Problem "Searching for Satellite" on HD

[cspiteri]

I`m having a problem with receiving my HD channels. I keep getting a "Searching for signal on Satellite 2 (771) message. I got that message the last several days but then the HD would come in. Now I continue to get that message. The SD channels come in fine. I have a HR-20 and a 3LNB Slimline dish.
I have not tried a resetas indicated in the troubleshooting message. Is there a LNB switch which could be causing the problem?? Any suggestions??

 

[Jimbo]

I`m having a problem with receiving my HD channels. I keep getting a "Searching for signal on Satellite 2 (771) message. I got that message the last several days but then the HD would come in. Now I continue to get that message. The SD channels come in fine. I have a HR-20 and a 3LNB Slimline dish.
I have not tried a resetas indicated in the troubleshooting message. Is there a LNB switch which could be causing the problem?? Any suggestions??

Sounds like your signal strength is low on the 99 and 103 sats (thats where the HD channels are)
Can you post your numbers on those sats for us to better diagnosis it ?

 

[cspiteri]

Jimbo -
Sorry, I don`t know how to obtain the signal strength on the requested satellite.
When I hit MENU on my RC34 remote, I don`t see any screen for ddiagnostics.

 

[kjlued]

Menu
Parental Favs & Setup
System Setup
Satellite
View Signal Strength

Once you get to that screen the -/+ will take you to the different satellites.

99(c)
103(ca)
103(cb)

ignore the 99(s) and 103(s) for this

Almost all of the transponders should be in the 90's

 

[cspiteri]

Jimbo -
Thanks for the procedure.
Sat 99 96% Both tuners
103 100% Both tuners

 

[Jimbo]

Jimbo -
Thanks for the procedure.
Sat 99 96% Both tuners
103 100% Both tuners

The first one mainly, if they are bad, your bad, regardless.

 

[Jimbo]

Jimbo -
Thanks for the procedure.
Sat 99 96% Both tuners
103 100% Both tuners

Your slightly in the wrong area ...

Your in the Signal Meter section, back up and give us the individual readings, should be a lot of different readings.
1-32

 

[cspiteri]

Jimbo -
99c 83 - 91
103ca 79 - 85
103cb 72 - 89

 

[kjlued]

Although those signals are good enough to get high def on a clear day, they are way low and any bad weather will cause you lose HD.

You need to call Direct and tell them you lose your HD often and you found out the dish is not aligned properly.

 

[cspiteri]

kjlued -
Thanks for the diagnosis on my signal strength.
What should the numbers be for a properly aligned dish??
AND thanks for the procedure for locating those numbers.

 

[Jimbo]

kjlued -
Thanks for the diagnosis on my signal strength.
What should the numbers be for a properly aligned dish??
AND thanks for the procedure for locating those numbers.

Normally they should be in the 90's, you may see a few in the high 80's, but mostly in the 90's is good.

Make sure you check the 99c and 103c as they are the HD ones.

For example, my 99c looks like this:

1-8 96, 96, 94, 94, 95, 95, 92, 94
9-16 95, 95, 92, 94, 96, 95
the rest are NA

My 103c looks like this :

9-16 97, 95, 96, 95, 96, 95, 95, 95
17-24 95, 95, 96, 95, 95, 95, 96, 96

 

[kjlued]

Yup, mine are all the same +/- 1 or 2

Basically, like I said earlier, most of them should be in the 90's (mostly mid to high 90's).

If most of them are below 90 then you are low (where yours are, simply unacceptable).

 

[Mr Tony]

kjlued -
Thanks for the diagnosis on my signal strength.
What should the numbers be for a properly aligned dish??
AND thanks for the procedure for locating those numbers.

Here are mine on a SL3 setup. I'll only post the conus TPs

 

[cspiteri]

Thanks guys!! I hope it is just a minor adjustment. I had my tile roof pressure washed and the guy might have bumped the arm. I`ll get up there and apply a little pressure in the various axis to see if I can get the reading back up. My Slimline is tied to a thick wall pole which extends down into my attic and is well secured in several places.

 

[Mr Tony]

yeah a very slight tweaking is all it should need

 

[Jimbo]

yeah a very slight tweaking is all it should need

Mostly it would be the ditheringadjustments more than anything.
I'm guessing the 101 is solid.

 

[cspiteri]

Jimbo-
By dither do you mean skew???

 

[Jimbo]

Jimbo-
By dither do you mean skew???

Dithering is the minute adjustments that the screws going left and right and up and down do.

When you move the dish normally, you slide it manually, which in turn, moves quite a bit ... remember, the sats your aiming at are 23,000 miles up ... dithering (adjusting these bolts) moves the dish ever so slightly in the directions required, thus fine tuning the beam on the sat.
The HD channels use a different type of wave than the SD, KA vs KU, the HD beam is a much tighter beam to catch.

You have Elevation, Azmidth (?), and Tilt adjustments on the typical dish ... the two bolts (dithering) add the "Fine Tuning" to the dish.
There are videos available to learn how to do this if your looking to do it yourself.

 

[kjlued]

You technically don't have tilt (skew) adjustments just 3 bolts you loosen to and can adjust the tilt.
However, there is no fine tuning for this and I doubt you will need to worry about it.

When standing behind the dish, on your left side is the elevation adjustment and the right is the Azimuth (left to right).
The adjustments have little dials on them.

With the Elevation, on the inside of the mount you will a bolt that holds that dial.
Make sure it is tight.

Now loosen the 2 bolts on outside of the mount.
This will allow you to adjust the elevation by turning the bolt on the left dial.

To adjust the Azimuth, you will need to loosen the 2 bolts under the mount.
Then you can turn the bolt on the right side adjustment.

Only tool you will need is a 1/2 in wrench.

Also, prior to adjusting make sure the mount that holds the dish is firm.
Should not move at all.
All new mounts use only 1/2 bolts, but some of the old ones use 7/16 also so you may need that too.

 

[cspiteri]

Kjlued -
Thanks for the detailed fine alignment procedure. I should be able to get on the roof for the tweaking in the next day or so.
When I optimize the reading on 99c, will 103ca also come in or do I need to optimize each individually?

Jimbo -
Your post mentioned a video. Where can I find the video??
I want to make sure that I have properly identified all of the details in Kjlued`s procedure before I begin.

THANKS to both of you for sharing your knowledge on this topic!!