Getting Locals--help

[trogs]

I moved my setup and can't seem to get my local channels at the new location. I have been reading other posts on this site and am trying to narrow down the problem.

If I am not getting signal strength on all transponders could that be the source of the problem? I have the 3 lnb dish.

Any help would be appreciated! Thanks!

 

[Jimbo]

I moved my setup and can't seem to get my local channels at the new location. I have been reading other posts on this site and am trying to narrow down the problem.

If I am not getting signal strength on all transponders could that be the source of the problem? I have the 3 lnb dish.

Any help would be appreciated! Thanks!

Welcome to the site !

You did not say where you were located.
Are your locals on the mpeg2 format or the new mpeg 4 format ?
Figure out what sat is suppose to be giving you your locals.
If they are mpeg 4 you now need the new 5 lnb slimline dish as they are on the 99 or 103 sat and you cannot get them with the 3 lnb set up.

Jimbo

 

[iwc5893]

How far did you move your setup?

What type of receivers/multiswitch are you using?

What are your signal strengths on each of the three sats?

 

[jtwex]

Could someone address my little hijack question here as I didn't feel a new thread ws needed.

I hadn't had locals until the Mpeg-2 HD locals came out (maybe two years ago) & at the time had the 3lnb. I remember taking an older receiver to a tailgate three states across (250 miles) and being able to tune the Chicago locals off the 101. I know the HD spotbeams don't allow this anymore via HD/Mpeg4 but how far realistically can you go & still retrieve locals from a major market like Chicago? For instance, can you plug that receiver into a dish in Vegas & still receive the Chicago locals off 101? Just curious as if my memory was correct these major market locals were conus.

Thanks,

Sorry OP for interrupting your thread.

edit: Mpeg 2 locals/HD 70's

 

[jimisham]

You will not receive the Chicago locals in Las Vegas.
I may be wrong, but I believe that when Directv started offering locals they were CONUS. They were offering the four network stations only.
Then the FCC told them they had to offer ALL locals in a market, rather then the big four. That's when they went from CONUS to spot beams.

 

[goober22]

Only LA and NY were/are conus - the others are spotbeams so you cannot get them if you are out of the beam footprint (how big is the foot - not really known and seems to vary by market). The footprint of mine seems to be at least 270+ miles in diameter.

To the OP, Some transponders will be low/0 as they are spotbeams for neighboring DMA's. Please tell us how far you moved and what the signal levels are now. It may be you are not hitting the right satellites and are getting low levels from the dish being off.

 

[jtwex]

Thanks guys/gals, I didn't know there were any spot beams on the 101 bird. The Chicago spot beam must be pretty large as I was nearly in Canada.

 

[trogs]

Thanks for all of the help guys....I didn't expect so many replies!

I am located in Fargo, ND. I don't know which sat the locals are on in this area? Any help? I have seen some sites listing the locals but can't locate mine.

I don't think that I am getting signal on all of the sats....which I would guess is my problem....I know I have them on "110".

I am just going from the dish to one receiver.

I don't know what mpeg format I have.

Any help is appreciated.

 

[jcrandall]

Put your zip code into directv.com/locals
Let us know what you should be getting that your now.

 

[trogs]

I should be getting all of the locals...cbs..abc...nbc...fox. I had them before I moved my setup.

 

[jtwex]

I should be getting all of the locals...cbs..abc...nbc...fox. I had them before I moved my setup.

What other channels are you not getting now that you were before? Aside from individual transponders, are you getting signal readings from all three satellites (101, 110 & 119)?

 

[trogs]

I am getting all of my other channels except the locals.

I believe I am only getting 101 or 110 sat...not the others....is that the problem?

 

[jtwex]

I am getting all of my other channels except the locals.

I believe I am only getting 101 or 110 sat...not the others....is that the problem?

It depends, did you minor move or major move? I can get Chicago locals off of 101 in standard definition or the HD counter off of 99/103. If you did a major geographical move where the locals changed from 101 to 110 & your receiver can't see the new satellite you could lose those channels.

Even with a 3lnb dish you could have a receiver that only sees the 101. I have an D11-100 that I take to tailgates & such & it can only see the 101 regardless of the dish I connect it to. If I moved to a city that didn't have their locals broadcast off of 101 I would be toast. Remember, not all locals markets were broadcast by DTV until they launched their new bird & changed to Mpeg4.

So, what kind of receiver are you using?

Can it see all three satellites via your 3lnb satellite or is it limited to 101?
Check the signal meters within 'MENU' & look at 101, 110 & 119 (I don't care about transponders, just signal strength)

Did you move from one cities locals to a completely new cities locals?

Look in your MENU setup for the answers to all of the above.

At the end of the day DTV is switching everybody over to the new 5lnb slimline dish. When your all done figuring all this out, give DTv a call & get your dish upgraded to the newest version (free).

 

[iwc5893]

DirecTV is NOT upgrading dishes for free, unless you subscribe to HD programming, which entails getting a HD receiver.

To the OP, if all you're getting is the 110 Sat, you need to move the dish about 8 degrees to the west and see if you get a signal on the 101. The dish has multiple focal points, so odds are that you didn't go far enough to the west to get signal.

 

[jimisham]

trogs:
The Fargo locals are on the 119 satellite. There used to be a thread with the transponders the locals are on for 119, but I can't find it any more.
Use dishpointer.com to determine the location of the 3 satellites, 101, 110 and 119, from Fargo.
Satellite Finder / Dish Pointing Calculator with Google Maps | DishPointer.com

 

[trogs]

Thanks again for all of you advice.

I played around with the dish this weekend and found all three Satellites. (101, 110, 119) I did in fact find the locals on 119 and they work fine. 110 seems to be nothing for me....I can't seem to get any programming off of it. And I can get the 101 and get the other programming.

However, I can't seem to get the three or even two signals at the same time. I think if I move it a few feet I might have better luck. However it seems as if I would not be able to tune both 101 and 119 at the same time? They seem "far apart"?

Should I be getting progamming on 110? Do I have any other alternatives?

I was encouraged that I could find all the sats and get the locals when I was tuned to 119.....now I just have to get both at the same time!!

Appreciate any ideas!

 

[iwc5893]

Thanks again for all of you advice.

I played around with the dish this weekend and found all three Satellites. (101, 110, 119) I did in fact find the locals on 119 and they work fine. 110 seems to be nothing for me....I can't seem to get any programming off of it. And I can get the 101 and get the other programming.

However, I can't seem to get the three or even two signals at the same time. I think if I move it a few feet I might have better luck. However it seems as if I would not be able to tune both 101 and 119 at the same time? They seem "far apart"?

Should I be getting progamming on 110? Do I have any other alternatives?

I was encouraged that I could find all the sats and get the locals when I was tuned to 119.....now I just have to get both at the same time!!

Appreciate any ideas!

Is there anything in the southern sky that could be blocking the LOS?
Is the mast perfectly plumb?
Did you use your receiver to obtain the presets for your zipcode? If not, post your zipcode here and somebody will provide the settings.
What are your signal strengths on each sat?

I'm almost willing to bet that it is an issue with the tilt settings, which could also be affected if the mast is not plumb.

There's not a whole lot on the 110, except for some foreign language programming.

 

[harshness]

I believe I am only getting 101 or 110 sat...not the others....is that the problem?

Fargo SD LIL are on 119W. There's your sign.

 

[harshness]

Should I be getting progamming on 110? Do I have any other alternatives?

There isn't much going on at 110W for DIRECTV these days.

You need to help us out with specifics of what you're missing. Please name any channels you're missing (network name preferred, but channel number will do).