[DJConan]

I'm a techie, but I've never even looked at my dish. The past few weeks, my signal has been going out on some channels when the sky is partly cloudy. On Sunday, I plan to go take a look at the dish and tinker. I really don't know what I'm looking for other than changing things around to improve the signal. I don't follow/know which sats are for which channels.

Take for example the two latest HD channels...neither come in at all.

My signal strengths are listed below. I'm hoping maybe this information might tell someone in the know, what I should be looking for when I finally "meet the dish." Thanks for any help.

[FONT="Courier New"]Sat 101

  1-8:  81 77 82 92 79 93 78 91
 9-16:  77 76 80 90 74 92 77 92
17-24:  74 98 78 82 74 89 79 89
25-32:  75 82 78 0 77 88 77 88

Sat 110

  1-8:  NA/ N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A 95
 9-16:  N/A 94 N/A 95 N/A N/A N/A N/A
17-24:  N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
25-32:  N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A

Sat 119

  1-8:  N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
 9-16:  N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
17-24:  N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A 98 0 97
25-32:  0 98 98 96 0 97 79 99

Sat 99c

  1-8:  0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
 9-16:  0 0 0 0 0 0 N/A N/A
17-24:  N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
25-32:  N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A

Sat 99s

  1-8:  0 0 0 0 0 0 N/A N/A
 9-16:  N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/a 0 0 
17-24:  0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
25-32:  N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A

Sat 103s

  1-8:  0 0 0 0 0 0 N/A N/A
 9-16:  N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A 34 50
17-24 0 0 42 49 0 0 31 38
25-32:  N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A

Sat 103c

  1-8:  21 0 21 14 22 15 18 16
 9-16:  21 18 17 16 19 16 N/A N/A
17-24:  0 N/A N/A N/A N/A 0 N/A N/A
25-32:  N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A[/FONT]

 

[litzdog911]

Check out the installation videos here for a good idea of what you'll need to do .....
http://www.solidsignal.com/dtvkuka

 

[jlancaster]

Yes your dish is way out of alignment!!
It can be done yourself or by a "pro".
and follow Litzdog's advise.

 

[2dogz]

Since you say it just in the past few weeks that things went downhill, first thing to look for is if the mast mount has gotten loose somehow, t-storms, etc. Make sure everything is tight. Just screwing it down tight might bring things back to life.

Looks like you're not getting mpeg 4 sats at all.

 

[billcushman]

Buy a Sears Craftsman Digital Level Model 48295. This will cost between $20 and $35 and will readout angles to within .1 degree. Place the magnetic base on the arm holding the LNB assembly. Coarse align for best signal on 101 transponder 3.

Loosen the elevation adjustment locknut(s) using a 1/2" wrench. Back off the elevation adjustment using a 1/2" nutdriver until you read 50 on transponder 3. Record the angle observed on the digital level.

Turn the elevation adjustment screw clockwise past the peak until you again read 50 on transponder 3. Again record the angle observed on the digital level.

Calculate the angle exactly halfway between the two observed readings (add the two readings and divide by 2).

Back off the elevation adjustment until the digital level reads exactly the angle you calculated. Tighten the elevation lock nut and make sure the angle does not change. The dither method is recommended by DirecTV and produces the moat accurate setting of elevation.

This high resolution dither method on 101 will produce the most accurate setting. Keep the your record of the angle for future reference.

 

[DJConan]

Thanks guys. I watched the videos, read everyone's response and realized I didn't have the right tools to fix the problem if it were really involved. After watching the video, I looked at the dish. I saw that the bubble was not centered within the circle so thought I'd at least try to center that. It seems the base of the mast was where the problem was. I loosened those 4 bolts, had someone hold the dish level for me and I re-tightened the 4 bolts.

I'm not sure if I still have any problems based on the signal strengths, but I went through some random channels and everything was coming in.

New signal strengths...

Sat 101

  1-8:  95 94 95 96 95 98 93 97
 9-16:  95 94 95 96 95 98 94 98
17-24:  92 100 95 93 95 98 95 98
25-32:  95 91 95 0 95 98 94 98

Sat 110

  1-8:  NA/ N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A 95
 9-16:  N/A 95 N/A 96 N/A N/A N/A N/A
17-24:  N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
25-32:  N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A

Sat 119

  1-8:  N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
 9-16:  N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
17-24:  N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A 96 0 96
25-32:  0 97 96 95 44 97 80 97

Sat 99c

  1-8:  75 83 72 80 78 82 74 79
 9-16:  82 85 77 79 83 87 N/A N/A
17-24:  N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
25-32:  N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A

Sat 99s

  1-8:  82 65 80 83 0 40 N/A N/A
 9-16:  N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A 0 0 
17-24:  0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
25-32:  N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A

Sat 103s

  1-8:  0 75 0 0 0 74 N/A N/A
 9-16:  N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A 91 98
17-24:  0 65 96 98 50 0 91 97
25-32:  N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A

Sat 103c

  1-8:  94 89 86 83 89 89 83 87
 9-16:  89 90 83 92 89 94 N/A N/A
17-24:  0 N/A N/A N/A N/A 0 N/A N/A
25-32:  N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A

Should I be concerned with any of those 0's or any of those under 70?

Thanks again.

 

[compnurd]

your ok

 

[evan_s]

It could be better but your not too bad off. THE 103s and 99s are spots and will have some 0's or low signals where the spot isn't in your area or your on the edge of someone elses spots. 101 and 119 also have some spots so those can be 0's also. The 110 and 99c, 101c are all national channel and all look pretty good.

 

[K4SMX]

If you feel like it, you could do a little better. Don't worry about anything but 99(c) and 103(c), the national HD satellites. The only tool you need is a 1/2" wrench. A 1/2" nut driver is a handy addition, but not required. Bring up a single 99(c) tp with the Signal Meters selection under View Signal Strength and peak that tp with the EL and then the AZ fine adjustment bolts, after loosening the two lock down nuts for each. Don't loosen the nuts behind the adjustment bolts themselves. Then check the 103(c)'s. A slight change in the tilt may be required to balance the 99(c) and 103(c)'s. This requires you to loosen slightly the three tilt ring nuts and is where the nut driver comes in handy. Re-tighten all nuts.