New Dish Install - Locals Transponder Question

[brianm0520]

Just had Dish Network moved/installed at my parents house this morning and they are getting the Birmingham, AL locals. I'm a little irked that the installer put them on the western arc....should I be? I figured he would have installed eastern.

Anyways, I checked the signal strengths on the satellites and this is what it shows.

110

1 - 71
2 - 76
3 - 75
4 - 19
5 - 70
6 - 75
7 - 62
8 - 73
9 - 71
10 - 69
11 - 80
12 - 5
13 - 77
14 - 73
15 - 77
16 - 75
17 - 64
18 - 0
19 - 65
20 - 2
21 - 77
22 - 70
23 - 16
24 - 75
25 - 11
26 - 45
27 - 30
29 - 55
31 - 52

119

1 - 0
2 - 50
3 - 7
4 - 52
5 - 67
6 - 80
7 - 66
8 - 68
9 - 75
10 - 70
11 - 75
12 - 78
13 - 74
14 - 70
15 - 84
16 - 78
17 - 73
18 - 78
19 - 84
20 - 80
21 - 84

129

1 - 0
2 - 28 <--This right here (Is this not the Birmingham HD locals transponder?)
3 - 0
4 - 0
5 - 0
6 - 37
7 - 11
8 - 56
9 - 12
10 - 0
11 - 7
12 - 32
13 - 45
14 - 30
15 - 56
16 - 41
17 - 57
18 - 45
19 - 56
20 - 52
21 - 68
22 - 50
23 - 53
24 - 52
25 - 52
26 - 52
27 - 55
28 - 55
29 - 57
30 - 52
31 - 58
32 - 55

The signal strengths on 110 and 119 look super. Pretty much twice what I ever saw. I just can't understand why the locals transponder is showing so low. Is there a setting wrong or maybe faulty lnb? Should I give them a call and get them to come change it to eastern?

 

[brianm0520]

Oh and btw, he hooked one HD receiver up with composite cables and the other with coax...



...and told me that the picture was HD

 

[Bobby]

All of the Birmingham local channels, SD & HD, are spread across 110, 119, and 129. Western arc is the proper installation. Not all transponders are meant to be seen in Birmingham. take your readings with a grain of salt.

 

[brianm0520]

The only thing that I am worried about is trans 2 on 129

DISH Network on Ciel 2 at 129.0°W - LyngSat

That's where the HD locals are....

Does anybody think that there is a problem here that I should be worried about?

 

[brianm0520]

All of the Birmingham local channels, SD & HD, are spread across 110, 119, and 129. Western arc is the proper installation. Not all transponders are meant to be seen in Birmingham. take your readings with a grain of salt.

Here is another list that shows the transponders and what satellites they are on:
SatelliteGuys.US_TheList - Dish Network Birmingham, AL

I wouldn't necessarily say that western arc is THE proper install. It looks like it could be either. This still isn't helping me understand the low signal reading for that particular transponder....

 

[harshness]

Oh and btw, he hooked one HD receiver up with composite cables and the other with coax...

Component cables look an awful lot like composite cables.

 

[dwarren2]

Oh and btw, he hooked one HD receiver up with composite cables and the other with coax...



...and told me that the picture was HD

What are the colors on the end of the cables? Red, white and yellow is composite. Red green and blue with an audio cable is component. If the TV has hdmi input, go out and get an hdmi cable.

 

[brianm0520]

What are the colors on the end of the cables? Red, white and yellow is composite. Red green and blue with an audio cable is component. If the TV has hdmi input, go out and get an hdmi cable.

Yes I know my stuff composite is yellow. Sucks for anybody that this guy would install for that doesn't know the difference and is like hey this is HD!

Anyways, back to my original question about the signal strength on the locals. They are getting Birmingham locals and they live in Hamilton, AL. Do you think the signal strength is so weak because they are on the edge of the satellite spot? Would switching to the eastern arc possibly help anything? I'm just not wanting them to have to mess with any rain fade issues...

 

[dwarren2]

Yes I know my stuff composite is yellow. Sucks for anybody that this guy would install for that doesn't know the difference and is like hey this is HD!
.

Yes, an idiot who thinks composite is HD or thinks he can fool someone. Is there a phone number on the work order? If so, call and complain.

 

[chainblu]

Back to the signal strength question. Turn to one one your local channels, then press Menu-6-1-1. That will give you your transponder and signal strength for that channel.

 

[brianm0520]

Back to the signal strength question. Turn to one one your local channels, then press Menu-6-1-1. That will give you your transponder and signal strength for that channel.

Right, did that and I get anywhere from 28-30 and it is the transponder 2 on 129...

 

[brianm0520]

Can anybody help me out with the signal strength question?

 

[Dr.Pepper]

Can anybody help me out with the signal strength question?

The 119 and 110 look like they're just about dead-on the mark. And if they're on the mark than most likely the 129 is on the mark too (given a clear line of sight and it's not catching the side of a tree or something). I don't know what signal strength is expected for your area off the 129 but by looking at the other transponder strengths it doesn't look like it is much off the norm if any.

I think I would call Dish and ask them if it's normal (or a "known issue") for that transponder to be that low for your area.

 

[Barry Erick]

One thing, the locals for you are on a spot beam and it is normal for them to be low but fine.