SL3 and SL5 FOcal Point

  • WELCOME TO THE NEW SERVER!

    If you are seeing this you are on our new server WELCOME HOME!

    While the new server is online Scott is still working on the backend including the cachine. But the site is usable while the work is being completes!

    Thank you for your patience and again WELCOME HOME!

    CLICK THE X IN THE TOP RIGHT CORNER OF THE BOX TO DISMISS THIS MESSAGE
Status
Please reply by conversation.

Diansul

SatelliteGuys Family
Original poster
Apr 19, 2009
47
3
Texas
Let's assume a Slimline dish is properly aligned. If I replace a SL5 LNB with a SL3 LNB and I do not move the dish nor bend the arm will the dish be properly aligned for the SL3?
 
should be, but since it was previously aligned w/out the 110/119 LNB's, it's possible it might need a touch up after.
Now if you were going from a 5LNB to 3LNB, it would not be a problem...
 
110 and 119 are generally much easier to dial in that I would expect no problems going from an sl3 to the sl5.
 
But you DO understand that if the slimline was originally installed with ONLY a 3LNB, it was actually NEVER dialed in on 110/119 to begin with. When you install a 5LNB, there is an extra step you are supposed to go through on the dish in fine tuning the tilt & checking the signal on a 119 x-ponder. Obviously an installer can't do this if they are installing a 3LNB - which is why I gave the answer to the OP that I did. ;) ;)

And it's NOT that "dialing in" 110/119 is difficult, it's that it's a little more difficult to dial them in & NOT screw up the signal on the Ka birds. (THAT'S why the techs like the 3LNB slimlines better than the 5's)
But if the OP finds the 119 signals "below par" after changing the LNB, it CAN be touched up - but you still have to know what you're doing as I just said.

You have done these before, right...
 
Last edited:
I think you would also need to run the Repeat Sat Set Up menu so that you can change the Dish setting to reflect the correct dish.

If not, you may have Guide trouble as one uses the 101 for guide info and the other uses the 119 (think it was the 119) for thier guide info.
 
Yep on all counts - which actually reminds me of something else to tell the OP...

If you plan on changing to a 5LNB, make sure that your dish can actually SEE down to the 119 bird. (no trees or other obstructions in that line of site from the dish) If you change the LNB & the dish CANNOT get a 119 signal, you WILL have EPG problems all the time - even if you go into the receiver & change the dish setting back to 3LNB, it will NOT correct the problem.
I'm saying this because many folks are just able to see the 3 slots (99 to 103) on the 3LNB, and to be able to see down to 119 requires another 15+ degrees of clear arc space.
 
Last edited:
But you DO understand that if the slimline was originally installed with ONLY a 3LNB, it was actually NEVER dialed in on 110/119 to begin with. When you install a 5LNB, there is an extra step you are supposed to go through on the dish in fine tuning the tilt & checking the signal on a 119 x-ponder. Obviously an installer can't do this if they are installing a 3LNB - which is why I gave the answer to the OP that I did. ;) ;)

And it's NOT that "dialing in" 110/119 is difficult, it's that it's a little more difficult to dial them in & NOT screw up the signal on the Ka birds. (THAT'S why the techs like the 3LNB slimlines better than the 5's)
But if the OP finds the 119 signals "below par" after changing the LNB, it CAN be touched up - but you still have to know what you're doing as I just said.

You have done these before, right...

Are you talkin' to me? ;) You must be talkin' to me! :D
Yes, I get what you are saying, I'm just guessing that since 110 and 119 have a much larger "fudge factor" in aiming that putting the sl5 on where an sl3 was properly aimed will require no further adjusting. That's all I'm saying! :D
 
Yes you need to tweek going from SL5 -3.

But very Minor!
I just did mine 1 week ago.

Signal seems better with the 3 LNB, my Guess is because your not stetching out to get the 110 and 119 thats a pain if there are any trees around.

I had to move from 8-2 counterclockwise on the AZ, and from 6-4 on EL.
Just to give you an Idea of how Minor the ajustment was, But it rasied signal 7-10 in some TP
 
I'm just guessing that since 110 and 119 have a much larger "fudge factor" in aiming that putting the sl5 on where an sl3 was properly aimed will require no further adjusting.

Which is why I'm guessing you've actually never have even done one - I got it! :D
 
Last edited:
Yes you need to tweek going from SL5 -3.

But very Minor!
I just did mine 1 week ago.

Signal seems better with the 3 LNB, my Guess is because your not stetching out to get the 110 and 119 thats a pain if there are any trees around.

Uh OK, but did you ever try to peak it BEFORE you changed to the 3? If not, then how do you know your dish was always peaked correctly on the 5LNB? Just because you needed to do it on yours, is NOT the correct conclusion that you always have to repeak, but whatever... :confused:

If the dish is peaked correctly, you should NOT be having to repeak going from a 5 to a 3 - & if you DO have reception issues on 119, then obviously that's going to affect how you peak. Whether you are using a 3 or 5 LNB, the slimline dish was designed with it's main focal point on 101, since the Ka birds are on both sides of 101; it should ALWAYS be peaked for the maximum signal on those 3 birds, & as best as can be on 119 w/out reducing the signal on the Ka/101 birds, since the Ka signals are MORE touchy than the 119 signals.
 
Last edited:
Uh OK, but did you ever try to peak it BEFORE you changed to the 3? If not, then how do you know your dish was always peaked correctly on the 5LNB? Just because you needed to do it on yours, is NOT the correct conclusion that you always have to repeak, but whatever... :confused:

.
Absolutely
 
Uh OK, but did you ever try to peak it BEFORE you changed to the 3? If not, then how do you know your dish was always peaked correctly on the 5LNB? Just because you needed to do it on yours, is NOT the correct conclusion that you always have to repeak, but whatever... :confused:

If the dish is peaked correctly, you should NOT be having to repeak going from a 5 to a 3 - & if you DO have reception issues on 119, then obviously that's going to affect how you peak. Whether you are using a 3 or 5 LNB, the slimline dish was designed with it's main focal point on 101, since the Ka birds are on both sides of 101; it should ALWAYS be peaked for the maximum signal on those 3 birds, & as best as can be on 119 w/out reducing the signal on the Ka/101 birds, since the Ka signals are MORE touchy than the 119 signals.
I don't care how it was designed, to take something thats Big infront of a reflector, and replace it with something half the size, and weight your bound to need a small ajustment.

Com'on, if you don't want to bother repeaking after you add or change something on your dish , well thats on you.

But If I have a 79 on one TP after the change when it was an 88 on the 99 satellite with a 5 lnb, well sure it would work, but most would agree it should be peaked, and I peaked it .
 
Com'on, if you don't want to bother repeaking after you add or change something on your dish , well thats on you.

No, it's on you, because I simply do it right the first time & don't need to, since I understand how the dish is designed - guess we'll have to agree to disagree on this one...
 
No, it's on you, because I simply do it right the first time & don't need to, since I understand how the dish is designed - guess we'll have to agree to disagree on this one...
So if you ajust your dish with a Cinderblock on the LNB arm, and then replace the cinderblock with a Brick, your going to tell me the dish won't move slightly up?

And done right the first time?, well you can call my local Directv installer and tell him that since he's the one getting paid to do it.
And if he come out to install a smaller LNB to replace a bigger one, My guess would be he would still make sure it was peaked on the way out.
 
So if you ajust your dish with a Cinderblock on the LNB arm, and then replace the cinderblock with a Brick, your going to tell me the dish won't move slightly up?

SL3 = 2.39lb
SL5 = 2.96lb

Thats less than an 9oz difference. Not going to affect that dish much if any. It's not like the SL5 is that much heavier.
 
SL3 = 2.3853 Your scale is off ;)

Will it make a difference on signal?

I'm not sure. I always re peak it anyway. I guess it might throw it off 1 or 2 on the TP's.

The reason I re peak it is b/c I want all my customers to have this.
 

Attachments

  • image-3039583566.png
    image-3039583566.png
    190.2 KB · Views: 237
Status
Please reply by conversation.

Users Who Are Viewing This Thread (Total: 0, Members: 0, Guests: 0)

Who Read This Thread (Total Members: 1)