[psycaz]

I am looking for suggestions to help with realigning my dish for my Dish500. My problem is that I am getting low signal reading on some transponders on 110 West, but not all. (My 119 is fine, over 90 on all transp.-110 used to be high 80s)
transponder# signal strength
13,17,19,21,23,25, 42
27,29,31 no lock
others about 65

My problems started about 9-23, with my newer 508 (had been working fine for two weeks) not downloading the guide, seems that Dish was having problems - read this in another thread. My problem never got better though, my system will not dl the guide until after 1:00am est. If I force it to try, it errors out. You can watch the progress meter start to go, then restart, go less than before, and restart again, does this about 4 times , then goes back to the channel I was watching. I have tried soft reboot, hard reboots, leaving it off for about an hour,plugged and unplugged. No luck.
I have called Dish about this, and was walked through checking my signal strength, reported my results and then told that it would cost me $199 for someone to come out to realign my dish. I balked. The tech the graciously offered to discount $60 since I was such a good customer for so long (over 5 yrs, probably). I refused, then I was told I would have to do it myself then.
Now, nothing has changed on my system! This just started overnight about the 23rd. No storms, wind or anythig I can think of to move my dish. I asked to speak to a manager, tech refused.
I find it strange that I should lose my signal so fast.
Any help with which direction I should move my dish would be appreciated. I don't want to screw up 119 trying to get this fixed.

 

[Guest]

Similar problem. Called local service retailer for service call -- $75 service call + replaced LNB cost. Couple weeks later, same problem.

My solution: I just switched to At&T Broadband Digital Cable. Same programming, about the same price, free maintenance calls.

Sorry.

 

[drjake]

Have someone watch the tv at the signal strength screen (do not use a single digit transponder as it may be a spotbeam) with a phone or radio while you are at the Dish with a phone or radio. Loosen the dish vertically and move it a small amount both up and down, leaving at position for a few seconds. If it improves signal strength, leave it there. Then do the same from side to side. Once you get better signal strength, clamp the Dish back down. It is not difficult; just move the dish in small increments.

 

[Guest]

I disagree with drjake don't loosen any nuts, with someone watching the signal strength screen gently push on the back of the dish. Gently push up from the bottom, then down from the top, then gently from the left and then right. If the signal increases then move the dish slightly in that direction. If you don't loosen the nuts you won't lose your current position and the dish has enough flex that you should be able to get an idea if moving the dish is needed. You might start off looking at your cables corrosion will cause a loss of signal without the dish having moved.

 

[drjake]

Boba, if you loosen your nuts carefully, you will not loose your current position. Based on his loss of signal strength, somthing has moved. I realign my Dish once a year because things settle on a house and the dish moves ever so slightly. I have never had a problem with loosening the nuts and retightening them.

 

[psycaz]

Thanks for the suggestions. I'll head up to the roof as soon as someone is available to relay the singal info to me. This should be fun for someone afraid of heights, to have to climb to peak on a peak on my roof. The installer mounted a ladder to put in on the other peak, riding both sides of the first peak with his ladder - thought he was nuts then, and still do...

 

[drjake]

Be careful up there. You probably won't have to move the dish more than a quarter inch to get better signal strength.

 

[Guest]

Try peaking it on the 119 satellite on transponder 11.

 

[LadyTalia]

[No message]

 

[Mike123abc]

I used a cheap ($10) analog meter to peak my dish. That way I could do it solo.

 

[johnsmith22]

Before you do anything it might be better to wait a few days until E*VIII is on the air. I have noticed quite a bit of fluctuation in signal levels on E*V recently and carrying out dish alignment has not improved the situation.

 

[Bob Haller]

Could a lower location have worked? Some folks assume dishes have to be on the roof. Thats bogus, I like mine low near the ground for easy service and snow removal...

 

[xgrep]

I'm afraid of heights, too. If all the houses I've installed dishes on didn't have low roofs, I'd have paid an installer to do it. You're more likely to fall when you're afraid of heights.

That said, if you're going up on the roof, take a satfinder with you. They're not expensive (check eBay, for example), and allow you to peak the dish very accurately with no help or need to see the signal strength screen.

Next, I really like the suggestion to wait and see what E*8 does for you.

Finally, it does seem strange that your reading has gone down so suddenly without obvious evidence that the dish moved. It could've moved, but it could also be the LNB. If you bother to go up there, try switching the LNBs before moving the dish to see if that might be the problem. Unless you have a twin or quad, in which case you might as well try moving the dish (unless you can borrow an LNB to test).

x

 

[psycaz]

I tried moving the disk with a pole today, just to see if I could change the signal strength one way or the other, no luck. I couldn't move the thing even a 1/4" in any direction. Going to try tomorrow to actually get to the dish, waiting for a double extension ladder to see if I can reach the point I need with the base of a ladder on the ground. If that doesn't work, I may wait until E8 settles and see what I get then.

 

[Richard King]

If you have a telephone with an intercom function, take the handset on the roof with you, leaving the base station by the television. Turn the television up so that the sound from the tuning meter can be heard through the handset. Peak until you have the highest pitch then nail down the dish position.

 

[DarrellP]

My solution: I just switched to At&T Broadband Digital Cable. Same programming, about the same price, free maintenance calls.

Sorry.

Now there's a solution! We have another cable guy lurking in the shadows. AT&T has got to have the worst PQ of any provider on earth. I think Afghanistan has better TV PQ than AT&T. Now sit back and watch the rates escalate, we'll see you back here in a year or so.