Check switch ok but loses signal

focalf5

New Member
Original poster
Jun 1, 2006
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Hey, tried a search but couldnt come up with the answer I am looking for. I have been a tech for only about 2 months and I am still having problems with trouble/service calls but it is getting better. I just had a question about a problem I ran into today, my FSM said he didnt know what the problem was. Anyways if there is a tech who could help me out, that would be great. I was on a service call and had an isolated problem with a 301. I ran checkswitch and it came at all ok with a dish pro lnb. So I didnt know what to think but for some reason that receiver only kept losing signal, the others were fine. I changed the lnb quad and tried it again, checkswitch came out ok again but kept losing signal. I realigned the dish and ran another check and the signal on 119 and 110 went up about 10 but was still lower by about 10 than the other 2 receivers. So anyways I changed the receiver and left it on the entire time I was cleaning up and doing paperwork and it never lost signal so I guess something was up with the receiver. So my question is, why or how would the checkswitch come out ok and signal was 98 and 88 and it still lost signal? Maybe a dumb question but I just didnt understand it. Btw when I hooked the new 311 up the signal went to 125 and 115 but was 98/88 on the 301. Sorry for the long post but any help is greatly appreciated. Thanks.

Edit: If this is in the wrong section, I apologize.
 
Last edited:
Bad receiver most likely, a coax going bad, an unrated barrel connection is another, faulty power outlette even is a possibility.

Your FSM sounds like he is as new as you if he couldnt come up with any idea's but dish has been hiring anyone that comes in off the street over the last 6 months or so. Word of advice from an ex dish employee, get out while you can and you will be a happier person for it.
 
focalf5 said:
Hey, tried a search but couldnt come up with the answer I am looking for. I have been a tech for only about 2 months and I am still having problems with trouble/service calls but it is getting better. I just had a question about a problem I ran into today, my FSM said he didnt know what the problem was. Anyways if there is a tech who could help me out, that would be great. I was on a service call and had an isolated problem with a 301. I ran checkswitch and it came at all ok with a dish pro lnb. So I didnt know what to think but for some reason that receiver only kept losing signal, the others were fine. I changed the lnb quad and tried it again, checkswitch came out ok again but kept losing signal. I realigned the dish and ran another check and the signal on 119 and 110 went up about 10 but was still lower by about 10 than the other 2 receivers. So anyways I changed the receiver and left it on the entire time I was cleaning up and doing paperwork and it never lost signal so I guess something was up with the receiver. So my question is, why or how would the checkswitch come out ok and signal was 98 and 88 and it still lost signal? Maybe a dumb question but I just didnt understand it. Btw when I hooked the new 311 up the signal went to 125 and 115 but was 98/88 on the 301. Sorry for the long post but any help is greatly appreciated. Thanks.

Edit: If this is in the wrong section, I apologize.

Answer is dealing only with your 301 type receiver.
You can not compare the signal readings of a 301 receiver with a 311 receiver.
They both are apples but different varieties if you know what I mean.

I would think the authorization card could be the cause of your problem.
 
Clancy said:
Answer is dealing only with your 301 type receiver.
You can not compare the signal readings of a 301 receiver with a 311 receiver.
They both are apples but different varieties if you know what I mean.

I would think the authorization card could be the cause of your problem.

Not to much diferent really, biggest diference is the lack of an accessable smart card. I have compared signal between 301/311 receivers ( guy set up 2 older 301's and added 2 more 311's new in his basement bar room all stacked on top of each other and signal strengths only varied by %1.
 
I've never had a 301 but have had a 811, 211, 625, and 501 and they all read lower than the 311s. Those 311s display the higher readings out of all receivers.
 
Van said:
Not to much diferent really, biggest diference is the lack of an accessable smart card. I have compared signal between 301/311 receivers ( guy set up 2 older 301's and added 2 more 311's new in his basement bar room all stacked on top of each other and signal strengths only varied by %1.

With reguard to the various receiver signal meters, as RandallA points out in the message following yours, the 301 and 311 receivers 625 etc., do not agree with one another. Believe me, they are more than 1% different also.

With reguard to his problem with the 301 receiver. I have seen plenty with that exact problem. The most common fix is probably the programming in the chip or the card itself needs better contact with the gold chip.
 
Well lets agrea to disagrea, its not often that I have 2 - 6 receivers in a home and the signal differs more than 1 - 3 points on all units regardless of line length unless the length is considerable.

In the case of the guy with the bar in his basement all 4 units were stacked ontop of each other and I ran the check switch on all 4 at the same time on the tv's and all shared virtualy the same signal strength with variations of 1 degrea or so.
 
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