How to fine tune a wildblue dish

**coastalcruiser** · 03-05-2010 12:39 AM

Hello. I would like to verify the signal strength of my Wildblue dish, and fine tune the dish if need be. I have in my hand 1) a WB APA, 2) a Channel Master Model 10041FD, and 3) two little slugs with coax connectors that I think are called attenuators.

Believe it or not I took a WB installers course a couple of years ago in order to install the dish where I work. In the end, although I past my certification test, I was not affiliated with an authorized retailer, and thus could not perform a certified install and thus ended up having someone from an authorized dealer come out and install the system. Oh my. Anyway, the three aforementioned parts have been sitting in my toolbox for two years, I have lost all my paperwork from the course, and I don't recall all that much about WB at all. So, in order to check the signal strength of my dish I need to figure how everything should hook in to the existing (working) system. Duh...... Feeling like a dummy. Let me see if I can actually answer my own questions, and perhaps someone will correct me where I get it worng. ;>

1) I don't really need the APA since the modem already has a lock on the satellite, yes? But gee, if I do need it, or just want to hook in for giggles, which number do I set it to?

2) I don't really need the attenuators, because, again, I am already locked on target (gee I love that kind of talk). But tell me, what would I need both an APA and the attenuators? Don't they each just block out all freqs u dont need. Why did they make me buy both?

3) I do need the meter of course. One coax jack is labeled SAT Rx and the other LNB. But it does not say which connector on the LNB. There are two. But since the one jack on the meter is labeled "Rx" I assume I need to connect as follows:

-- connect a cable between the RX connector on the TRIA to to the LNB jack on the meter.

-- connect the RX cable from the modem to the SAT Rx jack on the meter.

And what about that "gain" dial on the meter?

Thank you!
jim

**apsc** · 03-05-2010 12:58 AM

What makes you think the dish is not properly aimed? Is it because it's slow?

**coastalcruiser** · 03-05-2010 09:16 AM

Originally Posted by apsc

What makes you think the dish is not properly aimed? Is it because it's slow?

I just want to. Care to lend a hand?

**grohgreg** · 03-05-2010 10:31 AM

1. The APA setting should be specified in your installation paperwork. It filters out all but the beam sub-carrier to which your account is assigned. If your dish move enough to lose lock, you may find it necessary to use the APA to recover.
2. See #1. And no, the attenuator attenuate. It's the APA that filters.
3. Gain control is to help you peak the dish. When the meter peaks, turn down the gain; Then continue optimizing the antenna angles, turning the gain down a little more each time the meter peaks. You keep doing that until there's no more "peaking" to be had outa the meter.

Hopefully you won't be offended, but the nature of your questions prompts me to suggest that you would benefit from a refresher course. At a minimum, I recommend the Wildblue online training material:
WildBlue | Dealers / Installers | Installation Training

//greg//

**coastalcruiser** · 03-05-2010 02:58 PM

Originally Posted by grohgreg

1. The APA setting should be specified in your installation paperwork. It filters out all but the beam sub-carrier to which your account is assigned. If your dish move enough to lose lock, you may find it necessary to use the APA to recover.
2. See #1. And no, the attenuator attenuate. It's the APA that filters.
3. Gain control is to help you peak the dish. When the meter peaks, turn down the gain; Then continue optimizing the antenna angles, turning the gain down a little more each time the meter peaks. You keep doing that until there's no more "peaking" to be had outa the meter.

Hopefully you won't be offended, but the nature of your questions prompts me to suggest that you would benefit from a refresher course. At a minimum, I recommend the Wildblue online training material:
WildBlue | Dealers / Installers | Installation Training

//greg//

I am not in the least offended by your suggestion. I obviously could use a refresher.... especially if I ever planned on installing a system, which I don't. And since you have given me only a partial answer, and no other answers are forthcoming..... I will assume this question is too basic for this forum, and I will wish all a good day and seek my answers elsewhere.

Cheers!