Just did a self install cannot get picture. signal strength is good.

[Velvet Elvis]

How to install dish network myself? Keeps trying to acquire signal when signal strength is good.?

i recently moved and decided to attempt moving dish myself to new house. I used to be a cable tv installer so I was up to the challenge.

Dish network in 54247 zip code. I adjusted skew and elevation appropriately 114 skew and 32 elevation, and installed wiring exact as previous house. Signal strength is 75 on 110 and 119. green and locked.

it will go through first round of acquiring signal fine, and then download program guide, attempts to go to channel but black screen and then starts acquiring satellite signal all over again. And from there just keeps trying to acquire signal. Did a switch test and it comes back sayin there is less satellites than previous configuration, is this because all tvs arent hooked up yet?

Am i missing a step- do i need to contact dish network and inform them of new zip or something? Also- my dish is a year old and says turbo hd on it. I have just standard programming with hd package. How do i tell exactly which dish. I have tried searching this forum for answers, but am new to this and having a hard time sifting thru all the forum.

Thanks guys!

 

[brownover]

Number of tv's hooked up will have no effect. It sounds like to me that you may have not tightened your skew nuts and the dish has moved on you slightly. Have had that to happen to me because an installer left them loose. Hope it helps.

 

[the mack]

you probably are missing the 129 signal, that is why check switch says you have fewer sats then before.

system should still work, just way less hd channels without 129, so there may be other issues.

 

[busdriver72]

If it says Turbo on the dish then it's probably a 1000.2. (I don't think the 1000.4's ever had that on them...did they?) If it is a 1000.2 (the LNB has 3 "eyes" all equally spaced from each other) then that dish is for western acr (119,110,129.)
The above response is probably accurate, you're probably missing the 129.
Being a cable installer does qualify you probably as far as running cable is concerned, but not for installing and aligning a dish.
In view of the fact that you are getting a signal from the 119 but not the 129 prompts me to ask if you were sure that the mast was perfectly plumb all the way around. Not just plumb as far as the way it pivots on the foot, but plumb side to side as well. The mast must be plumb on a all fours sides or your dish settings will not work correctly. Did you use a level to check the plumb of the mast on all 4 sides? Being a half-bubble off any direction can make a difference.
Take the dish off, and place a level parallel with the mast pole. Check all 4 sides and make sure the mast is straight up and down. Then peak again on the 119, run check switch.

 

[Dah-Henny]

If it says Turbo on the dish then it's probably a 1000.2. (I don't think the 1000.4's ever had that on them...did they?)

My 1000.4 has the turbo logo on it, but you're probably right about the OP having a 1000.2.

 

[harshness]

Try your address on Satellite Finder / Dish Pointing Calculator with Google Maps | DishPointer.com. From your zip code it gives numbers as follows:

Elevation 30.3 degrees
Skew 118 degrees right

My guess is that you're shooting over 129W.

 

[Velvet Elvis]

Instead of explaining I was a cable installer, I should have said I am an avid handyman. I enjoy fixing things and learning how to do things myself....

I see the love/hate relationship between cable guys and satellite installers exist even on forums. I figured out what skew is etc so I am already doing better my first day then some installers are on their first week lol that and I found satelliteguys.us so I am doin real good now.

just kidding anyways

is dishpointer much more reliable than the stats that dish network provides? There is a fresh install of direct tv on my roof and i used their mast. i will check for plumb on all four and try new angles from dishpointer- thanks guys

 

[Velvet Elvis]

also i forgot to mention how much I appreciate the time you guys took to respond. Great answers and elaborate... Should I be able to get stronger than 75 no matter where i am in the us- i never noticed picture quality issues, except occasional blackout during storm and my signal was only 38 at last place, and max so far is 76 at new place- ill see once its dialed in more...

 

[Dah-Henny]

dishpointer is more reliable in terms of fine tuning your location.

 

[HIFI]

also i forgot to mention how much I appreciate the time you guys took to respond. Great answers and elaborate... Should I be able to get stronger than 75 no matter where i am in the us- i never noticed picture quality issues, except occasional blackout during storm and my signal was only 38 at last place, and max so far is 76 at new place- ill see once its dialed in more...

75 is about normal. in your check switch screen, what are showing in boxes 1,2,and 3?

 

[Velvet Elvis]

I see hwere there was one mistake- coordinates on dish network is for dish 500 and i didnt enter multi lnb on dishpointer- with new numbers i receive signal of 65-72 on 110, 119, 129

I definitely did not have signal on 129 last night- BUT it still fails at acquiring signal screen- keeps loopin- green and locked all 3 satellites

check switch still comes back with fewer sats than before- but 123 are all okay??

 

[HIFI]

1, 2 and 3 should read 119, 110 and 129. are yours in that order?

 

[Miner]

I see hwere there was one mistake- coordinates on dish network is for dish 500 and i didnt enter multi lnb on dishpointer- with new numbers i receive signal of 65-72 on 110, 119, 129

I definitely did not have signal on 129 last night- BUT it still fails at acquiring signal screen- keeps loopin- green and locked all 3 satellites

check switch still comes back with fewer sats than before- but 123 are all okay??

When you run the check switch and it reports fewer sats than before, are you accepting the changes?

I'm also wondering if your aim is at 101, 110 and 119 instead of 110, 119 and 129? I believe that the results of the check switch would say x 110 110 for the 3 sats if that is the case. It would say 110 119 129 if you are properly aimed.

Miner

 

[Velvet Elvis]

under check switch 1 is 77 2 is 72 and 3 is 61.5 should be 119, 110, 29 how do i change sats

 

[HIFI]

menu 6 1 1 select check switch and then test

 

[Velvet Elvis]

i have ran check switch but have been afraid to accept changes- I assume it will change sats if I save?

 

[HIFI]

if you are using all the same equipment from your previous location, you have a 1000.4 dish which should not be pointed at 119, 110 or 129. Do you know which dish you have?

 

[Velvet Elvis]

I finally found out which dish after check switch- it says 1k.4 so 1000.4

 

[HIFI]

ok , you should be pointed more toward the southeast than southwest, I would say save the change and lets see what it gives you

 

[Velvet Elvis]

save the change saved 110- above in answer from another forum member was suggesting i have a 1000.2 because of turbo hd logo

now that i know its a 1000.4 it gives me the 77, 72 and 61.5 sats along with totally different coordinates- i was sent on a wild goose chase- but now i figured it out, i will go a=make the adjustments and let you know- Thanks fellas