I am new to the forums and was hoping for some help/advice/opinions, etc. I'd like to start off by saying I don't know much about these systems but I'm pretty handy and feel I can learn and catch on pretty quickly. Now to my problem. I seem to be having an issue picking up satellite 129. I've learned that this satellite is responsible for most of the HD channels. This would make sense because I can get all of my SD channels but not very many of my HD channels. The problem started a few days ago. It was a bit windier than normal but otherwise, we haven't had any storms or anything of that sort. I went out and looked at the dish and it seems normal. Nothing obviously broken or damaged and no apparent line of sight issues. I am getting a signal from satellites 119 and 110. I don't know how to check signal strength but if someone will tell me how to do it, I will post them. It appears that I am not getting a signal at all from satellite 129. Every time I try to access a channel on that satellite, it says "acquiring signal," goes through all the transponders, and eventually quits. I contacted Dish chat support, went through all of their troubleshooting with them, and they told me they would have to send a technician out at a cost of $95.00. I was hoping I could resolve this issue myself and keep my $95.00 since I already pay them $65.00+ a month. Also, I have two receivers (model 222k) and they are both doing the same thing. The only thing I can think of that I haven't done is climb up on the roof and inspect the dish and connections. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks guys!
Problems with 129...?
- Thread starter fold_em83
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Sounds like your Dish got whacked out of alignment by the wind. To check signal strength bring up the menu and press 6-1-1. This will bring up the point dish screen. You can scroll through your satellites and pick 129. You can also scroll through different transponders to check signal strength.
You may need to re-peak the dish. This is done easiest with help. Loosen the bolts that attach the dish assembly to the mast, should be 7/16". Then swing the dish a tad more to the right. The other person is used to tell you what the signal strength is.
You could also add the protection plan to your account. It is $6 a month, but then your service call would only be $15. Then you could get a tech to come out and solve the issue.
You may need to re-peak the dish. This is done easiest with help. Loosen the bolts that attach the dish assembly to the mast, should be 7/16". Then swing the dish a tad more to the right. The other person is used to tell you what the signal strength is.
You could also add the protection plan to your account. It is $6 a month, but then your service call would only be $15. Then you could get a tech to come out and solve the issue.
That was my guess as well. I just didn't want to mess with the dish and lose all of my channels entirely. I checked the signal strength. 110 is 73, 119 is 75 and 129 is 0.
If you are directly behind the dish 129 will be to the right. Just try to swing it a few degrees to the right and don't mess with the other settings and you should be fine.
I just climbed up on the roof to check it out. Everything is very solid up there, I don't think there is any way the wind could have moved it. Watching my signal strengths, 129 did get as high as 5 at one point but never any higher. I did try adjusting the dish a little but was never able to get it any better. From the roof though, it looks like I might have a LOS issue from a tree in the front yard that is getting it's leaves. I had the HD service installed in the winter. The dish is mounted on my existing TV antenna tower. I think the solution may be to remount the dish higher on the antenna to get over the tree but I don't think the technician left enough wire to make that possible. Plus, that will totally mess up my dish alignment. Is this something I should attempt on my own or should I just bite the bullet and have a technician come out? I don't know what they would do though because I know they're not allowed to mount a dish higher than they can reach.
Honestly, I would probably complain that the dish tech pointed it into a tree during the winter and see how far that takes you. I would hope they would discount the service fee.
But you are right Dish has strict safety rules and will not let their techs climb TV antennas. If you are able to get a tech out they may have another solution. They would be able to move the dish and replace the needed cable.
But you are right Dish has strict safety rules and will not let their techs climb TV antennas. If you are able to get a tech out they may have another solution. They would be able to move the dish and replace the needed cable.
They're coming out to check it out. I spent over 2 hours on the phone with 5 different people and the best I was able to do was get the fee reduced to $15 by adding the service plan to my bill. One person I talked to said that if I can get the tech to call the company and tell them that this was an avoidable situation, I might be able to get my money back for the service call.
If your antenna tower is on the roof, there is no way that a tech can put it any higher than he can reach. Also, if he is an in house dish tech, if he has to get on your roof, he is obligated by dish policy to put on a safety harness before getting on the roof. This requires him to put an anchor bracket in your roof w/ three lag bolts to latch his harness onto. He will repair the roof with supplies he should carry after he removes the bracket. But then again, if its a sub contractor, he'll probably just run up the roof as they don't have to follow the same requirements as dish employees. Maybe they will be able to find an alternate location for your dish.
Do you have an eastern or western arc dish? They could always swing you to the other arc if possible. Good Luck!
EDIT: Sorry, after reading the original post again, I see he has a 1000 dish. I would see if the tech could put up a 1000.4 dish and be done with it. OP states he has two receivers, and from what I gather they are both 222k's, so EA would work fine, depending on his location I guess.
Do you have an eastern or western arc dish? They could always swing you to the other arc if possible. Good Luck!
EDIT: Sorry, after reading the original post again, I see he has a 1000 dish. I would see if the tech could put up a 1000.4 dish and be done with it. OP states he has two receivers, and from what I gather they are both 222k's, so EA would work fine, depending on his location I guess.
The dish just says "Turbo HD" on it. Yes, both of my recievers are 222k's. My antenna tower is right next to the roof. I climb it to get onto the roof all of the time. I don't know if that's what the last guy did but I know they've never screwed anything into my roof. The dish itself is installed on the antenna tower but its right at the same height as the roof. It is not as high as the tech could reach so hopefully they'll be able to fix it without having to move the dish. My dish is pointed to the west.
They took care of it for me today. I was right, the tree was in the way. The guy was obviously not employed directly by Dish because he put it all the way at the top of my antenna tower in order to get over the tree.
I'm having OSHA come out and reevaluate my house. From what I hear, OSHA is getting a lot of complaints about DISH using them as an excuse. And OSHA's getting pretty pissed, because most of the claims are BS.
So my question, do contractors honor the DISH Protection Plan fee that I pay DISH? If so, can I just call a sub and cut through the DISH BS?
Every time I've ever had an issue, I've just called Dish directly and then just dealt with whoever they sent out. I've never physically paid somebody, they just add it to my bill. My neighbor didn't get Dish because the person they sent out to do her install said she couldn't get a signal w/o putting her dish all the way at the top of her antenna tower and that he wasn't allowed to do it. I know it sucks but I would probably just deal with whatever you have to w/ Dish just so you can cover your butt. It's your call though. I don't see why you couldn't just call and independent dealer and pay them instead.
