Using Point Dish to fine-tune E.A.

[LeeBarnes]

I have been having signal loss problems for a while now (weeks) and it almost seems to be getting worse. : No vegetation looks in the way of the signal. I'm hoping just the dish has somehow been put slightly out of alignment.

I am on the Eastern Arc connected to a VIP 722, software L662.

My question is, using the Dish Point screen, what satellite and transponder/spotbeam should I use when fine tuning the dish? If 61.5, then fine I should be able to do that, but if I have to use 72 then it's gonna be hard because my reception of 72 is very spotty. I can't get anything on 77.

When I go to the System Info screen, I usually get the red/white X on 77 and 72 and a yellow box on 61.5. On Point Dish some numbers (right now) on 61.5 are SB13: 36 TP22: 11 TP24: 18. On Sat. 72, TP21: 7 (yes, seven!)

Weather doesn't seem to make much of a difference. Sunny and fry-an-egg-on-the-sidewalk hot; partly cloudy and 83 degrees; clear skies at night after it's cooled off. Still signal losses.

Another thing, should I even be on the EA? I am in S.E. Kansas, zip code 67357. According to this site, I should be on the WA but then a couple days ago, I came across a map of the US and it showed my area in the EA (however I can't seem to find that map now). What gives?



I think while I'm waiting for replies, I'm going to check all the connections outside and make sure nothings corroded or otherwise bad. Thanks for any help.

 

[navychop]

Check your skew settings. I used to use a 500 on a tripod sometimes when RVing. Wouldn't try that with a 1000.4.

 

[whatchel1]

When I go to the System Info screen, I usually get the red/white X on 77 and 72 and a yellow box on 61.5. On Point Dish some numbers (right now) on 61.5 are SB13: 36 TP22: 11 TP24: 18. On Sat. 72, TP21: 7 (yes, seven!)

Red X's on 77 & 72 means they are completely missing, the yellow on 61.5 is telling you that the unit is barely see it as well. Sounds like the dish has dropped (or maybe but less likely looking higher) than all 3 sats. 3rd option is it has rotated and you are only seeing 1 bird on the wrong LNB. Which box is show what? It should be 1st box from lft to right is 77 2nd is 72 & 3rd is 61.5 if any of these aren't in that order it has turned. Had any big wind storms lately?

 

[Jim5506]

Make small movements of only one parameter at a time.

Adjust the azimuth to get the strongest possible signal on 61.5, then lock the azimuth down and adjust the elevation very slightly to ge the highest signal there.

Go back and re-do the azimuth and elevation again.

Skew is not often wrong, but you might tweak it just a bit to see if you can get the signal up a little.

Repeat the cycle 3-4 times to bet the highest possible readings across the board.

I've heard it is best to use TP 21 for peaking. If you peak one TP on a satellite you've peaked them all.

 

[LeeBarnes]

Thanks for the replies.

I checked the connections and everything was fine. So, I turned on Point Dish, stuck one of the home theater speakers out the front door and climbed to the dish.


I pushed up on the LNB arm and heard the tone go up so I grabbed some tools and raised the elevation of the dish. It worked! :clap I am now receiving all three sats again.

Here are some improved numbers:

61.5
"""""
SB13: 47
TP22: 25
TP24: 34

72
""""
TP21: 33

77
""""
TP10: 27
21: 21
24: 12
25: 21

Still some room for improvement, I think. Tomorrow, I'll grab a friend and have him watch the numbers go up or down while I fiddle a bit more with the dish. and yes, i'm marking with a felt tip before I move anything.



and i put that in here just cause i thought it was hilarious.

 

[Miner]

Good job. The numbers are a bit low, but I have learned over time that getting that last point or 2 on the meter takes forever, sometimes accompanied by getting fouled (lower or even lost). I have learned to use a magic marker and draw index marks on the moving parts (pole, skew, elev, etc) just in case to get back to the original.

 

[NR2D]

As someone already stated make very small adjustments to the Az and El. I talking about a 1/4 turn at the most and check it. Thats what I found I had to do. The max signal strength I found was:
77 and 72.7 - 65
61.5 - 50.

And even with those I still had rain fade. I decided to go to the western arc where I have much better signal strengths:

110 and 119 - 75
129 - 55
Good luck.

 

[LeeBarnes]

This morning, I got a friend over and he called out signal numbers as I cranked around on the dish. Wow, things are much better! Here are some updated numbers:

Sat. 61.5
SB13: was 47, now 52
TP22: 25, 36
TP24: 34, 48

Sat. 72
TP21: 33, 50

Sat. 77
TP10: 27, 46
TP21: 21, 39
TP24: 12, 34
TP25: 21, 36

Are those numbers looking closer to what they "should" be? Any other TP someone wants to see?

thanks for the help, everyone.

 

[jerryez]

I have 110/119 & 61.5. 61.5 is on a Dish 500, but I get a 47 signal on tp 22 & 24. and a 53 on tp 25.