Tree fell and brushed dish, 0's on all TP's

[stlkev]

Storm Sunday blew neighbor's cedar tree down, thankfully 90% in yard, but parts hit back porch and brushed dish. There was a small limb close enough to have knocked it off a bit. It took out internet also, so I'm just now trying to get info at work. I tried surfing on phone, but I'm not the best at that.
Reciever is showing all 0's. Last night, I found a site that said set elevation to 40.9 I think, I climbed up and it was about 44, so I made that adjust, still 0's. Had to stop at that point, power company's tree cutters had showed up. Now at work, per DTV, I see it's supposed to be elev 44, Az 196.6.
So, I'm wondering if it was not knocked out of align, and I need to check elsewhere. I did some reading here and elsewhere, but being at work, wanted to go ahead and post a few questions. Hope to have internet tonight, but maybe get a few clues before I leave work.
Are 0's indicating an LNB problem? Is there a way to check at dish?
I initially doubted it moved, as the limb was small, but the wind was mighty that day. I'll check that base is still level, is there more to initially check on align besides elev. and az? It's my understanding you start there and should get some signal.
Thanks in advance from a newbie!
Edit/add: Slimline, lnb with 4 cables. HR24-500 rcvr if that matters

 

[raoul5788]

to Satelliteguys Stlkev!
The zeros could be a bad lnb, but in this situation they more likely indicate an alignment problem. You may find some witness marks that show where the dish was before it was moved. Check the mast for plumb first. Then set the azimuth to 198°, elevation to 43.9°, and the skew to 76.8°. Assuming your azimuth is close, should get some signal. By leaving the bolts slightly loose, you can push on the back of the dish to find out which way the adjustments need to go. Remember it takes a couple of seconds for the signal strength meter to register any changes.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

If its level then try turning the dish on the pole slowly to the left or right... very slowly. It could only be off by a hair to show all zeros!

 

[raoul5788]

True, there may be no need to adjust anything but the azimuth.

 

[stlkev]

Thanks for the replies! Headed home now to give it another shot. Really thought the 0's were strange, I see I'm wrong.

 

[Joe Diamond]

Thanks for the replies! Headed home now to give it another shot. Really thought the 0's were strange, I see I'm wrong.

Happens all the time.Point your dish at anything but the correct sats and you will get 0s.

Do what the guys suggest.......make sure the mast is plumb. Loosen the rear bolts enough to allow the dish to move and.......while in phone contact with someone watching the 0s....slowly move the dish in each direction. Mark with a pencil where you begin. Look for "skid marks" where the dish might have been moved from previous adjustments. You will need a 7 / 16" wrench.

Report success!

joe

 

[Hutch1814]

Happens all the time.Point your dish at anything but the correct sats and you will get 0s.

Do what the guys suggest.......make sure the mast is plumb. Loosen the rear bolts enough to allow the dish to move and.......while in phone contact with someone watching the 0s....slowly move the dish in each direction. Mark with a pencil where you begin. Look for "skid marks" where the dish might have been moved from previous adjustments. You will need a 7 / 16" wrench.

Report success!

joe

1/2 for a slimline or 95, 7/16 for 18 and 18X20



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[stlkev]

Update: I better start from beginning. Slimline was installed maybe 4 years ago. Got new roof last fall, I was amazed the roofers removed and reset the dish, came home, everything working and was getting low 90's. Fast forward to present, I had moved elev. Monday to 41 or so, before getting interrupted and then leaving at 41 So, yesterday, first thing I did was look closer at plumb("You may find some witness marks that show where the dish was before it was moved"). It was off significantly, saw the marks. I reset that with phone tool(it was handy), looked good. Put elev. back to 44(this is just eyeballing the scale, doesn't seem very precise). Noticed skew was at 79, but left as is for moment. Waited for helper to come by to be at rcvr., she couldn't make it until after dark. Had her stationed and started with rotating for azimuth, took a while, but started getting numbers. Long story short, in 45 minutes of tweeking az and elev got a 76 on one TP(only checking the 101), only about 6 TP's showed anything. Last move was moving skew to 77ish, I don't think this changed the 76 reading. Helper had to leave, and I'm still dealing with tree cleanup and getting internet, etc., so that was it for last night.
So, some progress. I haven't had time to educate myself to level of some of you, but seems maybe not necessary. I'm guessing I should re-check plumb first. Not feeling confident though, is a $40 meter a waste of money for dual LNB? I've seen different opinions/results googling.
Any other advice is greatly appreciated. I could call DTV and claim wind only(once tree is cleaned up), but would like to do myself for various reasons(DTV cost, delay).

 

[raoul5788]

I don't think a $40 meter will work on a Slimline, not the ka signals anyways. The meter in the receiver/dvr will do. It sounds like you are on the right track, you just need to keep plugging along. You can do it!

 

[Joe Diamond]

Update: I better start from beginning. Slimline was installed maybe 4 years ago. Got new roof last fall, I was amazed the roofers removed and reset the dish, came home, everything working and was getting low 90's. Fast forward to present, I had moved elev. Monday to 41 or so, before getting interrupted and then leaving at 41 So, yesterday, first thing I did was look closer at plumb("You may find some witness marks that show where the dish was before it was moved"). It was off significantly, saw the marks. I reset that with phone tool(it was handy), looked good. Put elev. back to 44(this is just eyeballing the scale, doesn't seem very precise). Noticed skew was at 79, but left as is for moment. Waited for helper to come by to be at rcvr., she couldn't make it until after dark. Had her stationed and started with rotating for azimuth, took a while, but started getting numbers. Long story short, in 45 minutes of tweeking az and elev got a 76 on one TP(only checking the 101), only about 6 TP's showed anything. Last move was moving skew to 77ish, I don't think this changed the 76 reading. Helper had to leave, and I'm still dealing with tree cleanup and getting internet, etc., so that was it for last night.
So, some progress. I haven't had time to educate myself to level of some of you, but seems maybe not necessary. I'm guessing I should re-check plumb first. Not feeling confident though, is a $40 meter a waste of money for dual LNB? I've seen different opinions/results googling.
Any other advice is greatly appreciated. I could call DTV and claim wind only(once tree is cleaned up), but would like to do myself for various reasons(DTV cost, delay).

REMEMBER......that plumb thing just makes it easier. I have seen techs with a meter just find the sat and lock everything down;works fine.IF the mast has not moved just adjust the el for highest signal. Then try the az. Tilt/skew is not as critical. Whatever the indicated angle is will be fine without tuning & it takes quite a lot of skew change to affect the signal level. Work one parameter at a time. Do compare the 101 signal to that of the 99 or 103.. The 101 will go down slightly as the 103 comes up.

Good observation that the roofers were able to reestablish signal!

Joe

 

[raoul5788]

Plumbing the mast isn't critical if you have the proper meter, and it isn't so out of plumb that it restricts movement of the dish to being aligned. It does make it easier when using the markings on the dish as a guide. Imagine the dish properly aligned, but suspended in air with the lock down hardware loose. You can move the mast in any direction you want without affecting the signal.

 

[Hutch1814]

Not really sure your location but we had 28 tornados in my DMA alone, we have set up a service only team. All we're doing is service, and same day. We're even calling trying to get in but the longer people wait the longer the wait will become to get a tech out. Just figured I'd throw that out there. I did 4 today that called in today!


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[stlkev]

Hutch, I'm in St. louis, I may be interested. Can you post contact info?
Yesterday late afternoon was overcast and drizzling. The 76 I had was now a 40. I did chack the mast with the bubble that's on top, it was off just a bit vertical, got that centered, but also a bit horizontal, and can't see how to move that without loosening roof bolts. Info here indicated not a bid deal anyway.
After that, I tried slight adjust on regular elev.(no helper yesterday), and had all 0's. Several more tries at elev. only, no luck. I'm resigned to waiting for a sunnier day(saturday hopefully). Or, hiring out.

 

[Joe Diamond]

Hutch, I'm in St. louis, I may be interested. Can you post contact info?
Yesterday late afternoon was overcast and drizzling. The 76 I had was now a 40. I did chack the mast with the bubble that's on top, it was off just a bit vertical, got that centered, but also a bit horizontal, and can't see how to move that without loosening roof bolts. Info here indicated not a bid deal anyway.
After that, I tried slight adjust on regular elev.(no helper yesterday), and had all 0's. Several more tries at elev. only, no luck. I'm resigned to waiting for a sunnier day(saturday hopefully). Or, hiring out.

kev,

Check again when the sun shines. No amount of tuning will fix bad conditions. Do monitor your signal meter and click around to see what channels you have. HD channels will go out first (99 & 103 sats) but the SD stuff (101 sat) will be there longer.

Know that the plumb mast is a starting point. IF your rig was tuned with the mast slightly off center (happens) your adjustment to plumb the mast will lower your signal (probably). With the mast plumb and securely mounted, repointing on a clear day could be good! Expect 90s on all xponders.

Finally, the whole point of correct tuning is to give the best possible performance as the weather caves in. You can do it. Work slowly & report success...or call Hutch.

Joe

 

[stlkev]

Tried again for 90 minutes today, no luck. Gave up and called DTV, was going to have to take Monday morning off, but got a phone call 30 minutes later changing appt. to this afternoon. Very lucky. Installer was here inside 2 hrs. He just now said he could get no signal, figures dish is damaged(I had noticed very minor indentation where the dish itself bolts on). He's putting new dish in.
So, lot of of wasted time, but a few things learned, lots of good exercise for an old(er) fart, and they're reimbursing for 6 days without TV. So high marks on their service, and I can't complain about much considering a very large tree fell exactly between the house and garage.
Thanks to all of you for your kind help!

 

[raoul5788]

I'm glad it worked out in the long run.

 

[dishcomm]

Storm Sunday blew neighbor's cedar tree down, thankfully 90% in yard, but parts hit back porch and brushed dish. There was a small limb close enough to have knocked it off a bit. It took out internet also, so I'm just now trying to get info at work. I tried surfing on phone, but I'm not the best at that.
Reciever is showing all 0's. Last night, I found a site that said set elevation to 40.9 I think, I climbed up and it was about 44, so I made that adjust, still 0's. Had to stop at that point, power company's tree cutters had showed up. Now at work, per DTV, I see it's supposed to be elev 44, Az 196.6.
So, I'm wondering if it was not knocked out of align, and I need to check elsewhere. I did some reading here and elsewhere, but being at work, wanted to go ahead and post a few questions. Hope to have internet tonight, but maybe get a few clues before I leave work.
Are 0's indicating an LNB problem? Is there a way to check at dish?
I initially doubted it moved, as the limb was small, but the wind was mighty that day. I'll check that base is still level, is there more to initially check on align besides elev. and az? It's my understanding you start there and should get some signal.
Thanks in advance from a newbie!
Edit/add: Slimline, lnb with 4 cables. HR24-500 rcvr if that matters

Bad LNB or the antenna may have been bent by the impacting tree. Those antennas do bend easily.