Is this possible??

[mechaborys]

I am wanting to improve my local reception in eastern kentucky. Currently on the local sat I get something like 72%. This causes me problems with the least shower / snow we have. What I was wondering is if I could set a second dish and use that to point to the local channel sat to attempt to get higher signal strength?

questions: will I burn anything up?? one installer said that there is a difference in voltage in some of the older lnb's and the newer ones.

Will it harm the switch in doing this??

IF it will work:
what are the correct settings to point to the local sat.


it's starting to tick off my wife when we watch tv (now that we lost our west coast channels and the newyork station that were rock solid except in a storm too bad to have tv on anyway) and it goes out on us during lost or ER or whatever.

Any advice is appreciated.

 

[RandallA]

We need to know more info, like what kind of equipment you're using. Receivers, LNBs, switches, etc.

Go to Sys Info (Menu, 6, 1, 3) It will tell you what kind of equipment you have. Once we know that information we could suggest your options.

72% on which Transponder? Go to Menu, 6, 1, 1 and tell us more tp's readings. For example, Sat. 119 TP 11 is getting xx%.

 

[SmityWhity]

72% on which Transponder? Go to Menu, 6, 1, 1 and tell us more tp's readings. For example, Sat. 119 TP 11 is getting xx%.

And before you get the reading for this one, first set your receiver to the local channel you are having the most problem with, and then when you go to Menu-6-1-1, it should show the Sat & Transponder for that channel.

 

[sunelec]

In addition to the information SmityWitty is asking for, I would like to know what satellite your locals are coming from. Try to determine that from what SmityWitty is telling you. If you can't tell from that then tell me what city your locals would come from if you were using an antenna. At that point I can go to the Echostar Information internet site and look it up on a chart. Whenever a single dish is installed for multiple satellites ( like yours ) it is somewhat of a compromise. Many installations use more than one dish to solve problems such as you are having. However we need check the above information to be sure that will work for you.

 

[mechaborys]

OK, some info

I have 2 Dish DVR's (DP510)
the switch is a DP34-500

my readings are
sat TP %
119 21 119%
110 01 99%
129 32 63% (I suspect this is my local)

my locals come from huntington.

the lnb is
Dual-1(1) Twin-2(2) Twin-1(3)



if I have left anything out just let me know where to find it.

 

[psnarula]

yes, the huntington locals come from transponder 32 at 129 degrees. your signal strength from this satellite and transponder isn't great but it is high enough that you aren't constantly losing the signal.

 

[mechaborys]

constantly losing signal, no but it appears that any time there is a shower or the sky is overcast a bit the signal degrades so much on the locals that it is most annoying to watch.

 

[sunelec]

The dish is in theory supposed to be aimed so that when peaked on 119 it will automaticlly be peaked on 129 also. However practically you may need to tweek the dish slightly toward 129. You have such a strong signal on 110 and 119 that you could compromise a little bit. If that doesn't work satisfactorily then you could consider a seperate dish for 129. I would call Dish and complain to them and get them to handle the problem.

 

[RandallA]

Like Sunelec said, call and complain that you're losing signal whenever there's a shower. They will re-aim your D1000 or add a second dish.

 

[nybo30]

This is a common problem with the superdish. The 129 sat sits very low and even with a compromise to the other satelites does not mean you will increase the quality for the 129. I firmly recomend a separate dish 500 pointed at 129 or and run a line back to the switch from that dish. This will quaranty maximum quality. If your site is having problems with the 129 signal, check to see if the 61.5 sat has your channels. This one sits higher in the sky and is easier to target.

 

[Mr Tony]

This is a common problem with the superdish.

the Superdish sees 105 (or 121), 110 & 119
The Dish1000 sees 110, 119, 129

The 129 sat sits very low and even with a compromise to the other satelites does not mean you will increase the quality for the 129.

depends on location but in his case yes its lower on the horizon

I firmly recomend a separate dish 500 pointed at 129 or and run a line back to the switch from that dish. This will quaranty maximum quality. If your site is having problems with the 129 signal, check to see if the 61.5 sat has your channels. This one sits higher in the sky and is easier to target.

his locals are on 129.

 

[mechaborys]

I don't think dish will do much for me on the dish at this time. at least the installer (ya right as I am typing this I realize it sounds lame) led me to believe there was nothing they could do. Question tho, if I don't have another dish 500 dish/lnb can I use one of the older ones??

 

[sunelec]

61.5 would work for all your other stuff but not your locals, they are only on 129. So you have 2 choices, either make 129 better or go to an OTA for locals. I woud jump right on Dish's ass and demand what you want, it's their responsibility. Besides calling your installer, call Dish technical service at their 800 number. Don't give up- THE SQEEKY WHEEL GETS THe OIL!
Now that you have had a lot of your questions answered on this site you will be able to talk to them with more knowledge so they cannot bulls--t
you so easy.

 

[SmityWhity]

Hopefully you can get Dish to correct the issue by having someone come out and attempt to re-peak your Dish 1000, install a Dish 500 for 129, or replace what you have with either a Dish 1000.2 or Dish 1000+ which both uses a larger dish.

However, to answer one of your questions on using an older LNBF.

The older LNBF's are typically refered to as Legacy, and the newer LNBF's are called either DishPro (DP) or DishPro Plus (DPP) LNBF's. Often the Dish 1000 has a DPP Twin LNBF for 119/110, and a DP Dual for 129. But in some cases, the DPP Twin is replaced with a DP Twin, and a DP-34 switch is used. The back of a DishPro LNBF will have a large black DP on it (it actually says DishPro).

Legacy LNBF's will not work with the DP34 switch. But if you have an older Dish 500 that was used for 119 and 110, then you could replace the Legacy LNBF with a DishPro LNBF and peak it for 129. If you decide to do any of this yourself, then I think I would first try to adjust the Dish 1000 for a slightly stronger signal on 129 without degrading 110 too much.

Since the 510 is not a HD receiver, I think you are only using the 129 for local channels. Sometimes LNBF's will go bad, and sometimes on one Transponder and not another. Your local channels (7315 - 7324) are on TP 32, except for the PBS channel 7325 which is on TP 21. So you may want to check its signal strength.

EDIT: Also.... If you upgraded from a Dish 500 to a Dish 1000 to get locals, and the tech put the dish in the same place, maybe your line of sight to the 129 is marginal do to foilage, and then the rain takes care of the rest.

 

[sunelec]

Nice explanation SmittyWhity.

 

[SmityWhity]

Thanks

 

[sunelec]

Darn, I thought I got your name spelled right this time; I screwed it up another time too. Next time I promise I'll get it right.

 

[mechaborys]

I may call them and see what I can do . Afraid I have made a pest of myself there (I Have had to ship back 4 DVR's for problems since I have been a customer)

 

[mechaborys]

Oh and getting ready to send one more back.

 

[SmityWhity]

Ah hell, go ahead and give it a try! You are not pestering anyone here.

Even though too much knowledge is dangerous, a mind is a terrible thing to waste. So we are happy to help.

Two other things I thought of last night.

(1) Plumb.... If that mast is not plumb, then there is no way to get a good signal on all 3 birds. Since you do have all 3 sats, it's not likely it would be off much, but it could be slightly off, or maybe the mast/mast mount slightly shifted.

(2) Markings.... If you attempt to try this, make a mark on the Elevation Guide, and the Mast. This way, you can put it back exactly where it was when you started.