Check my logic - Portable Dish setup

[lakebum431]

I have been using dish network tailgating for many years and have setup the dish dozens of times (everything from a single LNB back in the day to a Dish 500, to a Dish 1000, to a Dish 1000.2 to a Dish 1000.4). This is the first year that I will be using a Hopper as the receiver though. So, I got my equipment out and am having a heck of a time getting it to work.

My equipment: Dish 1000.4 (Eastern Arc), Single Node, Dish Hopper (w/o sling)

I have two cables running from ports 1 and 2 into the node. I then have one cable coming from the host port on the node to the input on the Hopper. I level the mast and align the dish and then run a check switch (my home setup has a duo node so I need to do this to get the receiver to correctly recognize the dish and node). All three tuners say CONN but no reception.

Question 1 - I believe that this means that the receiver is correctly recognizing the equipment (Dish and node) so they seem to be functioning correctly. This would seem to just mean that I have an aiming probelm right?

I have tried aiming from two different locations one of which is directly behind my home dish (pole mounted) with the exact same skew and elevation as this dish (I have verified that the mast is plumb) so I'm very confident that I should be able to find the sats by slowly moving left and right (as I have always done). The only signal I was ever able to pick up was when I hit the 72 bird on the 77 LNB (when I widened my search just for the heck of it). I'm thinking that there could be something wrong with the actual LNBs.

Question 2 - Can anyone think of anything else that could be wrong?

I have never been this frustrated trying to aim a dish before. I do want to point out that this dish setup worked fine last year with a 922.

 

[boba]

On the 1000.4 do you need three cables for EA?

 

[agentc13]

On the 1000.4 do you need three cables for EA?

No. Just 2.

 

[lakebum431]

Only 2 for single node. Three for dual node. Anyone have any other ideas?

 

[Brian Fuller]

If it is a 1000.4 i would make sure the elevation is set properly nd locked down, that fine adjustment piece can be an issue. Also since you move it around a lot make sure your reflector isn't warp in any way. The slightest bend can ruin signal

Sent From My Samsung Hercules

 

[lakebum431]

If it is a 1000.4 i would make sure the elevation is set properly nd locked down, that fine adjustment piece can be an issue. Also since you move it around a lot make sure your reflector isn't warp in any way. The slightest bend can ruin signal

Sent From My Samsung Hercules

Great point. I may just buy a whole new setup because of that.

 

[TechWriter]

Is the cable from the Solo Node to the Hopper rated at 3GHz?

 

[lakebum431]

I believe it is although it isn't marked. But since the Hopper "sees" the Dish wouldn't that mean that the cabling was OK? I guess that was my logic, but maybe that is incorrect?

 

[Martinash]

If you're finding 72 through 77 lnb your elevation is too low and you're aiming slightly too much to the east.


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[lakebum431]

I understand that. As I said, that was after actually trying to find the right birds. As I said the elevation and skew are exactly the same as my home dish and I was pointing from directly behind the dish so it "should" be correct for the location.

 

[satnewb]

Rise your elevation a couple degrees at a time until you hit what you're looking for. Easiest to tune off 72 as many transponders on 77 are dead. I
usually loosen the two elevation bolts and just let the nut on the fine adjustment rod hold the dish until I get everything locked in.

 

[drjohn14]

I am pretty sure your solo node is bad. If you can, do a substitution using your duo node and see if you get signal. Or, since you are directly behind the dish, disconnect one host from your duo node and connect your hopper to it to see if it works, or put your solo node temporarily into your home system for one of your hoppers and see if it works. drjohn

 

[lakebum431]

I am pretty sure your solo node is bad. If you can, do a substitution using your duo node and see if you get signal. Or, since you are directly behind the dish, disconnect one host from your duo node and connect your hopper to it to see if it works, or put your solo node temporarily into your home system for one of your hoppers and see if it works. drjohn

Oh Dang. OK. Will try that. Would the receiver still get signal from the dish if the note was bad?