trouble finding bev 82W

[jessykanc]

I have a 6100 with the eliptical dish and 2 lnb's. It is really easy to find 91W... but am not having any luck with 82W. I have checked the footprint maps, and as I am in NC, the maps show that reception should be fine. Is anyone else having trouble locating 82W? Any ideas on how to find it?
Thanks... Jessykanc

 

[Anole]

Dial in the correct skew and lock it down.
Adjust elevation per your calculator.
I prefer this one: satsig.net/ssazelm.htm
Double check your azimuth - you may not have considered the local error for magnetic deviation.
A cheap sat meter makes short work of finding and fine tuning DBS satellites.

It's quite possible you are seeing 91 on the 82 LNB, and the 91 LNB is looking at...?

 

[jessykanc]

I have found 82 (I was pointing the plane of the dish at 82 instead of the lnb angle), so I can now see 91 and 82... but I am not sure how to see both at the same time? Is there a trick for doing this? The LNB's don't seem to have any kind of angle adjustments on them. Once you lock down on one signal, how do you find the other signal without losing the first? Thanks... Jessi

 

[Anole]

aiming 101 (the course, not the angle)

There should be a stickie around here for this but...

If your dish looks like the one below (trimmed from another picture on this forum), and has either the twin LNB (shown) or two individual LNBs, then...

Hook your coax to first one LNB and then to the other, without moving the dish, to see if you are on both satellites.
This is easier with a cheap alignment meter, but you could use your receiver.
Just make sure you bypass any in-line switches.
It's not necessary to run the switch test when changing - you may have a red bar, but the correct name of the satellite should be shown below the bar.

To answer your question, there is an adjustment on the back to the dish, which allows you to twist it as shown in the picure.
That is skew. You need to dial in the amount suggested by your calculator as the first step, and lock that down.
Then you set elevation, and snug it down gently.
Now, swinging the dish from side to side around the correct azimuth, you should find whichever bird the LNB that's connected to your receiver is aimed at.
After a little left-right fine tuning (then you snug that down), followed by a little up-down tuning, you should be pretty well peaked.

People talk about the left or right LNB, but nobody is clear if you are behind or in front of the dish.
It's easier to say "the LNB on the east side" of your dish, or "west side".
If anyone gets that wrong, they can go back to grade school.

Anyway, the eastern LNB will be 91 and the western LNB will be 82.

Hope that helps.
I've had no trouble finding the 110/119 nor 82/91 pair, when I've tried.

 

[jessykanc]

Progress... but still not there.
I have the dish pointed so that if I directly hook up the cable from 91 (no switch) I get a signal, and if I hook up the cable from 82 I get a signal without moving the dish. However, when I hook both lines into the switch, I only get 1 signal. The switch check is only able to find one satellite. Is this normal?

 

[Anole]

When you hook the receiver to each LNB, does the receiver say the correct bird's name under the red/green bar?

Then, either you have a bad switch, or an incompatible one.
Let's see, you've got a Canadian 6100... that's a Dish 811, I believe.
So, it'll do Legacy or DishPro LNBs and switches.
What exactly switch and LNBs do you have?
If the Dish LNBs don't say DishPro on them (maybe with a "dp" logo) then they are legacy.
You'll need a legacy switch to go with that.
What model is the switch??

 

[jessykanc]

Yep. When I hook up each line, the signal goes green for the appropriate bird.
This has to be somekind of switch issue. I have an 89 signal on 91, and a 55 signal on 82. I can see the preview channels on 82 so I know I am receiving signal.

I looked at the LNB's... all they said was Bell ExpressVu and a serial number.

I purchased the 6100 as part of the 6120 kit.. so
I am using the SW21 switch that was sent with the 6120 kit.
Just went to Radio Shack to see if they have an SW21 - no go. Have to get it from Dish. Is there a way to directly test a switch to see if it is bad?

 

[Anole]

Well, you could interchange the lines from the two LNBs to the switch.
In other words, swap inputs.
See if you then lose the other bird.

I'm not inclined to believe in a bad switch, 'till you've verified/checked/replaced the cables from the LNB to the switch.

Oh, then of course, you must run the switch test again.

edit: I think you're on the home stretch now.
I would recommend you go back and tweak the dish a bit more once you've made peace with your switch.
From where you are, I don't see any reason you shouldn't see some transponders on bird 82 in the 80's and none under 60.
I'll go look for my notes from when I've taken readings on that pair.

PS: SW21's are a dime a dozen.
Everybody who's seriously into selling/supporting Dish will have 'em.
Watch out for shipping charges, but you may see some for $15 to $25.
If you were close, I'd give you one!

 

[jessykanc]

Thank you for taking the time to discuss this with me. I appreciate the words of wisdom.


Am I supposed to use a special type of cable? I am just using regular coax cable like you would use with a cable TV outlet.

Good thinking on replacing the lnb lines first - I'll try that tomorrow.

 

[Anole]

I added some comments to my post above, then noticed that you posted again.
So, re-read it, if you would.

RG6 is the coax of choice.
Not the stuff that's usually used for TV or cable .
If you have a really short run, you might use what you have on hand, but in the bigger picture, that's not a very wise suggestion.

 

[jessykanc]

It was the switch. *phew* Finally hunted one down at a local dish network shop.

The signal on 82 is pretty weak though... averaging around 50. I believe that is because, looking at a map with 82's footprint, I am right at the edge in NC. Will signal amplifiers can help increase the signal strength? Are there any other dishes that are larger that might bring in a stronger signal?



Almost there. =)

 

[Anole]

amplifier

I spent $10 on one and it didn't do squat for me.
Your mileage may vary.
Some of the big hardware stores (and home improvement centers) carry them in the Phone/TV section.
You can return it if you don't like it.

 

[DCXFORDGM]

If you are on the edge of the foot print, I would recommend the Vu 90cm dish because if you are around 50, when it rains, snows you will loose satellite signal. The other option I have been seeing in toronto is using superdish's 105 or 121 and I have seen some of the dish 1000's also, the bigger the reflector/dish the more stable in rain or snow.

 

[Jumbo Dumbo]

The other option I have been seeing in toronto is using superdish's 105 or 121 and I have seen some of the dish 1000's also, the bigger the reflector/dish the more stable in rain or snow.

There is no advantage (ie gain in signal strength) to using a dish designed to cover 18 or 24 degrees of the satellite arc on Expressvu. Their satellites are 9 degrees apart. Superdishes and their kin may actually reduce your signal strength.

Gain can be added by going to a larger single dish/satellite. Check out Mike Kohl's sight to see different dish options: http://www.global-cm.net/DBSUPGRADE.html

 

[Anole]

bigger is better, and so is cheaper

If you are on the edge of the foot print, I would recommend the Vu 90cm dish because if you are around 50, when it rains, snows you will loose satellite signal.

Yep, bigger is better.
Though, I'm surprised you are near the edge of the footpriint.
I'll have to go take another look at 82.

The other option I have been seeing in toronto is using superdish's 105 or 121 and I have seen some of the dish 1000's also, the bigger the reflector/dish the more stable in rain or snow.

People in Toronto are using SuperDish to watch Dish America for international stations.
It's not used to get BEV.
Canadians using Dish 1000's are misinformed if using it for BEV.
It works worse than a Dish500.
They also are watching American TV.


PS: the prices listed on global-cm above are not attractive. Shop around.
I've posted similar list on a canadian forum with LNBs for those prices.

I was doing some research on bigger dishes, and found EyeInTheSky selling 24", 30", and 36" dishes with LNB at what I thought were reasonable prices.
$60, $90, $100, with a two-output legacy LNB.

On their web site, find the yellow Select A Product at the top, and click on: Antennas for Satellte.

I doubt anyone wants to go to 30", but if you do, here's better prices.
DishExperts have 33" Fortec Star with dual-output LNB for $75, and 36" for $85.
They have both USA and Canadian offices.