Dish 1000.2/.4 (Need Help!!!)

[heide247]

I just purchased a Dish 1000.2 satellite (maybe 1000.4) to use for tailgating from a Dish Network retailer. He set the skew and told me to use the 61.5, 72 and 77 satellites to find signal because that is how he has the LNBs setup. He then gave me the elevation and azimuth to use (37 and 206 I believe). I live in zip code 68516 and tailgate at 68528 so i figured i could give it a test run at home. After trying for a while at home i couldnt get anything so I called Dish Network tech support and they told me I needed to try and pick up 110, 119 and 129. So I switched the coordinates and finally found some signal on the 110 satellite. Couldnt find 119 or 129. Then the next day I went to tailgate and tried finding the 110 but could only find 119. So I called the guy back who sold me the dish and he told me I needed to use the 61.5, 72, 77 satellites not the 110, 119 and 129. I am very comfused and new to this whole thing so hopefully someone can help me out!!!​

 

[Butcha]

As far as I can tell, if you have a 1000.2, your settings should be azimuth-206 elevation-37 skew-114. Someone correct me if I'm wrong.

 

[delta_charlie]

Hi, the LNB on the Dish 1000.2 will have three eyes spaced about the same. The Dish 1000.4 will have two eyes close together and one much farther apart. If you have the Dish 1000.4 it will need to be set up on 61.5, 72.7 and 77. If you have the Dish 1000.2 it will use 110, 119 and 129.

A Dish 1000.2 could be set up on 61.5 and 72.7 by using the 119 and 129 LNBs and changing the skew then re-aiming. This could come in handy if there was no LOS to the 129 satellite at the tailgate location.

Hope this helps, DC

 

[harshness]

You simply can't be guessing about which dish you have. They are not interchangeable.

The picture below is a DISH 1000.4 and it shows the distinctive feed horn spacing that delta_charlie mentions.

 

[heide247]

Okay, I have the 1000.4 because it matches the picture. Next question: Is it bad that I'm picking up signal at around 32 elevation instead of 37. I have the dish mounted on a board very close to the ground and I am having trouble getting all three satellites locked in.

 

[Jimmerinwi]

You have to make sure that the mast or tripod or whatever you have the dish mounted to is level and plumb! Trying to tune a dish that isn't level is a nightmare and you may NEVER get it right.

 

[harshness]

Trying to tune a dish that isn't level is a nightmare and you may NEVER get it right.

If one does get it right with a non-plumb mast, it will almost certainly be accidental and it won't work anywhere else.

 

[delta_charlie]

Okay, I have the 1000.4 because it matches the picture. Next question: Is it bad that I'm picking up signal at around 32 elevation instead of 37. I have the dish mounted on a board very close to the ground and I am having trouble getting all three satellites locked in.

Hi, you could well be getting the satellites on the wrong LNB. You might want to try the aluminium foil trick on the two outer LNBs. After you cover the two outer LNBs try to find the 72.7 satellite.

Later, DC

 

[heide247]

Picked up all three satellites last night. Once again found them around 32 elevation. I have the dish mounted on a board. The board and mast are level. May look at getting a tripod.

Thanks to all for the help!

 

[heide247]

Dish 1000.4

Update:

After locking in all three satellites at home (61.5, 72, 77) I left the settings (64 skew/32 Elev) and loaded up my stuff to setup for my tailgate at another location (same city, 68516 to 68528) and at first could only pick up satellite 77 (would not display picture though, error message 004). After playing with it a little i was no longer able to manually change to satellie 72 or 77 to check my signal strength.

I have a couple of questions I guess:

1) Why is the elevation I am finding signal at not what is recommended? I have checked the board and pole and they appear to be level.

2) Why could I not manually select the satellites I wanted to on the point dish screen?

3) Does anyone have any tips or tricks to setting up mobile satellite dishes? (Ex. finding signal, mounting, etc)

Any help would be greatly appreciated because I spent all this money to watch football during my tailgates and cant get the dang thing to work!!!

 

[teh_duke]

Dish 1000.4

3) Does anyone have any tips or tricks to setting up mobile satellite dishes? (Ex. finding signal, mounting, etc)

Honestly, you might be better off going with a 1000.2 dish rather than the .4 simply because it would be easier to peak. That said, the reason you were having those issues is because you were probably picking up the wrong orbital/lnb. When running the Check Switch, you should see Port 1 on 72.7, Port 2 on 61.5, Port3 on 77, and Port 4 on X (or No Conn). Try checking level/plumb, elevation coordinates, and just playing with it. Also, consider getting a meter instead of using the on screen meter.

 

[harshness]

1) Why is the elevation I am finding signal at not what is recommended? I have checked the board and pole and they appear to be level.

How are you determining what is "recommended"?

The answer most likely lies in your "eyeballing" of plumb on the mast. You must have forgotten that you're trying to hit targets 22,000 miles away and winging it simply isn't going to get it.

2) Why could I not manually select the satellites I wanted to on the point dish screen?

Operator error?

3) Does anyone have any tips or tricks to setting up mobile satellite dishes? (Ex. finding signal, mounting, etc)

Use a tripod and bullet level. Not having the mast plumb forces you to change all of the parameters each time you set up.

 

[heide247]

How are you determining what is "recommended"?

dishpointer.com

The answer most likely lies in your "eyeballing" of plumb on the mast. You must have forgotten that you're trying to hit targets 22,000 miles away and winging it simply isn't going to get it.

Not eyeballing, using a level.

Operator error?

I'm sure it was something I did but that is what I am trying to find out. What was I doing that wouldnt let me select satellites 72 and 77 on the point dish screen? Every once in a while a message would pop up and say scanning for satellites. Is there any way to make it scan manually?

Use a tripod and bullet level. Not having the mast plumb forces you to change all of the parameters each time you set up.

Sounds like I should switch to a tripod. I have a satellite finder from Radio Shack but it doesnt seem to work the best. Is this the best thing to use in my situation?

 

[TimberWolf]

If the tv you are using while tailgating is not HD, you could get a 500 dish for just 119/110. They are smaller and much easier to sight in

 

[heide247]

If the tv you are using while tailgating is not HD, you could get a 500 dish for just 119/110. They are smaller and much easier to sight in

It is a HD tv and I dont think I can get a refund for the 1000.4 now. I was really hoping to get HD for the tailgate but if I would have known it was this hard I might have went with the 500. Should have done some more research before I purchased. Last minute decision before the game!!!

I think I will try the tripod method and see if that helps.

Also, is a satellite finder tool from Radio Shack the best thing to use to peak my dish???

 

[teh_duke]

I'm sure it was something I did but that is what I am trying to find out. What was I doing that wouldnt let me select satellites 72 and 77 on the point dish screen? Every once in a while a message would pop up and say scanning for satellites. Is there any way to make it scan manually?

The reason you could only select 61.5 was it was probably only picking up that orbital in the check switch.

 

[harshness]

Also, is a satellite finder tool from Radio Shack the best thing to use to peak my dish???

That's what many use (only purchased from eBay) to get started. There are more powerful meters, but they are very expensive and once you get elevation and tilt dialed in, not much more useful than your meter.

Make sure you follow the instructions that come with the meter. There's more than a single reading involved.

 

[heide247]

The reason you could only select 61.5 was it was probably only picking up that orbital in the check switch.

So in other words, when I ran the check switch I had it pointed in the wrong direction and it wasnt finding 72 and 77?

 

[teh_duke]

Right, next time, make sure you are fully peaked at home and run a check witch, then go to the site and peak without check switch. Or if you do, don't click the save button if it comes up with the "less satellites" error. That way you know the receiver is looking for the correct sats and you run check switch only to verify after.

 

[heide247]

Right, next time, make sure you are fully peaked at home and run a check witch, then go to the site and peak without check switch. Or if you do, don't click the save button if it comes up with the "less satellites" error. That way you know the receiver is looking for the correct sats and you run check switch only to verify after.

Great. Thanks.