[rabutler]

Hi all, I signed up a few months ago but I think this is my first post.

My equipment - an old 18" dish that was here when we moved in - age unknown and 2 RCA receivers that we bought new (about 5 years ago). Also, I am in the process of setting up a 3 dish solution for HD as DTV refused install. I have a second 18" and an AT9 without sidecar set up with the wires run to the house.

Now the problem. I lost my sat signal Thursday night when a thunderstorm came through. Normal rain fade to black. Problem is that I still have no signal at all at either receiver on all transponders in the 101 sat. Doesn't matter which dish I connect, no signal, not the slightest peep.

I've checked and rechecked dish alignment a dozen times so I don't think that is the problem (I moved the original dish to its current loc with no prior problems).
I don't think that both receivers would fail the same way at the same time and in every other respect seem to be operating properly.
The new dishes are on a different set of wires, so I don't think that wiring is the problem.

I've probably missed something obvious - any help is greatly appreciated.

Also, can anyone suggest a fair quality (read inexpensive) signal meter that I could pick up at a retailer (like radio shack maybe)?

Thanks!

 

[CJTE]

Are you going straight from the dish to the receiver, or are you going through a multiswitch?

Assuming you're working on the multidish setup, for the time being, forget about it, and get one thing going at a time. Go straight from the dish where the 101 will be picked up at (assuming that's the AT9 w/o sidecar). Line it up to the 101 and then run a cable straight from it to 1 receiver and see if you're getting signal on the 101.

http://www.dishpointer.com is really nice for getting the exact measurements, vs. DirecTV, which had me off by about 5 degrees

 

[rabutler]

Ok, by-passed the multiswith, realigned the dish with the coords from Dishpointer (using my GPS location).

Wow, guess I was way off before. Got mid 40s on about 25% of the transponders and up to 60s on some others. Nothing on about half, still no picture. Just a matter of fine tuning now.

Thanks!

Any suggestions for a cheap meter or is it not worth the expense?

 

[NYCEGUY01]

You allready have a cheap meter. Its built into the reciever. Take your home phone and call your cell phone then set it next to the tv speaker.

Then get up to the dish with your cell phone so you can hear the reciever which will be set to the sig level screen.

Problem solved for no more than a few minutes on your cell phone.

 

[NYCEGUY01]

In the old days some guys would take a cheap set of walkie talkies and tape the transmit button down then set it next to the tv to achieve the same results. Those days cell were not common and even if he had one it wasnt worth the $2 a min to try it that way.

 

[rabutler]

Thanks, I'll try that (was waiting for my wife to get home but I'm not that patient).

 

[litzdog911]

Ok, by-passed the multiswith, realigned the dish with the coords from Dishpointer (using my GPS location).

Wow, guess I was way off before. Got mid 40s on about 25% of the transponders and up to 60s on some others. Nothing on about half, still no picture. Just a matter of fine tuning now.

Thanks!

Any suggestions for a cheap meter or is it not worth the expense?

Please be specific about which transponders you're getting signals on. You might be aimed at the wrong satellite.

 

[rabutler]

Right sat, just needed fine tuning. Got 80s/90s on most of them now.
Thanks