Slimline dish too small?

[rplarry]

I upgraded to HD a few months ago, and the installer came out and installed a slimline dish w/ a SWiM SL3S4r2-02 lnb, a Zinwell MSplit4r0-03, and a power inserter. All work just fine here in San Diego. I have a vacation house about 400 miles south of here and I want to use my HD set up down there also. Currently we use Standard Definition stuff down there and the only change that is needed is a 30" dish to get a strong enough signal. The slimline dish looked large enough so I purchased a slimline setup identical to what I already have and took it down there and installed it. I peeked the dish on the 101 using my Birdog, no problem there, but on the HR 22 receivers signal strength meters the best I could get were signals in the 40's on the 101. With the standard Def recievers and a 30" dish the signal would be in the 90's. So I am guessing I need a larger dish than the Slimline. I have a 6' sheetmetal dish, could I mount the SL3S4R2-02 lnb in front of the 6' dish and make it work? Would I have to use any other equipent other than what I already have?
Thanks for any info,
Larry

 

[Jimbo]

I upgraded to HD a few months ago, and the installer came out and installed a slimline dish w/ a SWiM SL3S4r2-02 lnb, a Zinwell MSplit4r0-03, and a power inserter. All work just fine here in San Diego. I have a vacation house about 400 miles south of here and I want to use my HD set up down there also. Currently we use Standard Definition stuff down there and the only change that is needed is a 30" dish to get a strong enough signal. The slimline dish looked large enough so I purchased a slimline setup identical to what I already have and took it down there and installed it. I peeked the dish on the 101 using my Birdog, no problem there, but on the HR 22 receivers signal strength meters the best I could get were signals in the 40's on the 101. With the standard Def recievers and a 30" dish the signal would be in the 90's. So I am guessing I need a larger dish than the Slimline. I have a 6' sheetmetal dish, could I mount the SL3S4R2-02 lnb in front of the 6' dish and make it work? Would I have to use any other equipent other than what I already have?
Thanks for any info,
Larry

What was your signal strength on the Birdog ?
If your high enough on the Birdog, (65-70) and not on the recvr, I would check the cable and connections.

Take the Birdog inside and see what it says ....

Did you get a SWM for the other home as well, or just a SL3 ?

Make sure you go thru the Repeat Sat Set Up and change the dish back to the correct one.

 

[rplarry]

Jimbo
Thanks for the response, I am pretty confident of the wiring and connections, I install Starband satellite internet systems and we use the same RG6 cable and F connectors.
I did get the SWM and the power inserter for the other home. After I aimed the antenna I was able to get DTV programming but no HD. Since we have to use a larger than normal dish down there to get SD, I just assumed it was the same "too small a dish" problem and that is why I was asking about if the SL3 would work if it was placed in the right place in front of a 6' round metal dish.
I see that DTV sells a Alaska/Hawaii dish and LNB that looks alot like the SL3, so maybe it will work.
Larry

 

[Jimbo]

Jimbo
Thanks for the response, I am pretty confident of the wiring and connections, I install Starband satellite internet systems and we use the same RG6 cable and F connectors.
I did get the SWM and the power inserter for the other home. After I aimed the antenna I was able to get DTV programming but no HD. Since we have to use a larger than normal dish down there to get SD, I just assumed it was the same "too small a dish" problem and that is why I was asking about if the SL3 would work if it was placed in the right place in front of a 6' round metal dish.
I see that DTV sells a Alaska/Hawaii dish and LNB that looks alot like the SL3, so maybe it will work.
Larry

You MAY be able to use the Hawaii dish.
I would think the 6' round dish would be a stretch, my thinking is that the reflector would have to be the same shape exactly as the Slimline and you would have to HOPE that the focal length would be the same, which would be a long shot unless it's made for that set up.