In the past my 7.5' BUD was tracking pretty much spot on. But because of a couple of bad wind storms recently my dish is no longer tracking like it was. I'm still on the arc and all, just not like before. And no matter what I do, I can't seem to get it back like I previously had it. Currently the dish has a clear LOS from AMC 7 to 87w. I can see to 72w, but only when no leaves are on the trees. So anyway, I decided to start over. I will now try and describe where I'm at at this particular point.
The first thing I did was to make sure my lnbf is centered. Measuring from 3 different locations from the bottom edge of the feed to the outside of the dish, I get 48" on the east side, 48" on the bottom, and not quite 48" on the west side, closer to 47 and 3/4". Not certain how critical this 1/4" discrepancy is? Maybe someone knows?
The next thing I did was use analog chs 9 and 10 at C4 135W on the 4DTV to center the skew. After that I centered the BUD on it's zenith and checked the elevation getting it as close as possible to that of my location. My southern sat is pretty much 95W.
I next fired up the S9, tuned to one of the LPTV chs, and then moved the dish on the pole until I got a good lock, which was pretty much in the 80s I think. I then went down to AMC 7 and had no probs locking onto the cpl of Alaskan chs ITC. I locked on in the upper 70s. But I couldn't get a lock on the RTV mux. So I used the remote going both E and W, still couldn't get a lock. What I then did was move the dish on the pole in an easterly direction. I then locked onto the RTV mux, while still maintaining a good lock on the Alaskan chs. But I wasn't getting enough signal yet to tune the RTV chs in without a bunch of tiling.
Since I was already on the western end of the arc, I decided to go over to 131w and check some stuff there, keeping in mind that the only time I changed anything physically on the dish was when I was at AMC 7 and turned the dish on the pole easterly. Now I'm at 131w. The QVC shopping chs tune in at around 80s like in the past, as well as OutsideTV. So I then check SproutHD. No lock at this point. I then click the remote to the east several clicks. SproutHD now locks, but not getting enough signal to get a watchable pic. In the past this ch usually tuned in in the the upper 70s, which means a watchable pic on the S9.
So now I go back up to 95W. LPTV chs still booming in strong, So I decide to check a few things close to this bird, some stuff on AMC 1 and AMC 18. On AMC 1 the ION feeds on tuning in just fine, as well as the DW mux and PBS feeds. However tho, I get zero lock on the TLN channels. So I then move to AMC 18. No problems with the Nasa feeds. The NBC mux, I can get a lock on it, but not enough signal to get a viewable pic. In the past this mux usually tuned in in the high 70s. The Telemundo feeds, getting no lock at this point, tho in the past I never had any issues locking them and getting a viewable pic. The mux that has BounceTv, well no sign of that signal, tho in the past I was able to lock this signal as well.
If I haven't bored you to death by now and if you're still reading, what's the best thing to do at this point? Where do I need to make the proper changes in order to lock onto the signals I'm currently not locking? And finally, since I didn't mention it before, I did check my pole for level. It's still reading level.
I'm certain I can get it all figured out on my own again, I always do. But it would sure be nice if someone could give me a few pointers, thus saving me time by doing things correctly to begin with.
The first thing I did was to make sure my lnbf is centered. Measuring from 3 different locations from the bottom edge of the feed to the outside of the dish, I get 48" on the east side, 48" on the bottom, and not quite 48" on the west side, closer to 47 and 3/4". Not certain how critical this 1/4" discrepancy is? Maybe someone knows?
The next thing I did was use analog chs 9 and 10 at C4 135W on the 4DTV to center the skew. After that I centered the BUD on it's zenith and checked the elevation getting it as close as possible to that of my location. My southern sat is pretty much 95W.
I next fired up the S9, tuned to one of the LPTV chs, and then moved the dish on the pole until I got a good lock, which was pretty much in the 80s I think. I then went down to AMC 7 and had no probs locking onto the cpl of Alaskan chs ITC. I locked on in the upper 70s. But I couldn't get a lock on the RTV mux. So I used the remote going both E and W, still couldn't get a lock. What I then did was move the dish on the pole in an easterly direction. I then locked onto the RTV mux, while still maintaining a good lock on the Alaskan chs. But I wasn't getting enough signal yet to tune the RTV chs in without a bunch of tiling.
Since I was already on the western end of the arc, I decided to go over to 131w and check some stuff there, keeping in mind that the only time I changed anything physically on the dish was when I was at AMC 7 and turned the dish on the pole easterly. Now I'm at 131w. The QVC shopping chs tune in at around 80s like in the past, as well as OutsideTV. So I then check SproutHD. No lock at this point. I then click the remote to the east several clicks. SproutHD now locks, but not getting enough signal to get a watchable pic. In the past this ch usually tuned in in the the upper 70s, which means a watchable pic on the S9.
So now I go back up to 95W. LPTV chs still booming in strong, So I decide to check a few things close to this bird, some stuff on AMC 1 and AMC 18. On AMC 1 the ION feeds on tuning in just fine, as well as the DW mux and PBS feeds. However tho, I get zero lock on the TLN channels. So I then move to AMC 18. No problems with the Nasa feeds. The NBC mux, I can get a lock on it, but not enough signal to get a viewable pic. In the past this mux usually tuned in in the high 70s. The Telemundo feeds, getting no lock at this point, tho in the past I never had any issues locking them and getting a viewable pic. The mux that has BounceTv, well no sign of that signal, tho in the past I was able to lock this signal as well.
If I haven't bored you to death by now and if you're still reading, what's the best thing to do at this point? Where do I need to make the proper changes in order to lock onto the signals I'm currently not locking? And finally, since I didn't mention it before, I did check my pole for level. It's still reading level.
I'm certain I can get it all figured out on my own again, I always do. But it would sure be nice if someone could give me a few pointers, thus saving me time by doing things correctly to begin with.
