Thanks so much!!!!
First off, thanks everybody for spending time answering my thread. I can tell that those interested know my problem. I've never been around a BUD so I don't have anything to compare my reception to. And, frankly, I don't know anyone close to me in the hobby. Thank goodness for the internet or we'd be totally lost!!!
I'm using an old fortec ultra. I know. Why? I've tried using my newer CW600P but the signal is not compatible with my v-box. I tried setting one up with the remote and got interference from the other. So I had to resort to the old tried and true -- one of my three ultras. I'd try my Viewsat lite, but I don't think it has a line out for my AC-3 converter. I just added it recently and use it to decode the dolby channels. I'm using a Buzz for Ku and my Fortec for C/Ku on my big dish. I'm also getting my OTA locals. So I've got a pretty good selection of "free" programming with great digital quality. Sure beats analog reception .
And the fortec is slow, slow, slow. Blind scans are thorough but take forever.
And I refuse to program new satellites not listed because every time I have to do the factory reset I lose all the work I've done. So I made a list which I put on the wall and use some satellites listed in place of the real ones.
So it has gotten somewhat confusing.
Last week I did a lot of work and I'm up from about 15 to 20 satellites. I adjusted the bottom elevation bolt on my Perfect 10 and got great improvement in my reception. I did it with my dish pointed at the most southerly satellite I was getting at the time, which was 87W. I lost the Research Channel and the University of Washington channel on G10. But, heck, they're no good anyway. Also, the PBS channels on 125W come in sporadically anymore, but I get PBS channels anyway. I added some better programming. I like ABC News Now and CHCH (Canadian Super Channel),
which I never had before.
I've been afraid to make any big adjustments to my dish because I didn't want to lose everything. I like playing with my BUD lots more than watching OTA!!!
Also, concentrating on my more southerly reception has made me realize the eastern arc is there. I'm starting to get some of the feeds between 75 and 80 degrees West but not much in the way of regular programming.
And, yes, I had a tent set up for about a week under my big dish when I initially set it up about a year ago and didn't want to go that route anymore.
And, yes, I've set up a small tv on the back of my pick-up truck under the dish trying to tweak it in the past, too. But I'm getting older now and trying to avoid as much unnecessary work as possible.
My next project is to set up a 36 inch dish with an hh motor. Maybe I'll have more luck getting the eastern arc with it. At least I'll be able to figure out what is and isn't coming in on my BUD. But I'll be sure to put it a lot closer than 125 feet away from my house like my BUD is. That's a long walk!!!
Plus I'm sure the voltage drop from my receiver to the hh motor would be way too much. Knuck, knuck, knuck.
Go fta!!!