How to Adjust this (103 c)

[tj177mmi]

101
95 95 95 99 92 99 95 98
94 95 95 97 95 100 95 100
95 100 96 95 96 100 96 99
9599 96 100 97 100 96 100

110 (1-8)
NA NA NA NA NA NA NA 96
NA 94 NA 97 NA NA NA NA

119 (17-32)
NA NA NA NA NA 98 100 92
98 97 96 96 98 95 100 96

103(c) (1-24)
87 79 80 76 82 76 77 76
80 78 76 80 80 81 NA NA
75 NA NA NA NA 88 NA NA


Having a tech come out is not an option, btw. The tech who came out drove 4 hours on a Saturday on the hottest day of the year for us thus far and did a great job.

[carl6]

Unless you are experiencing problems, I would not try to adjust that. Your readings are acceptable (slightly lower than normally recommended, but adequate).

If you do try to adjust, you need two people.

First thing to do is to take a sharpie and mark all adjustment axis (so you can put things back where they were before you started). One person in front of the TV and one at the dish, with communication to each other. While watching the signal meter for a transponder on 103c, VERY SLOWLY adjust azimuth (left/right) a tiny amount and see if it improves the signal. Then VERY SLOWLY adjust elevation (up/down) a tiny amount and see if it improves the signal. Then VERY SLOWLY adjust tilt (rotation) a tiny amount and see if it improves the signal.

If you do make any adjustment to improve 103c, then go back and check 101 and 119 again to make sure you didn't make one of them worse.

Carl

[litzdog911]

Those readings are not too bad. With some very minor tweaking of the dish's "dithering" adjustments, you should be able to dial those up to high 80s & 90s. Check out the install videos here ....
http://www.solidsignal.com/dtvkuka

Since your dish is already nearly optimized, be very careful to avoid any major dish adjustment. Just loosen the dithering adjustments and dial in minor movement. A helper watching the Receiver's signal readings and relaying them to you is also important.

[Orangegrower]

101
95 95 95 99 92 99 95 98
94 95 95 97 95 100 95 100
95 100 96 95 96 100 96 99
9599 96 100 97 100 96 100

110 (1-8)
NA NA NA NA NA NA NA 96
NA 94 NA 97 NA NA NA NA

119 (17-32)
NA NA NA NA NA 98 100 92
98 97 96 96 98 95 100 96

103(c) (1-24)
87 79 80 76 82 76 77 76
80 78 76 80 80 81 NA NA
75 NA NA NA NA 88 NA NA


Having a tech come out is not an option, btw. The tech who came out drove 4 hours on a Saturday on the hottest day of the year for us thus far and did a great job.

My numbers are very close to yours and I have come to the conclusion that this is the best that I can do. I have read that there is two different manufactures for the LMB's and mine (CAL AMP) just does not give as high of a reading as the other manufacture. Others have said that you should be able to get high 80s to low 90s for the 103c. I my case it is just not possible. From looking at your 119 readings it looks like your tilt is very good. The only thing you can do now is tweak the fine adjustment for azimuth and horizontal to peak your 103c readings.


My readings

Satellite transponders (32 total at 101-deg)
1-8: 95 96 95 0 95 100 95 100
9-16: 95 97 95 0 97 100 95 100
7-24: 95 100 95 0 96 100 95 100
25-32: 95 0 94 100 95 100 94 100

Satellite transponders (3 total at 110-deg)
1-8: NA NA NA NA NA NA NA 92
9-16: NA 87 NA 94 NA NA NA NA

Satellite transponders (11 total at 119-deg)
17-24: NA NA NA NA NA 97 0 88
25-32: 95 95 93 95 0 95 0 96

Satellite transponders (6 total at 99(s))
1-8: 0 56 0 73 0 95 NA NA

Satellite transponders (16 total at 103(s))
1-8: 0 0 0 0 0 0 NA NA
9-16: NA NA NA NA NA NA 0 100
17-24: 85 0 100 100 100 0 0 0

Satellite transponders (16 total at 103(c))
1-8: 88 81 79 73 86 83 77 74
9-16: 86 85 80 77 86 86 NA NA
17-24: 85 NA NA NA NA 74 NA NA

[K4SMX]

Please note that each fine adjustment mechanism, AZ and EL, has two 1/2" lock down bolts. Be sure to listen each of these slightly (and only these) prior to adjusting the long, fine adjustment bolts, so as not to damage the mechanisms. Then don't forget to re-tighten them.

[bwaldron]

Unless you are experiencing problems, I would not try to adjust that. Your readings are acceptable (slightly lower than normally recommended, but adequate).

I would agree. You would probably be able to bump up your 103c readings a bit, but I've found that signal on the Ka birds go so rapidly to zero in a weather event that tweaking them doesn't buy you much of anything as far as fade margin.

[K4SMX]

It is possible in NH that you would experience some lengthy periods of heavy drizzle that could put your HD signals on the margin or just below. You can always wait to check your actual experience over time. Certainly those signals will be fine in most circumstances, and as mentioned, when the really big thunderstorms cross the LOS, we all go straight to zero on the Ka's, especially here in FL. Amazingly, our SD locals from the 101 Ku spot beam rarely fall below a watchable signal strength.

[tj177mmi]

I haven't had any problems. We had a very hard rain a few days ago, and beside the occasional pixelation, was ok on 103 channels. So, its not horrendous. How would you dither the slimline? Just looks different because the adjusting screw is sideways (in a way)?

EDIT: Figured it out. I'll probably leave it unless it gets really bad.

[K4SMX]

If you ever want to adjust it, just pick a 103(c) transponder to peak with the Signal Meters selection under View Signal Strength.

[bruinfever]

My numbers are very close to yours and I have come to the conclusion that this is the best that I can do. I have read that there is two different manufactures for the LMB's and mine (CAL AMP) just does not give as high of a reading as the other manufacture. Others have said that you should be able to get high 80s to low 90s for the 103c. I my case it is just not possible. From looking at your 119 readings it looks like your tilt is very good. The only thing you can do now is tweak the fine adjustment for azimuth and horizontal to peak your 103c readings.


I have tried anything and everything and have asked many people in SoCal and I have never been able to get anything past mid-80's on 103(c) and that's with everything tweaked, buying a 2nd LNB, and using an Accutrac III :nono2:

[K4SMX]

One of the things which few people have considered is the dish itself. I recently had difficulty getting all 90's on a new Slimline dish install. The carton it came in was a far cry from the super-heavy cartons they used to use, and it was pretty well beat up. The rim of the dish was slightly bent. Eyeballing it more closely, it was clear the dish was slightly warped. I've gotten two more like that recently, although the source of the damage was primarily due to the fact that they had been opened and re-packed without all the dish-supporting inserts. They're going back.

This whole business about SoCal 103(c) signals got started when D10 first went live. Initial reports had everyone thinking that SoCal users were getting reduced signal strengths from D10. It turned out there was a huge preponderence of Calamp LNB's in SoCal Ka/Ku installations, and that the relatively few with LNB's from other manufacturers were able to get pretty much the same strengths as everyone else in the CONUS. Fortunately, if you're going to be at a slight disadvantage for whatever reason with D10 signal strengths, SoCal is the place to be weather-wise. :)

[bruinfever]

This whole business about SoCal 103(c) signals got started when D10 first went live. Initial reports had everyone thinking that SoCal users were getting reduced signal strengths from D10. It turned out there was a huge preponderence of Calamp LNB's in SoCal Ka/Ku installations, and that the relatively few with LNB's from other manufacturers were able to get pretty much the same strengths as everyone else in the CONUS. Fortunately, if you're going to be at a slight disadvantage for whatever reason with D10 signal strengths, SoCal is the place to be weather-wise. :)
K4SMX...I'm not going to go off on a rant here, but I am pretty certain SoCal has a 103(c) bias. From my previous threads with problems peaking my signal, and after everything I tried, and I think firedog1 can back this up, there's GOTTA be something off with 103 (c) in California..though I never have to worry about snow on my dish so I guess that compensates a little.........:D

[bwaldron]

K4SMX...I'm not going to go off on a rant here, but I am pretty certain SoCal has a 103(c) bias. From my previous threads with problems peaking my signal, and after everything I tried, and I think firedog1 can back this up, there's GOTTA be something off with 103 (c) in California..though I never have to worry about snow on my dish so I guess that compensates a little.........:D

Weather compensates a lot, especially given how the Ka signals on 103c perform in the type of rains we get down here in storm season. I get great signal strengths on that bird, but that doesn't help much in rainy season -- those signals drop to zero very quickly.

[Devo1237]

My SoCal 103(c) readings...

Satellite transponders (16 total at 103(c))
1-8: 47 67 39 59 44 66 40 60
9-16: 48 67 43 60 49 69 NA NA
17-24: 47 NA NA NA NA 55 NA NA

And yet I can still watch all the HD channels so I haven't bothered to climb onto the roof and adjust it yet.

[texasbrit]

My SoCal 103(c) readings...

Satellite transponders (16 total at 103(c))
1-8: 47 67 39 59 44 66 40 60
9-16: 48 67 43 60 49 69 NA NA
17-24: 47 NA NA NA NA 55 NA NA

And yet I can still watch all the HD channels so I haven't bothered to climb onto the roof and adjust it yet.

Those are horribly low, but during alignment testing I have had 103(c) signals down in the mid 30s and still maintained a perfect picture. In clear weather of course!

[Devo1237]

Those are horribly low, but during alignment testing I have had 103(c) signals down in the mid 30s and still maintained a perfect picture. In clear weather of course!

Yeah, it's clear now, but it doesn't get much better or worse when it rains. I've only had a couple 771 errors since I upgraded to HD in January.

[K4SMX]

K4SMX...I'm not going to go off on a rant here, but I am pretty certain SoCal has a 103(c) bias. From my previous threads with problems peaking my signal, and after everything I tried, and I think firedog1 can back this up, there's GOTTA be something off with 103 (c) in California..though I never have to worry about snow on my dish so I guess that compensates a little.........:D
The last we heard re: the highly amusing tale of firedog1, he got his 103(c) signals up where he wanted them with that "iffy" eBay WNC LNB, but then was perplexed because his 101's and particularly his 119's dropped some. Caveat emptor

I purchased a WNC LNB from ebay. After removing my CALAMP, I installed the WNC. .....my 103b signals all went up to the mid-90s, about 7-10 points across the board.....
I guess if there really is a slight bias, it's clear that SoCal was the best place to "hide" it. :)

[tom_shell]

After removing my CALAMP, I installed the WNC. .....my 103b signals all went up to the mid-90s, about 7-10 points across the board.....

[carl6]

I have used both WNC and CalAmp Slimline LNB's - same dish, same cabling, same receivers. There was no noticeable difference in signal strength between the two.

Carl