DIY Site Evaluation?

[CowboyDren]

I'm trying to get a Dish Network (DVR510) installed at my house, but a pro installer I talked to today said I wasn't eligible. I'm unimpressed with this installer's knowledge level, and not inclined to believe what he told me about anything at all, including aiming.

My boss has a Dish system that's a few years old and is not in use. I have a ladder and a screwdriver, and I'm now threatening to use it tonight. By clamping his dish to my post, and watching a screen on his (deactivated) reciever, can I find out if I can hit the satellites I need to hit to get service?

I'm at a latitude of 39.00 and longitude of 94.46, can y'all offer me any pointers?

 

[BFG]

Sure, a deactivated receiver will work just fine to to see if you can hit the satellites.

The only thing I can think of you being ineligible for a receiver is if you tried to sign up for the lease plan and you have bad credit or something. Since you're a DIY type of guy anyways you can probably fine that receiver or the 501/508 on ebay real cheap

 

[CowboyDren]

Nah, if this experiment works, I'll be signing up on the web as a new, fully-qualified customer. The package on the web site includes the DVR510 as a free equipment upgrade, rebates the activation fee, offers a $12/mo discount on any programming package for 3mos (could have sworn it was for 12mos) and free professional installation. It's just a better deal.

This installer with whom I spoke said that the tree was in the way, hence my ineligibility. What kills me is that if I could move the dish 12' south, it'd clear the one limb that might be in the way, but that pipe is my neighbor's roof, not mine (duplex). It's really damned close, but I'm from Missouri, and I demand that you Show Me!

In a nutshell, would you mind telling me what vector this thing's supposed to follow? I downloaded that calculator thingie, but I'm not sure that I'm reading it right. The Dish goes 205° (south by south west) out and 40° up? And that's dead-middle?

 

[BFG]

Is the dish you're going to be using have 1 or 2 lnbs on it (the circles facing the dish) if it has 2 you need to select dish 500 in the calculator setting and set the skew value first (it would be on the back of the dish and it rotates the dish clockwise and counter)

but yes the 205 would be the azmuith setting and that's the left right motion of the dish. and 40 is the elevation and that's the up down.

On the receiver you'd go into the point dish screen (menu 6-9-1) select satellite 119 and transponder 11

Set the dish at the 40 elevation and use a compass to get it pointing in the general direction, then you'll have to move it slightly left or right until a signal is picked up on the receiver. Then you'd tighten the bolts on the pole slightly and loosen the elevation bolts and you're going to tilt the dish up and down until you get the signal even higher as high as it can go.

 

[CowboyDren]

One last check; why am I picking the 119W Satellite and Transponder 11?

 

[Dish Dude]

it is a base transponder to check readings, also are you sure you're not in SD country, ask because 1 dish isn't always enough to get all of your programming

 

[CowboyDren]

Gosh, I hope not. I've talked to several sales reps at Dish, as well as the local moron, and I never heard anything about multiple dishes. Should I say that I'm in Kansas City and hope that another local is watching this thread?

 

[CowboyDren]

Last night was a big night for me. I couldn't remember if it was 119W Tx5 or Tx11, so I wasted a bit of time looking for Tx5. The mount point(s) I'd picked yesterday are clearly inappropriate, as I can barely see 110W (but several Bell satellites), and can't see 119W at all. I was using an earlier Dish 500 system with dual LNB, but no skew setting on the dish, which really hurt my productivity, too.

Eventually, I moved the dish to the north-eastern-most corner of my yard, and dinked with it there. Pointing the dish far more to the west and quite a bit lower in the sky than I thought was right, I finally hit 119W Tx5 with about 83 points of signal. Then, just for giggles, I selected Tx11, and KERBLAMMO, signal pegged out at over 110. Scrolling through the full Tx list on 119W, 5 and 9 were the weakest at "only" 85, with most being over 98, some over 110. I was psyched.

Now I just have to figure out how to hard-mount the dish in the ground without riling up my landlord. Those 30" dishes look mighty attractive, too...

 

[boba]

Last night was a big night for me. I couldn't remember if it was 119W Tx5 or Tx11, so I wasted a bit of time looking for Tx5. The mount point(s) I'd picked yesterday are clearly inappropriate, as I can barely see 110W (but several Bell satellites), and can't see 119W at all. I was using an earlier Dish 500 system with dual LNB, but no skew setting on the dish, which really hurt my productivity, too.

Eventually, I moved the dish to the north-eastern-most corner of my yard, and dinked with it there. Pointing the dish far more to the west and quite a bit lower in the sky than I thought was right, I finally hit 119W Tx5 with about 83 points of signal. Then, just for giggles, I selected Tx11, and KERBLAMMO, signal pegged out at over 110. Scrolling through the full Tx list on 119W, 5 and 9 were the weakest at "only" 85, with most being over 98, some over 110. I was psyched.

Now I just have to figure out how to hard-mount the dish in the ground without riling up my landlord. Those 30" dishes look mighty attractive, too...

No dish 500 was ever made without a SKEW setting on it.