unable to align slimline-5s swm - bad lnbs?

[fastechs]

I am having a terrible time trying to align a new slimline-5s swm. I have tried two newer receivers, cables.

I am trying to align with the dishpointer iphone app. I also downloaded another app to align. Has anybody been able to succesfully align this dish with one of these apps?

I am starting to think the LNB's may be bad. I can't get any signal whatsoever and have spent hours moving it slowly according to where the iphone apps state the satellite is. Is there a way to test the lnbs?

At another location I have a working slimline-3s swm that is aligned and working. To test my slimline-5s can I change the 5s swm to 3s swm or would I likely need to realign everything?


Last but not least I am tempted to buy a signal meter? I would prefer to buy a cheap one at first b/c if the LNB's are bad I don't want to waste a ton of money on a signal meter. What is a good low end, and what is a good high end signal meter I can use to align?

 

[Jimbo]

I am having a terrible time trying to align a new slimline-5s swm. I have tried two newer receivers, cables.

I am trying to align with the dishpointer iphone app. I also downloaded another app to align. Has anybody been able to succesfully align this dish with one of these apps?

I am starting to think the LNB's may be bad. I can't get any signal whatsoever and have spent hours moving it slowly according to where the iphone apps state the satellite is. Is there a way to test the lnbs?

At another location I have a working slimline-3s swm that is aligned and working. To test my slimline-5s can I change the 5s swm to 3s swm or would I likely need to realign everything?


Last but not least I am tempted to buy a signal meter? I would prefer to buy a cheap one at first b/c if the LNB's are bad I don't want to waste a ton of money on a signal meter. What is a good low end, and what is a good high end signal meter I can use to align?

I'm guessing this is at a place you don't want D* to know about ? Otherwise, why not let them come out and point it, it will take them about 10 minutes and you'll be up and running.

Ok, now, the MOST IMPORTANT thing is to make sure the unit is plumb and level, have you put a level on your mast ?


Also, the dishpointer type apps are only a reference point to work with, as is the info on the recvr itself.

When you set these up , are you going thru the "Repeat Sat Set Up " section of the menus, you'll likely need to change the settings there first.

 

[DodgerKing]

I set up my own Dish at our second home in Mammoth. I take the Dish down every time I leave. The first time was a pain and it took me hours. Now it only takes minutes.

I used the DishPointer APP on my phone to get a general idea of where to point the Dish as well as the angle and tilt

First lock into the 101 bird. I used an old Hughes box so I can listen to the beeping sound. It made it much easier

Once I locked into 101 I hooked up my HD receiver so I can get a signal reading on 99 and 103. These are the tricky ones as the signal can go from 0 to 90 in just mm of movement. I used my hands and slowly alternated adjusting the tilt and the angle until I got some sort of signal reading. I then locked the Dish in that position (my signal readings were in the 30's). I then used the bolts on the dish to do the fine adjustments until I got them in the 80s and 90s.

 

[raoul5788]

I am having a terrible time trying to align a new slimline-5s swm. I have tried two newer receivers, cables.

I am trying to align with the dishpointer iphone app. I also downloaded another app to align. Has anybody been able to succesfully align this dish with one of these apps?

I am starting to think the LNB's may be bad. I can't get any signal whatsoever and have spent hours moving it slowly according to where the iphone apps state the satellite is. Is there a way to test the lnbs?

At another location I have a working slimline-3s swm that is aligned and working. To test my slimline-5s can I change the 5s swm to 3s swm or would I likely need to realign everything?


Last but not least I am tempted to buy a signal meter? I would prefer to buy a cheap one at first b/c if the LNB's are bad I don't want to waste a ton of money on a signal meter. What is a good low end, and what is a good high end signal meter I can use to align?

to Satelliteguys!
Like Jimbo said, make sure the mast is plumb. It's very important! I use a post level. I find them to be the easiest to use and more accurate than the bubble level built into the mast. Then align to the 101 like DodgerKing said. Then you adjust for the other satellites by finding 119, then make the fine adjustments for the 99 and 103 satellites. You can switch out your 3 lnb unit for the 5 lnb without having to change anything but the settings in the menu. Good luck, don't give up, and let us know how it is going!

 

[fastechs]

Thanks all, are there any decent inexpensive meters that work with these swm dishes?

 

[Greedy]

Just making sure because it's easy to forget but do you have your coax running through the power inserter? Otherwise,no signal will come through.I have forgotten it before when trying to line up a dish.
You should be able to put your 5lnb on the 3lnb to check to see if the lnb is ok.i have both and have switched back and forth without any problems.

 

[raoul5788]

Good point, Greedy!

 

[twizt3dsist3r]

To answer your question, there is NO CHEAP meter tht is going to work with a swm lnb, we us ka/ku lnbs the swap them after the dish is dithered

 

[Jimbo]

Don't bother spending money on a meter, once you get it down how to set it up, you'll never use the meter.
Also, the meters pick up ALL the Sats, so you'll think you have the Sat and find out that it's not the one you need.

 

[charper1]

100+ installs over the years; I am not a pro, and I have never used a meter; regardless of dish type. Go out to Wal-Mart or your local outdoor center and buy a $15 heading/field/map compass; that is all you really need.


Well add a level if you don't have one in your tool box already just to make sure the mast is level & plumb.

 

[DodgerKing]

I just used the compass APP, level APP, and Dishpointer APP on my phone

 

[charper1]

I like the hardware because it doesn't need batteries. LOL