[Kentstater]

Quick question before I cut down a limb.

I am getting really low signal numbers on my 99c.
I never looked before because there was no reason.

Before I cut down a limb of a tree that is twenty feet up I would like some info.

I have a AT-9 dish and of course it is facing SW. Would trees on the west side of the dish be a likely culprit?

I am getting my 119, 110 fine.


Thanks.

 

[merchione]

You should be ok...but I would call and ask for a realignment just to be sure then if its not that cut it down.

 

[Kentstater]

You should be ok...but I would call and ask for a realignment just to be sure then if its not that cut it down.

I do have a D* appointment set for realignment but I thought I could save hem a trip.

I'm sorry my question was poorly written, but does your answer mean that the 99 sat is to the east side of the dish?

 

[harsh]

99W is on the east side of the center of the dish. Left and right aren't specific enough in this context.

If the dish is "pointing" anywhere near trees, this might be your problem. If the trees aren't near where the LNB arm is pointing, trees aren't the problem.

 

[Kentstater]

99W is on the east side of the center of the dish. Left and right aren't specific enough in this context.

If the dish is "pointing" anywhere near trees, this might be your problem. If the trees aren't near where the LNB arm is pointing, trees aren't the problem.

And that is why I did not use the terms left or right, but thanks for the info.

The installer who put up the dish said the only problem I might have is getting the Spanish speaking stations that were on one sat., but he didn't tell me which sat. they were on.

I will save a tree (limb) and wait for the alignment.

Am I right in assuming then that unlike the OTA that measures starting at north and goes clockwise, sat. degrees start at due east and go clockwise?

 

[cts33fan]

I'm gettng 80-90 on everything but 99c which is in the 40's, but I seem to get the new MP4 channels just fine. IF I wanted to work on my dish, what would be the reccomended adjustment to make (there are no trees involvled), should I look at angle, tilt, or horizion?

 

[harsh]

Am I right in assuming then that unlike the OTA that measures starting at north and goes clockwise, sat. degrees start at due east and go clockwise?

In both cases, everything is relative to North. Just make sure you understand which North.

 

[Kentstater]

Now I'm really lost.

For OTA North is 0. due east is 90 and I point ny antenna at 119, just as antennaweb says and I know where the towers are and it all makes sense.

My D* dish is pointing SW, that would be 180 + if we are using the same starting point North.

Where am I going wrong?

 

[evan_s]

119 is the latitude not the direction you are point. Go to www.dishpointer.com if you want to find the direction your dish would have to point to get 119 or any other sat.

 

[JayPSU]

Well, I had a very nice Directv guy come to look at peaking my dish. He said that what they do is go off of the 101 and 119 sats. In other words when they see 100's at 101 and 119 they know the dish is peaked as all of the other sats are in between those. In my case, the problem with the D11 sat is that I have a tree branch from my neighbor's tree in the way. There's a break large enough for D10, but D11 is hitting that branch. So that's why I have good readings on everything but the D11. He said because I'm getting 100's on the 119 he doesn't want to mess with the dish.

Does this all sound about right?

 

[harsh]

As evan_s points out, the satellites are up in the sky, not across the way on the hill. 99W is hovering at 22,000 miles above the earth a point about 540 miles west of the Galopagos Islands.

 

[Tom Robertson]

Now I'm really lost.

For OTA North is 0. due east is 90 and I point ny antenna at 119, just as antennaweb says and I know where the towers are and it all makes sense.

My D* dish is pointing SW, that would be 180 + if we are using the same starting point North.

Where am I going wrong?

As as been stated, don't mix and match orbital location, 119° with your compass angle to that orbital location. If the dishpointer tells you to aim the dish at 180°, that would be due south to aim the dish at 101°'s orbital slot. (The 5lnb aims at the 101.)

Clear as mud yet?

Cheers,
Tom

 

[JayPSU]

As evan_s points out, the satellites are up in the sky, not across the way on the hill. 99W is hovering at 22,000 miles above the earth a point about 540 miles west of the Galopagos Islands.

So he needed to raise the dish up some? He seemed really nervous about moving it because of the good numbers I had on the 101 and 119. Is it just that the sat is new and they don't have the new info on it?

 

[harsh]

He said because I'm getting 100's on the 119 he doesn't want to mess with the dish.

Does this all sound about right?

The installer's/technician's job is to insure that you get solid signals from all four slots. If you don't get a solid signal (85+? across the board on CONUS), don't sign anything until you do. Once you sign something, you're letting them off the hook.

D11 is not optional for an HD Access subscriber... period.

 

[Tom Robertson]

Well, I had a very nice Directv guy come to look at peaking my dish. He said that what they do is go off of the 101 and 119 sats. In other words when they see 100's at 101 and 119 they know the dish is peaked as all of the other sats are in between those. In my case, the problem with the D11 sat is that I have a tree branch from my neighbor's tree in the way. There's a break large enough for D10, but D11 is hitting that branch. So that's why I have good readings on everything but the D11. He said because I'm getting 100's on the 119 he doesn't want to mess with the dish.

Does this all sound about right?

If he won't aim for all the satellites you have several choices: 1) send him on his merry way and get someone who isn't an idiot...

2) tell him to do the job right.

3) get DIRECTV to send someone out who will re-locate the dish to point on your property that doesn't miss a huge chunk of the HD channels.

Basically someone screwed the line of sight when the dish was located and it will have to be moved (or the tree limb removed, if possible.)

Good luck,
Tom

 

[Tom Robertson]

So he needed to raise the dish up some? He seemed really nervous about moving it because of the good numbers I had on the 101 and 119. Is it just that the sat is new and they don't have the new info on it?

He's really nervous because he doesn't know what he's doing yet. (Poor training or poor absorption; but that really doesn't matter.)

Good luck,
Tom

 

[harsh]

So he needed to raise the dish up some?

It is hard to tell from where I'm sitting what needs to be done. I would doubt that an increase in elevation would be the answer. In any event, it is the subscriber's responsibility to ride the technician and not buy into any "well you don't need that satellite" claptrap. (actually, you don't need 110W, but that's another story).

 

[JayPSU]

He's really nervous because he doesn't know what he's doing yet. (Poor training or poor absorption; but that really doesn't matter.)

Good luck,
Tom

I somewhat saw what he was talking about. I do have a tree somewhat in the way (he says that there's a small gap in the branches that allows 103 to come through), I just don't understand why I have good numbers on all of the sats (average of 80's-100) except for the 99. He says because it's hitting the branch, but the 30's-50's I'm getting on that sat in contrast to the others is weird. If I call his boss on Monday, what do I say that the guy would understand?

Also, when the wind blew, the numbers did improve some.

 

[JayPSU]

Let me add that I've been watching the signal strength on the 99c for the last 20 minutes and the numbers are ALL OVER the place. Sometimes in the 30's, sometimes in the 90's. Though mostly between 30's and 50's and I never lose the signal on the D11 channels. WTF?!

 

[Tom Robertson]

Yup, that sounds like blowing branches/leaves. I would probably ask the boss what his solution would be and press that these signals are not proper.

Sure does sound like he aligned it correctly--thru a tree.

So which will be easier--him moving the dish or him moving the tree?

Cheers,
Tom