; setup using the elevation/skew/azimuth for my location contained in the instructions, a dish align app on my phone, a helper watching the TV while doing a check switch, a cheap signal meter. None of these have worked, after running a check switch I've got no reception. I seem to get a good reading on the meter and although I have no idea what satellite, it is very close to the angles contained in the instruction manual.

This obviously is not my area of expertise, am I attempting to do something that can't be done? Any ideas on what might be wrong?

 

[NYDutch]

Are you sure you're using the correct skew and elevation settings for the western arc and using the correct set points on the dish? Also, use the flat sides of the mount to align the azimuth, not the LNB arm.

 

[Mgbguy]

NYDutch

Thanks for the tip on using the mount for setting the azimuth, I will try that as I have been using the LNB arm. All other settings have been triple checked. I am also a little worried about trees, although they have lost their leaves for winter there are some that are somewhat in the line of sight

 

[NYDutch]

The skew setting throws the arm off as a directional tool unless the skew is about 90 degrees. The trees could be an issue, but I have gotten a usable signal now and then through more foliage than I expected would work. Hopefully getting the azimuth right will put you closer to the right satellites on your meter. Oh, and make sure you're using the magnetic azimuth with your compass, not the actual.

 

[Mgbguy]

Sadly I’ve given up. I’ve checked settings, changed cables, set the dish up on my lakeshore deck on a tripod like an R’ver would do to avoid any trees and still I get zero signal. Absolute zero. The dish is brand new and I can’t imagine something is wrong with it but I don’t know what else to do.

 

[JSheridan]

Sadly I’ve given up. I’ve checked settings, changed cables, set the dish up on my lakeshore deck on a tripod like an R’ver would do to avoid any trees and still I get zero signal. Absolute zero. The dish is brand new and I can’t imagine something is wrong with it but I don’t know what else to do.

Are you using a signal meter?

 

[Mgbguy]

Yes. A cheap one but it registers a strong signal. This led me to believe something was up with cables but I have a brand new cable as well. I have a short cable from the LNB with a joiner to a longer cable. Both cables are new. When I run a check switch I have zilch

 

[JSheridan]

Yes. A cheap one but it registers a strong signal. This led me to believe something was up with cables but I have a brand new cable as well. I have a short cable from the LNB with a joiner to a longer cable. Both cables are new. When I run a check switch I have zilch

You might be getting that strong signal from a different satellite. The sky is pretty crowded up there. I would try looking for another close by signal and trying a check switch on that. Good luck.

 

[osumike]

Yes. A cheap one but it registers a strong signal. This led me to believe something was up with cables but I have a brand new cable as well. I have a short cable from the LNB with a joiner to a longer cable. Both cables are new. When I run a check switch I have zilch

And you're positive you're running the cable from the lnb to the receiver from one of the OUT ports, and not the one labeled IN?

 

[Mgbguy]

Positive on using the first out port and not the one for in. I spent a lot of time making sure the mast is perfectly plumb and setting the correct skew, azimuth etc. I can’t believe anyone can do this without an expensive signal meter. I’ve tried doing slight adjustments to azimuth both directions from what my instructions and phone app tell me and still zero reception. I can understand I might not get perfect signal but zero no matter what seems strange.

 

[rvvaquero]

I can’t believe anyone can do this without an expensive signal meter.

I've been doing it several times a year for several years. You're probably aligned on a non-DISH satellite.

 

[reubenray]

Have you tried to use the Winegard app to look at the satellites.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.winegard.finder&hl=en_US