Mobile setup: can’t acquire 99 & 103

[rbdaves]

I have a Genie HR44-500 receiver and directv dish that travels with me in my RV. I am on the first trip I have taken in 18 months and I am having setup problems. I use a tripod to set the dish on. I’ve set this dish up scores of times. I set the tripod up
and level it, then set elevation and tilt according to the parameters provided by
The Genie “satellite aiming” menu. I have been able to acquire the 101 but the 103 & the 99 are in the yellow on the Genie satellite meter. This has happened on every setup I have done on this trip. I am still able watch my TV, even though the 2 satellites are in the yellow. Can anyone explain what is going on?

 

[rbdaves]

I am on my first RV trip in 18 months. In the past I have set up my DIRECTV system scores of times. However on this trip I am unable to acquire the 103 and the 99 satellites, although I am able to watch TV. I always level my tripod and get the azimuth, elevation, and tilt numbers from the Directv menu. I have been able to acquire 101 very nicely but 99 and 103 are in the yellow on the signal meters. Has something changed? Is there something I need to know or to do? Help please

 

[jcrandall]

So not much help I can offer as you sound like you know what you're doing. Make sure the mast is plumb as possible, very slow adjustments, possibly even using the dithering tool adjustment on the dish. 99 and 103 are much more sensitive than 101. I you have just 101, you can watch most channels in SD, so if nothing else turn off the "hide SD duplicate" option in the menu and you can at least watch tv.

Nothing has changed with the satellites. If using a SWN (single wire LNB setup), reminder you may need a power inserter depending on the receiver.

 

[hokie74]

I am on my first RV trip in 18 months. In the past I have set up my DIRECTV system scores of times. However on this trip I am unable to acquire the 103 and the 99 satellites, although I am able to watch TV. I always level my tripod and get the azimuth, elevation, and tilt numbers from the Directv menu. I have been able to acquire 101 very nicely but 99 and 103 are in the yellow on the signal meters. Has something changed? Is there something I need to know or to do? Help please

I would double check the skew setting (tilt) for your longitude and latitude from another source then go through the entire alignment again. Directv might be using your home zip code for the settings.

 

[Inclined Orbit]

The skew adjustment is very critical for the old 110 and 119 slots but not that critical for 99 and 103, you can probably be 500mi from the setup zip code without much skew degradation. I'm not familiar with the green and yellow aiming menu but would be interested in hearing what the actual receiver quality numbers are for each transponder when its set up and receiving.

 

[Jimbo]

rbdaves,
Which meter are you looking at ?
It sounds like your looking at the second set of meters.
Give us info on the Sats your not getting from the 1st set of meters from when you first get to the Sat Signal screen.
What do the numbers on the individual Sats tell you.
You said the 101 was strong (everything except 2 transponders should be in the high 80's to 100)
Then move to the 99 ca and then the 99 cb and the 103 ca and cb ... don't worry about the 99s and the 103s ones.

 

[rbdaves]

rbdaves,
Which meter are you looking at ?
It sounds like your looking at the second set of meters.
Give us info on the Sats your not getting from the 1st set of meters from when you first get to the Sat Signal screen.
What do the numbers on the individual Sats tell you.
You said the 101 was strong (everything except 2 transponders should be in the high 80's to 100)
Then move to the 99 ca and then the 99 cb and the 103 ca and cb ... don't worry about the 99s and the

The skew adjustment is very critical for the old 110 and 119 slots but not that critical for 99 and 103, you can probably be 500mi from the setup zip code without much skew degradation. I'm not familiar with the green and yellow aiming menu but would be interested in hearing what the actual receiver quality numbers are for each transponder when its set up and receiving.

I checked transponder one,
and the tuners one through five registered in the high 80s.
99 CA was in the mid-40s.
99 CB was in the 60s.
103CA was in the 70s
I tried adjusting the tilt up and down on the 99 and the 103, and just couldn’t get above those numbers. moving the dish slightly left and right (dithering?) wasn’t helpful. As I stand behind the dish and look at the mounting bracket there are adjustment bolts on the left and the right. I understand the one on the left is for adjusting elevation. I have never understood adjustment on the right. It looks to me like it causes the dish to move to the left or the right depending on how you turn the bolt, But I have never used it because it looks to me like this adjustment has pop rivets through a bracket that do not allow it to move. Anybody have information that can help me understand this?

 

[rbdaves]

I use the bottom left bolt to adjust tilt. The bottom right bolt looks like it should adjust dish pointing, but this bracket has pop rivits installed and it looks like there isn’t much adjustment possible

 

[Jimbo]

Beginning to wonder if the dish might be slightly bent ?

You may never see it, but we have had this being an issue for it got getting better signal strength before.

 

[Jimbo]

I checked transponder one,
and the tuners one through five registered in the high 80s.
99 CA was in the mid-40s.
99 CB was in the 60s.
103CA was in the 70s
I tried adjusting the tilt up and down on the 99 and the 103, and just couldn’t get above those numbers. moving the dish slightly left and right (dithering?) wasn’t helpful. As I stand behind the dish and look at the mounting bracket there are adjustment bolts on the left and the right. I understand the one on the left is for adjusting elevation. I have never understood adjustment on the right. It looks to me like it causes the dish to move to the left or the right depending on how you turn the bolt, But I have never used it because it looks to me like this adjustment has pop rivets through a bracket that do not allow it to move. Anybody have information that can help me understand this?

I just realized, you said High 80's, that was for the 101 Sat ... that too is way LOW.

For reference, if I look at Just my 101 today ....
I have set for Sat 101 and Tuner 1 ....
I have nothing below 97 on the 101 (with the exception of the 2 that are always 0 in my area.)

That high is not necessary, but being in the 90's at least is expected.

 

[Inclined Orbit]

I checked transponder one,
and the tuners one through five registered in the high 80s.
99 CA was in the mid-40s.
99 CB was in the 60s.
103CA was in the 70s
I tried adjusting the tilt up and down on the 99 and the 103, and just couldn’t get above those numbers. moving the dish slightly left and right (dithering?) wasn’t helpful. As I stand behind the dish and look at the mounting bracket there are adjustment bolts on the left and the right. I understand the one on the left is for adjusting elevation. I have never understood adjustment on the right. It looks to me like it causes the dish to move to the left or the right depending on how you turn the bolt, But I have never used it because it looks to me like this adjustment has pop rivets through a bracket that do not allow it to move. Anybody have information that can help me understand this?

Yup, those numbers look low all around. What are you getting on 101? Here is a link to the alignment instructions for the dish which starts at step 9. I would recommend going through these steps then see how your numbers look for the 99, 101 and 103 slots. The instructions will explain what the adjustment knobs are for and follow them exactly as its written. If you don't follow the instructions, I know the guy who wrote them will get all bent out of shape. https://manuals.solidsignal.com/slimline_dish_installation_manual.pdf

 

[rbdaves]

Beginning to wonder if the dish might be slightly bent ?

You may never see it, but we have had this being an issue for it got getting better signal strength before.

New dish, LNB and fresh connectors and cables solved problem