Signal levels, new Michigan Saginaw-Flint HD locals on 61.5

[primestar31]

Wnem - 5 (5161)

Wjrt - 12 (5160)

Wsmh - 66 (5163)

Are the new HD locals that Dish is carrying from the new spotbeam on 61.5 satellite, SpotBeam 3 in the mid-Michigan area

Can anybody confirm their signal levels on these channels, if they have a VIP622 or 722 receiver? I'm only getting around 43-44, and it drops out real easy. MonsterHD on the same sat, is giving me a level of 57. I'm using a Dish 500, with an "I" adapter, and a DP lnb. Thanks!

 

[primestar31]

Bump.

Anybody in this area above have time to check signal levels for me? Thanks.

 

[primestar31]

Wnem - 5 (5161)

Wjrt - 12 (5160)

Wsmh - 66 (5163)

Are the new HD locals that Dish is carrying from the new spotbeam on 61.5 satellite, SpotBeam 3 in the mid-Michigan area

Can anybody confirm their signal levels on these channels, if they have a VIP622 or 722 receiver? I'm only getting around 43-44, and it drops out real easy. MonsterHD on the same sat, is giving me a level of 57. I'm using a Dish 500, with an "I" adapter, and a DP lnb. Thanks!

Ok, just to try it, and see if I could get better signals, I swapped out the dish500 with the "I" adapter, for a 90CM 3ABN dish. I got everything tweaked, and maxed out. VIP622 with 4.49. But check this out:

MonstersHD channel 9481 went from a 54 (D500) to a 62 (3ABN dish)

All the local channels above, only went to a steady 45 on the 3ABN dish!!

I realize that the local channels are on a spotbeam, but the 90CM dish is MUCH larger than a Dish500. The MonstersHD channel jumped 8 points, and a few other transponders jumped even higher. So how come the spotbeam for my HD locals only went up about 2 points? I'd have thought that should have jumped at least 8 points also?

I'm no newbie when it comes to dishes, and have successfully installed everything in the past from a 6ft C-band, 12 ft c-band, 10 ft c-band, many d500's, d300's, and Primestars. This one has me stumped. I wish I knew what the center point beam of that new 61.5 spotbeam is aimed at (what city or coordinate), and how wide a beam it is.

 

[old corps]

I'm scheduled to have a dish aimed at 61.5 Sunday and I'll let you know ss's. Where are you located? I'm north of Flint, south of Saginaw. I'm guessing the center point of the spotbeam would be pretty close to my location.

Ed

 

[primestar31]

I'm scheduled to have a dish aimed at 61.5 Sunday and I'll let you know ss's. Where are you located? I'm north of Flint, south of Saginaw. I'm guessing the center point of the spotbeam would be pretty close to my location.

Ed

I'm north of Sanford. That probably puts me at the outer edge of the spotbeam. If so, that makes it a pretty tight spotbeam!

 

[old corps]

Wow, I'm guessing (again) you're on the fringe of the beam. I'm surprised no one else responded to you query. If my install happens like it's supposed to tomorrow I'll post the ss.

Ed

 

[old corps]

Well Primestar, Dish showed up early this morning (surprise!) and since they had the work order screwed up (NO surprise) I'll have to wait until tomorrow afternoon before I have a dish aimed at 61.5--maybe. I needed to have a 1000.2 installed to replace one of my 500's and the remaining 500 needed to be moved and aimed at 61.5. This was clearly explained and agreed to by the executive office but of course the subcontractor didn't get the word.

Update: The subcontractor called back and said they'd be back out TODAY (BIG surprise!) to install my 1000.2. Certainly a different service experience than the last company I had out. Stay tuned.

Ed

 

[primestar31]

Well Primestar, Dish showed up early this morning (surprise!) and since they had the work order screwed up (NO surprise) I'll have to wait until tomorrow afternoon before I have a dish aimed at 61.5--maybe. I needed to have a 1000.2 installed to replace one of my 500's and the remaining 500 needed to be moved and aimed at 61.5. This was clearly explained and agreed to by the executive office but of course the subcontractor didn't get the word.

Update: The subcontractor called back and said they'd be back out TODAY (BIG surprise!) to install my 1000.2. Certainly a different service experience than the last company I had out. Stay tuned.

Ed

Thanks!

Hey, if they do an acceptible job for you, consider giving them a tip of some sort. Doesn't have to be anything big. I'm a tech by profession (not a sat tech) try to do a great job for everybody, and I know appreciation of that sort can get my attention. People willing to give thanks, or even a small something (pop) sure get higher appreciation for future service!

 

[old corps]

Well, if its any consolation you've got me beat. I'm running 41-43 on 03 while other tp's run from 48 all the way up to 83! I've got a clear view of 61.5 and as you know its a clear day. The signal on 03 IS pretty steady and I haven't seen any drop outs. The installer said that was normal ss for 03. ???
Funny you should mention a tip. I tipped him $20 and that was BEFORE I saw your post. He showed up this afternoon earlier than expected, knew what he was doing and cleaned up after himself. Completely different experience than what I'd had with Dish previously and I sure never tipped 'em before. My ss's are better on all satellites & tp's than I've had since getting my 622 &722. I'm a happy camper.

One thing I'm puzzled about. If the HD locals are on SPOTBEAM 03 wonder why the signal meter says transponder? It usually changes to spotbeam when that's the case. Hope I don't lose signal on 'em when the weather is bad. We'll see.

Ed

 

[primestar31]

Well, if its any consolation you've got me beat. I'm running 41-43 on 03 while other tp's run from 48 all the way up to 83! I've got a clear view of 61.5 and as you know its a clear day. The signal on 03 IS pretty steady and I haven't seen any drop outs. The installer said that was normal ss for 03. ???
Funny you should mention a tip. I tipped him $20 and that was BEFORE I saw your post. He showed up this afternoon earlier than expected, knew what he was doing and cleaned up after himself. Completely different experience than what I'd had with Dish previously and I sure never tipped 'em before. My ss's are better on all satellites & tp's than I've had since getting my 622 &722. I'm a happy camper.

One thing I'm puzzled about. If the HD locals are on SPOTBEAM 03 wonder why the signal meter says transponder? It usually changes to spotbeam when that's the case. Hope I don't lose signal on 'em when the weather is bad. We'll see.

Ed

That satellite is an odd-ball when it comes to spotbeams. From what I've been trying to figure out, the individual transponders they are now using for locals on that sat has way too many multiple separately targetable spotbeams! Considering our signal levels, I now also suspicion that they are adjusting the signal strengths on each spotbeam, to equal the total available per transponder. That's why the signal is at least 10-15 points below the other average other HD channels on that sat.

Well, since I installed such a large dish, and only pulled in a couple more points on those locals, you can see it's probably not worth doing that for the average person. Unless they have spare dishes sitting around to play with! If there's a lot of rain fade from now on, I'm going to call and bitch to Dish, and maybe if enough people complain, they can crank up the power a bit more.

 

[old corps]

Havta wait and see what happens. Pray for rain............NOT. LOL If it becomes a problem I'll bitch right along with ya.:up

Ed

 

[cummingsje]

Well, if its any consolation you've got me beat. I'm running 41-43 on 03 while other tp's run from 48 all the way up to 83! I've got a clear view of 61.5 and as you know its a clear day. The signal on 03 IS pretty steady and I haven't seen any drop outs. The installer said that was normal ss for 03. ???
Funny you should mention a tip. I tipped him $20 and that was BEFORE I saw your post. He showed up this afternoon earlier than expected, knew what he was doing and cleaned up after himself. Completely different experience than what I'd had with Dish previously and I sure never tipped 'em before. My ss's are better on all satellites & tp's than I've had since getting my 622 &722. I'm a happy camper.

One thing I'm puzzled about. If the HD locals are on SPOTBEAM 03 wonder why the signal meter says transponder? It usually changes to spotbeam when that's the case. Hope I don't lose signal on 'em when the weather is bad. We'll see.

Ed

Sorry I didn't see this thread earlier! I just had a Dish 500 added to my setup a couple of weeks ago when our HD LILS went active (for 61.5). I haven't noticed the channels going out but my signal levels are 41-43. Other HD channels from 61.5 range from 65-70 (far cry from the 30-40 range on 129.

BTW I'm just slightly west of Flint.

 

[old corps]

Thanks for your input!

Ed