Need Sat meter for 1000.4

[jasonkeithham]

I recently acquired a 1000.4 WA Dish that I want to use when I go camping. I'm not sure if it works. I have a cheap-o sat finder (CaptiveWorks CW-95). I start with the sat finder connected to the receiver (722K) so its powered on. Then when I hook it to the dish, it goes off. I wonder if the LNB's are bad or if the sat finder is not compatable with the dish. I know this dish has a built in switch.
If the sat finder is not compatable, is there another cheap-o sat finder that will work? If no other cheap-o sat finder will work then what is another low end finder that will work (that won't break the bank)?

Thanks, Jason

 

[jasonkeithham]

Here is a pic of my dish. I believe it's a 1000.4 WA, right?

 

[Jim5506]

IIRC 1000.4 WA has a black reflector, that looks like a 1000.2.

 

[Austin G]

The first 1000.4 dishes they put out had the grey reflectors. That meter will probably just not be able to tune in that dish. It is very difficult to tune in any 1000.4 ea or wa with anything but a super sat buddy. Your best bet short of spending the $700 or so would be to do it old school and use the signal Meyer on the dish using port 1 on the lab and setting the signal screen at 119

 

[jasonkeithham]

Do you know if I can use a Accutrac III+ or a FirstStrike FS1 for a dish 1000.2/1000.4?

 

[thxtech]

Don't know about those two meters as I use a birdog, but I can tell you that is definitely a 1000.4. Notice the coax exiting the feed arm on the bottom? That's .4, .2 exits at the end of the feed arm. Either dish can be got with either color reflector.

 

[upsss]

Two people with some practice and patient, one by the dish and one by the receiver with cell phones and any cheap Sat Finder (as a starter) you can align practically any dish.

 

[thxtech]

The accutrac will definitively work.

 

[jasonkeithham]

Thanks guys for your responses.

Are there any advantages to the Acutrac III vs the FirstStrike FS1? They are both in the same price range. Will either of them see muliple sats at once or do I have to dial them in individually?

 

[rvvaquero]

I live in an RV and move pretty often. I use an el cheapo sat finder that I bought on eBay for less than $10 and tune my 1000.4 WA. Set the skew, set the elevation, then find the azimuth for sat 119. Takes about ten minutes, start to finish. Mast has to be plumb.

Here's the instructions http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=...x-yDCw&usg=AFQjCNFyIZ4Ay7EU2UnSfEthHHVc64QgdA

Or, you can google search "dish 1000.4 instructions".

 

[the mack]

It is very difficult to tune in any 1000.4 ea or wa with anything but a super sat buddy.

not true at all, if you start with correct settings most any meter will do. I use a accutrac 22, with ea and wa dishes and get them up and running in minutes......sure a meter that id's the sats is nice, but not needed

 

[jasonkeithham]

Hey rvvaquero, one thing that is puzzling me with my cheap-o meter is that I start with it plugged to the receiver (power is on, light, and beep is on), then when I plug it to the sat dish it goes dead (power off...nothing). If I unplug it from the sat, it comes back on. I wonder what this is an indicator of?

Bad LNB or something else? Has anyone else experienced this?
I inexperience led me to believe a cheap-o meter just would not work. Maybe it's my meter (CaptiveWorks CW-95)? What cheap-o do you use?

I was hoping that I could use it to get sat 119, then if skew and elevation were correct I would get sat's 110 and 129.

 

[rvvaquero]

I'm not a techie by any means. However, I was told to never plug in an lnb to a hot coax. I always put everything together with the meter in place, then power up the receiver. After setup, kill power to receiver and remove the meter, then hook up coax to lnb again.

Did you read the instructions I attached. When pointing the dish, you need to be connected to LNB Port #1 for WA when pointing dish.

My sat finder is a Sadoun S-SF95L

SF95L DSS DBS DVB Satellite Signal Finder Meter for RV home Dish Network DirecTV and Free To Air

 

[Austin G]

If you use a cheaper you may want to power the lnb separately in addition to powering your meter with a line from the receiver. This helps immensely. Those lnb's require quite a bit of power to tune ok. And it helps if the lnb is getting power on addition to thats passing through your meter.

 

[rvvaquero]

If you use a cheaper you may want to power the lnb separately in addition to powering your meter with a line from the receiver. This helps immensely. Those lnb's require quite a bit of power to tune ok. And it helps if the lnb is getting power on addition to thats passing through your meter.

I'm not disputing what you say, but how would you do that? Doesn't the lnb and the meter have to be on the same coax? I mean, the sat finder goes between the receiver and the lnb. Could you explain please?

 

[jasonkeithham]

rvvaquero, thanks for the hookup directions. I did read the installation instructions and I'll try that tomorrow. I think Austin G is talking about alternative power coming from the more expensive sat meters with built in batteries. I have also read about the 1000.x lnb's consuming more power than normal.

 

[TechWriter]

I use an Acutrac III Plus ( Acutrac III Plus Satellite Meter is the best meter for DirecTV and DISH Network ) because it shows the signal strength of all three LNBs simultaneously.

The FirstStrike meter identifies the sats but does NOT show signal strength of all three LNBs. I don't believe the BirdDog or the Super Buddy 29 does that either.

However, it's a quirky ("buggy") meter that often needs power recycled to work correctly. Plus, replace the batteries that come with it with either LiIon or quality NiCad. The Accutrac's internal charger isn't set up to charge LiIon, but they last a LONG time.

 

[bdelaney23]

I subscribe to dishnet moved dish eastern arc 72.7 77 and 61.5 to canada for the summer bought same dish up here and using the fla receivers can get channels i subscribe to on 72.7 and 77 but no locals on 61.5 keeps saying " out of viewing area " how can i get any local channels ? 1000.4 dish has built in switch can i put up another dish and get 129 and run through lnb in on the 3 lnb's i already have HELP PLEASE !

 

[isaacmorseMI]

I subscribe to dishnet moved dish eastern arc 72.7 77 and 61.5 to canada for the summer bought same dish up here and using the fla receivers can get channels i subscribe to on 72.7 and 77 but no locals on 61.5 keeps saying " out of viewing area " how can i get any local channels ? 1000.4 dish has built in switch can i put up another dish and get 129 and run through lnb in on the 3 lnb's i already have HELP PLEASE !

No you cannot get your local channels in Canada. You are out of the range of the Spotbeam.

 

[rvvaquero]

I use an Acutrac III Plus ( Acutrac III Plus Satellite Meter is the best meter for DirecTV and DISH Network ) because it shows the signal strength of all three LNBs simultaneously.

The FirstStrike meter identifies the sats but does NOT show signal strength of all three LNBs. I don't believe the BirdDog or the Super Buddy 29 does that either.

However, it's a quirky ("buggy") meter that often needs power recycled to work correctly. Plus, replace the batteries that come with it with either LiIon or quality NiCad. The Accutrac's internal charger isn't set up to charge LiIon, but they last a LONG time.

I went and downloaded the operating manual for this device. It specifically states that the meter was developed for use on Direct TV systems. It lists four options for sets of satellites it will scale. It does not offer the Dish Network satellites sets. It does offer 110 and 119, but not 129 and it doesn't show any of the Eastern Arc satellites.

Is there software available for using this meter with Dish Network satellites? None was mentioned in the operating manual, although there is a data port for future upgrades.