DTV dish alignment problems

[running_man]

Grrrr...


I've had DTV for 2 months and since then we had to have service come out and realign the dish about a month ago. Poor signal strength no HD etc.
Things were fine until today...I can't get some HD channels - Searching for Sat signal message. Checking the signal strength from the HD receiver and another standard receiver the 101 sat was low this morning with most in the 30s.


I live in central CA and called DTV service but the soonest they can get someone out here is Jan 1st! Not acceptable at all. The contract installer here is Ironwood communications. When I called for service, the DTV person mentioned I could try adjusting the dish myself until the service tech could come out.
Not really sure where to start adjusting the dish for this problem, is this something I could do or might it just make things worse? I'm pretty frustrated with this poor service and I'm considering ditching this and going back to Comcast. Too much wasted time waiting for service people and messing with equipment.

The 101 signal strength is actually better than it was this morning. Originally it was in the 30s for most from the standard receiver.

When they realigned the dish about a month ago, they told my wife the dish had "settled" and had to be adjusted. I'm not sure in which way it settled. I'm assuming it is the same problem this time. The dish is mounted at the side of the house attached to the facia board along the roof line. The dish points right over my neighbors house. In fact, I wasn't sure originally that they could mount the dish there (thought my neighbors house was too tall) but it worked fine after the install and then again after the realignment. Here are the details on the signal strength:

Standard receiver:
101(a) sat 32TP

1-8: 48 44 44 42 43 68 43 66
9-16: 43 45 47 34 50 73 49 75
17-24: 49 42 51 65 50 75 49 67
25-32: 46 0 44 35 43 63 36 63


119(b) sat

17-24: NA NA NA NA NA 79 90 70
25-32: 51 80 77 78 77 79 91 81

110(c) sat
1-8 NA NA NA NA NA NA NA 91
9-16 NA 84 NA 91 NA NA NA NA

HD Receiver

101 sat 32TP

1-8: 60 56 56 53 54 76 52 76
9-16: 55 56 58 45 60 80 60 81
17-24: 58 55 61 74 61 80 60 75
25-32: 57 0 56 48 54 73 48 73

110 sat 3TP
1-8: NA NA NA NA NA NA NA 93
9-16: NA 87 NA 92 NA NA NA NA


119 sat 11TP
17-24: NA NA NA NA NA 83 93 77
25-32: 62 84 82 82 83 83 93 85


99(b) sat 6TP

1-8: 0 0 0 0 0 0 NA NA

103(a) sat 16TP

1-8: 0 0 0 0 0 77 NA NA
9-16: NA NA NA NA NA NA 0 66
17-24: 0 0 0 64 0 0 0 0


103(b) sat 16TP

1-8: 0 23 0 26 0 25 0 26
9-16: 0 25 0 29 0 27 NA NA
17-24: 0 NA NA NA NA 23 NA NA
Thanks a lot.

 

[dilbuck]

Definitely need a realignment. Numbers should be in the 90's on the 101.

 

[Jimbo]

Yes
your numbers are low all the way around.
Maybe the neighbors house IS in the way.

dilbuck is correct, numbers should be in the high 80's to 100

I would start looking to see if there are any other suitable locations for the dish and suggest they try in a different location.

Place a pole if you have a clear spot away from the house.

Jimbo

 

[shmeff]

The dish is mounted at the side of the house attached to the facia board along the roof line.

There should be two support bars attached between the mast and the house, possibly one on the fascia and one into the shingles. If not installed properly, or at all, your dish will “settle” frequently.

 

[boba]

Ironwood is not noted for quality installations. See if D* will allow you to hire a private installer to get it mounted correctly then give you credits for your costs.

 

[running_man]

There should be two support bars attached between the mast and the house, possibly one on the fascia and one into the shingles. If not installed properly, or at all, your dish will “settle” frequently.

Well, it appears to have only 2 mount points with the mast and a support bar. They are both attached to the same fascia board so maybe it's just not solid enough or too prone to temp change, moisture change. I've uploaded some pictures here if you want to look: Flickr: Photos from milk_e_way5

Thanks.

 

[Jimbo]

Well, it appears to have only 2 mount points with the mast and a support bar. They are both attached to the same fascia board so maybe it's just not solid enough or too prone to temp change, moisture change. I've uploaded some pictures here if you want to look: Flickr: Photos from milk_e_way5

Thanks.

How many bolts does he have in the mount bracket ?
From the picture it only looks like 1, but I cannot believe thats the case.
So, can it be moved anywhere else and have clear LOS ?

Jimbo

 

[iwc5893]

Why is it even mounted to the facia? I would think that a roof mount would have been a better option for stability. In addition, it does require 2 monopoles for stability, but that is a moot point if the dish is mounted to the facia.

 

[running_man]

How many bolts does he have in the mount bracket ?
From the picture it only looks like 1, but I cannot believe thats the case.
So, can it be moved anywhere else and have clear LOS ?

Jimbo

It has three bolts on the top part of the mast bracket, none on the bottom. I uploaded a couple more pics. The elevation is supposed to be set to 43 degrees and the setting looks close at about 45 but you can see where the bracket was locked down before (unless the bracket was used before they installed).

I got up on the ladder and gently pushed the mast a bit. It did move a little but it just seems like the mast itself cannot be plumb (by eyeballing it). Appears to be leaning a bit toward my neighbors house.

pics: Flickr: Photos from milk_e_way5

There are other places to mount but they picked this spot cause it's close to where existing coax runs into the house to the receivers.

 

[Jimbo]

It has three bolts on the top part of the mast bracket, none on the bottom. I uploaded a couple more pics. The elevation is supposed to be set to 43 degrees and the setting looks close at about 45 but you can see where the bracket was locked down before (unless the bracket was used before they installed).

I got up on the ladder and gently pushed the mast a bit. It did move a little but it just seems like the mast itself cannot be plumb (by eyeballing it). Appears to be leaning a bit toward my neighbors house.

pics: Flickr: Photos from milk_e_way5

There are other places to mount but they picked this spot cause it's close to where existing coax runs into the house to the receivers.

to the site !!!

3 bolts in the top and none in the bottom would allow it to tip if enough wind or weather was applied.
Personally, I would have them move it to a better location, also one you can reach if need be.
I didn't notice where you live, but up here we get snow and occasionally will have to clean it off.

As for the nut on the elevation being moved and looking like its used, don't worry about that, it may have been set up for the elevation the rec calls for and moved to adjust, those settings that the receiver says is just a starting point.
The mast HAS to be plumb, if your curious, put a torpedo level on it and see what it says, or better yet, see if the little bubble is inside the mast from the top.

Jimbo

 

[shmeff]

The pics pretty much match the mental image I had when reading your OP, though I thought the mast foot would at least have a solid mounting surface in all four corners. That mount has hazardous written all over it.

The marks on the bracket are from the factory default setting for shipping.

 

[running_man]

Thanks to everyone for your help. I got the ladder out and looked things over a bit. I'm not sure if it shows in the pictures but the fascia board is not filly supported where it meets the shingles (there is a gap between the shingles and the fascia board) so it kind of lends itself to flexing down with the dish attached to it. As a temp measure, I was able to put a small wood block between the bottom edge of the fascia board and the shingles as a shim to give it support and push the dish back up a bit. It seems to have helped, I got back my missing channels and signal levels went back up. It may not be perfect but now I can at least watch HD while I try to figure something else out.

Thanks again.

 

[Jimbo]

Thanks to everyone for your help. I got the ladder out and looked things over a bit. I'm not sure if it shows in the pictures but the fascia board is not filly supported where it meets the shingles (there is a gap between the shingles and the fascia board) so it kind of lends itself to flexing down with the dish attached to it. As a temp measure, I was able to put a small wood block between the bottom edge of the fascia board and the shingles as a shim to give it support and push the dish back up a bit. It seems to have helped, I got back my missing channels and signal levels went back up. It may not be perfect but now I can at least watch HD while I try to figure something else out.

Thanks again.

Seeing you've successfully did your own trouble shooting for them, get them out there and place it in a better location.

We are currently getting 30mph + wind here with this storm coming thru, I would hate for your dish to end up in your scrubs coming off the house if the weather acts up.

Jimbo

 

[dilbuck]

They could easily just plop it on the roof right there. Why they even consider the fascia is beyond me. Another foot and bam, you are on the roof with 2 supporting bars and a great mount. It looks like they may have only used the 1.5" lag bolts on that thing as well. They should be using 3" but they like to ship the things to the HSP's with 1.5" bolts. Most techs will spring the $5 for the 3" but I guess not all...

 

[raoul5788]

Thanks to everyone for your help. I got the ladder out and looked things over a bit. I'm not sure if it shows in the pictures but the fascia board is not filly supported where it meets the shingles (there is a gap between the shingles and the fascia board) so it kind of lends itself to flexing down with the dish attached to it. As a temp measure, I was able to put a small wood block between the bottom edge of the fascia board and the shingles as a shim to give it support and push the dish back up a bit. It seems to have helped, I got back my missing channels and signal levels went back up. It may not be perfect but now I can at least watch HD while I try to figure something else out.

Thanks again.

Just to make clear, the board your dish is attached to is a rake board, sometimes called a rake fascia. A fascia board runs parallel to the ground and is where a gutter might be attached.