set up in the mountains

[53jimc]

Hi Everyone,

It's been a long time since I posted. I had a problem getting my slimline set up but you all helped me out and everything has been running great for most of a year now.

So, I have a new issue. I was taking a long weekend off with my BIL and SIL (wife's sister) in the mountains above Waynesville, NC, 28785, and took a 18" double LNB dish (about 6 years old, tag worn off) and a standard (not HD) receiver up so we could watch the college football games this past Saturday. (Clemson at 3:30, Carolina at 7pm). We went to Radio Shack and bought the satellite signal detector and hooked everything up. According to the web, the az is 214, el is 44. I plumbed the mast, set up the az with a compass, hooked up the signal meter and receiver and got good signal with the signal meter. But, the receiver would never register any signal. It was always zero.

We finally went to a downtown pub and had a few beers and watched the Clemson game, but missed the Carolina game. Well, one outta two ain't bad.

Could it be that even though the signal meter was receiving a signal it was not strong enough to drive the box?

I was definitely at 214 az, 44 el, or it seemed so to me. Could I be off enough to not be getting a signal from the correct satellite?

I am home now, and hooked up the receiver to my current slimline dish and it picks up fine. (29376)

We worked all day Saturday on this and we feel defeated. What is it about remote access that we need to know? The receiver location doesn't really matter as long as the access card is valid and the az and elev is correct, right? The signal meter seemed to have a good signal. We also looked and many others on the mountain had dishes pointed up the mountain. I used a brand new cable with compression fittings and it ringed out fine, so, I don't think it's the cable.

Any help is appreciated. I'm wondering if the dish is just too old and the LNB isn't compatible. The receiver has model D10 on it, if that helps.

We did notice that we could not change the switch type when setting up. I did not have a remote so we were working from the front panel.

Thanks for any advice. I'll be happy to provide any other info.

Jim

 

[Teehar]

That dish being that old are you certain that the lnb was good?

 

[53jimc]

We wondered about that. We got a LNB error first couple of times on the setup check, but on several subsequent attempts it showed no LNB error.

Question is, for a non-HD, standard D10 receiver, which LNB should be used? I don't have a problem getting a new one, if that's what it takes.

 

[Teehar]

.Haven't had dtv in many years so know very little about the new equipment.Just looking at some images on google it appears that the D10 is an older model,it should work with the old standard 18' lnbs.Maybe someone that knows a bit more about dtv can chime in.Oh great games btw Clemson vs SC should be a doozy!

 

[53jimc]

.Haven't had dtv in many years so know very little about the new equipment.Just looking at some images on google it appears that the D10 is an older model,it should work with the old standard 18' lnbs.Maybe someone that knows a bit more about dtv can chime in.Oh great games btw Clemson vs SC should be a doozy!

SC has done a great job recruiting. I'm a Clemson fan but it's going to be a tough job to beat those guys in Williams Brice this year. SEC is a tough conference. Keeping my fingers crossed. Go Tigers!

 

[Jimbo]

I'm trhinking you just were not hitting the correct Sat.
There are alot of Sats up there and the meter you got doesn't tell you what Sat your hitting (most don't).

I would try your set up at home in the back yard several times till you get the hang of it, before going to the games on Saturday.

 

[raoul5788]

According to dishpointer, the magnectic azimuth for 110 for your zip code is 227. For the 101 satellite it's 215. I think you were pointing at the wrong satellite like Jimbo said.

 

[shy007]

SC has done a great job recruiting. I'm a Clemson fan but it's going to be a tough job to beat those guys in Williams Brice this year. SEC is a tough conference. Keeping my fingers crossed. Go Tigers!

The game is at Death Valley this year. I hope the Gamecocks make it 4 in a roll.

 

[schneid]

It is very easy to get the wrong bird with a squawker especially if there is any magnetic deviation in play. When I used a squawker I sometimes got sucked on to the wrong bird 10º - 20º off to the right. Try slooowly rotating back left. When you get a signal, stop, and go check the meters on the box. No joy, continue. Tedious but without more expensive tools, trial and error is the only way. I plumb mast and more precise settings from Dishpointer help too.

 

[HDinCincy]

When I use my D12 in my RV (swm at home) I have to change the setup to "multiswitch" from SWM. Did you do that? I ALWAYS use the signal strength meter on the receiver. I feel it's easier than a meter. Hope this helps.

 

[53jimc]

According to dishpointer, the magnectic azimuth for 110 for your zip code is 227. For the 101 satellite it's 215. I think you were pointing at the wrong satellite like Jimbo said.

Hmmm, the DTV website said 214 az @44deg elev. What is this dishpointer you speak of? (is that the one on the DTV site?) Also, which satellite should I be pointing at for standard (non HD) signal?

 

[53jimc]

When I use my D12 in my RV (swm at home) I have to change the setup to "multiswitch" from SWM. Did you do that? I ALWAYS use the signal strength meter on the receiver. I feel it's easier than a meter. Hope this helps.

Yep, the setup is on multiswitch. I don't have SWM at home. We were running off the front panel, I forgot the remote. I used the signal strength meter on the receiver, too, no signal, although on initial set up of satellite, it indicated a signal. I think other responses are probably right, I just wasn't pointing it right. I'll practice some more.

 

[raoul5788]

Hmmm, the DTV website said 214 az @44deg elev. What is this dishpointer you speak of? (is that the one on the DTV site?) Also, which satellite should I be pointing at for standard (non HD) signal?

You were looking at the settings for a Slimline dish. The correct one for the Phase II is 227 degrees at 40 degrees elevation.

 

[53jimc]

You were looking at the settings for a Slimline dish. The correct one for the Phase II is 227 degrees at 40 degrees elevation.

Excellent, where would this information be? When I put in the zip and sattelite type of 18" round on the DTV receiver it showed the 214/40. I did look at dishpointer.com and there are quite a number of satellites there. Which one is the correct one?

Thanks everyone for your help. I'll get better at this, I promise, and will keep searching.

Jim

 

[raoul5788]

The 18" round dish is a single lnb and it points to the 101 satellite just like the Slimline does. The dish you have is a Phase II, the predecessor to the Phase III that sees 101, 110, and 119. They both point at the 110 satellite. Change the setting in your receiver to Phase III (18" x 20") and see what it says.

 

[Joe Diamond]

Excellent, where would this information be? When I put in the zip and sattelite type of 18" round on the DTV receiver it showed the 214/40. I did look at dishpointer.com and there are quite a number of satellites there. Which one is the correct one?

Thanks everyone for your help. I'll get better at this, I promise, and will keep searching.

Jim

Arithmetic will save ya,

By international agreement they are nine degrees apart..............101 + 9 = 110.......+ 9 = 119........and so on around the equator in the Clarke Belt. The HD sats are lower power & different freqs so they can be lower in orbit & closer (three degrees) on either side of the 101. Ditrectv engineered it that way. The Phase II is set to center on the 110 so move the dish left (east) and the 101 should be there.

Joe

 

[raoul5788]

Arithmetic will save ya,

By international agreement they are nine degrees apart..............101 + 9 = 110.......+ 9 = 119........and so on around the equator in the Clarke Belt. The HD sats are lower power & different freqs so they can be lower in orbit & closer (three degrees) on either side of the 101. Ditrectv engineered it that way. The Phase II is set to center on the 110 so move the dish left (east) and the 101 should be there.

Joe

The hd satellites at 99 and 103 aren't any closer to the earth than 101, 110, or 119. The op has been pointing at 101, but should be pointing at 110.

 

[53jimc]

The hd satellites at 99 and 103 aren't any closer to the earth than 101, 110, or 119. The op has been pointing at 101, but should be pointing at 110.

110 it is, then. I'll try that at home. Next time I go to the mountains, we'll see!

Where is this information? Is it in a sticky somewhere? I'll put it in a search, but, I'm search challenged. It seems I can never find the right terms.

 

[53jimc]

Another question. If I point to 110 using the single LNB w/ dual output dish, will that pick up all of the channels, including the locals? If not, which dish should I be using? Would it be best to get a slimline to install. It's doubtful we'll have anything other than an old conventional tv up there for the foreseeable future.

 

[raoul5788]

The single lnb 18" dish points at 101, you said you had a dual lnb dish. Those point to 110. Your locals are on 101, but if you use the dual lnb dish it will get them.