Do I need 2 satellite dishes?

[Knirbed]

I manage a multiunit residence. We have 19 “drops” on a Dish system and have the bulk plan. Each unit gets the same channels. The system was installed about 22 years ago. We have 2 satellite dishes on the roof. The other day, one of the two tilted forward and the “point“ is resting on the roof. We have had no disruption in service. This dish looks older than the other one. I am wondering if new equipment might have been installed at some point and the old equipment was not removed. I have read online of accounts where satellite tv companies did not remove old equipment because of liability and/or recycling issues. I’ve inserted photo. Any insights into whether we need both dishes? Thanks in advance.

 

[detuch254]

Those dishes both have standard single orbital LNBs so they each only received one satellite. Depending on where your multiunit residence is located within the continental US, the configuration could have been one dish getting 61.5W and another dish getting 72.7W, or one dish getting 110W/129W (not sure which one of them two) and the other getting 119W.

 

[TheKrell]

These days both eastern and western arc satellite constellations consist of 2 orbital locations.

Eastern arc: 61.5/72
Western arc: 110/119

We have had no disruption in service.

Presumably each of your single satellite dishes was pointed at one of these locations. But if one of the dishes is now pointed at the ground, you should be missing a lot of channels. I suggest you find a receiver and see what it still receives.

 

[harshness]

Notice that the "tripod" on the near dish appears to have tipped over. If you haven't lost any content, I'd guess that dish isn't doing anything for you.

 

[detuch254]

The only reason I'd see the tipped dish have no disruption in service is if the OP's config was 119 and 129W. The tipped dish may have been aimed at 129, and since 129 was recently sunset by DISH, the OP noticed no difference in channel reception once 129 was out of alignment

 

[harshness]

The only reason I'd see the tipped dish have no disruption in service is if the OP's config was 119 and 129W. The tipped dish may have been aimed at 129, and since 129 was recently sunset by DISH, the OP noticed no difference in channel reception once 129 was out of alignment

A two-slot DISH configuration would be 110W and 119W. The dishes are currently aimed more than 80 degrees apart.

The one that remains standing seems to be aimed relatively low in the sky as it is.

 

[Mr Tony]

Note the original poster put Hawaii as location. That’s probably why there are 2 dishes.

 

[harshness]

That’s probably why there are 2 dishes.

I don't think anyone is questioning the two dishes. The question is how losing one of the slots isn't impacting the reception of programming.

If I had to guess, I'd say that 119W was added later (since the slot was added later) and the 110W dish is the one that tipped. A loss of 110W should have a major impact on many popular channels in most any English language package.

If both dishes were aimed at 110W, maybe the TS's suspicion about the old dish having been taken out of service is correct.

I don't think we have enough of the story to work with (especially the programming package information).

 

[Knirbed]

Thanks for your replies. I am in Hawaii. The programming package we get is multi unit plan with standard channels—no premium movie channels (HBO, SHO, etc.) but the option of pay per view is available but not used. No internet.

I think the mount that is attached to a ”sheet” that Is on the roof and held down by the cinderblocks got so rusty it just gave out in some heavy winds we recently had.

 

[Bobby]

All of Hawaii's channels are on 119. Nothing on 110 and of course 129 is gone. If your subs have all the channels that were available to them before that dish fell down I'd say it's safe to simply remove the fallen dish entirely. It was probably aimed at 129.

 

[Almighty1]

And before removing the DISH that has fallen, try disconnecting the cable to see if you lose any of the programming just as a precaution.

 

[Knirbed]

An update…the Channel package is America’s Top 120. i checked all of the stations on the list provided by Dish and I found out that we are missing some channels. Partial list of those missing: Binge, Bounce, Cozi, Daystar, Fanduel, FM, Fuse, Grio, getTV, law &Crime,MTV Live, Pursuit, TBN, Sirius XM, and a bunch of shopping channels. If I enter the channel number for these channels I get a “Signal Code: 11-12-11” indicating that there is an obstruction at the dish.

A number of replies to my original post indicated that two dishes were not needed in Hawaii anymore. I anm assuming I do given the information above. But I am also wondering if the dishes I have are old and a newer dish may make it possible to eliminate the need for two. Would that make sense? The repairman is saying that the I need a new “non-penetrating roof mount” and a “rubber mat for NPRM”. Total, with labor, is just under $900.
Thanks in advance

 

[tjboston5676]

An update…the Channel package is America’s Top 120. i checked all of the stations on the list provided by Dish and I found out that we are missing some channels. Partial list of those missing: Binge, Bounce, Cozi, Daystar, Fanduel, FM, Fuse, Grio, getTV, law &Crime,MTV Live, Pursuit, TBN, Sirius XM, and a bunch of shopping channels. If I enter the channel number for these channels I get a “Signal Code: 11-12-11” indicating that there is an obstruction at the dish.

A number of replies to my original post indicated that two dishes were not needed in Hawaii anymore. I anm assuming I do given the information above. But I am also wondering if the dishes I have are old and a newer dish may make it possible to eliminate the need for two. Would that make sense? The repairman is saying that the I need a new “non-penetrating roof mount” and a “rubber mat for NPRM”. Total, with labor, is just under $900.
Thanks in advance

What repairman are you referring to? An actual dish tech? If you have a protection plan the entire visit including any new mounts should be free. Or $95 without protection plan.