dish pointing question

[robertjp]

At my cottage ,I am trying to point my dish but sometimes it works and sometimes it doesnt. I dont get a great signal 66-73 ish but it usually works but not always. My question is when i was pointing it at 101, it showed 32 transponders with a signal strength for each. Should I be concentrating on transponder #1 only when pointing? or another?

One day it worked with a strength of 66 and one day it did not work at 64 with n/a for transponder #2.

Thanks in advance BP

 

[raoul5788]

At my cottage ,I am trying to point my dish but sometimes it works and sometimes it doesnt. I dont get a great signal 66-73 ish but it usually works but not always. My question is when i was pointing it at 101, it showed 32 transponders with a signal strength for each. Should I be concentrating on transponder #1 only when pointing? or another?

One day it worked with a strength of 66 and one day it did not work at 64 with n/a for transponder #2.

Thanks in advance BP

First, make sure the mast or pole is plumb. This is very important! Now, are all of the bolts tight? Also very important! Check the signal levels when the weather is good and bad, if possible. Assuming you are sd only, the numbers on 101 should be in the high 80's and 90's. If not, the dish likely needs realigning.

 

[robertjp]

its in the middle of the woods, only a narrow opening thats why 60s-70s. Does it get the signal high up or lower toward the horizon?

 

[jdspencer]

If you are getting some signal strengths, then you need to tweak its aim a little. Unless there are some trees blocking the line of sight.

Try moving the azimuth a little to the left and then to the right, waiting for the receiver to show the change. Once you have the best strength you can then do the same with elevation. When I had the 18" dish I would set my receiver to show the signal strength on the TP (not a spot beam - 4, 12, 18, 20, 26 or 28) with the lowest value. Then tweak for the highest value there.

 

[Jimbo]

its in the middle of the woods, only a narrow opening thats why 60s-70s. Does it get the signal high up or lower toward the horizon?

robert,
The signal comes in much higher than the arm is, so you can't use that as an alignment ....
If your shooting into a hole chances are the trees higher up are the ones obstructing your view.

 

[robertjp]

So I should use the lowest transponder signal to tweak but not 4,12,18,20, 26, or 28? Why are those transponders special? I ordered a signal meter as well, I 'll keep tweeking. Thanks guys. BP