Bigger dish for better reception of Dish TV

[northlight]

This may be old news and a topic that has been thoroughly hashed out before, but I am a rookie to this stuff and I am looking for help shortening the learning curve. I want to improve my anemic Dish HD reception (48 on the meter) by using a larger dish to also improve my rain/snow reception. I gather that a 39" dish is one answer, assuming that it can be made to work with the DISH LNBs. Anyone have any experience with what exactly is required as far as equipment, difficulty aiming the different LNB (think that is the term for the items that receive the signal reflected from the actual dish and transmit it to the receiver over RG6 ?) Looking at the satellite aiming data my equipment must use three LNBs to receive three satellite signals (looks like Dish 100.4 (61.5W)(72.7W)(77W)) judging by the way my ellipetical (spelling) antenna is aimed. I did install my original Direct TV system and it worked well until I switehced to Dish to get new HD equipment. The Dish installer installed the current system and did an "ok" job but wasn't interested in exerting himself to improve my signal strength. My questions are:

1) is a 39" dish a viable way to improve reception? Or should I be looking at something else?
2) will a 39" dish work with my system?
3) can I do this myself with a basic understanding of azimuth, and the rest of the aiming data?
4) are there good suppliers who won't hose a new guy like my by selling me crap I don't need or screwing me on the price?
5) Anyone have some experience with this process who can point out some pitfalls?

Thanks

Dean

 

[Frank Jr.]

There are a number of threads in the Dishnetwork Forums, here is a link to one of them. http://www.satelliteguys.us/dish-network-forum/260693-using-75e-globecast-dish-replace-dish.html

Oh by the way, welcome aboard and good luck!

 

[boba]

For Eastern Arc your signal strength probably isn't bad. If you want to go with a 1 meter dish you really need 3 of them 1 for each satellite you want to receive.

 

[whatchel1]

I use 3 dishes for EA. 61.5 is a .8 m, 72.7 is .9 m, & .76 m for 77. I use the .9 m on the strongest sat because the mount is the worst of the 3 so hardest to point. This way I can be just a bit off ans still have plenty of signal strength. I use them to reduce rain fade. Which means I had no reason to have them hardly at all this year. Where I live is around 11 inches short of rain. The signal quality/strength is mid 60's on tps 61.5, it's upper 40's to low 50's on tps of 72, & low 40's on 77. I've never really peaked the 77 dish as I don't get anything off it. And one of these days when I have time I will force myself to peak the one on 72 better.

 

[visionman]

Boba, if you went with 3 individual dishes, what lnbf(s) would you purchase for each? I used to use a Primestar to get my main satellite before HD and I had no rain fade. I'd like to hook that baby up again...

 

[boba]

Boba, if you went with 3 individual dishes, what lnbf(s) would you purchase for each? I used to use a Primestar to get my main satellite before HD and I had no rain fade. I'd like to hook that baby up again...

What receivers do you have? If old Legacy receivers 3 Legacy dual LNBs and a SW64 would be the requirements but Legacy receivers can't be used on EA.

EA 3 dishes would today require at least 3 DP singles and a DP34 switch with VIP receivers to handle MPEG 4 signals.

 

[whatchel1]

I use DP duals going into a DPP-44 switch.

 

[harshness]

DISH uses circular polarity Ku. Beyond that, you can do pretty much whatever you want. If you want a single wire to a DVR you need to stick with the DishPro LNBs and a DishPro+ switch (DPP33 or DPP44).

Is the signal number you offered your best or average of all transponders? 45 really isn't all that bad if it is one of the weaker transponders.

 

[visionman]

I have one 222K receiver. Didn't mean to cut in on the thread. Just caught my attention and brought questions to mind that I've been kicking around for some time. Thanks for the comments.