Zero signal on install

[onefoxalpha]

So I am having trouble installing a 4 LNB slimline dish at a remote cabin. I am pretty handy and able to do most things so I am not an idiot but I am a newby at this whole thing. Since the location of this is so remote, I am unable to get a professional installer to get there without it costing a thousand dollars.

I installed everything correctly and have the mast plumb, dish is in clear sight, etc. I am getting voltage from my coax cable. I am wondering what to do next, I can't get any signal off my television signal strength screen. I have set the dish according to the nearest zip code to me. (56649) I have tried numerous different satellites and nothing. I was sweeping the dish very slowly and trying it at elevations between 30 and 35 degrees. (Zip code calls for a 33 degree elevation, 197 azimuth, and 77 tilt)

Still nothing. Any suggestions would be so helpful. I am trying to get this to work desperatly and like I said, I will be in trouble if I have to haul out a pro installer.

Its an HD HD21-100 reciever or something too .

 

[HDinCincy]

boy... where to start? Did you set it up at "home" and ensure that you had everything working? I'm a veteran (now) tailgater but each year I try everything out at home to make sure nothing has changed. Another thing.. there is no 4 LNB dish. If it's for HD and not brand new, it's a five LNB. Did you select 5LNB on your setup screen? Also 33 degrees is pretty low, you must be far north as I'm 42 here in Cincy at 37 degrees north latitude. If you can get your hands on an older round (not really round but looks like it) DirecTV dish, you should start with that. MUCH EASIER to set up. If you can't then use yours and start with the 101 sat. as that is the one where all the SD stuff is. Lock that puppy in and then go to the others. I know that's not much help but it's all I got right now.

 

[jdspencer]

Exactly what dish do you have? There's no such thing as a 4LNB dish, it's either 3 or 5.

Go here and enter your lat/long and then select the dish you have to get more accurate aiming parameters.
http://www.dishpointer.com/

Also, the receiver you have is probably the HR21-100, right?

Once you set the tilt and elevation for your location, you should only need to tweak the azimuth. Do it slowly to allow the receiver a change to lock on.

 

[onefoxalpha]

Ok yeah its a 5 LNB sorry. Also its an HR 21 reciever. Would a simpler dish work on that reciever? Also, if I have to go this route, what dish is easiest to install and where can I buy one online? All I need are local channels and SD channels if I can't figure this 5 LNB out.

Thanks

 

[jtwex]

After your assured a plumb & level mount line up a compass to 188 degrees; your elevation will be somewhere between 33.5 & 36.5. The 101 bird will fall into place somewhere between 6.5 degrees (rotate left to right between 182 & 194 degrees) of 188 S-by-S/W. If you want everything to fall into place (not necessary for SD television) set the skew to 83 degrees (the physical tilt of the dish). It's usually the HD's that say searching for satellite but I would still make sure you have a b-band converter on the coax leading into the receiver.
Use the receivers 'Signal meter' for the 101 bird & not the transponder readings & make your left to right sweep very slowly. Once you obtain signal lock use the fine tune dials to peak your dish. Don't tighten the bolts too much while doing the fine tuning as you can easily break the bolts.
Menu>Setup>System>Satellite>Signal Strength>Signal Meters>101.

Making sure the receiver works at your primary residence before you attempt this second install is a very smart idea too.

 

[HDinCincy]

1FA: if all you need is SD, I can assure you that setting up the round dish with a D11( or D12 now) is SUPER SIMPLE. My dish came from my neighbor's roof when he switched to E* but you can get them on ebay for little more than a shipping charge. If you don't have an SD rec'vr associated with your account, then you're gonna be out an additional 4.99/month to lease it. Depending on how often you go to the camp, it'd be worth it. I barely use my D11 except on tailgating weekends... of which there are only six a year. So that's $10 each.
I go back to my original thought though... set it up at home and see if you can get it. If you do, it'll work at the camp likely too. Good LUCK!!

PS: I don't know how busy the International Falls airport is but I have a feeling that you know.

 

[onefoxalpha]

great. I appreciate the help guys, I finally got it. Well... most of it. I can not get my local channels.

This is what I did, since I have two different accounts, one in N. Minnesota and one in Chicago, I told them I was adding another receiver to my Chicago account. ( even though I am up near my place in Minnesota). I wanted to get Chicago locals but their not showing up. (Because I want to watch the bears and blackhawks and stuff) So, is there someting I should do to fix this problem? I know its not the most legal thing probably.

Or, do I have to register this receiver to the local channels up here in northern Minnesota since that is where I am.. etc. I was hoping to get my locals in HD rather than the Duluth MN which is still in the dinosaur age of tv. Any help, I appreciate it much. You guys saved me big time and I couldn't be happier thus far.

 

[jtwex]

There is no published spotbeam map on HD-DMA's so you just have to ask around on what other people are getting. The Chicago spotbeam looks like a triangle that crosses from Mid-Illinois to Detroit then all the way down to N. Carolina. I haven't seen much input from Wisconsin users (to see if maybe the Chicago spotbeam reaches Milwaukee) but I can almost guarantee you it won't reach Minnesota.