61.5 help

[VonL]

I have an old Dish300 and a DishPro LNBF from my Superdish. I have ran the cable from the dish to the third port on DP34. I can't get the switch check to recognize the 300. What do I need to do to get the dish recognized so I can get a signal? I am using brand new RG6 cable about 12'
long. My Dish 500 is detected and working fine.

 

[WiCkeDuDe]

Either your 61.5 dish is not pointed correctly, the dishpro LNB is bad or your DP34 has a bad port. Swapping your inputs on the dp34 should rule out a bad DP34. Are you sure you have it peaked on 61.5?

 

[TheKrell]

I think that's his problem. VonL, the way you do this is to plug a receiver directly into the LNB pointed at 61.5 and peak that dish. Then, when reconnected to the DP34, you should expect it to work after a "check switch" discovers the 3rd satellite.

 

[Pepper]

with dishpro equipment he should see an identification of what it is with "NC" if it's not pointed correctly.

it is true with legacy equipment you actually need a signal before it is recognized.

bad lnbf, cable or switch.

 

[TheKrell]

with dishpro equipment he should see an identification of what it is with "NC" if it's not pointed correctly.

OK... That's possibly what the OP meant when he said "I can't get the switch check to recognize the 300." So therefore, without further information on the exact symptom, we might still suppose the dish is not pointed correctly.

Or, he could be looking at the switch with a legacy receiver and a DishPro adapter. My 4900 says "SW64" for my 3-sat setup. I have no idea what it would show if the wing dish were not pointed correctly.

And even if the OP sees "NC" on the Check Switch screen, how is he or she supposed to control the switch in order to point the dish? Can you pick a non-existent satellite on the Point Dish screen?

The cable could be shorting at the DP-34 input. I did this by accident because the F-connector jacks are all covered in a wax-like substance which must be pierced by the center conductor of the cable. It's easy to start the conductor off-center, screw it down tight, and short out the input.

Finally, if this DishPro LNBF came off a SuperDish, won't it be the FSS kind and not work at all with 61.5?

 

[VonL]

The one thing I did not do is hook the lnb directly to point the reciever. I'm still learning about the DishPro technology. If a lnb is a DishPro model would it not work with any setup as long as everything is DishPro? I only use DishPro and have no Legacy equipment or switches in place.

 

[WiCkeDuDe]

OK... That's possibly what the OP meant when he said "I can't get the switch check to recognize the 300." So therefore, without further information on the exact symptom, we might still suppose the dish is not pointed correctly.

Or, he could be looking at the switch with a legacy receiver and a DishPro adapter. My 4900 says "SW64" for my 3-sat setup. I have no idea what it would show if the wing dish were not pointed correctly.

And even if the OP sees "NC" on the Check Switch screen, how is he or she supposed to control the switch in order to point the dish? Can you pick a non-existent satellite on the Point Dish screen?

The cable could be shorting at the DP-34 input. I did this by accident because the F-connector jacks are all covered in a wax-like substance which must be pierced by the center conductor of the cable. It's easy to start the conductor off-center, screw it down tight, and short out the input.

Finally, if this DishPro LNBF came off a SuperDish, won't it be the FSS kind and not work at all with 61.5?

I think we all gave the benefit of the doubt that he isnt using the fss lnb here.

As long as everything is Dish pro you should be fine, except the FSS lnb of course. When you run a check switch does it show the lnb is connected with no signal or does it not show up at all?

 

[VonL]

It does not show up at all. The lnb is dishpro and not the fss one. I'm hoping by connecting directly to the reciever I will be able to get the signal and then run the switch check.

 

[VonL]

I still can't get a signal using all the info you have furnished. I'm using 10' of brand new cable and connectors. I tried the cable on my 721 and it was fine. I have the dish hooked to my 501 and a small tv on my deck so I can see the bar. It's funny I can get a 60% reading on satellite 92 in Canada but can't get 61.5.

Are the DishPro lnb's from a superdish compatible for 61.5. It is the 110 lnb I'm thinking but may be wrong.

 

[TheKrell]

LNBs for 61.5, 92, 110, and 119 are all compatible. If you are getting signal on 92 (though 60 is fairly low for the old scale), then that proves your LNB and cables are OK.

I'm out of ideas. Are you absolutely positively sure you're on transponder 8? A 501 is not capable of showing signal strength on 8PSK modulated transponders 1-7. Are you absolutely positively sure you have line of sight?

 

[VonL]

I have agreat line of sight. I don't have a tree or obstacle with in 500' all the way around my house.

I have been using transonder 10. Should I be using 8?

 

[VonL]

I finally got a locked signal. My strength is bewteen 65 and 80. Is this accepatable strengths in my area?

 

[WiCkeDuDe]

If it is the old scale then no. I think a 501 is the old. If its the new then yes its fine.

 

[TheKrell]

My 501 is still using the old scale, but I also have a Dish 500 and not a 300. I usually see over 100 on many of transponders. 60 is not great, but anything above 40 will probably work, until a storm cloud comes over.

 

[VonL]

Thanks for all the help.