Switched to EA - rain fade

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tsutton002

Active SatelliteGuys Member
Original poster
Jul 15, 2007
19
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I recently had a 1000.4 dish installed so I could get my Cinci locals in HD. My ZIP code is 45177 - Lat/Lon 39.4994/-83.8638. I rarely had Dish go out when I was on the WA. Ever since the "upgrade" even a small rain event to the SE causes my signal to go in and out. I found a minimum signal by transponder thread and checked my numbers against them. Here is what I found

61.5-10-36
61.5-14-58
61.5-29-43
61.5-31-37
72.7-15-41
72.7-17-48
72.7-19-41
72.7-21-48
77-13-46
77-16-48
77-20-50
77-21-46

Most, especially 61.5, seem low in comparison. Any opinions? Am I checking strength on the wrong transponders? I did go to dishpointer.com and the dish az/skew/elev seem a bit off of what is recommended. I haven't checked to see if the mast (in ground) is plumb. Should I try to repoint myself or just call Dish? Thanks.
 
Make them come back

tsutton002 said:
I recently had a 1000.4 dish installed so I could get my Cinci locals in HD. My ZIP code is 45177 - Lat/Lon 39.4994/-83.8638. I rarely had Dish go out when I was on the WA. Ever since the "upgrade" even a small rain event to the SE causes my signal to go in and out. I found a minimum signal by transponder thread and checked my numbers against them. Here is what I found

61.5-10-36
61.5-14-58
61.5-29-43
61.5-31-37
72.7-15-41
72.7-17-48
72.7-19-41
72.7-21-48
77-13-46
77-16-48
77-20-50
77-21-46

Most, especially 61.5, seem low in comparison. Any opinions? Am I checking strength on the wrong transponders? I did go to dishpointer.com and the dish az/skew/elev seem a bit off of what is recommended. I haven't checked to see if the mast (in ground) is plumb. Should I try to repoint myself or just call Dish? Thanks.
Click to expand...

They didn't peak the dish correctly. Your signal levels are too low on 61.5. They did it make them do it right. :D
 
Your signals are too low on 72.7 as well. The only one that is sounding right is 77. The 72.7 sat should be in the 60s and the 61.5 should be anywhere from a low of 45 to a high of 70 depending on what transponder you are on.
 
Thanks to all for the input. I played a little with the pointing and have improved the signal a little.

61.5-10-36-->44
61.5-14-58-->64
61.5-29-43-->52
61.5-31-37-->48
72.7-15-41-->50
72.7-17-48-->57
72.7-19-41-->50
72.7-21-48-->57
77-13-46-->56
77-16-48-->50
77-20-50-->50
77-21-46-->57

In your opinion(s) - are the signals "good enough" or should I call Dish? I just canceled the service plan a couple of months ago and they happily charged me $25. If I do call are they going to ding me for $99 or make me sign up again even though the install was done while I was on the plan?

Thanks again - you guys are awesome!
 
the signals are much better and they would probably charge you full price for a service call now you can always fine tune it later if you still have problems
 
Here is what I am getting on the same transponders you have selected.

61.5 sat

tr 10 - 48
tr 14 - 68
tr 29 - 53
tr 31 - 46

72.7 sat

tr 15 - 62
tr 17 - 61
tr 19 - 62
tr 21 - 61

77 sat

tr 13 - 43
tr 16 - 46
tr 20 - 47
tr 21 - 44

It looks like you have better signals on 77 sat , which is mostly for local cities. The 72.7 is lower than mine but not by much. The 61.5 sat is similar to my signals. Remember that all you really need to get a great signal is 50 or above on your sat meter. So in my opinion you have good enough signals to leave it as is. NO need for DISH unless you just want a professional to come out and tweak it.
 
MikeD-C05 said:
Here is what I am getting on the same transponders you have selected.
...NO need for DISH unless you just want a professional to come out and tweak it.
Click to expand...

I appreciate the comments and I'll leave well enough alone for now. At least until the next rain shower.

The last sentence of your comment did tickle me a little. My brother in law is having major problems with Dish in Kettering OH. He had two techs out several weeks ago. They tried for hours to get him fixed up - new wiring, new dish, etc. He offered them a beer after a few hours since is was very hot out. They ended up drinking beer and smoking pot (the techs) for 6 more hours before they headed back to Tennessee. He still is having issues with Dish going out. I think I'll tinker a little before getting that type of "professional" help.

I do have to say that every dish tech I've had to my house seemed to know what they were doing. I wasn't bashing dish above - simply sharing a family members experience...
 
I always have to ask about the peaking. The techs that have come to my house normally do a "good enough" job unless I ask them to make sure its peaked correctly.

I used to call them back out after each upgrade / install. Lately I just ask when the come out the first time.
 
Lord_Vader said:
I always have to ask about the peaking. The techs that have come to my house normally do a "good enough" job unless I ask them to make sure its peaked correctly.

I used to call them back out after each upgrade / install. Lately I just ask when the come out the first time.
Click to expand...
Yep. There have been way to many non-peaked dishes reported lately.
 
When the dish was first released there was no 77 so we had to stick with the settings given to us or risk you not getting anything on the 77 when it became used.
Or so that was what was told to me.
I really don't like that dish.
You have to bend the reflector to get acceptable signals out of it, and even then they are much lower then the 1000.2 / western arc.
 
NO DON'T BEND the DISH!!!

D1000.4 was not released before there was signal at 77, it had to be released precisely because of the different spacing from 61.5 to 72.7 to 77, thusly the uneven arrangement of the lnb's. The reflector is made for this application.

Just get it accurately aimed and you get good signal, admittedly the signals are a bit weaker, because severla satellites are in positions for which ther were not designed, but you can get adequate performance and new satellites are on the way.

DON'T BEND THE DISH, you may warp it so no one can aim it.
 
What he was talking about

Jim5506 said:
NO DON'T BEND the DISH!!!

D1000.4 was not released before there was signal at 77, it had to be released precisely because of the different spacing from 61.5 to 72.7 to 77, thusly the uneven arrangement of the lnb's. The reflector is made for this application.

Just get it accurately aimed and you get good signal, admittedly the signals are a bit weaker, because severla satellites are in positions for which ther were not designed, but you can get adequate performance and new satellites are on the way.

DON'T BEND THE DISH, you may warp it so no one can aim it.
Click to expand...

I wonder what he is talking about when he said bend the dish. If you bend the dish it will become less effective of a dish.
 
I have one of the first EA dishes in my area and am getting rain fade every time they even predict rain. The dish is up on the second story of our home so I plan on calling for a tech. My wife doesn't want me falling off the ladder. Will I only need to pay the $15 cause I'm paying the $6.00 equipment fee?
 
Quick question can you get a picture ok in the 40s range for signal strength or does it go in and out?? Just curious if I "move" to a city that had a lower reading I didn't know if it will come in or not. Or what the cutoff number is for signal strength.
 
0 - 25 strength is where you will receive problems. The 40s are okay ,but if it rains you will most likely lose picture. 50 or above is supposed to be sufficient to avoid rain fade ,unless it is raining really hard and fast. Then you might still lose picture ,but it will return soon a the rain settles down to a steady rate.
 
I called for service to peak my EA dish. They arrived without a ladder, looked around, checked a couple of tps and looked outside and said I needed to trim some trees. Using the OPs post these are the numbers I get;

61.5 10 28
61.5 14 50
61.5 29 43
61.5 31 32


72.7 15 34
72.7 17 41
72.7 19 37
72.7 21 40

77 13 30
77 16 21
77 20 21
77 21 29

Do these numbers indicate a problem with trees? Or were the techs unprepared when they arrived to climb up on my second story roof and used that as the excuse?
 
Tomboy257 said:
I called for service to peak my EA dish. They arrived without a ladder, looked around, checked a couple of tps and looked outside and said I needed to trim some trees. Using the OPs post these are the numbers I get;

61.5 10 28
61.5 14 50
61.5 29 43
61.5 31 32


72.7 15 34
72.7 17 41
72.7 19 37
72.7 21 40

77 13 30
77 16 21
77 20 21
77 21 29

Do these numbers indicate a problem with trees? Or were the techs unprepared when they arrived to climb up on my second story roof and used that as the excuse?
Click to expand...
I think the techs were unprepared. I also believe that whoever installed your dish would not have put it there if they thought trees would interfere because they might be called back for a do over. With the readings you have, I believe it is elevation or azimuth that is off.
 
brownover said:
I think the techs were unprepared. I also believe that whoever installed your dish would not have put it there if they thought trees would interfere because they might be called back for a do over. With the readings you have, I believe it is elevation or azimuth that is off.
Click to expand...

Mine was one of the first EA installs, about 2 years ago. I also believe they weren't prepared (no ladder), but want some more input from the experts here before I call Dish back.

Thanks:)
 
After checking Dishpointer, it says an obstacle 164ft from the dish and 142ft high would interfere. I'm just not sure that the trees behind my house are that high. wouldn't 142ft relate to about 6 stories?
 

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