Dish pointing issue SL5

[Agilesite]

I have an odd dish pointing issue with a new SL5 dish. I was totally unable to pickup 99/101/103 with the recommended bearings for my location. I was able to find 110 with a good strong signal and was able to hit 119 on a slight variation.

After using the DP AR iPhone app and tweaking for a few hours, I tried something crazy that worked. Dishpointer and DTV says to use 45 elevation and 65 tilt for my area. (NC mountains, near boone)

I turn the dish to 090 on the tilt and elevated about 15 on the elevation. Basically pointed directly at cluster. I then got high signal 87/90/92 on the 99/101/103 birds. I would just leave this, but my receiver complains that 119 is at zero. It says it causes a guide issue.

I tried to tilt over to 65 but then loose signal on the good 3. What should I do here? Anyone know a good technique to transition.

Second question. My cabin is at 3000ft, does altitude effect the elevation?

 

[Jimbo]

With the 119 having no signal, that is why the guide says your having issues.

Your elevation shouldn't make enough difference as in having to change your settings.

 

[BobStokesbary]

Agilesite,
There could be a couple of things in play here. First, are you certain that you have the pole mount absolutely vertical? You really need a torpedo or post level to be sure. You cannot count on that crappy little level in the pole itself. This is absolutely critical for everything else to work correctly and it sounds like your pole is not vertical.

Second. did you peak on sat 101 only and get the absolutely best readings you can for just this sat? It sounds like you used 110 as your basis and are sort of sliding around between the different satellites. You must really hone in on sat 101. Step one is to move the dish side to side for the very best reading on the azimuth axis (217.9 according to dishpointer). Then you need to tighten the bolts around the pole and move the elevation setting up and down. When you do this, I think you will see there is a difference between the signal strength on your elevation setting of 45 degrees and the 43.3 suggested by dishpointer.com. Whatever, get the best reading on 101 you can adjusting only the elevation. Lock down the elevation bolts when you have the best reading. You are not going to touch these settings again.

Finally, tilt the dish to the right (standing behind the dish) to the 65.7 degree mark suggested by dishpointer.com. Set the meter in your receiver for sat 119 and slowly move the dish a bit to the left and then to the right for the best reading. You should be golden.

If this does not work, it would seem that you have a warped dish. While it is not that common, it happens and the only way to rectify the problem is with a new dish.

Let us know if this works for you.
Bob

 

[texasbrit]

To reinforce what Bob posted, with a slight variation. First set the dish to the values suggested by dishpointer. Including the tilt. Then move the azimuth about ten degrees to the left. Slowly move the dish to the right until you get a peak on 101. Then adjust the elevation to make sure you have the 101 peaked completely. When the dish is peaked on 101 you should get most transponders on 101 in the high 90s or evn 100 (some are spotbeams and will be low or even zero). Until you are peaked on 101 and have at least very high 90s don't even look at the other satellites, the dish is designed so when it is aligned on 101 all the other satellites will be aligned also. Trying to adjust the dish to get decent signals on 99/103 is a waste of time until it is peaked properly on 101.

Once the dish is peaked on 101 then you can use the "fine tune" controls in azimuth and elevation to peak the other satellites. 99c, 103ca and 103cb should all be in the high 80s and low 90s. 119 should have some transponders in the very high 90s or even 100.

 

[raoul5788]

to Satelliteguys Agilesite!

Good point texasbrit, you must get 101 dialed in before attempting to get the other sats.

 

[Agilesite]

Thank you for the assistance. I did have the mast dead on level. Checked with the mast level and sides with a torpedo. (No iphone level used). I dialed peaked 101 to 100% with the tilt back over to 65 and got it.

I wonder if something is slightly off in my adjustment bracket. I have 100% on 101/119 and high-mid 90 on others, but my elevation is nearly 50 vs 43.

Thank you all

 

[texasbrit]

Thank you for the assistance. I did have the mast dead on level. Checked with the mast level and sides with a torpedo. (No iphone level used). I dialed peaked 101 to 100% with the tilt back over to 65 and got it.

I wonder if something is slightly off in my adjustment bracket. I have 100% on 101/119 and high-mid 90 on others, but my elevation is nearly 50 vs 43.

Thank you all

Are you sure you are reading the elevation correctly? The elevation is marked by the edge of the metal slider not where the locking screw is....

 

[Agilesite]

Right. It is the blade of metal in the slot I am reading. Not the screw.

 

[BobStokesbary]

If you are high mid-nineties on the others you are golden. You are not necessarily going to get 100 on all. Just run through the channels to see if they work. They should. I wouldn't worry about the discrepancy in the elevation. If you get your best signal on 50 just leave it there.

 

[raoul5788]

Are you sure you are pointing at 101? Can you post all of the signal strength numbers for 101 and 119?