[shiner2001]

I've spent two days both online searching for and reading everything I can find about the subject, as well as wearing out the steps on my ladder and the carpet between the TV and the back door, but to no avail. I am upgrading the satellite at my second home/farm to a Slimline so that I can finally have HD there. For many many years I have just used an old 18" round, but now that I have relocated my primary residence (from the Dallas/Fort Worth area to the Abilene, TX area), I can no longer receive the local channels at my second place (as confirmed by DirecTV). That change came as soon as I moved. I have my old Slimline from a previous installation and can't for the life of me even get a hint of a signal from any of the satellites. I am trying to feed an HR22/100, and pick up the 101* satellite first, but can't get it at all. After today's attempt, I literally c-clamped the old dish back on the pole and it continues to work just fine (so I know it's not a cable/terminal issue). I was trying to employ a Zinwell Wide-band 6x8 Multi switch (Part #WB68), and I think that MAY be part of my problem. The switch was from my previous installation. I don't have a need for the switch necessarily, and if I am correct, I can run two of the four cables from the Slimline directly to the HR22...right? So far all I have been trying to do is us the old single coax that is already in place, but I think I am about to run two new ones just to see what happens. I guess my main question is about aiming the the satellite. It's on a plumb pole and not blocked physically by any trees or structures. The pole is roughly 10' tall and the old 18" round dish that is temporarily clamped to it is working fine at about 7'. According to a compass for the azimuth and the markings on the new dish itself for Tilt and Elevation, I surely thought I would have been close enough with the Slimline to at least get some kind of reading on the signal meter, but I got nada. I thought I had studied enough to get the process down, but I seem to still be missing something. Anyone have any advice for me? I don't want to buy a signal meter since I won't get continued use out of it and I can't have DTV come out to aim it for me since this isn't at my primary residence.

Many many thanks in advance for any help!!

 

[Shades228]

So you have service at 2 locations at the same time on one account which is not allowed.

 

[Hoosier205]

I've spent two days both online searching for and reading everything I can find about the subject, as well as wearing out the steps on my ladder and the carpet between the TV and the back door, but to no avail. I am upgrading the satellite at my second home/farm to a Slimline so that I can finally have HD there. For many many years I have just used an old 18" round, but now that I have relocated my primary residence (from the Dallas/Fort Worth area to the Abilene, TX area), I can no longer receive the local channels at my second place (as confirmed by DirecTV). That change came as soon as I moved. I have my old Slimline from a previous installation and can't for the life of me even get a hint of a signal from any of the satellites. I am trying to feed an HR22/100, and pick up the 101* satellite first, but can't get it at all. After today's attempt, I literally c-clamped the old dish back on the pole and it continues to work just fine (so I know it's not a cable/terminal issue). I was trying to employ a Zinwell Wide-band 6x8 Multi switch (Part #WB68), and I think that MAY be part of my problem. The switch was from my previous installation. I don't have a need for the switch necessarily, and if I am correct, I can run two of the four cables from the Slimline directly to the HR22...right? So far all I have been trying to do is us the old single coax that is already in place, but I think I am about to run two new ones just to see what happens. I guess my main question is about aiming the the satellite. It's on a plumb pole and not blocked physically by any trees or structures. The pole is roughly 10' tall and the old 18" round dish that is temporarily clamped to it is working fine at about 7'. According to a compass for the azimuth and the markings on the new dish itself for Tilt and Elevation, I surely thought I would have been close enough with the Slimline to at least get some kind of reading on the signal meter, but I got nada. I thought I had studied enough to get the process down, but I seem to still be missing something. Anyone have any advice for me? I don't want to buy a signal meter since I won't get continued use out of it and I can't have DTV come out to aim it for me since this isn't at my primary residence.

Many many thanks in advance for any help!!

RED FLAG: you can't call DirecTV to align your dish because it is located somewhere other than your service address on record.

 

[shiner2001]

It's an RV on a farm, also used when travelling. I'm not cheating DirecTV, don't worry.

 

[shiner2001]

RED FLAG: you can't call DirecTV to align your dish because it is located somewhere other than your service address on record.

Right, that's what I was saying. I talk to them all the time about the separate location, it's no big secret or anything. I use this one for tailgating and travelling in the RV all the time. My problem that they won't allow a service call to a mobile installation. (I use a tripod and a dish when travelling, a permanently mounted pole when parked at the farm).

 

[Davenlr]

The 101 should be no more difficult to find with a slimline than the 18", so first check and make sure the receiver is set correctly (even leave it set to 18" round for testing), and just set the elevation on the slimline to exactly match the setting on the 18" dish. Then put it on the pole and point it exactly the same direction as the 18", If it doesnt get anything, I would suspect your LNB is bad on the slimline.

For HD, once aimed, you will need to switch it to slimline 3 or 5/multiswitch, and will also need B Band converters for each input on the HR22. Dont use the old multiswitch at all. It will just confuse you and the receiver, and cause problems. Its not needed at all.

 

[shiner2001]

The 101 should be no more difficult to find with a slimline than the 18", so first check and make sure the receiver is set correctly (even leave it set to 18" round for testing), and just set the elevation on the slimline to exactly match the setting on the 18" dish. Then put it on the pole and point it exactly the same direction as the 18", If it doesnt get anything, I would suspect your LNB is bad on the slimline.

For HD, once aimed, you will need to switch it to slimline 3 or 5/multiswitch, and will also need B Band converters for each input on the HR22. Dont use the old multiswitch at all. It will just confuse you and the receiver, and cause problems. Its not needed at all.

Now that I have both dishes mounted on the pole, I am going to try to match their positioning exactly, just like you suggested (it got dark on me today so I quit). I did at some point try the 18" setting while I had the Slimline hooked up, but I didn't get any better results then. I'm glad to hear that will work though, as I have been wondering if I just had a wrong setting that was the issue instead of the actual dish positioning. Is there a way to test the LNB on the Slimline? (Also, I am using the BBC, so that's not a problem. Actually, I just realized I left it on when I switched back to the 18", but it's still working fine). As far as using the current setup with just the one coax, that should still work for the purposes of aiming and watching just a single tuner, right?

 

[Davenlr]

Right. Just tell the DVR you are using 1 tuner in satellite setup, and make sure you have the coax plugged into the first port, although I believe leaving it set to two tuner will still work ok if you make sure to pick the correct tuner in the aiming screen.

No DIY way to test the LNB except to put it on an already aimed dish and see if it works.

 

[Davenlr]

Just a thought, the elevation on a slimline is set by the metal bracket seen through the bolt slider hole, not the actual bolt itself like on an 18", so double check your elevation settings.

 

[shiner2001]

Right. Just tell the DVR you are using 1 tuner in satellite setup, and make sure you have the coax plugged into the first port, although I believe leaving it set to two tuner will still work ok if you make sure to pick the correct tuner in the aiming screen.

No DIY way to test the LNB except to put it on an already aimed dish and see if it works.

Roger that, that's exactly what I was doing. In the satellite setup, it should be set to multiswitch, right? (As opposed to SWM). If so, I think I had everything set correctly on the receiver, so I'm back to the aiming issues. The last thing I did today was temporarily hang the 18" back up, so tomorrow I will try to use that as a starting point to get the Slimline pointed correctly.

 

[Davenlr]

SWM LNBs only have one coax output, and require a power inserter between the receiver and the LNB. If yours has 4 coax outputs, the correct setting is multiswitch.

 

[shiner2001]

Just a thought, the elevation on a slimline is set by the metal bracket seen through the bolt slider hole, not the actual bolt itself like on an 18", so double check your elevation settings.

I'll give it a once-over tomorrow and double check that. Once I have everything at what seems to be a close initial setting, which setting should I try to adjust first to locate 101?

 

[Davenlr]

I always preset the tilt and elevation (assuming your pole is plumb), and sweep the az first, 2 degrees at a time. Failing that, I raise the el a tad, and repeat. Dont go to fast, as it takes a second for the receiver to lock. Tomorrow, when you are checking, make sure the reflector isnt bent.

 

[shiner2001]

I always preset the tilt and elevation (assuming your pole is plumb), and sweep the az first, 2 degrees at a time. Failing that, I raise the el a tad, and repeat. Dont go to fast, as it takes a second for the receiver to lock. Tomorrow, when you are checking, make sure the reflector isnt bent.

What is the best way to actually set the azimuth to the required number? Today I did my best using my cell phone (compass) and a real compass. Once I got both dishes back up and next to each other, they seemed pretty damn close. I think my elevation might have been off, though. More to follow tomorrow when I have daylight again. I will also check for damage to the reflector, but I'm pretty sure it's in great shape.

 

[Davenlr]

Sounds like you have the AZ aiming procedure ok. I just start about 10% east of where I think it should be, and slowly rotate it west until it locks. If I get about 10 degrees past where it should be, I raise/lower the el a little, and repeat until I find it.

 

[shiner2001]

Sounds like you have the AZ aiming procedure ok. I just start about 10% east of where I think it should be, and slowly rotate it west until it locks. If I get about 10 degrees past where it should be, I raise/lower the el a little, and repeat until I find it.

Gotcha. I set the fine adjustment all the way one way then swept all the way through the adjustment with what I thought was accurate being somewhere in the middle, but I never was able to hit it. Hopefully it was an elevation problem.

 

[Davenlr]

Dont use the fine adjustment for AZ. Set it in the center, and rotate the whole mount on the mast for course tuning, then when you find the satellite, peak it the best you can, then use the fine adjustments.

 

[shiner2001]

Dont use the fine adjustment for AZ. Set it in the center, and rotate the whole mount on the mast for course tuning, then when you find the satellite, peak it the best you can, then use the fine adjustments.

Makes sense, I'll give that method a shot. How long does it take once you are pointed at or close enough to a satellite for that to show up on the on-screen meter? Is it immediate, take a few seconds, a minute?

 

[Davenlr]

About a second to lock on the signal and show on the screen meter.

 

[shiner2001]

About a second to lock on the signal and show on the screen meter.

Gotcha. So it's fairly immediate. I'll sit someone in front of the TV and get back on the ladder tomorrow and see what we can come up with!