LNB Problems

[Kevin68]

I have a Dish Network dish 500 system. I have had no problems until today. Some of my channels are no longer showing up. I get the basic error message that the signal has been lost. I go into the installation menu and do a switch test and my 119 signal is no longer there on the even transponders. Is there anything I can do before I go out and buy a new LNB for my system. This happened once before and I tapped the LNB housing with a screwdriver by accident while checking screw tightness and it corrected it. If I have to replace my LNB where do I find one at the most economical price? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Thanx

 

[bcshields]

Time to do some troubleshooting. You want to make sure the LNB is broken before you pay for it. Start at your reciever and work your way back.

1) Do you have the same problem at another reciever? If so, it's the LNBF if you have SW21's, or no switches at all. If you have a SW64/44, check your ports for corrosion. Most likely that's the culprit. Work your way towards the dish.

2) If you have the problem at one reciever but not another... swap recievers. If the problem moves to another room, it's the reciever. If not, look at the sonnectors allthe way back to the dish, look for corrosion and burnt stingers. if you have SW21's, try swapping them and see if the problem moves to another room. If so, bad SW21. If not, bad LNBF.

EBay is cheap, but risky. Dishstore.net is safe, and cheaper than your corner retailer.

 

[Grandude]

I have a Dish Network dish 500 system. I have had no problems until today. Some of my channels are no longer showing up. I get the basic error message that the signal has been lost. I go into the installation menu and do a switch test and my 119 signal is no longer there on the even transponders. Is there anything I can do before I go out and buy a new LNB for my system. This happened once before and I tapped the LNB housing with a screwdriver by accident while checking screw tightness and it corrected it. If I have to replace my LNB where do I find one at the most economical price? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Thanx

Just in the last few days I have one receiver, a 301 which no longer sees the even transponders on 119. I have moved it to three locations and it always follows the receiver. It is on the second of two DP34 switches, and the other receivers in the locations I tried it all work.
I'm wondering if the signal is just enough lower from that bird that is causing it and perhaps I should try tweaking the dish a little. If not that, then the 301 has gone bad after being the most reliable unit I have.

current hardware: 301, 501, 6000U, 721, and 811 plus two legacy shelfware receivers.

 

[SimpleSimon]

Just in the last few days I have one receiver, a 301 which no longer sees the even transponders on 119. I have moved it to three locations and it always follows the receiver. It is on the second of two DP34 switches, and the other receivers in the locations I tried it all work.
I'm wondering if the signal is just enough lower from that bird that is causing it and perhaps I should try tweaking the dish a little. If not that, then the 301 has gone bad after being the most reliable unit I have.

current hardware: 301, 501, 6000U, 721, and 811 plus two legacy shelfware receivers.

You don't state what the signal strength is for 119, or where you are so we could tell what it "should" be.

In any event, it sure sounds like the receiver. The next (and last) thing I'd try is bypassing the switch entirely and seeing what happens.

 

[Stargazer]

If it happens on only one of your satellite receivers then it is that receiver, sounds like you need to have it replaced. If you take it back to your original retailer you bought it from they may test it for you.

If you look at your signal strength screen and see a weaker signal strength (70's or less maximum) on the even transponders but no signal on the odd transponders then you may only be receiving the signal on the higher powered transponders in which is an indication that the dish may need to be repeaked. A sure sign is if it is happening on two or more receivers that are hooked up on the same dish.

 

[Grandude]

The plot thickens. When it was failing this afternoon, in the garage, there was no signal on the even transponders on 119. I checked, since your two posts above, the signal strength on two other receivers and it is around 100 on the evens. Looks like my thought about a weaker signal from 119-evens was not worth chasing.
I doublechecked the failing 301 in the garage and it is now working. BTW, even when failing it passed the switch test with flying colors.
The only other thing I did was swap the cables at the switch, again, but with a different one, 1 and 3 this time instead of 1 and 4 the last time. I also put the 301 up on a couple of heatsink blocks that I have laying around, thinking that it might possibly be a heat problem. I have removed the heatsinks and will check again tomorrow to see if there is any change. The temp in the garage did not get excessive today, 70 degrees, and of course, when it failed in the back bedroom, it wasn't too hot either.
I guess time will tell now whether it is going to work or not.
I will report back on the results.
Thanks for all your suggestions........Oh, I live in western calif near the coast....

 

[charlesmcduff]

Kevin68,

I had this exact problem on the west coast. The LNB's get corroded due to the sea air. Had to clean the coax fittings to get it working again. Took me awhile to figure that one out.

 

[Grandude]

Kevin68,

I had this exact problem on the west coast. The LNB's get corroded due to the sea air. Had to clean the coax fittings to get it working again. Took me awhile to figure that one out.

Wish it were that easy for me. I don't live that close to the coast, more like 30 miles and the switch, no.2, is mounted inside the garage. The first switch is mounted under the eaves, no possibility of rain getting near it, and drip loops are used to prevent water from running down the cable into the connection.
BUT, I like you suggestion and plan on checking ALL the connections anyway.
It would seem to me that if it were a corrosion problem, it would show up on one of the other four receivers too. But then again, most of this is magic anyway.

In your case did it only affect one receiver, one bird, or what?

I am in a quandary now, as the receiver is working today, I have left it on in the garage and check it from time to time. I haven't been near the LNB's yet,
so far just at the second DP34 switch in the garage.

 

[charlesmcduff]

Tough one Grandude,

Obviously it seems like a bad 301. But I would try everything. Seems odd that the Receiver would be selecting which transponders to pass through. May be bad connection inside the 301 box.

 

[SimpleSimon]

Tough one Grandude,

Obviously it seems like a bad 301. But I would try everything. Seems odd that the Receiver would be selecting which transponders to pass through. May be bad connection inside the 301 box.

Actually, not so odd at all. DishPro stacks the Even transponders in a higher frequency band than the Odd's. The higher frequencies are the first to go when you've got cable/connector problems. Besides looking for badness, make sure the cable isn't just RG-6, but is 2150MHz RG-6.

 

[Grandude]

Obviously it seems like a bad 301. But I would try everything. Seems odd that the Receiver would be selecting which transponders to pass through. May be bad connection inside the 301 box.

Could be a bad connection inside the box as you say. I 'accidently' bumped it down pretty hard the last time I was monkeying with it and it has now worked for two days. If indeed, that was it, then I expect it will be back.

 

[Grandude]

Actually, not so odd at all. DishPro stacks the Even transponders in a higher frequency band than the Odd's. The higher frequencies are the first to go when you've got cable/connector problems. Besides looking for badness, make sure the cable isn't just RG-6, but is 2150MHz RG-6.

The cable I was using is an official Dish cable marked at 2.25 Ghz.
In the process I did switch to a different shorter cable marked 2200 Mhz and that is the one it is on now and working. What seems strange to me is that all the time it was failing, it passed the switch test fine but still would get absolutely zero signal on the evens. I am becoming more and more convinced that Charles is right, it is in the 301 and will eventually have to be replaced.

Maybe it is getting near time to start the old shuffle again, buy a 921, move the 721 down, move the 501 down, and move the 301 to a shelf in the closet.
Thing is, the 301, even tho it is a cheap receiver, is a nice fast receiver and being so slim, will fit in just about anywhere.

My main use for it had been listening to classical music in the garage on channel 971 and 972 which just happened to be 119 evens and also watching FoxNews on 205 which also, just my luck, is on 119 even too.

 

[Big Bob]

I doubt this is the case, but I make the reminder every spring, since it usually happens to me....

Make sure there are no new leaves that have grown in the line to the satellite. Remember, the satellite is at a higher angle than what it looks like it is on a Dish 500.

I just did some trimming to recover 110

 

[Mainstreet]

Make sure the Part Number on the LNB isn't "CCS9601". We have been replacing an average of one per day from that manufacturer/lot. The failures are temperature related. Most of these customers were installed just over a year ago.

This is a quote from the fax blast concerning the bad batch (6/31/2003):

DishPro Twin LNBF Resolution: We have experienced several inquiries regarding DishPro Twin LNBFs that are failing after installation. Hot weather appears to aggravate this problem in some cases. This issue should be isolated to hardware purchased primarily from the Dallas and Atlanta EchoSphere locations. To diagnose if you have an affected unit, please complete a check switch. If the check switch is unsuccessful, and the cusotmer has lost either odd or even transponders, look on the sliver label to identify the Part Number. The affected Manufacturer's Part Number is CCS9601 only. If you currently have new inventory of this Part Number, return it to your Distributor or EchoSphere for an exhcange. For LNBFs with this Part Number that have failed in the field, request a Return Authorization from Service following the normal procedures. Note: if a service call is made and a DishPro Twin LNBF with this Part Number is replaced, the Service Call Reimbursement (SCR) program may be utilized to recieve a ... credit toward the purchase of a system. The 90-day requirement will be waived in these cases; however, all other SCR rules apply.

 

[Grandude]

I doubt this is the case, but I make the reminder every spring, since it usually happens to me....

Make sure there are no new leaves that have grown in the line to the satellite. Remember, the satellite is at a higher angle than what it looks like it is on a Dish 500.

I just did some trimming to recover 110

In my case, there are no trees in the way. Dish is pointing SE over the roof
and also this is a new sub with no tall trees. Doubt that any tree in the neighborhood could ever interfere with my installation.
Thanks for the thought tho.

 

[Grandude]

Make sure the Part Number on the LNB isn't "CCS9601". We have been replacing an average of one per day from that manufacturer/lot. The failures are temperature related. Most of these customers were installed just over a year ago.
(6/31/2003):

I don't suspect that this will be my problem as it has only affected one receiver and I would suspect that if the LNB failed that way it would be to all receivers.
I am going to climb up tomorrow and check anyway though.
Thanks,

 

[Grandude]

Tough one Grandude,

Obviously it seems like a bad 301. But I would try everything. Seems odd that the Receiver would be selecting which transponders to pass through. May be bad connection inside the 301 box.

Well Charles, it is starting to look like you were right about corrosion.
Turned on the 301 and found a number of evens on 119 were very weak or missing. Checked two other receivers and found no problem with signal strength.
Today I climbed up to see what the numbers were on the LNBs but my placement of the ladder made that impossible so while up there, I tightened the cable connectors to the first DP34 switch. Sheesh, if the 301 started seeing the evens again. Now getting around 100 on what were the dead or very weak even transponders.
Now, How in the world can a connection to the first switch affect one and only one receiver connected to the second switch? I am flummoxed.

 

[DFW Tecs]

I would say the Mast is not set right

I find that go back and check from the start.
I bet your mast is no level it has to be Level on both sides.
Or you have A bad connector out there in the weather.