Well apparently the OP doesn't have a problem anymore, according to my reading of this thread, he figured it out. Which is exactly what this forum is for in the first place.
OP learned how his system works and increased his expertise, didn't have to spend money for a service call, and didn't get the original tech written up or charged back, hopefully. Win-win for everyone.
I've had dish tech out a couple times for an upgrade job. Which I had completely ripped apart and put back together within a week or so. Not because they did it wrong, just because that's the type personality I have, want to take it all apart and know how it all works. And it goes without saying but I'll say it anyway, if I screwed it up, no way would I do anything to get the original tech in hot water. He left me his number for the exact reason of being able to fix an issue before a TC is issued against him, worst case I'd call him and arrange to make it worth his while to come back and un-botch whatever I had done.
By the way, the knowledge and practice gained working on my own stuff has enabled me to make a non-trivial amount of extra income on GloryStar/3ABN/LLBN repoint jobs I wouldn't have attempted otherwise.
Why then did you post " a couple of times on an upgrade"?
There is really nothing to be gained by dismantling someone else's work.
All you had to do was ask the tech while he was there. In the past I have run into this. I had no issues with explaining to the customer what they wished to know.
Yes, you can say "it's my stuff and I will do what I want with it"...I agree. To a certain extent.
One thing you must know. With Dish's new rules that make the last visiting tech responsible for the entire system including customer owned equipment connected to the satellite sysytem, if ANYTHING goes wrong within 60 days of that visit, the tech must perform a service visit and not only is he not paid for the visit , he also is penalized in the form of a charge back by his employer.
So, you post you've put it all back together. Ok. Is it back together and in compliance with Dish's quality control standards?.....Suppose it isn't and you decide to order a new receiver, or upgrade another.....The tech arrives , sees your handiwork has created a violation of Dish's specifications. Now that tech is stuck reinstalling everything you tampered with.
This is not personal. This is for your information.
Please do not be offended, but my worst customers are the tinkerers. The ones that decide it's their day to " take a look at what the guy did" and start taking stuff apart.....Trust me, 99% of these geniuses get themselves into trouble and end up calling the satellite company for assistance. Invariably, to avoid paying fees which they rightly should have to, they tell the CSR they "lost signal"..
DO us techs a bug favor.....If you decide to take stuff apart, make sure you put it back EXACTLY how you found it.
We thank you for your attention to detail....Good day sir.