Wind causes problem with 119 but not 110?

[mike1002]

Had the "Acquiring satellite" message several times today. Checked the signal levels and 110 is nice and solid at 119. 119 is varying from 69-73 and an occassional drop to 0. I called the Dish support folks and the guy walked me through all the usual (check switch and reading the transponders 18-21 on both sats). He asked if we were experiencing weather problems. I said we were having some wind but nothing really bad and the sun was out. What floored me was he said it is the wind causing the problem. I have no trees in the way, nothing is interfering with the signal. The wind is blowing the dish around and it only affects 119 not 110. How can that be? He told me that it is my equipment and I can try adjusting it. So, I got my ladder out and I was amazed at what I found. These installers really don't do a very good job. Mine was put on the roof. The installer supposedly ran the screws into the decking. When I wiggle the mast around I can see the shingles pulling up. I tried to tighten them down and found that all that happens is the bolts spin continuously. I also found the puny little single screw on the arm that holds the LNBs just spins also. You can't tighten it down and the LNB assy wiggles back and forth. This is pitiful. Oh well, October is only 5 months away. Anybody want a used 508 come the first of October?

Mike

[Mike123abc]

Another factor is that 110 is almost right over Houston, 119 is more over LA. So, you probably wobble out of 119 first then 110.

[Jacob S]

Your signal strength on 119 may be less than what it is on 110, therefore causing 119 to go out before 110 would.

[boba]

I'll even bet DISH themselves did the install through Dish Network Service Corporation. It just dosen't sound like a qualified dealer installation.

[Wyoming_Companion]

We had the same problem with 119 last evening. :mad:
Lots of "aquiring satellite" and pixel freezes.

I flipped through the channels and the only error messages I got referred to 119.

I was wondering if Dish was having a problem. (Amazingly) it wasn't all that windy in Wyoming last night.

I did a "Check Switch" from the installation menu and then all seemed o.k. (but it might have been a coincidence. :shrug:

[Big Bob]

Here is what just happened to me.

For the last few days, I have been having some trouble with some channels. Lots of breakup and pixelation and such.

I looked into this morning and found that it was only even transponders at 119.

Great! thinks me, running through all that could be wrong and settled on a bad sw64 or a flaky LNB.

So out I go to take a look at everything and kind of poke around a bit. So I am standing there and I look up.

It is spring!

The trees are in bloom. A big old maple leaf had parked it's self right in line with 119. Out come the long poled cutters and a couple of snips later, everything is working well. (at least it seems to be for now)

Makes me wonder how many problems are caused in the spring by new leaves and the like.

[Wyoming_Companion]

As of today....all is NOT o.k. and a technician will be coming out on Friday afternoon to try to trouble shoot the situation.

On the phone with Dish tech support, we looked at transponders and for receipt of Sat 119...the even transponders were dead.

The tech said it sounded like a cable problem. I thought I'd read in the past that even vs. odd transponder problems sometimes mean LNB problem....but it's "on again, off again" (mostly OFF again) now.

[mike1002]

Yeah, I thought of the springtime tree problem. I've been dodging trees because of my BUD for years. I realize the signal doesn't hit the dish and reflect to an feedhorn located in the center of the dish like my BUD. But what angle does the signal come in? I tried siting through the dish all all sorts of angles trying to see if a tree may be getting in the way. The only tree that is anywhere near the dish is off to the right at a pretty oblique angle. My problem seems to have subsided for the time being so I guess I'll wait and see whats next when it happens again. Hopefully it will be after October. My 1 year contract is up then.

Mike