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Topic: Satellite T.V. (Read 7 times) previous topic - next topic
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Satellite T.V.
Yahoo Message Number: 108938
I'm still not understanding this Direct T.V. satellite set up thing. We went down to San Ysidro last week and I tried to get satellite reception but was unable to do so. I have a round Wiegard 18" dish mounted on top of my '91 26.5' RB coach. Between the dish and the Direct T.V. reciever I have a Wingard Signal finder. Between the reciever and a 19" Insignia HDTV flatscreen I am using RCA 3 wire connection. When checking for a signal I am getting srong reception according to the signal finder at the prescribed coordinates provided by the Direct TV reciever. However, the reciever box indicates that it is not getting reception when I do the satellite test. There were no obstructions between the dish and the satellite. I was able to get reception at our house in Downey before we left. I did change the ZIP code to the one at the RV park from ours at home on the reciever box. Also, there were several people at the RV Resort that had tripod mounted Direct tv dishes and I assume they were getting reception.
I guess my questions are:1) How difficult is it to get reception in some areas or is it impossible in some areas? 2) am I missing something here or is it really that hard to get reception? (I can't see spending hours trying to get reception).3) Could the age of my dish have something to do with recetion? This whole experience ws very frustrating. I may have to come up with another plan for T.V.
Re: Satellite T.V.
Reply #1 –
Yahoo Message Number: 108940
Quote
When checking for a signal I am getting srong reception according to the signal finder at the prescribed coordinates provided by the Direct TV reciever. However, the reciever box indicates that it is not getting reception when I do the satellite test. There were no obstructions between the dish and the satellite. I was able to get reception at our house in Downey before we left. I did change the ZIP code to the one at the RV park from ours at home on the reciever box.

 If you got reception at your house with the exact same setup...and you haven't changed anything...then there are a couple of possiblities.

1) Are you absolutely SURE that you are homing in on the correct satellite?  If you are getting a strong signal on your satellite finder, but the  receiver is saying there is no signal, that says to me that you might be  homed in on the wrong satellite (the satellite finder will show a signal no  matter which satellite you're finding, but if it's not the correct one, your  receiver won't pick it up).  When you put the Zip Code into your receiver,  it gave you an Azimuth and an Elevation (the only reason to put in a Zip  Code, by the way...just to get these two coordinates).  You might want to  get a compass and make sure your dish is aimed at the correct Azimuth.  Some  of these satellites are fairly close together, so it sometimes doesn't take  much of an error to home in on the wrong one.

2) The LNB *might* be bad, but if it were, I would think that you'd get no
 signal on the satellite finder

Quote
I guess my questions are:1) How difficult is it to get reception in some areas or is it impossible in some areas? 2) am I missing something here or is it really that hard to get reception? (I can't see spending hours trying to get reception).3) Could the age of my dish have something to do with recetion?

 If you're aimed at the correct satellite and all of your equipment is hooked up correctly and working properly, it shouldn't take much time to find the satellite...the more you do it, the quicker the process becomes.  Once you become proficient at it, it shouldn't take much more than 5 minutes.
 As long as you have a clear shot to the southern sky where the 101 satellite is located, you should be able to get a signal no matter where in the U.S. you are.
 I doubt the age of your dish has anything to do with your problem...unless, as I said, you have a bad LNB.
 By the way, what kind of receiver do you have?  You indicated your TV was an HDTV...if you have an HD receiver, just be aware that you will not be able to get your HD channels with the dish you currently have.  However, all your SD (non-HD) channels will still be the same.

Linda Hylton http://map.datastormusers.com/user1.cfm?user=1167 http://earl-linda.blogspot.com
Linda Hylton
Re: Satellite T.V.
Reply #2 –
Yahoo Message Number: 108941
Linda, I did use a compass to get to the general coordinates and then fined tuned the dish with the signal finder. As I was turning the dish I did notice another signal but it was about 180 degs. away from where the box was telling me to go. Also, others in the park were also pointed to the spot my box was directing me to go. Their dishes were Direct T.V. boxes.
The reciever isn't a digital reciever box. I bought it from Best Buy and had it registered and started service before we left? If I had a bad connection at the box, but not bad enough to eliminate reception, could that make the reception too weak to be recognized by the box? And, how would I know which satellite I am aiming at? I'm thinking I saw it somewhere on the satellite selection on the box read-out and I'm thinking it said 171 and not 101. Hmmmmmmmm.

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Re: Satellite T.V.
Reply #3 –
Yahoo Message Number: 108942
Linda, You made the comment " You should be able to get reception no matter where in the U.S. you are". I was approximately 1 mile from the Mexican border. Could that be a problem?

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Re: Satellite T.V.
Reply #4 –
Yahoo Message Number: 108943
You made the comment " You should be able to get reception no matter where in the U.S. you are". I was approximately 1 mile from the Mexican border.
Could that be a problem?


 It shouldn't since the signal "bleeds over" into both Canada and Mexico.
And other people in the RV parks where you are with DirecTV dishes up would confirm that you should be able to get a signal in your current location.

Linda Hylton http://map.datastormusers.com/user1.cfm?user=1167 http://earl-linda.blogspot.com
Linda Hylton
Re: Satellite T.V.
Reply #5 –
Yahoo Message Number: 108944
Quote
The reciever isn't a digital reciever box.
 If I had a bad connection at the box, but not bad enough to eliminate reception, could that make the reception too weak to be recognized by the box?

 If there's a bad/loose connection between the satellite finder (which was telling you it was receiving a signal) and the receiver, then, yes, your receiver wouldn't be picking up the signal.

Quote
And, how would I know which satellite I am aiming at? I'm thinking I saw it somewhere on the satellite selection on the box read-out and I'm thinking it said 171 and not 101.

 No, SD programming for DirecTV is on the 101 satellite.  I don't know where the 171 came from, because DirecTV does not use such a satellite.  At one time, DirecTV used 5 satellites to receive their total programming, both SD & HD: 99, 101, 103, 110 and 119.  I *think* they've since dropped the 110 and the 119 and are now just using the first 3.  But you're not concerned with the 99 and the 103 since your dish isn't capable of picking up the KA band signal they use for HD programming.

Linda Hylton http://map.datastormusers.com/user1.cfm?user=1167 http://earl-linda.blogspot.com
Linda Hylton
Re: Satellite T.V.
Reply #6 –
Yahoo Message Number: 108945
Linda, Thanks for the information. I will go play with it again later today and dpost the results. Be well. Dale.

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Re: Satellite T.V.
Reply #7 –
Yahoo Message Number: 108947
Dale, I agree with all of Linda's comments.  Here's one of my own.  Are you relying totally on the signal finder or are you manually turning the sat dish side to side and up and down (ever so slightly) to home on on the 101 satellite?  In other words, are you doing the final fine tuning manually?
 Are you following all the on-screen prompts from start to finish as you try to connect to the satellite?
 I have found that following the prompts and using the on-screen provide azimuth and altitude gets me pretty close to connected (sometimes right on) and then it only takes a little manual moving of the sat dish to hit the sweet spot.

Chris
Formerly: 2002 30' IB
Re: Satellite T.V.
Reply #8 –
Yahoo Message Number: 108951
Linda & Chris, This is later and I've had a chance to play with the satellite. AND the results are (drum roll): It took me @5 minutes and I was watching satellite T.V. !!!!! I did all the same things (now at home in Downey). I adjusted the dish to the azimuth and altitude that were suggested and I got reception before I was able to fine tune with the Finder. Which I later did. Whew, easy fix.
The best answer I can give for not being able to get reception is the fact that we were too near the border and electronic interference? The park was AAA approved and claimed to have WIFI that also didn't happen. It was called La Pacifica on W. San Ysidro Blvd. It was a nice, clean, reasonably priced and quiet facility, but, know that it is technologically challenged.

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Satellite T.V.
Reply #9 –
Yahoo Message Number: 108963
My guess you need to run check switch from the set up menu.  At home you probably have a dual LNB while you only have one on your RV.  I have to do this every time I take my receiver form home and put in my RV.  I have to repeat this process when I return my receiver to home.  I have Dish Network but my guess this applies to Direct TV as well.

Paul Dixon

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Re: Satellite T.V.
Reply #10 –
Yahoo Message Number: 109045
Linda & Chris, This is later and I've had a chance to play with the satellite. AND the results are (drum roll): It took me @5 minutes and I was watching satellite T.V. !!!!! I did all the same things (now at home in Downey). I adjusted the sate the azimuth and altitude that

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