Weak Orby signal in Central NY?

[dozrdave]

Hi all. I am new to this forum. I have been a DirecTV customer for 25 years. Finally had to try something different now that AT&T got its greedy hands on DirecTV and finally made it unaffordable. I am not a professional satellite installer by any means but I have installed DirecTV systems for myself and others many times without trouble. I purchased and installed a new Orby system using their self-install kit. My experience is finding and locking in the Orby satellite is much more fussy than DirecTV. No doubt because Orby uses only the one satellite vs. DirecTV's four.

I am curious if there are any others that installed an Orby in the Syracuse/Central NY area and how you find the signal strength and quality to be. My experience is once the signal is found, I can only get a signal quality of 60% on the BT03 signal meter at signal strength of 92%. There is no peaking of the signal by changing the elevation or azimuth. If the elevation is moved off even 1/4 degree the signal is lost. Same for azimuth - rotating the dish even 1/64" either direction from a "lock" witness mark will lose the signal. There is either 60% SQ with signal lock, or zero.

Frustrated I carefully re-evaluated my site conditions. I believed I had clear line of sight, but after not being able to dial in a better signal I thought one tree on my property may be causing some signal obstruction. So I invested the time, money and labor to move the dish to a new location to be sure I have a totally unobstructed path. Still the same, disappointing, result - 92 SS, 60 SQ and lock, or nothing. Any suggestions on what I might be able to do to obtain better signal readings? I find that 60 SQ on the BT03 is not a sufficient signal for the Orby receiver picture quality - a cloud goes by and the signal lock goes away. I spoke with an Orby installation customer service rep and his answer is I am the only one he has ever spoken to with this trouble (basically since I'm not a professional installer, I am not qualified to install/tweak their system). Is there some parts of the northeast that the Orby satellite signal may not be sufficient to service, at least with the Orby supplied standard equipment? I basically like the Orby service (at least the "idea" of it) and am OK with the channel selection, so I want to try to find a solution before sending Orby to the same place I sent DirecTV. Thank you.

 

[lonelyfool123]

Have you double checked the skew?

 

[dozrdave]

Have you double checked the skew?

Yes skew is set to 34.9 as required. Thanks

 

[Tvland1]

I've done 4 in central Ohio and all were around sq88 ss85... That's really strange..It just sounds like your a hair off..I even notice one I did wasn't very plum but still has great signal

 

[KE4EST]

Sounds like you have a warped reflector. Does the dish itself look damaged, warped, creased, bent, in any way?
Could also be an LNBF that has an issue out of the box.
Also, are you running the coax directly to the receiver? If you have any thing in-line like a ground block or diplexor, take those out temporarily and run a straight run.
I also, have done a few and the signal is very strong and pops in really easy.

 

[dozrdave]

I've done 4 in central Ohio and all were around sq88 ss85... That's really strange..It just sounds like your a hair off..I even notice one I did wasn't very plum but still has great signal

I agree that it sounds like I am a hair off. But that’s the problem - if I move it a hair, it’s off!

 

[dozrdave]

Sounds like you have a warped reflector. Does the dish itself look damaged, warped, creased, bent, in any way?
Could also be an LNBF that has an issue out of the box.
Also, are you running the coax directly to the receiver? If you have any thing in-line like a ground block or diplexor, take those out temporarily and run a straight run.
I also, have done a few and the signal is very strong and pops in really easy.

Hi. Thanks for the input. Yes I have done a direct line to the receiver but no difference. Plus I use a signal meter at the dish with the same disappointing results. I purchased two installation kits so have tried both LNBs and reflectors - no difference.

 

[phlatwound]

...I even notice one I did wasn't very plum but still has great signal

A fixed dish does not require a plumb pole, you just have to aim it properly and allow for the out-of-plumb condition, which it sounds like you did.

A plumb pole does make it somewhat easier though.

 

[N6BY]

Hi. Thanks for the input. Yes I have done a direct line to the receiver but no difference. Plus I use a signal meter at the dish with the same disappointing results. I purchased two installation kits so have tried both LNBs and reflectors - no difference.

I recently installed an Orby dish. I had trouble until I discovered a sharp kink in my coax. I removed the offending section of coax and quickly got a good lock.

I doubt if the problem is a warped reflector. When I got my Orby dish I was very impressed at how solid it was. I don't think I could have bent it if I had tried. OTOH, my GeosatPro 1.2 M dishes warp very easily. I am on my 3rd one!

... Are you any relation to Dozer Dave (Dave Turin) from Gold Rush?

 

[cee]

Hi all. I am new to this forum. I have been a DirecTV customer for 25 years. Finally had to try something different now that AT&T got its greedy hands on DirecTV and finally made it unaffordable. I am not a professional satellite installer by any means but I have installed DirecTV systems for myself and others many times without trouble. I purchased and installed a new Orby system using their self-install kit. My experience is finding and locking in the Orby satellite is much more fussy than DirecTV. No doubt because Orby uses only the one satellite vs. DirecTV's four.

I am curious if there are any others that installed an Orby in the Syracuse/Central NY area and how you find the signal strength and quality to be. My experience is once the signal is found, I can only get a signal quality of 60% on the BT03 signal meter at signal strength of 92%. There is no peaking of the signal by changing the elevation or azimuth. If the elevation is moved off even 1/4 degree the signal is lost. Same for azimuth - rotating the dish even 1/64" either direction from a "lock" witness mark will lose the signal. There is either 60% SQ with signal lock, or zero.

Frustrated I carefully re-evaluated my site conditions. I believed I had clear line of sight, but after not being able to dial in a better signal I thought one tree on my property may be causing some signal obstruction. So I invested the time, money and labor to move the dish to a new location to be sure I have a totally unobstructed path. Still the same, disappointing, result - 92 SS, 60 SQ and lock, or nothing. Any suggestions on what I might be able to do to obtain better signal readings? I find that 60 SQ on the BT03 is not a sufficient signal for the Orby receiver picture quality - a cloud goes by and the signal lock goes away. I spoke with an Orby installation customer service rep and his answer is I am the only one he has ever spoken to with this trouble (basically since I'm not a professional installer, I am not qualified to install/tweak their system). Is there some parts of the northeast that the Orby satellite signal may not be sufficient to service, at least with the Orby supplied standard equipment? I basically like the Orby service (at least the "idea" of it) and am OK with the channel selection, so I want to try to find a solution before sending Orby to the same place I sent DirecTV. Thank you.

hello dozrdave im about 2hrs south east of you near hamden / walton area
i don't have a orby dish to test signals but using a old fortec 90cm ku band dish.these are my signals hope this somewhat helps.

 

[Tvland1]

I just got back from replacing my mom's lnb on her Orby dish that a tree limb broke in storm.. replaced the LNB with extra I had...Realigned the dish and got a SQ 77 and SS 94 using BT meter with only 3ft coax at the dish.Checked the receiver and had SQ 89 SS 84.. about 75ft coax with the diplexer at dish..
Just for testing purposes I also played with the skew to see if it makes any changes.. Setting for the location is 33.7..I slowly moved it all the way to 0 and had no difference.. Checked both transponders and no change.
Gotta Plug Michael at Orby.. Sent a email asking how to get a replacement for the broken LNB and he responded telling me that one would be sent out Monday..No charge

 

[dozrdave]

hello dozrdave im about 2hrs south east of you near hamden / walton area
i don't have a orby dish to test signals but using a old fortec 90cm ku band dish.these are my signals hope this somewhat helps.

Thank you for the info. Unfortunately since you are not using the Orby supplied dish, it is difficult to relate your readings to mine. The fact that you are using a larger dish in itself may result in the better signal quality reading.

 

[dozrdave]

I just got back from replacing my mom's lnb on her Orby dish that a tree limb broke in storm.. replaced the LNB with extra I had...Realigned the dish and got a SQ 77 and SS 94 using BT meter with only 3ft coax at the dish.Checked the receiver and had SQ 89 SS 84.. about 75ft coax with the diplexer at dish..
Just for testing purposes I also played with the skew to see if it makes any changes.. Setting for the location is 33.7..I slowly moved it all the way to 0 and had no difference.. Checked both transponders and no change.
Gotta Plug Michael at Orby.. Sent a email asking how to get a replacement for the broken LNB and he responded telling me that one would be sent out Monday..No charge

Hi - thank you for taking the time to reply to my post. I am hoping that someone in the Central NY area will eventually see this post and share their experience. Your location is far enough away from mine that one cannot make any direct correlations between readings. Using the BT03 meter at the dish I can only get 60% SQ at 92% SS. Very disappointing.

 

[Titanium]

No one has shared signal readings taken with a BT03 meter. The readings that members have provided are taken from the Orby receiver.

I don't have a BT03 meter, so unable to comment on what the reading displays are supposed to be when the dish is properly aimed. I can tell you that a cheap satellite meter will not display the same meter readings as a satellite receiver. Are the BT03 meter readings accurate and compare to an Orby receiver? I don't know, but I doubt it. Maybe someone has both the BT03 and an Orby receiver could comment?

A Signal Quality reading expressed as a percentage is not based on any industry protocol or scale calibration. It is possible that the meter readings on the Orby STB are significantly different than the reading displayed on a BT03 meter.

Have you connected the Orby receiver and TV at the satellite dish? If so, what are the satellite signal readings displayed from the Orby receiver?

What is the coax length, type and age from the dish to the TV location?

Are the signal readings different at the dish and in at the TV position?

 

[FTA4PA]

No one has shared signal readings taken with a BT03 meter. The readings that members have provided are taken from the Orby receiver.

I don't have a BT03 meter, so unable to comment on what the reading displays are supposed to be when the dish is properly aimed. I can tell you that a cheap satellite meter will not display the same meter readings as a satellite receiver. Are the BT03 meter readings accurate and compare to an Orby receiver? I don't know, but I doubt it. Maybe someone has both the BT03 and an Orby receiver could comment?

A Signal Quality reading expressed as a percentage is not based on any industry protocol or scale calibration. It is possible that the meter readings on the Orby STB are significantly different than the reading displayed on a BT03 meter.

Have you connected the Orby receiver and TV at the satellite dish? If so, what are the satellite signal readings displayed from the Orby receiver?

What is the coax length, type and age from the dish to the TV location?

Are the signal readings different at the dish and in at the TV position?

I don't have a BT03 meter but I do have a Satlink WS-6933. The Satlink shows about 50% quality but the actual Orby receiver shows nearly 80%. I am using a modded DirecTV slimline.

 

[dozrdave]

No one has shared signal readings taken with a BT03 meter. The readings that members have provided are taken from the Orby receiver.

I don't have a BT03 meter, so unable to comment on what the reading displays are supposed to be when the dish is properly aimed. I can tell you that a cheap satellite meter will not display the same meter readings as a satellite receiver. Are the BT03 meter readings accurate and compare to an Orby receiver? I don't know, but I doubt it. Maybe someone has both the BT03 and an Orby receiver could comment?

A Signal Quality reading expressed as a percentage is not based on any industry protocol or scale calibration. It is possible that the meter readings on the Orby STB are significantly different than the reading displayed on a BT03 meter.

Have you connected the Orby receiver and TV at the satellite dish? If so, what are the satellite signal readings displayed from the Orby receiver?

What is the coax length, type and age from the dish to the TV location?

Are the signal readings different at the dish and in at the TV position?

Thanks for taking the time to respond. The readings from the BT03, 60% SQ & 92% SS correspond to the Orby receiver signal readings as 50% Signal Margin, 80% Signal Strength. I have (2) separate Orby receivers installed in my house, one approximately 40' RG-6 coax run, the other approximately 90'. Both receivers read exactly the same SM & SS readings at their respective installed locations in the house (50% SM, 80% SS). I have tried the Orby receiver and a TV at the dish (less than 10' RG-6 coax to from LNB directly to receiver) with no difference in the signal readings (50% SM, 80% SS). I just cannot get any better signal readings and if SM goes below 49% (like when a cloud floats by) the lock goes away. The highest SM I have observed is 52% on a perfectly clear night. At 52% SM the picture is solid. at 49/50% the picture loses information or drops out completely. If its a cloudy day with or without rain, it is impossible to lock a signal.

 

[Keith Brannen]

Perhaps you can post photos of your install, showing the dish, LNB, the direction the dish is pointing, etc. Someone might pick up something from that.

 

[Titanium]

I would expect to observe a higher signal reading with one receiver at the dish as compared to inserting a splitter and cable runs to two receivers. This makes no sense.

Please take a photo from behind the dish showing the direction and clearing that the dish is aimed. Also take a photo of the skew scale.

Are the signal readings taken directly from the LNBF or through the diplexer with a terrestrial antenna?

 

[Tvland1]

Here's readings using BT3 meter again..I posted earlier the difference at my mom's.This is at my house using Orby dish... Cloudy rainy day..The BT3 seems to be about 10 low on SQ on the 2 different systems I've checked.. which is just the opposite of what your getting

 

[dozrdave]

Thank you to all who took the time to assist me. I have solved my problem. Based on the general consensus being that I was just a little off on aiming, had an obstructed signal path or coax issue, I took a look at my install once again. I used premium RG-6 when I wired my house and, since the problem occurred with a signal meter right at the LNB, I ruled out the coax issue. I reviewed my signal path once again and verified it is totally unobstructed. So the last thing has to be aiming. I tried once again to dial in the signal readings but was unable to do any better than SQ of 60 on the BT03 signal meter. Since the lock window is so small I am just not able to get a satisfactory adjustment mechanically. I find it difficult to move either the azimuth or the elevation adjustments with any real finesse.

My old DirecTv Slimline mount is essentially identical to the Orby mount, only made from 2 or 3 gauges heavier steel than the Orby mount. It does not flex like the Orby mount will. Plus the Slimline mount has very convenient fine adjustment screws on both the azimuth and elevation. I removed the Slimline reflector and mounted the Orby reflector in its place. No modifications necessary. I also removed the Slimline LNB and mounting arm, drilled out the mounting arm holes for 5/16 bolts (Slimline arm uses 1/4" mounting bolts) and mounted the Orby supplied LNB and mounting arm. Popped the entire assembly on my mast, hooked up the BT03 signal meter and once again found the signal with 92% SS and 60% SQ. I was then able to dial it in using the fine adjustments to a peak 77% SQ and 93% SS on the BT03 signal meter - took less than 5 minutes to dial in. I cannot explain why I was not able to dial it in better with the Orby mount given the hours I spent trying. I can only surmise I am like a bull in a china factory when it comes to fine tuning.

Thank you all.