# 1000.4 pointing problem - 119 received on 129



## MakZ06

This is my first post and I'm looking for a little help. *I've tried to read through all the good info here haven't found an answer yet. *I'm trying to point a new 1000.4 Western arc Dish Network dish but continue to have problems. *I've received the strongest signal I can by covering the LNBs with foil on the left and right leaving only the center 119 open. *Got best signal tweaking azimuth and then elevation. *Set skew to 129.4 per dish pointer and elevation is about 35-36. *I am using the input on the far left which I believe is 119.*
After removing foil and using "check switch" I get signal strength of 85 on 119, *74 strength on 110, but 129 picks up the wrong satellite "119" with a strength of 84. * I have tried adjusting the azimuth about 5 and 10 degrees further east and then west but loose my signals doing that. *
I'll add that I have previously picked up 129 but it was a very weak signal that went in and out and prompted me starting over with the pointing process. *Since I am picking up 119 on 129 I assumed I direct the dish further West but like I said I get much worse or no signal. *BTW, the dish pointer display on tv shows 119 in first column, then 110, then "conn" in the 3rd column with an "X" below. *I'm in Blairsville, GA.
Thanks for any help/suggestions.


----------



## EdJ

Have you tried to aim the dish to the Eastern Arc? I am looking at the EA here in western NY and the satellites are pretty much due south.


----------



## MakZ06

EdJ said:


> Have you tried to aim the dish to the Eastern Arc? I am looking at the EA here in western NY and the satellites are pretty much due south.


I'm pretty sure this is the one setup only for use with the western satellites. I have much more obstructed line of sight to the East anyway.


----------



## scooper

In order to see the 119 LNB, you'll need to have your coax in the far left input. 

Also , do a Check Switch without an LNB attached to clear the current matrix first.

Battlezone will probably be by later with additional info.


----------



## harsh

It seems likely pointed too far east and your elevation is way too high. If you believe the check switch screen telling you that you're receiving 119W on the 129W LNB so your off by quite a bit (-9.5 degrees azimuth and +7.4 degrees elevation). If you're elevation is off by this much, your mast isn't plumb or you're reading the wrong part of the scale.

When making azimuth adjustments, you need to work in much finer increments than 5 degrees at a whack.


Self-installing is overrated.


----------



## MakZ06

I'm using the far left 119 port. I've tried moving the azimuth toward west in 1 degree increments but the signal gets gradually worse until nothing within a few degrees. Tried the same adjusting the elevation up and down. Keep ending up back where I was with great signals for 110 and 119 but 129 is screwed up. This thing is driving me nuts. Must be something stupid I'm doing or missing.


----------



## scooper

#1 - Pole MUST be plumb - 2 readings with your level 90 degrees apart.
#2 - set your skew and LEAVE IT ALONE
#3 - put your coax on the correct LNB port
#4 - cover the other 2 LNBs with foil
#5 - Make sure you're reading your skew and elevation angles at the correct spot
#6 - small changes in azimuth and elevation - 5 degrees is way too much.
#7 - check your location at www.dishpointer.com for proper readings.

Some of these you're doing already - but the list is something for you to think about.

Some sort of sat meter makes this MUCH easier. even the $25 cheap analog ones.

129 is going to be lower in the sky than 119, as well as further west (for your location in GA).


----------



## MakZ06

Must be a line of sight issue with 129. Doing everything right as best I can tell. Readings from correct locations and triple checked that the mast was plumb in both directions. Thanks for the help. Guess i will have to live with it as-is.


----------



## BattleZone

Try this:

Take some aluminum foil and cover the two outside LNBs (the white caps). Re-run Check Switch. Do you see 119 in the first slot on the Check Switch screen, with Conn Conn on 110 and 129? If so, your dish is properly centered, and won't need to be moved much. If not, then you've mis-pointed the dish.










On your screen, you should have:

119 | 110 | 129 | NC


----------



## MakZ06

Covered the outside LNBs and re ran the check switch. Yes, 119 is OK in slot 1 with conn in slot 2 and 3. Thanks
Love that avatar BTW, Battlezone was a great one.


----------



## BattleZone

Okay, that being the case, then you either have something blocking your LOS from the dish to the 129 sat, or you have a bad LNB.

And, yeah, I'm a fan of a lot of the old Vector Graphics games from the early 80s, with BattleZone being a particular favorite.


----------



## kpaustin

When I first installed my 1000+ (pointed at 110, 118, 119, 129) I misread the elevation markers on the mount. I had the tightening bolt _*itself*_ on the correct elevation, but there is a small arrow that actually points to the elevation setting scale. It drove me nuts until I saw that and realized I'm an idiot. So if it's true that you seem to be off by a significant amount of elevation (as harsh said) I'd double-check that setting.


----------

