No signal strength on SWM after alignment with Ka/Ku LNB

[Timsatx]

I thought I should move this to a new thread instead of my original one .

Well, not sure what is going on. As I mentioned, I used my triple LNB (Ka/Ku) from my old antenna and got everything aligned. Solid signals on the meter, all in the range of 91-93.

I tightened everything down while still connected and maintained the signal strength. I then swapped out the LNB's, dropped the same cable off the roof and connected directly to the PI and from the PI to the receiver. I turned on the PI and then turned on the receiver. I get 0's for all transponders on all satellites (except for the ones that show N/A).

I checked the PI's voltage output and it was at 29.3 vdc

Any idea's as to whats wrong?

 

[JosephB]

try putting the other LNB back on to isolate the LNB from being the issue. if you still get no signal then it could be misaligned, etc. (be sure you don't use the PI with the non SWM lnb and no splitters)

 

[randyk47]

Did you unplug your receivers? You have to take them totally down, not just turn them off, and then bring them back up once the LNB is powered by the PI.

 

[Timsatx]

I haven't installed the receiver yet. I have just been plugging it in as I need it to test the signal so yeah, everything has been unplugged for some time before I start powering them up.

After the rain is gone, probably Sunday, I will install my old Ka/Ku LNB and hook it up to the receiver and see what signals I get. Ultimately I will wait till I get my ASL-1 to determine whether it is my LNB or not. This really blows but what can you do.

I presume that I can connect my HR22 to my old LNB, correct?

 

[randyk47]

OK. I'm officially confused. If you're asking if you can use your HR22 with your old LNB then what receiver did you use to aim the dish in the first place? Certainly the HR22 will work though.

PS - Quite a weather change from yesterday to today. I'm in Canyon Springs area and cold rain this AM. We need it but geez......

 

[mental1]

After everything is installed, sighted in and powered up (SWM, PI & HR22), reset the HR22. That should fix the problem.

 

[thetech2009]

are you plugging the cable into the correct sat port with NO b-band converter

 

[Timsatx]

Yes, I am plugging it into Port 1 and I am not using the BBC. The screen even tells me not to use it.

mental1, I will try that after I check everything out. Do you think that will actually work? Why would it not see them upon powering up as opposed to resetting it after powering it up?

 

[thetech2009]

Yes, I am plugging it into Port 1 and I am not using the BBC. The screen even tells me not to use it.

mental1, I will try that after I check everything out. Do you think that will actually work? Why would it not see them upon powering up as opposed to resetting it after powering it up?

they have minds of their own and want to do what it wants and not what you want

 

[Timsatx]

Sounds like my wife

 

[mental1]

Do you think that will actually work? Why would it not see them upon powering up as opposed to resetting it after powering it up?

Why does it work? Because the DirecTV HD-DVR is largely a pain in the ass at start up. I just know that I have to reset them a lot when installing a SWM setup or else I get 0's on the signal levels.

 

[randyk47]

I don't question that there have been situations where numerous resets have been required but that's not been my experience. It may have to do with the particular series of receivers or even a cranky receiver but my HR20's and even the supposedly difficult H20 came up immediately when I installed my SWM-8. Just in the past week we've been hit with a number of power hiccups and outages because of thunderstorms and my system hasn't failed to bring itself back to life on its own. Lucky? Maybe. Assuming there's a need and a use for SWM, be it the SWM LNB or SWM-8, I think SWM is a very stable solution.

 

[Timsatx]

Looking back on it, I don't think I ever answered your question randyk47. To align the dish I used the old Ka/Ku LNB borrowed from my original setup. I also used an R10 to power my Acutrac 22 Pro. I was just curious as to whether or not I could use the old LNB on the new HR22.

I am on the West side of San Antonio in the Valley-Hi area just outside of Lackland. According to the radar it looks like more rain is moving in. Hopefully I can get out this afternoon to try things out. I left everything pretty much hooked up. All I have to do is drop the cable to the living room.

 

[Timsatx]

Here is my problem right now. I am trying to use the HR22 using the old Ka/Ku 3 LNB with the new slimline dish. The problem I am having is that to set up the dish they give my 18 different selections. Some of them are obvious to not use, but I do not know which one would be the right one to use.

Here are the selections:
1) Round (18")
2) 3-LNB (18"x22")
3) Slimline-3
4) Slimline-5
5) Round (18") & 72.5
6) 3-LNB (18"x22") & 72.5
7) Slimline-3 & 72.5
8) Slimline-5 &72.5
9) Round (18") & 95
10) 3-LNB (18" x 20") & 95
11) Slimline-3 & 95
12) Slimline-5 & 95
13) Round & 72.5 & 95
14) 3-LNB & 72.5 & 95
15) Slimline-3 & 72.5 & 95
17) Slimline-3S (SWM)
18) Slinline-5S (SWM)

Also, I hooked up my Acutrac using the HR22 to power it. I still get solid signals on the meter but am unable to get a signal on the HR22. I thought the angle looked fairly different in terms of elevation so I loosened up the dish and swung it around and the signal just went away so I am assuming the angle of the arm on the Slimline dish has to be different because of the length.

Let me also say that I hooked my old antenna w/LNB up to the HR22 and got signal levels.

 

[Timsatx]

Alright, let me backtrack a bit. It looks like I didn't have a cable connected properly with my old 3-LNB. I connected it properly and now I am getting signal strengths of 1 ea @ 96, 6 ea @ 97, 7ea @98, 4ea @99 and the rest at 100 except for transponders 4, 18 and 28 which are 0 (all this on the 101). When I switch over to signal strength, tuner one is alternating between 99% and Not Acquired. Tuner 2 is not hooked up. If that is the case then when the SWM LNB is connected and I get no signal does that mean the LNB is bad?

 

[Timsatx]

I may as well ask this now since I am fairly certain that this is going to happen tomorrow based on my previous experience. Say I hook up the SWM LNB with the PI going thru the DC passing port on my SWS-4 splitter and check the output on the non-power passing port with my Acutrac 22 Pro. If I get the get solid signals with it connected this way and I still am not able to see any signal strength on the HR22, does that mean that the HR22 is bad and the SWM LNB is good?

 

[mental1]

In most cases, if you are getting a signal at the receiver end of the line on your meter but not the receiver its self, the receiver is definitely suspect. Hmmm, I'm just wondering if that made as much sense typed out as it did in my head??

 

[Timsatx]

Kinda interesting that it doesn't seem to pick up the SWM signal yet it picks up the standard signal. I wonder why that would be?

 

[Timsatx]

Has anybody experienced not receiving SWM signals but you do receive regular signals?