dish aligning and tweaking

950 Views 15 Replies 5 Participants Last post by Grentz, Oct 6, 2008

skylox

Discussion Starter · Oct 5, 2008

Hi all,
I was just wondering if anyone can give me some pointers about what my signal strenghts should be.
also, i cant figure out the difference betwenn 99(s), 99(c)...and so on...do i need signal on all of these?
i am very new to directv
also, i have a new slimline 3 that only picks up 99,101,103

thanks

1 - 16 of 16 Posts

Grentz

· #2 · Oct 5, 2008

99/101/103 are the orbit positions (slots). (c)/(s) are Nationwide Beams (c) and Spot Beams (s). Spot beams are for locals and only can be received in certain areas while nationwide beams are across the whole conus.

On 99/103 I usually shoot for mid-high 80s - low 90s. 101 you can go for high 90s easily.

Note that some of the Transponders (the separate numbers in the table) will always be a bit lower than others. For example I have a few 94 and 95 numbers on my 101 even though some others are 100. If some are the highest you can get on an orbital position (99/101/103) generally you will not get the others too much higher. Note also that the spotbeams will many times have some very low ones (I have a 35 and a 40) as they are ones you do not necessarily get in your area.

dshu82

· #3 · Oct 5, 2008

sky: I know you were having some issues with installer getting that new LNB installed. What are you current signal strengths? Interested in how it worked out.....

litzdog911

· #4 · Oct 5, 2008

Please post back with your signal readings for each satellite's transponders (and both tuners if applicable). 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. A properly aligned dish will show 80-90s on most of the relevant transponders (although some will be low or zero):

Satellite transponders (32 total at 101º)
[Most of your standard definition channels are beamed from 101ºW]
1-8 # # # # # # # #
9-16 # # # # # # # #
17-24 # # # # # # # #
25-32 # # # # # # # #

Satellite transponders (3 total at 110º)
[Several HD channels are beamed from 110ºW]
1-8 NA NA NA NA NA NA NA #
9-16 NA # NA # NA NA NA NA

Satellite transponders (11 total at 119º)
[A few HD channels, local SD channels, and Spanish package]
17-24 NA NA NA NA NA # # #
25-32 # # # # # # # #

Satellite transponders (6 total at 99º(s)) [or 99º(b)]
[Local HD channels for some cities]
1-8 # # # # # # NA NA
9-16 NA NA NA NA NA NA # #
17-24 # # # # # # # #
[Note: these can be very slow to appear]

Satellite transponders (14 total at 99º(c)) [or 99º(a)]
[New national HD channels]
1-8 # # # # # # # #
9-16 # # # # NA NA NA NA
[Note, these can be very slow to appear]

Satellite transponders (16 total at 103º(s)) [or 103º(a)]
[Local HD channels for some cities]
1-8 # # # # # # NA NA
9-16 NA NA NA NA NA NA # #
17-24 # # # # # # # #
[Note, these can be very slow to appear]

Satellite transponders (16 total at 103º(c)) [or 103º(b)]
[Most national HD channels]
1-8 # # # # # # # #
9-16 # # # # # # NA NA
17-24 # NA NA NA NA # NA NA

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skylox

Discussion Starter · #5 · Oct 5, 2008

sky: I know you were having some issues with installer getting that new LNB installed. What are you current signal strengths? Interested in how it worked out.....

Hi dshu82, the install went ok....basically had to tell the tech what to do, but i helped out a lot and he was very open to listening to what i had to say.....we basically did the install usingthe 5lnb, then once we got signal on 101, we changed it out to the new sl3 lnb...signals actually went from mid 80's on 101 with 5lnb to low-mid 90's with the 3lnb....i helped him alot with "tuning" the dish, but i have never done it before....
i will put up the my signal meters up soon.

joe diamond

· #6 · Oct 5, 2008

Guys,

Those numbers change all the time. If you loose picture on a clear day look at the numbers again.

Joe

Grentz

· #7 · Oct 5, 2008

joe diamond said:
Guys,

Those numbers change all the time. If you loose picture on a clear day look at the numbers again.

Joe

Exactly. That's why I say to average High 80s/Low 90s on 99/103, Mid-High 90s on everything else (101/110/119).

Works great and is actually better than most installers do. If you are a bit lower that is fine as well, really just helps combat rainfade for a few more seconds/minutes.

skylox

Discussion Starter · #8 · Oct 6, 2008

Here are my signals.
I have not had any interuptions at all, and it was raining pretty bad here yesterday morning.
Satellite transponders (32 total at 101º)
[Most of your standard definition channels are beamed from 101ºW]
1-8 95 92 95 97 92 98 94 98
9-16 93 91 92 98 91 98 91 98
17-24 89 100 86 95 89 98 91 98
25-32 89 98 92 74 95 98 94 98

Satellite transponders (3 total at 110º)
[Several HD channels are beamed from 110ºW] I have an SL3
1-8 NA NA NA NA NA NA NA #
9-16 NA # NA # NA NA NA NA

Satellite transponders (11 total at 119º)
[A few HD channels, local SD channels, and Spanish package] I have an SL3
17-24 NA NA NA NA NA # # #
25-32 # # # # # # # #

Satellite transponders (6 total at 99º(s)) [or 99º(b)]
[Local HD channels for some cities]
1-8 0 0 0 0 0 0 NA NA
9-16 NA NA NA NA NA NA 40 91
17-24 40 73 0 91 0 0 46 52
[Note: these can be very slow to appear]

Satellite transponders (14 total at 99º(c)) [or 99º(a)]
[New national HD channels]
1-8 57 69 47 68 53 69 44 65
9-16 51 65 42 61 53 67 NA NA
[Note, these can be very slow to appear]

Satellite transponders (16 total at 103º(s)) [or 103º(a)]
[Local HD channels for some cities]
1-8 72 0 0 0 60 0 NA NA
9-16 NA NA NA NA NA NA 84 68
17-24 0 86 64 76 0 0 77 89
[Note, these can be very slow to appear]

Satellite transponders (16 total at 103º(c)) [or 103º(b)]
[Most national HD channels]
1-8 74 76 68 76 69 74 62 73
9-16 69 73 65 74 71 74 NA NA
17-24 NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA

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Grentz

· #9 · Oct 6, 2008

Your 99 and 103 could be a bit higher.

dshu82

· #10 · Oct 6, 2008

Grentz said:
Your 99 and 103 could be a bit higher.

Definitely. With your 101 strong, may need slight tweak to elevation.....

skylox

Discussion Starter · #11 · Oct 6, 2008

can anybody explain to me how to tweak the right way

Grentz

· #12 · Oct 6, 2008

Here is what I do:
-Turn receiver on to signal meters
-Get someone to read you the meters or a display so you can see the meters (I use a portable DVD player with a long RCA cable)
-Push on the edges of the dish (sides/top/bottom) to see which direction you need to go. Even the light pressure from pushing on it will affect the Ka (99/103) signals.
-Loosen the lock bolts for the direction you want to move it (carefully so you dont throw off alignment more)
-Slowly turn the fine adjustment screw for the direction you want to move and watch the signal meters. There is a tiny bit of delay so turn it a tiny bit, watch, tiny bit, watch, etc.
-Once happy, tighten the lock bolts again carefully so as not to throw off alignment.
-Your done!

skylox

Discussion Starter · #13 · Oct 6, 2008

Here is what I do:

Thank you...
just a couple more things....
1-how do i make sure i dont mess the 101 signal by moving the dish? Does each sat have their own up,down,leftmright?
2-before i do this myself, should i call Dtv and have them come out and try to do it for me?

Grentz

· #14 · Oct 6, 2008

1) Nope, they are all locked together so you adjust them all at once. The dish is made to be the proper shape to get all of them properly though. 101 is much less finicky compared to 99/103, so it generally is very easy to peak and if you get decent signal on 99/103 it is usually good.

2) Depends what you want to do. I like the DIY approach, but that is me (only had D* to my house 3 times in 12yrs, and all because they required it to bring equipment), many would rather have Directv handle it.

skylox

Discussion Starter · #15 · Oct 6, 2008

Well I dont mind trying...i just dont want to mess anything up...and if I dont have to schedule anything and take a whole day off work for a 1 hour dish tweaking, then i wont....

I'll have to wait til Saturday to do this but I will let everyone know how it goes...

Thanks again

Grentz

· #16 · Oct 6, 2008

The key is taking it slow and making VERY small adjustments. The fine adjustment screws help a lot with this too, but it still is amazing how little movement can affect the Ka signals. As I said above, even applying pressure to the edges of the reflector can give 3-5% changes.

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