# Lost 129 signal and all 129 stations.



## ronimous (Jan 31, 2007)

So I was checking all my signal strenghts the other day and I noticed that I'm now getting a 0 signal on my 129 sat. It wasn't that great to begin with (50's), but on a nice sunny day I could get my 129 stations. So I ran a check switch and now all the stations disappeared from my program guide and I'm still getting a zero signal strength. 

I used to be able to at least tune to a 129 station and it would come in occasionally, but now that option is gone because they aren't even in the program guide anymore.

Any ideas?


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## lujan (Feb 10, 2004)

Do you know if your dish might have moved even slightly?


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## Mike D-CO5 (Mar 12, 2003)

Do a check switch to clear the matrix . 

1. unplug all sat cabels from the receiver and run a check switch without them connected. 
2. Rerun a check switch with the sat cables connected. 
3. Let the guide download and then do a power cord reboot- unplug for 1 - 5 minutes and replug in. 

The sat channels should be back.


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## tcooper185 (Dec 2, 2006)

Same problem here...no 129 satellite for the Voom HDs and ESPN2HD, etc. I did what Mike D-CO5 suggested, and even left the unit unplugged for over an hour. No luck at all.

I had this problem a few weeks after the install (back in December) and the install guy ended up replacing my LNB. We had some serious weather a few weeks ago, but it was only this weekend that I lost my 129 bird. 

Ideas? Also, if I should call Dish, should I actually call them, or call the installer directly? He gave me his cell phone and told me to call if I had problems. 

Thanks in advance!
Tim


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## logicalnoise (Mar 23, 2007)

I'm having problems with 129 as well. My locals keep going in and out. I've always had problems with the VOOM stations but now all my HD channels are intermittent. My two other sats come in fine. Only thing I can think of is that there's some trees near the beam and they are in full bloom now. I've never had a problem with reception though. Then again I've only had an HD setup since January. I'll call dish in a bit.

I'm in the chicago NW subs BTW.


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## Mike D-CO5 (Mar 12, 2003)

tcooper185 said:


> Same problem here...no 129 satellite for the Voom HDs and ESPN2HD, etc. I did what Mike D-CO5 suggested, and even left the unit unplugged for over an hour. No luck at all.
> 
> I had this problem a few weeks after the install (back in December) and the install guy ended up replacing my LNB. We had some serious weather a few weeks ago, but it was only this weekend that I lost my 129 bird.
> 
> ...


Call the installer and see if he will replace your lnb since it hasn't been that long since the install. Call Dish as a last resort. They will want about 29.99 for another dishpro dual lnb. They might even want to charge you to install it for 99.99 on top of that. You can also get another lnb from dishdepot.com for the same 29.99 and it is TAx free if you don't live in Florida. Takes about a week to get to you.


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## logicalnoise (Mar 23, 2007)

to update,
I called dish and their sending a truck in a week(only time I can be home at teh same time for 5 straight hours). We tried a few transpdoners and got the majority of my channels back for now. My local HDs are still intermitent and a few voom channels just don't come in. They will be looking to repoint my dish. I'll likely ask for a second dish just for 129 since it is obviously having problems.


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## JAB (Nov 10, 2006)

I lost 129 also. Unplugged power for 1 minute, plugged in and everything worked.

JAB


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## tcooper185 (Dec 2, 2006)

Mike D-CO5 said:


> Call the installer and see if he will replace your lnb since it hasn't been that long since the install. Call Dish as a last resort. They will want about 29.99 for another dishpro dual lnb. They might even want to charge you to install it for 99.99 on top of that. You can also get another lnb from dishdepot.com for the same 29.99 and it is TAx free if you don't live in Florida. Takes about a week to get to you.


I ended up picking up a Dishpro dual lnb on eBay for cheaper than this. Switched out the eBay LNB with the LNB on my dish, and ran a Check Switch. Still didn't detect the 129 satellite.
Called Dish, and after running through some basic stuff with them, they got the location ID and were supposedly going to send a pulse (or something) to my receiver. I was supposed to not do anything to my receiver for 2 minutes or up to 2 hours. Well, after 10 minutes I decided to run a check switch again, so see if 129 came back. No luck. This morning, check switch again, but no luck again. 
What "pulse/message" would Dish send to my box?
When I call back, what should I ask for?

Thanks!


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## logicalnoise (Mar 23, 2007)

no idea about the pulse but i did forget to update on my losing 129. The installer missed his appointment the first time but then volunteered to comeout after 5 on a weekday to fix it. turns out my treeline has gotten too high and he had to move the dish. Unfortunatly the tree line runs the length of my house and I may loose reception again next year all together. SOoooooo maybe a huge ass tripod on my roof next year or maybe switch to cable.


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## satexplorer (Feb 6, 2007)

ronimous said:


> So I was checking all my signal strenghts the other day and I noticed that I'm now getting a 0 signal on my 129 sat. It wasn't that great to begin with (50's), but on a nice sunny day I could get my 129 stations. So I ran a check switch and now all the stations disappeared from my program guide and I'm still getting a zero signal strength.
> 
> I used to be able to at least tune to a 129 station and it would come in occasionally, but now that option is gone because they aren't even in the program guide anymore.
> 
> Any ideas?


Looks like you might not have programming during night time hours.


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## ZERO26 (May 9, 2007)

hey fellas dont know if this will be any help but, i was having the same problems could'nt pick up channels lost sat and hd locals dissapeared off the guide. the tech came over, found that my sat was out of alignment and when the tech first installed it he put in a SKYWALKER mini diplexer which to me looks like a splitter he told me that with the hi def channels the switch needs alot of power, so it burns up the diplexer and they should not be there that was the main culprit. hope this helps!


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## whatchel1 (Jan 11, 2006)

logicalnoise said:


> no idea about the pulse but i did forget to update on my losing 129. The installer missed his appointment the first time but then volunteered to comeout after 5 on a weekday to fix it. turns out my treeline has gotten too high and he had to move the dish. Unfortunatly the tree line runs the length of my house and I may loose reception again next year all together. SOoooooo maybe a huge ass tripod on my roof next year or maybe switch to cable.


Well not really haircut but tree trim. Can the tree line be kept trimmed for the 19 degree angle that you need 110 = 129?


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## allargon (May 3, 2007)

I had the exact same problem. One of my Bradford pear trees had branches extending over my dish. My foliage got out of control. :lol: D'oh!

I fixed that with a tooth saw mounted on an extended pole (like the one used for painting) and voila!


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## logicalnoise (Mar 23, 2007)

whatchel1 said:


> Well not really haircut but tree trim. Can the tree line be kept trimmed for the 19 degree angle that you need 110 = 129?


the trees are about 5 properties away and I don't even own the land I'm on(own the house though). BTW the trees are really tall(guessing 30 feet or so). They weren't a rpoblem in the intwer but with the bloom they instant started getting bad.


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## fdelin (Nov 14, 2005)

This seems to happen to me every spring. Last year Dish sent a tech out and we moved the dish to a spot with no trees in the line of site and everything went great. Now I've got spotty 129 again. I've got a dish 1000 out there and I'm thinking of asking for two 500s instead.


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## ckgrick (Oct 25, 2004)

I live in the extreme NW and can't say anything good about 129; constant LOS on the HD. E* came out and switched the dish to a 24" and it has improved but is still not 100%. The installer said it's a cronic problem, especially in the northern tier given the sat location. He also said E* inherited 129 from VOOM and "it's a crap sat" that E* hopes to dump before TOO long. I'm not holding my breath.


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## Mike D-CO5 (Mar 12, 2003)

Actually 129 is not from Voom . It is their own satellite Echostar5 with problems pre existing. The Rainbow 1 sat at 61.5 is the one that they bought from Voom. Next year when Dish goes all mpeg 4 on the new sats at 86.5 and 97 locations , you will be able to get all your hd sd and locals all on one 18 inch dish. Sounds like by next spring it will be up and running. Then you won't need any other sat locations like 129 or 61.5 to get your hd channels .


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## logicalnoise (Mar 23, 2007)

my installer said E* is working on moving a good half of teh HD channels to another sat but it may require people in my area to get new dishes because it will need a cross LNB dish(in which the signla literally crosses pathes with other feeds three times with in the dish).


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## Mike D-CO5 (Mar 12, 2003)

I don't know what your installer is talking about, unless he is talking about the new dish 500 plus or dish 1000 plus where they use one lnb that picks up both 118 and 119 sats. What I am talking about was talked about at Team Summit this month by Charlie himself. It is the future for all mpeg 4 receivers etc. So by next year we should all be able to receive everything - all international channels, all sd channels and all HD channels, sd locals and hd locals all on one 18 inch dish . Untill then you can use a dish 500 for 110/119 and a side sat dish either a 24 " or 30" sat dish for 129 that will help you lock in on all hd channels. Another option is to use a dish 500 and a side sat dish for 61.5 which is mirrored for all hd national channels.


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