# Problems with Satellite 119



## Zim (May 7, 2006)

For the last few days we've had problems with satellite 119. We had the dish professionally installed two years ago and have had virtually no problems.

I've checked the connections, everything seems to be intact. The dish is mounted to the side of our house. It seems very sturdy to my non-professional eye. There is nothing directly in front of the dish (building or tree). However, there is a large maple tree which is off to the right of the line of sight of the dish. It doesn't appear to be in the way, but it has grown significantly since the installation of the dish.

I have run all the tests and I wonder if the switch could be bad. Do switches go bad? Can a switch be purchased on its own?

I'm sorry if these are dumb questions, but I am not very knowledgeable about installing this type of equipment. 

I should say, we have two receivers and the problem is on both of them.

Edited to add: I have the Dish 500 twin.


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## markyd21 (Mar 28, 2006)

Zim said:


> For the last few days we've had problems with satellite 119. We had the dish professionally installed two years ago and have had virtually no problems.
> 
> I've checked the connections, everything seems to be intact. The dish is mounted to the side of our house. It seems very sturdy to my non-professional eye. There is nothing directly in front of the dish (building or tree). However, there is a large maple tree which is off to the right of the line of sight of the dish. It doesn't appear to be in the way, but it has grown significantly since the installation of the dish.
> 
> ...


119 does come in from just to the right of where the arm points. The tree may indeed be the problem. Does the sweitch check result say

[XX XX 110 110]
XX XX odd even ?


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## Zim (May 7, 2006)

markyd21 said:


> 119 does come in from just to the right of where the arm points. The tree may indeed be the problem. Does the sweitch check result say
> 
> [XX XX 110 110]
> XX XX odd even ?


That's the weird part. Sometimes I have run the check and indeed the result you list is what I get. I had to run it several times to get 119 and 110 to both show up, but really none of the 119 channels will work for more than a few seconds at a time.

My snag with the tree is that it is next to a power line and I can't cut it back myself. I'm supposed to get the power company out here to do it. I want to see if that will help before I pay the fee for a technician to come out here.


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## markyd21 (Mar 28, 2006)

Zim said:


> That's the weird part. Sometimes I have run the check and indeed the result you list is what I get. I had to run it several times to get 119 and 110 to both show up, but really none of the 119 channels will work for more than a few seconds at a time.
> 
> My snag with the tree is that it is next to a power line and I can't cut it back myself. I'm supposed to get the power company out here to do it. I want to see if that will help before I pay the fee for a technician to come out here.


Does 119 transponder 11 show any signal? even just a little?


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## Zim (May 7, 2006)

markyd21 said:


> Does 119 transponder 11 show any signal? even just a little?


Yeah, it comes and goes, but it's generally around 30-45.


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## vinobabu (Mar 13, 2006)

I too had problems with satellite 119 yesterday, in all my 3 receivers. the picture comes and goes, but basically I was not getting any of the channels from 119. Signal strength was averaging around 50.

Check switch resulted in 

110 119 65
all odd all

My Dish 500 has a clear view (no building or trees)!!


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## chadh (Mar 9, 2006)

vinobabu said:


> I too had problems with satellite 119 yesterday, in all my 3 receivers. the picture comes and goes, but basically I was not getting any of the channels from 119. Signal strength was averaging around 50.
> 
> Check switch resulted in
> 
> ...


I also have been having probems with 119 The past 2 days. Although I just got done moving the cables around to replace a bad SW64. One of the 119 cables had corroded off in the switch and shorted out the SAT 1 ports A and B. But, my check switch comes up fine with a new SW44. The 119 transponders show anywhere from mid 40's to the 60's, TP's 2 and 12 seemed to be the lowest. And the signal fluctuates quite a bit. The 110 transponders are 80's and up and stable, so, I'm guessing the allignment of the dish is ok. The trees have stated getting leaves here, but that's never been a problem before. I think my problem is with the cables, but perhpas there's something more if other people are having issues.

Out of curiosity, when aligning the dish, which is the best transponder to use for each of the Dish Sats? I see quite a bit of difference and some are just not active.

Chad


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## boba (May 23, 2003)

Does your signal strength change on 119 with the wind blowing the tree. If it does you probably found your problem.


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## The intimidator (Apr 14, 2006)

It's the tree guarenteed. Did the Problem start as soon as thre foilage filled in?
Easier to raise the dish a few feet sometimes than to trim certain trees..


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## Haley (Jul 21, 2006)

_I hate messing with this stuff it should just work. LOLOL
But that said I've been playing with trying to make the 119 Sat better. Usually it's 50 or less. It drops out all the time now days. I hate it. So I did switch out the two switches on the dish with each other. That did nothing! I tried re aiming the dish but wrote down the original settings. Did not help. Had the Brother come over and take his shotgun and blow out the limbs on the fur trees in case that was it. Hmm? Ok I give up. I've even changed out the cables from one LNB to the other one. I have not changed out the LNBs yet. :nono2:

What should I do next? Hmmm? _

My Comment: This should be easier!


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## oljim (Aug 6, 2002)

Move the dish or cut the tree


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## Haley (Jul 21, 2006)

_
119 Sat problem???

Is it usually a tree problem or a defective part?:nono2:_


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## BigBill34 (Mar 29, 2006)

oljim said:


> Move the dish or cut the tree


I have the same issue and have a tree to the right of my dish, however I get an average signal in the daytime hours, and then no signal at night! And yes, I need to prune the tree back, but it is not my tree.


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## wkomorow (Apr 22, 2002)

BigBill34 said:


> I have the same issue and have a tree to the right of my dish, however I get an average signal in the daytime hours, and then no signal at night! And yes, I need to prune the tree back, but it is not my tree.


Any chance that you have wasps or bees or other insects that are using the LNB or Dish as a nesting area and that they are returning at night creating a mass interfering with your signal, but are out foraging during the day?


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## trowlison (Sep 29, 2005)

Zim...

I know everyone is talking signal strength, but you failed to mention what kind of dish you have. I had a similar problem last week, and found out the problem was with the Superdish. I ended up getting a Dish 500 and have had no problems since. 

I know how irritating it is. I subscribe to the MLB Extra Inning package, and a number of games are on 119.

By the way... I hope my post doesn't sound to dumb either. I've been lurking for over 2 years, and am finally posting.


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## Satpro92 (Jan 30, 2005)

wkomorow said:


> Any chance that you have wasps or bees or other insects that are using the LNB or Dish as a nesting area and that they are returning at night creating a mass interfering with your signal, but are out foraging during the day?


Wasps building nests on the center of the wave guide (usually on the probe) was a common problem with C-Band. I have never heared of it with Dish (I dont know where they could build to block the signal).

We also had the occasional ant nest built up inside the LNB,but again, I have never seen that with Dish.


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## katellite (Jul 30, 2006)

I have the exact same problem with 119. I had a tree blofcking it, it was next to a power line, but I cut most of it down anyway. Then I have this issue where 119 says I only get ODD, or I only receive the odd transponders. I'm not sure if this is due to the parts of the tree that still remain, or because of some switch issue. I've been told in my forum post on satelliteguys to power down all my receivers simultaneously and then power on and do the checkswitch multiple times. (Basically a reset), I''ll let you know if I find out the cause, or if you have any other advice that'd be nice


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## katellite (Jul 30, 2006)

Hi,

I have a problem that my 119 report says I only get ODD, meaning I think that I only get the odd transponders. Please read my thread in satelliteguys.us (at least the second page), there is a much more detailed explanation there.

http://www.satelliteguys.us/showthread.php?t=72270

Here is a picture of what my dish looks like-









Any help,info, advice is appreciated,, 
thanks,
k


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## James Long (Apr 17, 2003)

katellite said:


> I've been told in my forum post on satelliteguys to power down all my receivers simultaneously and then power on and do the checkswitch multiple times. (Basically a reset)


Sounds like decent advice. Have you done it?

It is possible the switch is confused - that reset will help.
It is possible your receiver is confused - disconnect from the switch, do a checkswitch (finding nothing) then reconnect to the switch and do a checkswitch.

If you have other receivers are they showing the same "119 ODD" error?
It's possible you have a bad LNB (if all else fails, get another one!)


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## katellite (Jul 30, 2006)

James Long said:


> Sounds like decent advice. Have you done it?
> 
> It is possible the switch is confused - that reset will help.
> It is possible your receiver is confused - disconnect from the switch, do a checkswitch (finding nothing) then reconnect to the switch and do a checkswitch.
> ...


Of course I did it.,

Afterwards, I do have multiple receivers that are all showing the same 119 odd error. I even replaced the LNB with another satellite/LNB that I have and I get the same error. I also eliminated the entire switch and cabling and I still get the same error. I average about 30-50 with flashes of zero on my signal strength on 119 TP 17, I can't even get any signal on other tps afaik right now..


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## James Long (Apr 17, 2003)

Everything you have said points to a bad LNB - perhaps a tree in the way but likely a bad LNB.


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## katellite (Jul 30, 2006)

James Long said:


> Everything you have said points to a bad LNB - perhaps a tree in the way but likely a bad LNB.


Well I have tried different LNBs so this to me seems unlikely..


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## James Long (Apr 17, 2003)

Then you likely have a tree problem or multiple failure.


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## trowlison (Sep 29, 2005)

James Long said:


> Then you likely have a tree problem or multiple failure.


 Again... or a Superdish problem. I tried everything mentioned also, and no trees or wasp nests within sight. The tech told me it was a problem with the dish itself, and the reason why most locals left 121.


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