need help with dish alighnment (getting poor signal)

[danny7481]

my local channels are not coming in at all (you cant even watch them, they blur so much), so i called up D* and after talking to them for a bit, they said they need to come out and adjust the dish and itll cost me 49.95, so i told them no way, ill do it myself. well i dont really know what im doing, i know theres an azimuth, elevation and tilt. and based on my zipcode the azimuth is suppose to be 213, elevation 47, and tilt 62. well the elevation and tilt are right on the dot but i dont know how to check the azimuth, there are not markings or numbers anywhere for that. please help.

[maharg18]

You need a compass to measure azimuth, but if your really close, you can just bump it a little at a time and see if your signal improves or not.

What signal strength #'s are you getting when you do a signal test?

[danny7481]

satellite A and C are in the low 90's, but B usually says no signal, but sometimes get up to the 40's. forgive me if i dont explain things well, i really dont know anything about all this.

[litzdog911]

How much is your time worth? $49 seems pretty reasonable to let an expert take care of it. If you've never adjusted a satellite dish before there's a high probability that you'll lose all of your reception.

[danny7481]

How much is your time worth? $49 seems pretty reasonable to let an expert take care of it. If you've never adjusted a satellite dish before there's a high probability that you'll lose all of your reception. well yeah 49 really isnt bad, i guess, but theyll probably send the same idiot that installed it to begin with, and ive had problems with some channels since day 1.

[phox_mulder]

but theyll probably send the same idiot that installed it to begin with, and ive had problems with some channels since day 1.

IMHO, Satellite/Cable installers aren't in it for the long haul, there is an extreme turnover rate, so the chances you get the same guy are very slim.

I had my original system installed by a "pro" and it worked pretty good.

Then when I wanted HD and needed the 3LNB dish I figured it can't be that hard, I'll do it myself.
Turned out to be a PITA of olympic proportions, but I got it done, eventually.

I'd still say try it yourself, and if it doesn't work, then fork out the $50.

Have a reciever/TV within viewing/hearing distance when you start moving the dish,
you might have to run a temporary cable to do this.

Loosen the bolts for azimuth (side to side) and move it a little and see what the signal strength does, check other satelites and transponders to make sure you didn't make them worse, do this till you have the best possible signal on all satellites and tighten that adjustment.

Then move on to elevation, loosen the bolts for up and down, just barely loose, then move the dish a little then let it sit while the signal strength locks on, move it a little the other way and see what the signal does, do this till you have the best possible signal strength on all satellites, then tighten those down.

Move on to tilt, loosen those screws slightly and watch the signal strength.
This one is more critical for good reception on all 3 satellites, you'll have to sacrifice a little signal on one to make the others better.
99% on one isn't that good if the others only have 50%, so you might have to settle for 80% on all three. (extreme example, you should be able to get 90% on all three)

Once you have the best possible signal, make sure all adjustment nuts, bolts and screws are tight, and you're done.

It's really not that hard, the hard part is setting up a dish from scratch without a signal meter.


phox

[dhines]

i was experiencing the same problem (A & C good, B bad) . . . and just bit the bullet and purchased a meter that allowed me to more accurately position the dish for sat A & B. and, if you get A & B right, C automatically comes in strong.

I think the tool cost me $75, and considering that i have had to use it 3 times . . . it has already paid for itself.

[MajorTomSawyer]

If you are getting a good signal on 101 (A) & 110 (C) but not on 119 (B), I would say it is a bad LNB.

The only way to get a good signal on 101 (a) & 110 (C) but not on 119 (B), would be if your tilt was off. The azimuth being off would affect all three satalites.

[tigersfanjj]

If you are getting a good signal on 101 (A) & 110 (C) but not on 119 (B), I would say it is a bad LNB.

The only way to get a good signal on 101 (a) & 110 (C) but not on 119 (B), would be if your tilt was off. The azimuth being off would affect all three satalites.

I have seen 119 have a lower signal on several occasions where the azimuth is slightly off. Usually a slight movement of the dish to the west will bring it up with the other two. I've also fixed it once or twice by slightly moving the elevation (can't remember if it was up or down). You shouldn't have to move the elevation by more than a degree or two.

The tilt shouldn't have to be changed from what the setup lists for your location.

[phox_mulder]

The tilt shouldn't have to be changed from what the setup lists for your location.

I might.

I live on the border of two zip codes, if I put one zip in it tells me one tilt number, if I put the other zip in it tells me a number 2 off from the original.

Depending on how big your zip code is, you could have to move it as much as 2-3 tick marks.


phox

[tigersfanjj]

I might.

I live on the border of two zip codes, if I put one zip in it tells me one tilt number, if I put the other zip in it tells me a number 2 off from the original.

Depending on how big your zip code is, you could have to move it as much as 2-3 tick marks.


phox

If you use your zip code then you should be fine.

I install over numerous zip codes in about about a 75 mile area. I use the same tilt for my entire area without problems. Sure some systems come in at 94% signal strength when others come in at 97%. But you will never notice that 3% difference.