Dish 500 signal reduced

[jdr01930]

Hi all!
I've been lurking here for a while – learned quite a bit… but I can't seen to find any info on this particular problem:

I signed up with E* a year ago (almost to the day). Got a Dish500 and two 522's. In general, I've been very happy with them – no problems – except –

When the installers first set the system up, I seem to recall signal strength was over 100 for sat's 110 and 119. I'm now showing 93 for 110, but only 86 for 119.
Zip code is 01930

Is there anything I can check out myself, regarding how the dish is aimed or improving signal? I think there is a chance that the part of my house that the dish is mounted on settled a little, based on some other "symptoms" in my kitchen (lol). I'm guessing the little mast that the dish is on should be plum so maybe I could check that?
Is there anything else I should check? Do these things need to be cleaned of at all?
There is no new tree growth or other obstructions, and no debris or anything obvious on the dish itself when viewed from the ground (about 12' away)

Picture quality has been fine – maybe I'm just being anal…

I have no problem getting up to the dish to inspect it, but would like to know what to look for first.

Hopefully this will become a mute point since I'd like to trade in one of the 522's for a VIP622 and HD package (finally doing justice to my 46" HDTV) - and I think that will involve getting a Dish1000 anyway – but that could be months away at this point.


Thanks - John

 

[volkodav]

ill check see if mast is plum some times tech don't tie bolt very snugly and the mast moves slightly, and then check the through bolt behind dish. and make sure all bolt tight. and if you can have some one at the TV signal strength menu on phone with you at dish and slightly try moving dish to the right, left, up, and down see if anything changes you might have peak it little bit. but don't go over board because 1/4 inch of dish movement and you will totally miss satellite. and remember when you touch dish it is abut 3 seconds delay on TV

 

[RandallA]

"When the installers first set the system up, I seem to recall signal strength was over 100 for sat's 110 and 119. I'm now showing 93 for 110, but only 86 for 119."

On what transponders? Always use transponders 11 and 12. I bet you that they are still in the 100s if you use those transponders.

 

[jdr01930]

Thanks for the quick replies!
Volkodav - I'll check out the bolts and plumness (is that a word?)

Randall - thanks for the info on specific transponders, I was wondering about that as I was checking signal.
Here's what I'm getting:

Sat - transp - signal
110 11 86
110 12 81
119 11 102
119 12 90

I'm a total noob at sat stuff (but a computer geek by trade).
It's possible way back when I was only looking at 119 on tsp 11 and it's always been this way. Is signal in the low 80's normal for 110?

 

[RandallA]

Both signals could be better but unless you're having signal problems I wouldn't worry to much about it. But if you still want to peak the dish, you can start by giving the dish a gentle push in each direction. You'll know which way to go when the signal gets better. You probably will need someone looking at the TV.

Also what receiver do you have? My 811 always gives lower readings than the 311s.

 

[jdr01930]

"Also what receiver do you have?"

I have two 522's.

Thanks again!

 

[jdr01930]

Well, I finally got a chance to check out the dish.
The "mast" is rather short and curved (bolted securely to the side of my house), so it's hard to tell if it's even suppose to be plum - there's just not much straigtht tube.
I decided not to mess with it due to risk of creating a bigger problem (did I mention I'm a noob-lol?).

However, I will be getting a second dish installed in the next few months either as part of an anticipated $299 622 upgrade and/or to get addition locals.
(I qualify to get a free dish pointed at 61.5 in order to get some additional locals).

Would it be reasonable to ask the installer to peak the existing dish when they install the 2nd dish? Would that be something they'd wanna charge extra for?
If there would be a charge, what would be reasonable (given that they were already at my house).

 

[volkodav]

if the tech is nice and you ask him he'll check it its not a problem. as far as charges go ( offer him a tip)

 

[disciple4jc]

Also if you want to increase your signal strength a little bit, make sure all barrels are blue colored and the ground block also has blue barrels on it. Replace any old or corroded connections.

 

[jdr01930]

The barrels on the connections to TV's and block are black. What's diffferent about the blue ones?

An installer is coming out on 3/4/06 to install a 61.5 dish and 622 (replacing a 522), and the CSR said he'd peak my 500 too. Should he change out those black connectors for blue ones? If it matters, I don't have HD right now, but will be getting it with the 3/4/06 install.

 

[volkodav]

black? never herd of that or saw. sure you can ask tech to look in ti it and take care of it just let the tech know right away when he gets there instead of waiting till he is done

 

[SimpleSimon]

The barrels on the connections to TV's and block are black.

Never saw black either - but HAVE seen red and yellow. No idea what their ratings are, but I just googled it - all I found was one reference (RCA Permaseal) to red being 1GHz, blue being 2.5GHz, and green being 3GHz. Then again, I found a DIFFERENT reference (Provowire.com) with red as 2.4GHz.

Nothing on black or yellow.

 

[jdr01930]

Here's some pics of those mysterious black connectors.
Note that there IS one wire with Blue metal connectors - that was actually mine - left over from when i had cable. The installers reused that cable, but everything else was installed new. That's the only one with blue connectors in the whole setup (two 522's)

Behind the 522:

Separator going into 522:

Outside of house:

Any thoughts?

 

[dishcomm]

Well, I finally got a chance to check out the dish.
The "mast" is rather short and curved (bolted securely to the side of my house), so it's hard to tell if it's even suppose to be plum - there's just not much straigtht tube.
I decided not to mess with it due to risk of creating a bigger problem (did I mention I'm a noob-lol?).

However, I will be getting a second dish installed in the next few months either as part of an anticipated $299 622 upgrade and/or to get addition locals.
(I qualify to get a free dish pointed at 61.5 in order to get some additional locals).

Would it be reasonable to ask the installer to peak the existing dish when they install the 2nd dish? Would that be something they'd wanna charge extra for?
If there would be a charge, what would be reasonable (given that they were already at my house).

Get this....According to the strictest interpretation of Dish network installer rules, the next tech there becomes TOTALLY responsible for that job...I think it's ridiculous but them's the rules...That said, ask him to check sigs on the tv for the 119 and 110..If they are weak , the tech is obligated to repeak the dish
He may call Dish for a service call work order so he can get paid for the work...I would........If you OWN your equipment and ARE NOT under any of the protection plans such as DHA or DHPP Dish may charge you....Check with Dish before the installer gets out here, preferably before the install date.....Of course you could be a nice guy and flip the guy a ten or twenty spot. This will allow you to avoid the hassle of going through Dish......

 

[RandallA]

Those misterious connectors are PPC 6 Series Universal Compression Connectors. Those are not F-81 barrel connectors. They are Universal so they can be used with different types of cables.

 

[SimpleSimon]

Right - I was talking about the insulation color of barrel connectors, NOT the color bands on an F-Connector - different thing ENTIRELY.

AFAIK, F-Conns are NOT rated - because they really aren't part of the RF circuit.

 

[jdr01930]

Thanks again for the responses. I had a feeling my lack of expertise in this area was confusing things, so I guess the pics cleared it up.

I'll ask the installer to peak the 500 when they install the 61.5 dish, and tip him a $20 for his trouble. The CSR said they'd peak the 500 anyway, but I do believe in tipping the guys regardless.

 

[Ken P.]

Anything over 85 on 119 TP 11 and 110 TP 22 is acceptable, anything higher is overkill and will be blocked out by the same amount of moisture as if you have 125 signal on all

 

[SimpleSimon]

I do believe in tipping the guys regardless.

Good man! :up

Anything over 85 on 119 TP 11 and 110 TP 22 is acceptable, anything higher is overkill and will be blocked out by the same amount of moisture as if you have 125 signal on all

I suggest you gain some experience before you make a fool of yourself.

 

[jdr01930]

The installer adjusted my 110/119 dish after doing the 61.5 and VIP622 install yesterday.
He said he knew what direction he had to nudge it based on 110 being so much lower than 119. It only took him a few minutes - I didn't even see him do it, but he said he didn't even need to plug a meter into it.

Before:

Sat - transp - signal
110 11 86
110 12 81
119 11 102
119 12 90

After:
Sat - transp - signal
110 6 118
110 11 93
110 12 88
119 6 109
119 11 113
119 12 101

He said he goes by TP 6 because that has the most channels, so I added those values for the "After" (don't know the "before").

I'm glad I waited for the installer - he spent 5 minutes on it, and increased signal strength all around. The new 61.5 dish's signal ranges from 91 and 113 on the transponders I checked.

I don't think the installers around here are use to getting tipped, they always seem suprised and maybe even a little confused by it!

So, i'm happy anyway. A little higher signal means a little better cushion during really bad weather. The 622 is great, by the way. Finally using my HD tv for it's intended purpose!