aiming procedure for new HD dish

[BikinSwans]

When local HD channels became available in Jacksonville FL, I had Dish upgrade my service. They replaced two antennas with a new single one and which now uses satellites 61.5, 72 and 77. All was fine for a while, but one afternoon I lost the Weather Channel, channel 214, satellite 61.5, transponder 32. The signal strength was about 8, but there were some storms in the area. The next day the signal strength was about 18. My buddy watched the meter and I pushed gently on each side of the dish. At one point the signal strength increased to 40, so I knew that I could improve things by re-aiming the dish.

At the same time I wanted to use the sturdier, galvanized pipe that wasn't being used now because the diameter was too large for the new dish bracket. I bought a reducer and the nipple and moved the dish from the fencepost I had been using to the heavier pipe. I tuned the receiver to channel 214, hooked up my meter at the dish and rotated the dish until I got a maximum signal. Then I disconnected the meter, connected the cable, and went inside to double check the signal level at the TV using the Dish receiver's menu. The signal was either 0 or very low on all the satellite's and transponders I checked.

I kept trying different satellites and transponders and rotating the dish, but I could get little improvement. I also swapped out the cable that went between the barrel connector at the dish and the ground connector nearby, but that made little or no difference.

I gave up and called Dish and they will be sending out a tech on Tuesday, but I would like to do what I can before then.

Luckily the local HD channels are coming through just fine, thanks to the help from this forum a little while ago. Thanks again for that.

Am I following the correct procedure for aiming the antenna? I bring up the antenna aiming menu, choose a satellite and transponder, and go outside and use the meter to aim the dish. Maybe things have changed with the new dish and I'm not aware of the changes.

 

[Laddyboy]

Are you positive you were getting the correct satellite on the port with your meter? Is it just a simple meter or a BirdDog or what? Here's the install instructions:

http://www.satelliteguys.us/images/Eastern_Arc_Antenna_Instructions.pdf

 

[BikinSwans]

Are you positive you were getting the correct satellite on the port with your meter? Is it just a simple meter or a BirdDog or what? Here's the install instructions:

http://www.satelliteguys.us/images/Eastern_Arc_Antenna_Instructions.pdf

I'm not positive about anything right now. The meter is a very simple one. It only cost about $10. The label says Satellite Finder Model SF-95. To use it I just removed the barrel connector (if that's what it's called) and attached the cable connectors to the appropriate meter connectors which were labeled "TO LNB" and "TO REC". Once I peak the signal with the meter, I have to remove it and re-connect the barrel connector, then go inside and check the Dish results on the TV. It's a tedious process.

Thanks for the instructions. I had searched for them before but couldn't find them. I did take a look at the LNBs just now. There is one cable and it's attached to the connector labeled 61.5. I guess that's port 3, so that's what I've been using.

I may want to start over using the instructions in the PDF file. Those procedures appear to be much different than the simple process I used. A little while ago I put the dish back on the fence post and for some reason I started getting good signals again. I carefully tightened up the bolts and came back inside. The signals were a little lower, but a storm was brewing and now they are quite low again.

Thanks for your help and for the instructions. I've saved them to my hard drive.