Orasat 5.0 Help

[k7dn]

I just bought an Orasat 5.0 and I am not picking up anything. I origionally had Dish Network, and they installed a Dish 500, and an additional single LNB, dish, pointed in another direction, which was supposed to give me some international channels. I have read that I will need to buy a larger KU band dish, to get most of the FTA programming out there, but I think that I should be able to get something now. What am I doing wrong?, please help.

 

[TNGTony]

I you haven't moved your satellite dish and it is pointing at a Dish satellite, you will get nothing on a FREE TO AIR receiver except maybe the Dish FYI channel.

In answer to what are you doing wrong the first thing is pointing at the wrong satellite.

Tony

 

[k7dn]

I just found this post after I made my post. Am I reading this wrong, or are they saying that I should get something.

I was just concerened because I expected to atleast get a signal indication, even if no programming was available. I am not sure why, but It looks like I have 2 coax runs comming from the "switch", which has both of my dish's run into it.


QUOTE
here is the updated list (some stuff got scrambled since the original posting)

Here is what you can LEGALLY get with a DBS dish

ExpressVu (Nimiq1 at 91)
-XPRS2..this is a info channel for ExpressVu
-35 radio stations from arounf Canada (CBC Radio as an example)

ExpressVu (Nimiq2 at 82)
-one barker channel

Dish 119
-101...the Dish help channel
-213...NASA
-262...Angel One
-501..a screen saying "you have purchased ----------" When a Dish customer orders a sports PPV (like Wrestlemania), when you tune to the channel it is on, you will see this
-9950.."You need a second dish to view this channel"..This is what Dish subscribers see when a local channel is on the 2nd dish (61.5 or 148)
-Muzak audio channels...Both the mono & CD ones are here. Sirius use to be, but sadly they were scrambled

Dish 110
-Gol TV (407 & 853)..407 is the English version (you have to set the audio to the SAP, Language 2, etc to get English)...853 is the Spanish version
-9900...The ever compelling "Congratulations..you have a Dish 500"
-103..The PPV previews
-139..The Sports Previews
-485..a channel that tells Dish subscribers how to block out adult channels

Dish 61.5 or 148
-International Promo channel (580)
QUOTE

 

[Das Hammer]

Yeah, you should be getting something like the free music on 119 or even the "Congratulations you have a dish 500 system" screen. Maybe your switch settings are incorrect.

There's quite a menagerie of free international programming on satellite IA5. You'll need a 30" or larger dish to get it and different LNBFs. There is some more scattered about too.

 

[k7dn]

Can you suggest any truobleshooting steps? Why do I have 2 cables running from my switch?

 

[Mr Tony]

chuck the switch...it wont work

I would aim the single dish (the one that they were using for Int'l) and aim at one of the satellites. The DIsh500 with the built in switch screws up stuff.

You should be able to get the Int'l Promo channel (now is just Dish 101) if the dish is still aimed at 61.5 or 148

but get rid of the switch first

 

[Das Hammer]

Are you the real K7DN from WA?

I'm not familiar with the Orasat menus, so I can't give you a walkthrough.

If I was going to setup a new receiver in this scenario, first I'd make sure I know what I'm trying to find. Lyngsat.com will tell you which transponders (frequencies) that the free channels are on. Once you know them, you can go into your setup and scan those particular transponders.

This, of course, is dependant upon if you have your switch settings correct. Check to make sure your LOF for this satellite is set to 11250 also.

 

[Das Hammer]

chuck the switch...it wont work

He might still be using it for a subscription?

 

[k7dn]

I don't have a subscription right now, but I may in the near future. i will take out the DISH switch and try it.

I am the "real" K7DN from WA, are you close, have we spoken before?

 

[Mr Tony]

He might still be using it for a subscription?

from the sound of it

but It looks like I have 2 coax runs comming from the "switch", which has both of my dish's run into it.

that switch is a DP21 or a SW21 and wont work if he hooks the receievr to that line until the switch is removed

He can hook up a separate line from the single dish to the recever

 

[Das Hammer]

I am the "real" K7DN from WA, are you close, have we spoken before?

No, just looked you up on QRZ. Quite an impressive bio there.

 

[k7dn]

I hooked up the switch that came with my Orast 5.0 I have the single LNB from my DISH 500, pointed ? (supposed to be foreign) connected to SAT1, and I have the Dual LNB's from my DISH 500, connected to SAT 2 and 3 respectively. I think the dual dish is on 110 and 119. I connected the receiver to the receiver port on the switch, and I am still not getthing anything. I am scanning Echo 9 and I think Echo 6,8. It starts the scan, and then almost immediately says fail. although it still runs through the scan for about 45sec. I am using the standard LNB setting. Any ideas

 

[PSB]

What are you hoping to get?

http://www.satelliteguys.us/showthread.php?t=34131

You would have to remove all switch and just use a single LNB, use 11250 as the L.O.

 

[k7dn]

I am hoping to get anything at this point. I will try direct and see what I come up with. What I am trying to acomplish is a working system, with the limited channels from the Echo sats. When I have that, I will buy a KU dish, and try to get more. At this point I will try anything, becuase nothing is working, but why do I have to remove the switch. Doesn't that "combine" the feeds from all my dish's to allow me more channels?

 

[Mr Tony]

yes it does combine them but DIsh Network uses funky switching inside the switches so it doesn't work

 

[k7dn]

I understood that the DISH Network provided switch wouldn't work for me, but I am now using the Orasat switch provided with my FTA receiver. It is still not working. I will try and connect direct to one of the dish's, but I didn't understand why my new switch wasn't working, or would need to be bypassed.

Thanks for your help, I want to avoid sending this thing back.

 

[voomvoom]

I don't know anything about the Orasat receiver, but in most receivers you have to set the receiver to accept, either Sat 1 or Sat 2 or Sat3 (or Sat4 if you hooked it up too). At this point, I don't think the receiver knows what to do. This is assuming the switch is a 4x1 diseqc switch.

Al

 

[k7dn]

Well, not long after I made my last post, and checked the frequency of the LNB, it was 11250, and still is 11250, I defaulted the receiver, and it immediately started receiving signal strength, from the Echostar sats. I scanned the channels, and it pickup up alot of scrambled channels, and a few open ones. I then went to scan a sat simiq (or somthing, cant remember now), it picked up a bunch of scrambled channels. But now, none of the sats come in. I must have some issue, maybe a bad switch. Its dark and I will have to try the single sat direct to the box later.

Thanks

It is a 4x1 diseqc switch. I will have to look into what setting the receiver may need for it.

 

[k7dn]

I would like to thank everyone for helping me so far. Here is what is happening. I have done this several times, and can reporduce it over and over. I think that my receiver may be bad.

When I scan a sat, it will pickup all of the channels. I can scan as many as I like, and they are all fine. Once I turn the unit off, it says saving, and then goes off, but when I go to turn it back on, it can't find the signal. All of the channels are still programmed in, but it says no signal or bad quality. If I go throuh the process of defaulting the receiver, it will work again.

I am going to call the guy who sold it to me and see what they say. I have seen that there is an update I can load into it, but I don't want to void my warrenty (if any) first.

 

[PSB]

Are you switching it of on the back of the receiver or just using the remote control?