Distant locals recently giving me error 536???

[scnd30]

Hello all,

For the past 5 years I've lived approximately 200 miles from Johnstown, PA in an area right on the PA/MD(zip code 21740) border. Over those past 5 years I've had my distant PA locals coming through here on satellite 129 with no problem. Just recently none of the channels came through and gave me error 536 that my locals were interrupted. Upon calling Dish and speaking to an advanced tech he told me that I did not qualify for my PA locals and when he tried to put my Maryland address in the computer, it was telling him I cannot receive them. He also went on to inform me that the FCC controls what zip codes qualify for what locals they can receive. What doesn't make sense to me is why has it been working fine for the past 5 years but just recently (within 6-8 months) have they just gone out. Is this true that the FCC can and will update zip codes that do not qualify for certain locals? I checked the 129 spotbeam via
?and I'm still in the designated area to receive the locals? I'm stumped and any help would be greatly appreciated as it determines whether or not we stay with Dish or transfer to DirecTV.

 

[lucky86]

What is your signal strength on your local sat and transponders? Neilson media is the one who draws the local lines.

 

[dare2be]

If you go to Directv you'll get the same locals. Put your zip code in each:

http://www.dish.com/entertainment/channels/local/

[URL]http://www.directv.com/DTVAPP/packProg/localChannels.jsp[/URL]

 

[dare2be]

Oh and regarding the change 6-8 months ago, back in Feb. the Pittsburgh and Washington locals on 77 were switched from CONUS to spotbeam. Now this shouldn't have affected your locals on 129, but maybe they sent a reset signal to all receivers to make sure that the changes in locals were sent out to all receivers, regardless of eastern or western arcs. Since it appears that you had been receiving the wrong locals for your zip all this time, perhaps the changes in markets finally caught up to you.

 

[scnd30]

Thank you for the quick response and sorry for my late reply:

What is your signal strength on your local sat and transponders? Neilson media is the one who draws the local lines.

My signal strength for satellite 129 is fluctuating from orange to green, from 15-20, I'm assuming this isn't a good sign. Could this be the reason the locals have completely gone out or would they fade in and out with the signal?

Oh and regarding the change 6-8 months ago, back in Feb. the Pittsburgh and Washington locals on 77 were switched from CONUS to spotbeam. Now this shouldn't have affected your locals on 129, but maybe they sent a reset signal to all receivers to make sure that the changes in locals were sent out to all receivers, regardless of eastern or western arcs. Since it appears that you had been receiving the wrong locals for your zip all this time, perhaps the changes in markets finally caught up to you.

Well I want to keep my Johnstown locals here in Maryland so what I have been doing for the past few years is telling them that I am living at my old house back in PA (we still own the house but I do not live there) and so they would just change my address to my old PA address even know I'm still living in Maryland and then my old PA locals would appear. So it's been like that for years and just all of the sudden, some time in the last 6-8 months (I'm assuming) they started giving me the 536 error that they aren't coming through. Is it possible that this change in the market that you mentioned could have lost my PA locals for me even though I'm still in range for the 129 spotbeam? FYI The Satellites I'm pulling down are 72, 77, 61.5, and 129, 129 is the only one with the weak signal (15-20).

 

[dare2be]

Is it possible that this change in the market that you mentioned could have lost my PA locals for me even though I'm still in range for the 129 spotbeam? FYI The Satellites I'm pulling down are 72, 77, 61.5, and 129, 129 is the only one with the weak signal (15-20).

I doubt it. My post was assuming that you were getting Pittsburgh locals instead of Johnstown, and that you hadn't "moved" your service address. My best guess now is that since you are on the fringe of the 129 spotbeam, that maybe an obstruction or a slight misalignment of your wing dish is the culprit. Do you recall what your 129 signal levels were prior to these problems? Being on the fringe, it wouldn't take much to affect the signal.

 

[TheKrell]

Yeah; 15-20 is pretty feeble.

 

[scnd30]

I doubt it. My post was assuming that you were getting Pittsburgh locals instead of Johnstown, and that you hadn't "moved" your service address. My best guess now is that since you are on the fringe of the 129 spotbeam, that maybe an obstruction or a slight misalignment of your wing dish is the culprit. Do you recall what your 129 signal levels were prior to these problems? Being on the fringe, it wouldn't take much to affect the signal.

That's good news that it's possibly something I can fix. I am pretty sure my signal levels weren't the best because I had aligned the dish myself. If I remember correctly it was just good enough for me to pull a green signal strength down. I want to say it was around 25-30 at the most, which I know isn't ideal. I guess tomorrow I'll try to get a better signal strength, btw does it matter what transponder I put it on when I'm checking the signal? I never quite understand how that works.

Yeah; 15-20 is pretty feeble.

Yeah that's what I'm assuming the problem is now.

 

[lucky86]

I'm sure the signal is the problem.

 

[dare2be]

btw does it matter what transponder I put it on when I'm checking the signal? I never quite understand how that works.

I'd put it on the transponder that you are using for your locals, which in the Johnstown case, is transponder 12 (WPCW is on transponder 10). I assume that you have no problems with the SD locals, as they are on 119 and a spotbeam footprint that covers you better.

 

[scnd30]

I'd put it on the transponder that you are using for your locals, which in the Johnstown case, is transponder 12 (WPCW is on transponder 10). I assume that you have no problems with the SD locals, as they are on 119 and a spotbeam footprint that covers you better.

Thanks guys I'll try to increase the signal tonight. About the SD locals I'm not 100% sure if they're coming through yet or not because after being on the phone with dish tech support they took my johnstown locals off my guide so I have to call back and ask to switch my service address back to PA so I can try getting the signal back. I can still work on getting a stronger signal without my locals being on the guide right? Just in case I feel like doing that first.

 

[TheKrell]

Yup. You can get signal strength on a transponder even if you don't have any channels available thereon.

 

[scnd30]

Yup. You can get signal strength on a transponder even if you don't have any channels available thereon.

Awesome, thanks Krell I'll keep you guys updated. Appreciate the support.