Covering 129 cont'd

[PaulDouville]

Hi, all,

I found some posts regarding covering the 129 lnb on a dish 1000.2 and was wondering if anyone had any advice regarding a problem I'm having doing something similar.

I have my 1000.2 mounted with good strength on 110 and 119 and poor (20 on the signal strength meter) on 129. I'm in a fringe area so I purchased a 1m winegard dish to give me some extra strength. My plan was to use the 1000.2 for the 110 and 119 birds, ignore the 129 on the 1000.2 and connect my 1m winegard to the lnb in on the 1000.2

BTW - with the Winegard I can get my signal strength up to 68 so that's far more acceptable.

When I started my switch check read 110, 119, 129, x - just like it should, I think. I realized early on that the 1000.2 wasn't gonna let me have both its builtin 129 and a secondary 129. So.. I cut a can lid off, covered the 129 lnb and did a switch check. That gave me 110, 119, x, x on the switch check which was great.. I then hooked up the 1m winegard to the 1000.2 lnb in and ran switch check. That gave me 110, 119, x, 129 - so I figgered I was golden.

Not to be, though.... even though the receiver 'sees' all three birds and I have great signal on all three when I go to tune to any of the 129 channels it just goes off into 'signal acquisition in progress'. It's like it's looking on the wrong lnb port for the channel or something.

Any thoughts?

Thanks

 

[vegassatellite]

Is that a DishPro LNB on that Winegard dish? If not, you'll need to contact the manufacturer and see if they have a DishPro compatible LNB. If it's the type of LNB holder that has a clamp over the throat of the LNB, you can remove the plastic off a DishPro Dual LNB and clamp it to the LNB holder. The LNB will be exposed to the elements and subject to premature failure so have some backups. You could paint on a cover to protect the LNB.

 

[gregskin]

what kind of lnb does the other dish have? To be honest 20 isnt that bad of a signal unless the rec. keeps trying to aquire I just checked my signal on transponder 11 I have 30 it sounds like you just need to peak out the 1000.2 what area are you in??

 

[gregskin]

What kind of lnb is on the other dish? If you are checking 129 on trans. 11 signal should be around 30. 20 doesnt sound that bad you just need to peak the dish a little what area do you live in?

 

[PaulDouville]

the other LNBF is a dish digital that I took the cover off and mounted in the holder. I have a little screw on weatherproof cap for the second out on it. I'm in NW Washington (Orcas Island)....

20 wasn't good enough for me.. it kept going to acquire. I'm pretty happywith the signal strength on the winegard (68) but I don't want to have to go buy an expensive multiswitch!

 

[digiblur]

You shouldn't have to buy a multiswitch. It should be the same idea as using a 61.5 with a 1000.2. You will just have to disable the 129 with foil as you stated earlier.

 

[PaulDouville]

Oh heck...

Sometimes you just have to type things out and they become apparent. I wrote above that my lnbf on the winegard was a dishpro... but then I noticed it was a dish digital...

I switched it out for a dishpro and now all is well!

Thanks for the input, though, guys!

 

[vegassatellite]

Congrats, happy HDing!

 

[atlind01]

Hi guys,

I am having the same problem with poor reception from 129. But I am not technical enough to make these type of changes.

Do I have any other option? Damn CSRs can't even understand my issue.

 

[vegassatellite]

Hi guys,

I am having the same problem with poor reception from 129. But I am not technical enough to make these type of changes.

Do I have any other option? Damn CSRs can't even understand my issue.

Call a local DISH retailer and explain to them you want a separate second dish for 129. Tell him you want a 30" or larger dish, preferably a 36" and him to install that for you. Check his references, and pay his quote.

You might also try holding out until the new year. Dish has a replacement satellite being launched in December to replace the weak satellite at 129. The new one will be one of the more powerful satellites in orbit up there.