Superdish Installation Advice

[gongura]

I scheduled a SD installation tomorrow. Called DN to check if the installer installs the pole etc. to mount the dish. I was told by DN that they used to do so and not anymore and that I need to install the pole etc myself and they can mount the dish. Thanks to DN they don't give me the installer's phone number tot alk with them before they visit my place.

After reading several posts I found out that I need a 2" dia steel pole, checked two HDepot stores and both of them have only the 2-3/8 dia poles and not the 2" poles.

Where can I get a 2" dia pole. I live in South San Jose California.?

Also if I get a 9ft pole, how much of it should be in the concrete (will 2 ft suffice or is there a thumb rule ;-))?

Since I don't have a post-hole digger (tried for a rental at the HomeDepot store and they don't have the manual ones to rent) I have to dig a 2ft hole and I am using a garden shovel and hopefully can get a 2ft hole.

Appreciate any help/advise on this.

 

[CablerMN]

Couldn't tell you the pole diameter for SD ... I'm sure someone else can. As for the depth, depends on your locale. Two foot is usually good for fences, but in MN we have a 44" frost line. We install our post mounts to 48"; four feet in the ground, six feet above (ten foot post) filling the post with concrete as well as the hole. If the dish goes out of alignment, it's not due to post movement. FWIW

 

[Stargazer]

Someone must have really not known what they were talking about. DNSC should be the ones installing the poles or do whatever needs to be done to get the system installed. Besides, some may put the pole in a place that would not pick up a signal or install the wrong sized pole or the wrong type.

 

[gongura]

DNSC response to pole installation

I called DNCS to confirm/clarify whether the customer needs to install the pole or leave that to the installer. I was told that the customer needs to install the pole or have a site ready for installing the SD and that the installer does not install the infrastructure (pole, wooden post etc) for the customer. DNCS also mentioned that they (installers) used to do this before and not anymore. I have an installer coming in in the next 5-10 mts and can check with him more.

 

[Stargazer]

I guess it depends on whether there are a lot of trees where your at or not but I know there are lots of trees here and it would be hard to find a site for the satellite when you dont know where the best place would be. This should not be up to the customer, it should be up to DNSC. The installer should supply everything that is needed for the installation.

What if you install the pole and it is in the wrong place (where the trees block it)? This would not be a problem if you have no trees but that is still besides the point. I may have to check on this myself.

 

[gongura]

SD installation

Had the SD installed in my backyard yesterday. I installed a 2" dia galvanized pole before the installer came with the dish. A little tweaking and I got the 119/110 brids locked in at 90% signal strenght. The 121 was however at a 30-35 signal and I was told it is generally the case with this bird. I subscribed for two international channels (799 and 802) and I could get the 799 channel but not the 802. I get an error message saying the satellite signal is lost (shows transponder 06). The installer spent quite some time trying to get the 802 while I had to attend to some other work and told me that I should get 802 shortly and left after getting all the paperwork. I later called DNCS and after a series of questions they asked me to select transponder 06 for the 121 satellite and when I did not get any signal (I did get signals for the 04-05/11 transponders), I was told that my dish was not grounded and scheduled another (the third so far) appt. to ground the dish. I hope this takes care of the 802 problem.

Also while I was reading the DN contract I saw that the contract explicitly specifies installation materials to include pole, mount, tripod etc. necessary to mount the dish so either DNCS is oblivious to their own contract or they are real smart in getting me to pay for the installation materials.

 

[Mr Tony]

You should be getting a lot better signal than 35 on 121

121 is stronger than 105, I get about an 80

 

[gongura]

121 signal strength

I am guessing then the SD was not installed properly. If I can get 80 on 119, a 100 on 110 and only a 35 on the 121, something is not right. Are'nt the 119 and 121 close? The installer says 121 at 35 is good enough and its always like that. I am not sure what to do.

 

[SimpleSimon]

I agree that you should be seeing a much higher number for 121. Not only that, the 80 on 119 is low (if it's a 'standard' transponder).

It would help a lot if you would confirm your numbers using transponders 11 & 12 so that we're doing apples-to-apples comparisons.

 

[bsilvertab]

You should be able to get a minimum of 65 on 121. The other satellites just fall into place after that. I have found some quality control problems on the superdishes. Some will peak at 80 on 121, and some 65. I don't understand it. My hunch is that is has something to do with those four screw holes and how they are drilled at the place where the arm connects to the dish. Sometimes i have to really shove the arm in and sometime it goes in perfectly easy.

BSilvertab

 

[hzhao]

Just had my SuperDish 121 installed today. All the signals from 110,119 and 121 are around 106 to 110. I am at Northeast Ohio area (Near Cleveland).

 

[gongura]

Why transponders 11 &12

Thanks for all who responded. Just curious why I need to test the signal strength for transponders 11&12? Also what is the right procedure for the azimuth/elevation. I look at my neighbhour's SD and it is pointed slightly to the left of my SD? And their house is right behind us. or my zipcode (95138) the AZ is 163 with the EV at 47. I remember the installer pointing to 172. Not sure why he did that? Just checked the 802 channel and I get a broken picture, the 121 still showing 35 signal strenght. Will check the 119/110/121 for the 11 & 12 transponders.

 

[gongura]

SD Installation

Here are the signals for 11 & 12 transponders:

121 -> 40, 35
119 -> 89, 89
110 -> 101, 106

There is no signal (I get a "Not Locked" sign at the bottom of the screen) for transponders 6 & 4. Only the 119 gives me a signal of 85,87 on these two transponders. Appreciate any help to get the 802 channel.

 

[hzhao]

You definitely has the direction issue with your dish. For your area, the skw=89, Elev=47, Az=163. I would first check skw, then the elev. If you have the signal seeker device, use it to adjust the Az, you should be fairly close to where it should pointed to.

Good luck.

 

[SimpleSimon]

We say 11 & 12 because those are the 'standard' transponders that are CONUS (not spotbeam) and are available on all E* satellites. Therefore, the numbers can be validly compared across installations.

The difference between 163 & 172 might be the magnetic declination for your area. That is, the difference between "absolute direction" (163) and "compass direction" (172). Click here to see a map of declination lines.

Maybe check with your neighbor and see what HIS signal strengths are (don't forget - TP 11 & 12). If much higher, call E* and yell loudly.

 

[mike123abc]

You can verify the elevation and skew just put your zip code into your receiver and see what it says (in the point dish menu). Then you can check the SD. Skew is on the back, elevation is on the poll (it is the angle piece behind the gauge that you look at, you can see what to look at in the superdish manual).

Just be careful when playing with SD, it is not hard to knock out the signal by just moving the dish a seemingly small amount. Just move the dish in very small increments to see if it improves or worsens.

You should get 90+ on 121 with a superdish, over 100 is not too hard (on the 125 receiver scale).

 

[Stargazer]

I get between 80-90% on 105 and it is weaker than 121 so I would expect to get just as good if not better signal strength from 121 and when the new 105 satellite gets launched. You want to tune in the SuperDish by trying to get 119 in first then do the check switch then try tuning in 105. Once you have 105 peaked lock the dish down. 105 should get priority since it is more sensative than 110 and 119.

 

[gongura]

Problem Solved....

Had another installer take a look at the SD yesterday. Aparently the previous installer damaged the dish while trying to mount it on the pole. Yesterday the installer replaced the SD, changed the mounting and I am getting 121 at 75-80 signal strenght and also the channel 802. Installer was very knowledgabl and helpful. I called DN and told them about the good work and gave them the installer name and tech-id. Thanks to everyone on this forum who helped me with my problem.