77 interfering with 82?

[apkehler]

I had my Bell dish pointed at 82W for the better part of a year with signals in the 70% range (in SE Pennsylvania) on a 30" Winegard. Last week I had my garage re-shingled so I had to take down the dish. Prior to taking down the dish, I marked the elevation and angle settings on the dish. After re-shingling, I put the dish back in exactly the same location with matching the markings exactly. I turned on my receiver and it's locking into 77!

I've spent a few hours repointing the dish, but can only lock onto 77 and can't find 82. Incidentally, I can also pick up 72.7. Is it possible that 77 is interfering with 82?

 

[pobs]

I had my Bell dish pointed at 82W for the better part of a year with signals in the 70% range (in SE Pennsylvania) on a 30" Winegard. Last week I had my garage re-shingled so I had to take down the dish. Prior to taking down the dish, I marked the elevation and angle settings on the dish. After re-shingling, I put the dish back in exactly the same location with matching the markings exactly. I turned on my receiver and it's locking into 77!

I've spent a few hours repointing the dish, but can only lock onto 77 and can't find 82. Incidentally, I can also pick up 72.7. Is it possible that 77 is interfering with 82?

I was trying to lock onto 82 with a 30" this weekend too. (Not sure if 30" dish will work near STL, but tried it anyway). I did the same thing, it locked onto 77 and 72.7 (with a BEV receiver), and when it did, it waited to gather the satellite info. Is it possible that it re-wrote the TP info for DN satellites, which might be different than those for BEV - so the receiver does not recognize the TP info for 82 ?

I just thought of this crazy idea, when I looked at this post. If I have time one evening this week, I will try to lock on 82 with an FTA receiver.

 

[miguelaqui]

I asked the same http://www.satelliteguys.us/threads...2-was-not-CONUS-because-of-77-and-Dish-Mexico

 

[miguelaqui]

It was explained to me that a larger dish actually increased signal by both having a larger antenna and by creating more space between sats on the dish, meaning less interference from other sats. When I first gained interest in the satellite industry, back in 1999, everyone said that DBS sats had to be at least 8 degrees apart. I was shocked to learn that 77 was DBS, but 77 is really a Mexican slot. It makes sense to me that you problem could be 77! I could get 82 on a 30" by looking for T32. I get wonderful signal on my 4 footer.

 

[apkehler]

Yeah, I saw that thread but didn't really see any resolution. Interesting thought on trying different TPs. Would changing the TP on the signal pointer really make it lock onto a different satellite? Worth a try! How long has 77 been active? It's strange to me that this issue only occurred after taking the dish down and replacing it.

 

[miguelaqui]

I just said 32 because it was my strongest and it is easier to find a strong transponder for peaking. I am not sure when the Dish Mexico service started. 77 used to be very weak...it was 3 years ago, but now it is very strong.

 

[miguelaqui]

I think your dish is bent

The only thing I can think of that would cause this would be an uneven mast or the dish was bent.

 

[apkehler]

Issue resolved

Got it working! I couldn't just rely on my signal meter, so I took my tablet up on the roof and used Skype to see the TV screen, then adjusted the dish until I saw 82. There was NO break in the signal meter between 77 and 82! This is going to make it difficult to align a dish in the future.

Thanks for all the responses! I was worried I wouldn't have it going in time for the NFL season.

 

[Bell_in_Boston]

I was trying to lock onto 82 with a 30" this weekend too. (Not sure if 30" dish will work near STL, but tried it anyway). I did the same thing, it locked onto 77 and 72.7 (with a BEV receiver), and when it did, it waited to gather the satellite info. Is it possible that it re-wrote the TP info for DN satellites, which might be different than those for BEV - so the receiver does not recognize the TP info for 82 ?

It seems the original posters problem has been solved, but I thought this sort of problem was also a risk.

When I started with dishes 12 years ago, I had a BEV and Dish receiver, both used part time. I used one dish (with single LNB) and would swing it from one location to the other as needed. I remember reading back then that there was the risk of having the receiver download a firmware update or similar from the wrong provider, if the receiver from one provider was plugged in while the dish was pointed at a sat from the other provider.

I'm not sure the problem was the initial "gathering satellite info" stage (which I think is guide info), but could happen if you did something that triggered a firmware update or software update - the type of download that usually happens in the middle of the night.

Maybe this was only an issue in the days of 2700/2800 receivers (which was what I was using back then) - but thought I would add it in as a word of caution.

 

[Slartibartfarst]

For several years now, no Bell Receiver will download Dish Software, it will just say Signal is not from the Correct Satellite and to re-aim.

 

[Bell_in_Boston]

Oh great - good to know. Thanks!