Moving 61.5 dish to 129

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i_sifton

Member
Original poster
Jul 8, 2004
14
0
Frisco, TX
Due to the new RSN's on HD, I wanted to move my dish 500(clarify that it is a dush single sat LNB) from 61.5 over to 129. The lines are run through a DP 34. Now I have not hit signal yet, so two majpor quesitons.

1. Is it possible to get 129 with my current setup as the online dish help (not that I put much wieght in it) claimed that it was not possible. I do not technically understand why it wouldnt be.

2. If it is, what TP should I use on the 622 as mine only shows TP 1-21 yet i have read that the ones closer to 30 are higher.

Thanks for any input
 
Ok, if someone could offer a little help it would be most appreciated. I am attempting to move my 61.5 dish 500 (with single LNB in the 119 position on the 'feedarm' or whatever it is called).

I am in Idaho Falls, ID (83404). According to the dish tech pdf that someone posted here my settings should be AZ 175 EL 38 SK 97.

I have the elevation set (I think, although I am not exactly sure what mark to use I looked at the dish next to this one and it is at EL 39 for 110/119 so I figure I have it close to correct.

I read on here that I do not need skew set for a single LNB dish? Does that also apply to mine since it is really a 500. If I need to set skew do I do PLUS or MINUS?

What is the best way to rotate the dish? This bugger is really tight and all I can get are jerky motions out of it. I loosened the screws quite a bit but the dish is cockeyed like that which surely makes it harder to tune. Is there some kind of secret that you pros use to just get nice small movements?

I did manage to get 119 with this dish (accidentally) so I know that I am close. I have installed a couple of C/Ku band systems in the past (as well as a Direct TV) so I know a little bit about what I am doing... at least enough to not be dangerous!

Also, do I just go the the 6-1-1-1 menu (on my 622) and dial up 129 transponder 1 to try and tune it? How long is the delay when I am using this method? Do I have to stop for a couple of seconds or what.

Thanks.
 
I believe with a single-LNB dish, i.e. only looking at one satellite, you do NOT need to set the skew.

Is your mast damn near 100% level ?? Use a level, not your eyeballs.

Spray WD40 or some other lubricant on the hardware while it's loosened up, then tighten things up so that the dish doesn't fall while you try and move it. Does your dish have a triangle cut on the elevation 'dial' ?? Many people think the bolt or nut is what you line up and if you use that, you'll be 3-4 degrees off. That's plenty to get NO signal.

Put the receiver menu on the 129 satellite. Transponder 1 may or may not be used, so don't assume it is.... Hold on.... Turns out is is used though it could be a local spot-beam for me and not used for you. Check the channel chart at EKB.
 
You azimuth is 192 with an elevation of 37. No skew since you are only hitting one bird.

If you haven't done a check switch I'd put the receiver on 61.5 TP1 and swing over until you find 129. I'm not sure how the dish receivers work if they are locked in 8PSK mode and won't see QPSK since 8PSK is set for 61.5 TP1 and the same for 129W TP1. You might not find 110 or 119. Be sure to mark where 61.5 was at.
 
Put the receiver menu on the 129 satellite. Transponder 1 may or may not be used, so don't assume it is.... Hold on.... Turns out is is used though it could be a local spot-beam for me and not used for you. Check the channel chart at EKB.

Echostar 5 at 129W does not have spotbeams.
 
Sat 129, transponder 1 is for locals ... Kansas City MO. Since you don't live there, it may or may not reach you. That likely isn't a good one to try.

Try transponder 17. That's the channel that tells you you've got a dish pointed at 129 (or a Dish 1000).
 
Sat 129, transponder 1 is for locals ... Kansas City MO. Since you don't live there, it may or may not reach you. That likely isn't a good one to try.

Try transponder 17. That's the channel that tells you you've got a dish pointed at 129 (or a Dish 1000).

Echostar 5 at 129W does not have spotbeams.
 
Well HERE is a good one:

I messed around with this for about an hour today. It was starting to get dark so I decided to give up but before doing so I just kind of guessed where to point it ( i have a 148 and a 110/119 dish so I put it about 1/3 of the way in between both of them). I went back in the house and it was still reading 0. I did a check switch and boom, there is my 129. And it was at 75 signal strength!

All excited now I wait five minutes for new guide data to be downloaded and turn to FSRM and guess what's on? Nothing! Yeah.....

In case I have to do this again I would love to know why I couldn't see squat with my 622. I moved the dish back and forth at least twenty times and never got anything on the signal strength meter. Should I have been doing something else?

Ah well, anyway, thanks for the help. Especially to the person that had me set the right elevation.
 
By far the best full proof method would be to clear out the switch matrix and scan with a single LNB with the correct satellite picked. Then once you get it peaked out hook everything back up and do another check switch.