Signal Strength Low?

[kevinturcotte]

Not sure if the dish has slightly moved or not, but my 99 and 103 signals are now in the high 70's. I take it this is too low? (Maine, 04024)?

[Michael D'Angelo]

Are you talking about 99s and 103s (99b and 103a if you have an H20 or H21) or 103c (103b if you have an H20 or H21)?

If it is 103c (103b) than yes you want them in the high 80's to 90's.

If it is 99s and 103s (99b or 103a) than only the SAT/transponders your HD locals come from if you get them from DIRECTV needs to be in the 90's. You may be close enough to another market that you are picking up lower spot beam signals from them.

[K4SMX]

99(s) and 103(s) are all spot beams. 103(c) is the national HD tp's. Please list your signals on 103(c) (or 103(b), if you have an H20 or H21):

Menu Button > PARENTAL, FAV'S & SETUP > SYSTEM SETUP > SATELLITE (& ANT) > View Signal Strength. Then select the 103(c) satellite.

The 103(c)/(b) signals should be mostly all in the 90's with a well-aligned dish.

Format:

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

[kevinturcotte]

Satellite tranpsonders (16 total at 103(c))
1-8: 79 79 78 76 75 63 75
9-16 75 76 73 76 75 76 NA NA
17-24 74 NA NA NA NA 80 NA NA

[Michael D'Angelo]

Satellite tranpsonders (16 total at 103(c))
1-8: 79 79 78 76 75 63 75
9-16 75 76 73 76 75 76 NA NA
17-24 74 NA NA NA NA 80 NA NA

I would call have a tech come out to realign your dish and make sure you have signals in the 90's or at leaset high 80's before he leaves.

[K4SMX]

Or if you're a do-it-yourself type, that's also a solution. Please advise if you need further info on that. It appears your dish needs only minor adjustment.

[kevinturcotte]

I'll go out and tweak it myself. Was pretty sure signals were higher, but wanted to be sure before I started playing.
Thanks!!

[K4SMX]

Don't forget to loosen the 2 lock down bolts on each adjustment mechanism prior to turning the long, threaded AZ and EL adjustment bolts. And then re-tighten them....:)

[lpctv]

Satellite tranpsonders (16 total at 103(c))
1-8: 79 79 78 76 75 63 75
9-16 75 76 73 76 75 76 NA NA
17-24 74 NA NA NA NA 80 NA NA

Or if you're a do-it-yourself type, that's also a solution. Please advise if you need further info on that. It appears your dish needs only minor adjustment.

I had a problem with my old 5LNB. So, yesterday, they came out and replaced it with a Slimline.
The readings on 103 are pretty much the same as those above. When I pointed out to the installer that I thought the readings should have been higher, he insisted that as long as my 101, 110 and 119 readings were in the high 90s that the dish was aligned properly.
When I pressed him on it, he told me that his signal meter didnt have a setting for the 103 and that he was trained on relying on the 119 level as a good indicator for the 103.

Is that accurate?
If I wanted to try and fine tune it myself, what should I look to change?

[K4SMX]

.....When I pressed him on it, he told me that his signal meter didnt have a setting for the 103 and that he was trained on relying on the 119 level as a good indicator for the 103......Is that accurate?.....
Totally inaccurate. Even using his "dither method," the dish is peaked using the 101.

If I wanted to try and fine tune it myself, what should I look to change?
Assuming the mast is perfectly plumb and the tilt is set to spec., all you have to do is peak one of the 103(c) transponder signals using AZ and EL fine adjustment bolts, after selecting that satellite with the Signal Meters selection under View Signal Strength. I usually use the weakest transponder number in the 103(c) signal strength grid, since the weaker the signal strength, the more sensitive it is to minor adjustment changes.

[narcorngr]

Can anyone advise if or how much overcast or cloudy sky affects signal strength. Just installed a Slimline dish on a very cloudy and overcast day and 101 odd transponders run from low of 90 to high of 96. (119 b #s are 23/47 25/94 27/96 29/96 31/0) (110c is 8/94 10/85 12/94) Please advise. Thanks.

[K4SMX]

Generally, not much. What are your 103(c)'s like? (See post #3 )

[lpctv]

Totally inaccurate. Even using his "dither method," the dish is peaked using the 101.


Assuming the mast is perfectly plumb and the tilt is set to spec., all you have to do is peak one of the 103(c) transponder signals using AZ and EL fine adjustment bolts, after selecting that satellite with the Signal Meters selection under View Signal Strength. I usually use the weakest transponder number in the 103(c) signal strength grid, since the weaker the signal strength, the more sensitive it is to minor adjustment changes.

Thanks!
I'll try it out over the weekend.

[K4SMX]

Good luck with your project!

[tj177mmi]

Thanks!
I'll try it out over the weekend.

Just make sure you mark everything on the dish, like where you started.

[wmj5]

my satellite 101 gets 100% on ever t/p except t/p 18 and it gets 44 to 45, does anybody else have any trouble with 18, I have a h20-100 and my 103b runs anywhere from 88 to 95, should I fine tune the 103?

[carl6]

Transponder 18 on 101 is a spot beam. Your locals almost certainly do not come on that transponder, so it does not matter what the signal level is. If you have good signal strength otherwise, and are getting all of the programming you are paying for, you do not have a problem.

Carl

[K4SMX]

....... my 103b runs anywhere from 88 to 95, should I fine tune the 103?
Those are great!

[K4SMX]

Just make sure you mark everything on the dish, like where you started.
That won't be necessary for lpctv. All he's doing is adjusting the fine adjustment bolts a turn or two and not loosening the main mount bracket.