# Acutrac 22 Pro and Slimline Issues



## Striker (Mar 4, 2005)

Hello:

I recently bought an AU9 Slimline dish and a Acutrac 22 Pro MKII (upgraded version) so I could upgrade my 3-LNB dish. I followed the written instructions and watched the video at SolidSignal. I was receiving 98+ on both 101 and 119. I went inside and hooked up the new receiver. It was showing 0s across the board on all satellites. I assume I was hitting someone else's satellites? The strange thing is that as soon as I had the dish pointing south I was picking up marginal signals.

Luckily, my dish is located about 10 ft from a window so I was able to use the receiver to dial it in. What did I do wrong exactly? I need to know as I setup structured wiring as a side job and sometimes DirecTV dishes (maybe 5-6 a year). I can't exactly drag a television and a receiver up to the roof. It would be great to avoid this mistake when I am at a client's house.

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks!


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## longrider (Apr 21, 2007)

Did you point it initially with a compass? The 22 pro will pick up other sats so if you just slap it on the pole you could get the wrong bird. I have never had a problem with dialing in on the wrong bird after pointing with a compass.

In full disclosure I dont do it for a living, it is just a little side work plus it has to be a wall or pole mount, I dont do roofs.


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## Striker (Mar 4, 2005)

Yes, I pointed it with a compass. This install was for myself at my apartment. It was on a pole mount. I don't do this enough to warrant spending a large amount of money on a meter. I guess I was hitting the wrong set of satellites (Dish maybe?).


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## longrider (Apr 21, 2007)

I use the 22 pro myself. I just brought the types up to say I have not done hundreds of installs or all types. Either I have been lucky or you were unlucky, there are other satellites at those locations but I would think you would have to be a fair amount off to get nothing from the correct sats.


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## samrs (May 30, 2004)

I do it every day. If I use my Birddog then I put my ladder away when I'm done, the Acutrac... well, gotta check the receiver first. It helps if you know what to expect on the meter.


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## carl6 (Nov 16, 2005)

The accutrac will respond to any satellite signal. So once you find and peak a signal with the accutrac, check on your receiver. If you aren't getting 101, then search for another signal (slowly change az, watch signal dip then rise again when you align with the next one).

Once you know you are on the right bird, use the Accutrac (per the instructions) to do the fine tuning on 101 and 119.

Carl


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## flanga (Jun 6, 2008)

I just received an acutrac 22 pro, mkII, but can find no obvious way to switch satellites. The DTV install videos simply say "set the inline meter to the 119 satellite, right hand polarity" or whatever, but there is zippo in the acutrac pro mkii instructions or menus about switching sats.

Please excuse what's probably an eye-rolling question from a newbie.  I'm genuinely stumped.


Background: DTV w/slimline HD dish, poorly installed by DTV; lost alignment and I found the mast was well out of plumb. I replumbed and followed the install videos as best I could and get solid signals on non-HD channels, but HD channels come in for only a few minutes before generating a "771 searching for satellites...". Sometimes the 771 error comes up right away; other times/channels, it can be 10 minutes or so. I'm guessing I have marginal alignment on HD, and minor disturbances are pushing it into the "771" range. In fact, in watching the signal strength on the receiver, I could see a rain shower push transponder strength on 103b from around 90 to zero.

This may be way more than needed:

101: most transponders >=95; lowest is 92.
110: 85, 78, 86
119: most transponders >=95; lowest is 92.
99b: 60, 85, 28, 95, 93, 95 (what's with that 28?)
103a: transponders 1-6= all zeros
transponders 15-16= 86, 0
transponders 17-24= 90, 98, 0, 0, 22, 0, 78, 91
103b: lowest normally 85 (but this is the sat I saw drop to zero in moderate rain)

So, I think I have an almost-OK alignment, but need fine tuning. If I could figure out how to listen to a particular sat, I could probably get it the rest of the way.

If you've read this far, thank you! And again, please excuse what's probably a very basic question.


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## boba (May 23, 2003)

flanga said:


> I just received an acutrac 22 pro, mkII, but can find no obvious way to switch satellites. The DTV install videos simply say "set the inline meter to the 119 satellite, right hand polarity" or whatever, but there is zippo in the acutrac pro mkii instructions or menus about switching sats.
> 
> Please excuse what's probably an eye-rolling question from a newbie.  I'm genuinely stumped.
> 
> ...


You select satellite and polarity on the receiver not on the meter.


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## carl6 (Nov 16, 2005)

flanga said:


> I just received an acutrac 22 pro, mkII, but can find no obvious way to switch satellites. The DTV install videos simply say "set the inline meter to the 119 satellite, right hand polarity" or whatever, but there is zippo in the acutrac pro mkii instructions or menus about switching sats.


You need to set the meter to send 13V signal for right hand circular polarity and 18V for left hand circular polarity.

You need to use the 22KHz tone ON for 110/119. You need to have the 22KHz tone OFF for 101.

Only one of the two outputs on the Accurtrac 22 will support the 22KHz tone, check the manual as to which one.

Carl


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## carl6 (Nov 16, 2005)

boba said:


> You select satellite and polarity on the receiver not on the meter.


Not necessarily.

Carl


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## Redlinetire (Jul 24, 2007)

I've done the same thing, accidently picking up I think a Dish satellite.
I've learned to now use Dishpointer to help get a visual cue on where it should be before trying to tweak....that, and making sure I have signal on the box...


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## boba (May 23, 2003)

carl6 said:


> Not necessarily.
> 
> Carl


True but my battery pack is so bad I just use it connected to the receiver. When I want 119 I just set the receiver to 119 and an odd transponder and I know I have right voltage and 22Khz tone. I really don't like this meter so most of the time I don't use it. even though I bought it for AT9s.


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## jhillestad (Jan 13, 2007)

boba said:


> True but my battery pack is so bad I just use it connected to the receiver. When I want 119 I just set the receiver to 119 and an odd transponder and I know I have right voltage and 22Khz tone. I really don't like this meter so most of the time I don't use it. even though I bought it for AT9s.


The Acutrac III was designed for the AT9/AU9 - you really should have bought that meter (since you were buying new) - it has the Ka meter on it.

But you can actually align the Slimline without a meter (carefully of course) if you have an older receiver set it up for a phase III dish and peak the heck out of it using the older receiver. If you peak 101 and 119 the others will be there with little or no need for adjustment.
The newer receivers expect you to use a meter and have too much lag..... just a thought...


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## flanga (Jun 6, 2008)

Thanks for the replies. It's raining here now and not good ladder weather, but I'll use this new info ASAP when it dries.

And Carl? Nice 'Wing.  I have a yellow '05.


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## carl6 (Nov 16, 2005)

flanga said:


> And Carl? Nice 'Wing.  I have a yellow '05.


Love it. It is also an 05. Sold my 89 'Wing (with 150K miles on it) to get this one. Have visited all 48 contiguous States plus 9 Canadian Provinces on the old bike, but only a half dozen or so States on this one (so far).

And now, :backtotop

Carl


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## flanga (Jun 6, 2008)

Just to close the loop: Thanks, guys. Everything's working now... though not quite as expected.

I got the antenna aimed as finely as possible. Had High 90's and 100's on most channels--- but couldn't get 103b for more than a couple minutes before dropout. I realigned the antenna 3 times until I was sure there was no further/better tweaking I could do. No dice.

I called DTV; they sent a tech.

He worked for 3 hours, redoing the dish (his final numbers were slightly lower than mine :lol: ), checking all connections and splitters, replacing the lnbs--- everything except the receiver.

You can guess where this is going.

My alignment was fine: the receiver'd gone bad.

He swapped out the box for a brand-new one, still in factory shrinkwrap, and everything's fine now.

And on the plus side, I *really* know how to zero in a sat dish now.  

Thanks, for your help guys.


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## joe diamond (Feb 28, 2007)

flanga said:


> I just received an acutrac 22 pro, mkII, but can find no obvious way to switch satellites. The DTV install videos simply say "set the inline meter to the 119 satellite, right hand polarity" or whatever, but there is zippo in the acutrac pro mkii instructions or menus about switching sats.
> 
> Please excuse what's probably an eye-rolling question from a newbie.  I'm genuinely stumped.
> 
> ...


Mark where your settings are now with a pencil.

Check that the tilt is set per instructions and el is as close as you can get it. THEN loosen the back bolts and push a little west.....to the right as you stand behind the dish. Then peak the el up and down. You don't have to have max- high signals on 101, 90s are fine but the 103 is what you are missing.

Work slow and have someone watching the TV meter. usa a cell phone..there is a time lag.
Watch your meter as you work.

You are close. Take your time.

HJoe


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