Signal Strength

[GA1967]

Having problems with locals and overall drop outs in rain.
HR-21 receiver
0x2af version software

101
1-8 93 95 86 97 85 98 89 98
9-16 88 94 83 100 83 98 86 97
17-24 89 0 85 98 84 98 91 97
25-32 89 94 89 0 94 97 89 98
110
1-8 na na na na na na na 90
9-16 na 92 na 92 na na na na
17-24 na na na na na na na na
25-32 na na na na na na na na
119
1-8 na na na na na na na na
9-16 na na na na na na na na
17-24 na na na na na 99 58 97
25-32 49 100 98 100 63 100 98 100
99c
1-8 73 72 65 65 72 72 63 65
9-16 70 72 61 65 70 70 na na
17-24 na na na na na na na na
25-32 na na na na na na na na
99s
1-8 0 0 0 0 0 0 na na
9-16 na na na na na na 56 83
17-24 0 0 86 83 85 81 59 0
25-32 na na na na na na na na
103s
1-8 23 94 0 0 0 0 na na
9-16 na na na na na na 69 0
17-24 0 61 0 0 0 0 0 69
25-32 na na na na na na na na
103c
1-8 58 58 60 60 55 54 60 58
9-16 56 52 60 56 58 55 na na
17-24 na na na na na na na na
25-32 na na na na na na na na
swm
1-8 98 98 97 90 89 0 0 89
9-16 89 na na na na na na na
17-24 na na na na na na na na
25-32 na na na na na na na na

 

[jdspencer]

Your signals for 99 and 103 are a bit low. You need to have the dish alignment tweaked.

 

[GA1967]

If it were only that simple.So far I haven't found anybody that knows what they're doing.
I had it installed from a local retailer about ten minutes away.
It is the Slimline-5 dish. It was only the second one the tech had seen and his meter would not work on it.He got it as close as it is now by using the signal strength meter off the tv.He peaked one transponder on one satellite.
Locals went out one night a week later (clear night).So I called Direct and the lady had me read signal strengths. She told me the dish needed peaked and would set up a service call. She would not use my installer, said Direct had crews in the area. Two techs show up on the next Friday,they come from an hour away. They look at the signal strengths and agree the dish needs peaked. They look at the dish and tell me they have not been trained on it and they don't have a meter that will work on it.They call back to their supervisor and he tells them to drive back to the shop and pick up the correct meter from the supervisor. They drive the hour back to the shop and drive the hour back out to me. Tech comes back in and says they were not given the proper power cable and the meter still won't work with this dish.Tech tells me they will come out the following morning with the correct meter. I get a call from him the next morning and he tells me the supervisor is telling him the numbers are good enough. He says Direct TV has a national problem with the software for the locals and they can't do anymore to help the local channels. I asked him if he was going to come and peak the dish, beings that he agreed the numbers were low. He said no his supervisor told him not to waste anymore time on it.I called the original installer back out and asked him to peak the dish. The tech comes out with his fancy new $400.00 dollar meter, hooks it up and the meter says power overload and still won't work on this dish. He says he will have to call someone to find out how to use the meter and I have not seen him since. Had a rain storm come through the other night and we lost everything for about two hours.Local channels have some pixelation now and then.
I am tired of these people wasting my time.How can I just do this myself? Is there a single transponder that I can peak off of?

 

[Zynergi]

You will need a 1/2 wrench and preferably a 1/2 (or 13mm) nut driver. If you can move a TV to a window and see it or have a friend or a wife yell.

I would start with getting Transponder 9 on the 101 peaked in as high as possible turning the azimuth screw (loosen the 2 bolts nearest the reflector under the carriage) Once you find the highest signal in that direction, tighten those 2 up but not torqued.

Next loosen the 2 outside nuts for Elevation but leave them finger tight then maybe 1/4 of a turn tight and then do the same with the elevation screw on the inside. Still on the 101/9 peak as high as possible. Tighten but dont torque.

At this point recheck all birds, we are looking for 89+ on 99 and 103 95+ on 101/110 and 97+ on 119.

You may see some zeros on 103c and 99c, do not worry about those. Pick the lowest number if none are over 90 and very slowly peak the azimuth and elevation before.

Seems like your market still doesn't understand SWMLine setups which is a shame and I would personally write a letter to D* stating the frustrations you have had on getting someone local to troubleshoot a poorly peaked system.

Worse case have the next tech use his birdog and a 4 port LNB and peak and put the SWMline LNB one back in. Just make sure you unplug all boxes and the Power Inserter, first.

 

[sonydude1966]

You will need a 1/2 wrench and preferably a 1/2 (or 13mm) nut driver. If you can move a TV to a window and see it or have a friend or a wife yell.

I would start with getting Transponder 9 on the 101 peaked in as high as possible turning the azimuth screw (loosen the 2 bolts nearest the reflector under the carriage) Once you find the highest signal in that direction, tighten those 2 up but not torqued.

Next loosen the 2 outside nuts for Elevation but leave them finger tight then maybe 1/4 of a turn tight and then do the same with the elevation screw on the inside. Still on the 101/9 peak as high as possible. Tighten but dont torque.

At this point recheck all birds, we are looking for 89+ on 99 and 103 95+ on 101/110 and 97+ on 119.

You may see some zeros on 103c and 99c, do not worry about those. Pick the lowest number if none are over 90 and very slowly peak the azimuth and elevation before.

Seems like your market still doesn't understand SWMLine setups which is a shame and I would personally write a letter to D* stating the frustrations you have had on getting someone local to troubleshoot a poorly peaked system.

Worse case have the next tech use his birdog and a 4 port LNB and peak and put the SWMline LNB one back in. Just make sure you unplug all boxes and the Power Inserter, first.

You're hired, come on out.

I was thinking a cell phone for the roof and the house phone for the person watching the signal strengths.

 

[jdspencer]

...
I was thinking a cell phone for the roof and the house phone for the person watching the signal strengths.

I used that method using two cordless handsets in intercom mode. Put one near the Tv and listened to the tones while on the roof.

 

[Jimbo]

I used that method using two cordless handsets in intercom mode. Put one near the Tv and listened to the tones while on the roof.

You get tones from the units now, I haven't had tones work in ages.

Jimbo

 

[jdspencer]

I should have been more explicit. I used the two handsets when tweaking in my OTA antenna. I thought the example would be helpful.

 

[Jimbo]

I should have been more explicit. I used the two handsets when tweaking in my OTA antenna. I thought the example would be helpful.

np,
I thought maybe they had fixed the audio tones

Jimbo

 

[GA1967]

Thanks for the info.Greatly appreciated. I will give it a try as soon as we get a nice day again.

 

[Jimbo]

GA1967,

Check your PM's

Jimbo