Upgrade Old System to Receive 72.5 Sat

[htrute]

Hi Folks,

I have an old system in a rural location that I would like to upgrade to receive available local channels in the Traverse City, MI area. I understand that I need a second round antenna to tune in the 72.5 satellite.

DirecTV was willing to do the install but the location is very rural and for privacy reasons, I would rather do it myself. I installed the first system myself with no problems. I'm an engineer, but only have consumer level experience with satellite equipment. I have a few questions for the experts on this forum.

My old system consists of an 18" dual LNB antenna connected to two receivers (Sony B50 & Sony B55). I am led to believe that the Sony B55 will receive two satellites, but that the B50 will need to be replaced. Is this correct?

Is it true that the second dish only needs to be a single LNB?

What is the best multiswitch to use? Are the amplified switches better?

How useful are the signal strength meters used for aiming? My dish is a looong way from the TV, up two flights of stairs? (guess I answered that one myself)

Lastly, since DirecTV told me this was not self-installable, how much trouble will they give me after I install and then try to order the local channels?

I'll deal with HD issues next, but for now, I don't have an HD TV at that location, and the locals are not in HD format yet. It might affect which switch I will buy so that I can upgrade to HD later without having to buy another switch.

Thanks for any help you can give this Newbie.

 

[boba]

For the 72.5 satellite I believe both of your receivers need to be replaced or they won't recognize the satellite. Get it done FREE by calling Directv or spend the money on new equipment and still end up with a lease.

 

[htrute]

Why would I still end up with a lease? I have a couple of RCA DRD435RH receivers that I acquired from a friend that I believe will work. The price is right (Free), and I won't have to deal with DirecTV installers.

 

[jburns3cfi]

I'm in the same boat. I am SO sick of the D* installers rescheduling and not getting the correct work orders and not calling ahead that I finally put up a second 18" round to pick up the locals on 72.5 that have already been authorized and activated. It's fed to the 4x4 multi switch with the 101 sat feed.

Now how do I tune the dish? I'm in central Wisconsin trying to pick up the Wausau locals on 72.5. The only info I can find said AZ 160 and EL of 36 so that's the direction I've got it pointed but my R15 nor my R11 will not pick up a signal from 72.5 during auto configure.

Both receivers are new within the past month and work fine on 101 but 101 is the only Sat that is detected on auto config.

Help!

Jim

 

[htrute]

Jim,

I'm just speculating, because I am not familiar with your receiver, but I think you need to tell the receiver it is looking for two satellites. This is what I am trying to figure out myself. I am thinking that if you tell the receiver you are using an oval (two satellite) dish, the receiver will look for two birds. It would be great if some of the experts on this site would shed a little light on the situation.

I started this thread partly out of frustration with D*. After spending hours (literally) on hold with them, and getting no useful information, I searched and found this site. I am not trying to scam them out of anything, and I mean absolutely no disrespect to any of the engineers or technicians employed by D*, who are out there performing great installations for millions of customers. Its just that I have had very little good experience dealing with D*, and like to do things myself. I am in a rural location, with no cable or possibility of antenna reception, so I am stuck with D*.

It might be easier for you to aim the second dish if you used one of the signal strength meters available, instead of depending on the receiver to give you signal strength info. At least then you would know the dish was aimed, leaving you with the remaining task of configuring your receiver(s).

I would appreciate your sharing of whatever you find, and I will do the same.

Regards,
Herb

 

[jburns3cfi]

Herb,
I tried "tricking" the receiver by selecting a 2 and 3 lnb setup, but then it looks for the 110 and 119 satalites, never the 72.5 sats.

I agree, there must be something to tell the R15-100 and the R11 to look for the 72.5, because it acts like it never tries, it just goes onto the next setup step.

My last call was to D* tech support. I got a woman that literally could not talk. Her first attempt to help me was to look up the D* website... then her next attempt was to say "it says to read the manual"... All I wanted was the azmuth and elevation for a round dish single lnb for the 72.5 sat... she finally gave up and so did I.

Thanks

 

[KSbugeater]

You can install the 72.5 yourself, once you have a receiver that is capable of handling it. Hook up the receiver directly to the single dish that you are aiming for 72.5. Set the signal meter on 101, but on an EVEN transponder, as that is what is used on 72.5. The receiver thinks it's looking at 101, but if you're in the right part of the sky, you're reading the signal from 72.5. Then put the 6x8 multiswitch back in line and repeat guided setup for satellite on the receiver. If it's capable, it will figure out that the switch is also providing a stream for 72.5 and add that to your list of sats on the signal meter. Instructions for the connections are found on Solid Signal's page for the Zinwell switch.

 

[htrute]

Thanks KS,

I Have two 18" round antennas. One is already tuned to the 101 staellite, the second 18" round antenna will be aimed at the 72.5 satellite. I will follow your setup instructions this weekend. I am assuming a 4x8 switch will work... Is this correct?

Thanks again for your help.

 

[KSbugeater]

I don't know if a 4x8 will work. Solid Signal suggests an Eagle Aspen MS-44D Multi-Sat 4x4 Multiswitch (MS44D), or if this product is not in stock it may be substituted with the Channel Master 6904IFD or Terk 4x4 switch (BMS-44). The diagram shows that you need to plug the cables from the 72.5 dish into the 22 kHz inputs. If your 4x8 has 22 kHz inputs, I guess it would work.

http://www.solidsignal.com/prod_display.asp?PROD=MS44DCOMBO#MORE

 

[dishrich]

I am assuming a 4x8 switch will work... Is this correct?

It will work just fine...

 

[htrute]

Thanks to everyone for their advice! The installation worked well, and here's what I did.

I installed the second round 18" dish, aimed at the 72.5 satellite. I had it hooked directly to the receiver which was looking for the 101 satellite. Got good signal strength on all the even transponders. This was a dual LNB antenna, but I only used one feed.

I then hooked up my multiswitch (Zinwell 5x8). The two feeds from my original dish went to ports 1 & 2, the feed from the 72.5 dish went to the 1st flex port on the switch.

When I first hooked up my receiver, set it up and told it what kind of switch I had, it did not see the 72.5 feed. When I tied using auto setup, to let the receiver detect the switch, it found both the switch and the 72.5 satellite. The setup still says "single round 18" dish", but it lets me select between the two satellites (101 & 72.5) to check signal strength on the transponders.

A simple call to D* to turn on the locals, and I was done. I had some trouble with a second identical receiver not finding the 72.5 satellite, and determined that it was defective. D* is sending me a replacement. After a long time on hold, I finally got to the right department, and they were very helpful. I got the impression that most of these 72.5 installations were not self-installs.

THANKS AGAIN TO EVERYONE FOR ALL THE HELP!