Sat A, B, C Strength on a Single LNB: What Does It Mean?

[WinstonSmith]

Hi, all,

I posted in another thread about how I am getting high 90s with my HD-TiVo on sats A and C using a MultiSatellite dish. However, I'm getting nothing, zilch on Sat B.

Here's the thing that has me VERY curious. When I had my round dish on the roof last Saturday (before installing the MultiSatellite 3-LNB dish) I decided to go ahead and switch the setup in my HD-TiVo by changing its setup from the Round, Single LNB to the 3-LNB MultiSatellite. When I did this, I went ahead and checked the signal strength on the three Sats (A, B, C) and I had high 90s for all three on all transponders except for the following: B (28), C (12).

Then, when I installed my MultiSatellite I am, as I said, getting high 90s on everything except B of which I get nothing.

What does this mean? Secondly, does it mean the 119 LNB on my MultiSatellite dish could be bad?

Looking for any ideas. Thanks, as always. I really appreciate the help that all of you give.

[rminsk]

Here's the thing that has me VERY curious. When I had my round dish on the roof last Saturday (before installing the MultiSatellite 3-LNB dish) I decided to go ahead and switch the setup in my HD-TiVo by changing its setup from the Round, Single LNB to the 3-LNB MultiSatellite. When I did this, I went ahead and checked the signal strength on the three Sats (A, B, C) and I had high 90s for all three on all transponders except for the following: B (28), C (12).When you set it up this way the DirecTiVo thinks it has a 3-lnb dish. It sends the 22 kHz tone to tell the multiswitch to use the 110 and 119 satellites but since it was a round dish the dish ignored the tone. You were still looking at the signal strength on the 101 satellite in this configuration. I can not remember the test channel numbers (I think in the 490's) but you can check to see if the dish is seeing the correct satellites.

The problem you are having with the 3-lnb dish could be a bad LNB, a bad built-in multiswitch, or you do not have the dish properly aligned.

[WinstonSmith]

Crap. I was hoping for an easy solution.

[WinstonSmith]

Does it stand to reason that if you can get Sat A and C in the high 90s that you should be able to get Sat B also?

There are trees in my backyard, but it seems to me that if I can get A and C I ought to be getting B.

[litzdog911]

Does it stand to reason that if you can get Sat A and C in the high 90s that you should be able to get Sat B also?

There are trees in my backyard, but it seems to me that if I can get A and C I ought to be getting B.

No, unfortunately it does not stand to reason. It's very easy to have one satellite blocked by a tree. It took me THREE round 18" dishes at different locations to "see" all three satellites due to numerous trees behind my house. So it is possible to combine multiple dishes at different locations to get around those trees.

In early October you can use the sun to help site the best locations for dishes on your property. Read more here ....
http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?t=314458

[A J Ricaud]

I would try re-aiming the dish first. I had a problem like yours a while back and it turned out to be that the dish had to be re-aimed. Why? Haven't the slightest idea since it was fine for years and I am not in a windy, rainy area. The Phase III dish can be a little finicky to aim.

[Dssturbo1]

looking to the southern sky the sat b is lower and to the right of the sat a and sat c. usually sat b is the one people have trouble with if trees are envolved. the channels are 490-494 to check which sats you are picking up. also if your dish is not pumb you can pick up 2 and not get the thrid.
to realign your dish get your cordinates off the receiver for your area
#1 MAKE SURE YOUR MAST IS PLUMB
#2 check the skew this is the setting on back that twist the dish like a steering wheel
#3 check the angle, up and down and set it by looking the side of the edge of the metal
#4 ok should be able to swing the dish slowly left or right and find a tone and then move as needed to get best singal on all three (if no tree or other troubles in line of sight to sats)
good luck