Multi-Satellite Installation Problems

[Grant]

I've recently moved to another suburb of the Minneapolis-St.Paul metro and upgraded to a multi-satellite dish/LNB setup to get HD broadcasts. I've decided to install it myself since this will be my fourth home/dish installation in 10 years. The other three were relatively simple and done within an afternoon. This one's been a b*tch...

I've been able to tune in Sat A Transponders 1-16, but not Transponders 17-32 or any Transponders on Sat B and C. Signal strengths on the 1-16 transponders range from 77 to 91 right now. I've hit 93 on one transponder in the first site I tried.

I've tried a replacement dish/LNB, moved the installation site to make sure there's no LOS issues, tried different cables (with and without the grounding block), and different receivers: all with the same results.

Any ideas or help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[wobbie]

Mast is Plum??

I would start by making sure that the mast is plum and square. Going from 1 lnb to three - this is pretty important. Also go into the menu, setup and be sure that you have a selection for a phase three dish. It may be that your recievers are not compatable.

 

[Grant]

Plumbed it twice in both locations...

Thanks for the reply.

Same results on my DirecTV HD receiver (set to oval dish) as with my Hughes receiver (only receives Sat A): just Sat A 1-16 no signal from 17-32. This seems really strange to me that I can get half of the transponders on one satellite, but not the other half. Wouldn't an alignment issue cause the whole sat to drop out?

 

[rockaway1836]

I had something like this happen to me one time. I had left a receiver plugged in while making my connections. I had shorted out the LNB. I'm not saying that this is your problem, but make sure that everything (including TV) is unplugged while you are making all your connections.

 

[ShadowEKU]

the phase 3 has some tilt to it to get it to work... the higher TPs are on a different sat... as it sounds the dish isnt aimed at the right angle... is your tilt set correctly?

 

[Grant]

Ouch. I hope I didn't break two LNBs. I didn't realize the receiver needed to be off.

 

[charper1]

Not only OFF, but the best practise is that it should be UNPLUGGED whenever you add or remove the connections.

 

[rockaway1836]

If you did short out the LNB I'm afraid it's shot. You can look on EBay for another one. Good luck!

 

[PHRoberts]

Grant,

I just joined this forum to post a reply...

I spent about 10 hours over the last two days with that same issue! I moved my dish to a new house... decided to put it up out of the way on the chimney. The only signal I could find seemed to be about 20 degrees to the left of all of my neigbor's dishes, but I was getting 101 and 110 on my DirecTv Receiver (Sony Sat-B65). Nothing on 119.

Then I noticed that I wasn't getting transponders 17-32 on 101. Also, I couldn't actually watch anything. Didn't notice that until today since I was using an unactivated receiver for the setup.

After trying three different LNBs, two dishes, three cables (two that I already fished and one other one), and two receivers all with the same results I eventually realized that I was hitting some other satellite! I have no idea what it is, but it sure sounds like your situation. After relocating my dish to a better view, I now have everything coming in with super signal strength. 90% of the transponders show 100/100 with the other four or five at 96 or above. The usual zeros that aren't being used... I'm very happy again.

In short, be sure your dish is looking in the same direction as the others in your neighborhood.

Does anyone know what bird I was seeing before I finally figured this out?

Good luck!

Heath

 

[sateck01]

Thanks for the reply.

Same results on my DirecTV HD receiver (set to oval dish) as with my Hughes receiver (only receives Sat A): just Sat A 1-16 no signal from 17-32. This seems really strange to me that I can get half of the transponders on one satellite, but not the other half. Wouldn't an alignment issue cause the whole sat to drop out?

you are hitting the wrong bird