Spot beam problems??

[mitoca]

I am not picking up any of my Detroit locals, including the RSN tonight. I'm having work done in the basement,so I'm sure the wires & multiswitch have been disturbed, but the locals from the spot beam seem to be the only thing affected. Is there a chance that they could have messed up one of the wires going to the multi-switch that would have only affected the locals?

[lwilli201]

HD or SD locals?

[Jeremy517]

At least one Portland OR HD local is out too. I get a message that I can watch the national feeds, but unfortunately it won't let me <i>record</i> anything off the national feed. Wonderful.

[mitoca]

OK I realized it's not just the spots. I'm missing everything from 103s except TP 24, which I'm getting an 88 on. The rest of the TP's on 103s are all zero. 103c are 0, 79, 0, 79, ..... The other sats seem to be OK. Could they have done something with the wiring that would have affected only the one sat? They're not working anywhere near the dish.

[litzdog911]

mitoca:

Post back your readings for each satellite and tuner in the following format. Let's see what's really going on ....

You'll find these readings under "Menu" -> "Setup" -> "System Setup" -> Satellite -> "View Signal Strength".

Fill in your readings for each satellite and tuner using these examples:


Satellite transponders (32 total at 101-deg)
1-8 # # # # # # # #
9-16 # # # # # # # #
17-24 # # # # # # # #
25-32 # # # # # # # #

Satellite transponders (3 total at 110-deg)
1-8 NA NA NA NA NA NA NA #
9-16 NA # NA # NA NA NA NA

Satellite transponders (11 total at 119-deg)
17-24 NA NA NA NA NA # # #
25-32 # # # # # # # #

Satellite transponders (6 total at 99(s))
1-8 # # # # # # NA NA
[Note: these can be very slow to appear]

Satellite transponders (16 total at 103(s))
1-8 # # # # # # NA NA
9-16 NA NA NA NA NA NA # #
17-24 # # # # # # # #
[Note, these can be very slow to appear]

Satellite tranpsonders (16 total at 103(c))
1-8 # # # # # # # #
9-16 # # # # # # NA NA
17-24 # NA NA NA NA # NA NA

[mitoca]

OK, Here they are:

101:
86 89 90 95 88 95 88 95
88 90 88 98 89 96 87 97
86 76 87 96 87 96 89 95
87 95 89 0 91 96 88 97

110:

xx xx xx xx xx xx xx 81
xx 78 xx 81 xx xx xx xx

119:

xx xx xx xx xx xx xx xx
xx xx xx xx xx xx xx xx
xx xx xx xx xx 96 0 94
0 96 0 96 0 97 0 97


99(b):

0 0 0 0 0 26 xx xx
xx xx xx xx xx xx xx xx
xx xx xx xx xx xx xx xx
xx xx xx xx xx xx xx xx

103(a):

0 0 0 0 0 0 xx xx
xx xx xx xx xx xx 0 0
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 83
xx xx xx xx xx xx xx xx

103(b):

0 67 0 68 0 66 0 68
0 66 0 68 0 62 xx xx
0 xx xx xx xx 62 xx xx
xx xx xx xx xx xx xx xx


We're getting some mildly heavy wet snow right now, so I'm sure I've got some stuck to the dish but the picture on the channels that ARE coming in seems to be fine. There was no weather last night when this first started.

My thought is that one of the wires going to the multi switch somehow got disconnected - but if one of those got knocked out would I just lose one LNB??

[litzdog911]

Check your connections at the dish and at your multiswitch. You've lost all of the odd numbered transponders on 119 and 103 satellites. This suggests it's NOT an LNB problem. Most likely a loose, moist or corroded connector at the dish. Or possibly a defective multiswitch inside the dish.

[K4SMX]

Specifically, check the cable on the dish side of the multi-switch marked "13V + 22khz." That's the line that controls those satellite/transponder signals. There's a bad connection either in a connector on the multi-switch end or the dish end of the cable or the wire itself is damaged. Less likely: the multi-switch or LNB is bad.

[mitoca]

Thanks, the cable didn't seem loose, but I disconnected it at the multiswitch, then screwed it back in & all is good now.

This board is a great help for things like that!!

[litzdog911]

Thanks, the cable didn't seem loose, but I disconnected it at the multiswitch, then screwed it back in & all is good now.

This board is a great help for things like that!!

Glad to help! And save you an $80 service visit!

[K4SMX]

Thanks, the cable didn't seem loose, but I disconnected it at the multiswitch, then screwed it back in & all is good now.

This board is a great help for things like that!!
How 'bout that. Corrosion build-up on connectors in these low DC voltage switching circuits is probably the #1 service issue in the whole system, once you get the dish alignment straightened out. It's sorta like cleaning your gun.....:)

[B Newt]

Had same problem in Las Vegas last week. All my HD LiL"s were out. I was getting the SD channels ok. When the HD channels were out I was getting O on all the xponders on 99s sat.

[K4SMX]

Had same problem in Las Vegas last week. All my HD LiL"s were out. I was getting the SD channels ok. When the HD channels were out I was getting O on all the xponders on 99s sat.
So how'd you fix it?

[B Newt]

So how'd you fix it?
It fixed it self. Saturday I got 36 on xponder 1. I didnt do anything. But I need to fine tune the dish to get a better signal.