HELP REQ: SatHawk 3000 - POSITIVE ID NOT WORKING PROPERLY

[webssd]

All,

I am at my wits end here and can't figure out what's going on. I just bought a sathawk 3000 to aid in relocating my dishes to another area of my house. I read the instructions about needing to calbrate the meter so you don't get mis-readings. So to start off with I went to my dish 500 (dish pro) dish which is perfectly aimed at 110 and 119 (99+ quality at receiver on both sats) and figured I'll calibrate it to an already aimed dish. I figured that would be the best way. So anyway, I plug in the cable for 110, set sathawk to "DishPro 110W"....I get "sat found", so I then calibrate the meter to have about 80 level and 80 ber. So far so good, I then switch cables and now plug in the 119 and before I can switch the meter to "Dishpro 119W", I get "sat found" on the 110W setting and ber level is 99 ??? I then switch the meter to "Dishpro 119W" and get same "sat found" and 99 quality. I plug the 110 cable in on 119W setting and get "sat found" and 99 quality. I can switch the meter back and forth between 110 and 119 and get sat found on both with same cable. Makes no sense.

oh and then to add to my misery, I then said let me try the meter on "DishNet 110W" using the 110 cable. I get sat found, I switch over to "DishNet 119W" and don't get sat found...so I say to myself maybe I found the problem. So, I then plug in the 119 cable and put the meter into "DishNet 119W" mode and do not get sat found. Switch over to "DishNet 110W" and still no sat found even after swithing polarities (L+R) back and forth.

So then I said to myself maybe the meter is too sensitive with the DishPro modes, let me try another one of my dishes that is aimed at Nimiq 91. Switched the meter to Nimiq 91, got sat found....did calibration to 80/80 again and all seems well until I switch the meter to nimiq 82 and I get sat found again, high level and ber.

So my question is if this meter has positive sat identification, why am I having this issue? I had better luck with the $20 analog meter that I've been using for past couple years. please help. Thank You in advance.

Just for more information, my dish 500 lnb is a dishpro twin (does not have built in switch)... and my nimiq 91 installation consists of an old sony directv 18" dish with matching lnb. I also have the latest 3.9 datafile loaded on the meter.

[bobkat]

My Birdog meter does the same thing. When they say "positive" identification I think they mean it can distinguish between the satellites of different providers. I get 'found' on Nimiq 82 and 91 on either mode; same for Dishnetwork. Not only that, but my Birdog can't distinguish between DirecTV 110 and Dishnet 110. Its really nothing to worry about. What you should do is this. Remount your Dish500 to the new location on your house. Set the meter for Dishnet 119 and connect the meter to the 119 LNB. Then tweak in the dish and tighten down the bolts. Then connect the meter to the 110 LNB and you should get signal. Don't worry about what setting the meter is on -- 119 or 110. Leave the skew adjustment alone when relocating the dish because it will not change from one location to the next. My Birdog has separate settings for DishPro but I find that it finds 119 no matter what setting -- 110, 119, DP110 or DP119. I think that's just how they work.

kat

[webssd]

Originally Posted by bobkat

My Birdog meter does the same thing. When they say "positive" identification I think they mean it can distinguish between the satellites of different providers. I get 'found' on Nimiq 82 and 91 on either mode; same for Dishnetwork. Not only that, but my Birdog can't distinguish between DirecTV 110 and Dishnet 110. Its really nothing to worry about. What you should do is this. Remount your Dish500 to the new location on your house. Set the meter for Dishnet 119 and connect the meter to the 119 LNB. Then tweak in the dish and tighten down the bolts. Then connect the meter to the 110 LNB and you should get signal. Don't worry about what setting the meter is on -- 119 or 110. Leave the skew adjustment alone when relocating the dish because it will not change from one location to the next. My Birdog has separate settings for DishPro but I find that it finds 119 no matter what setting -- 110, 119, DP110 or DP119. I think that's just how they work.

kat

Kat,

I appreciate your response....nice to know someone else has a similar issue. My only question is why doesn't the other echostar sats show "sat found" if the "same provider" rule is in effect? Also If I put the 119 feed into the meter and set it to "DishNet 119W", I don't get sat found...only on dishpro setting. how would that help me when relocating the already working and perfectly aimed dish?

Thanks !!
Tim

[bobkat]

Originally Posted by webssd

Kat,

I appreciate your response....nice to know someone else has a similar issue. My only question is why doesn't the other echostar sats show "sat found" if the "same provider" rule is in effect? Also If I put the 119 feed into the meter and set it to "DishNet 119W", I don't get sat found...only on dishpro setting. how would that help me when relocating the already working and perfectly aimed dish?

Thanks !!
Tim

I've never aligned a DishPro LNB so I really can't say how my Birdogs would behave, but I do get the same response you do with Echostar 61.5; so yes, I guess its not "service provider" specific. I really don't know. I guess I don't worry too much because I've installed so dang many dishes I don't really need positive ID because I can more or less eyeball the dish and tell what satellite its pointing to. But for the 1st timer yes, it would be frustrating.

kat

[webssd]

does anybody else have a solution to this problem? Seems like the selling point of this meter is WRONG. About to return and get money back....rediculous.

[webssd]

again...nobody else is having this issue???? I find it very odd.

[bobkat]

I've never used a SatHawk but I think they work the same way as a Birdog. Did you try downloading a new file and configuring your meter with the latest data? For Birdogs there is a website where you can do this. Sathawk meters must have the same feature, I would think. The data (satellite ID) does change periodically and your meter should be kept current for proper identification.

kat

[webssd]

Originally Posted by bobkat

I've never used a SatHawk but I think they work the same way as a Birdog. Did you try downloading a new file and configuring your meter with the latest data? For Birdogs there is a website where you can do this. Sathawk meters must have the same feature, I would think. The data (satellite ID) does change periodically and your meter should be kept current for proper identification.

kat

yup, have the latest file on the meter. Tried calling sadoun twice this week and both times I was told tech support was busy and to call back later. Not very happy with this $400 piece of junk.

[bobkat]

Sorry for your inconvenience with your meter. As I say my Birdogs act more less the same way. I've just learned to live with it. My Birdog positively identifies the FTA satellites (bulk of my business) like IA5, AMC4 and others but does have trouble IDing certain DTH satellites like Nimiq and Echostar. I just invent work-arounds. As I recall my one Birdog couldn't distinguish between Nimiq 91 and 82; after a reconfiguration of the file with the current version it was able to. So I guess you should try another file or perhaps Sadoun would exchange your Sathawk for a Birdog. I can't speak for him but you might consider that option. I'm out of ideas to help you... sorry.

kat

[Sadoun]

webssd

Try downloading the latest datfile V4.0 which updated the dataset for 110,119.
http://sathawk.tv/Downloads.htm

Let us know if that works for you.

[sinnes]

Yup
I get to 148 on the way thru to 91/82 here in Canada and 148 alway lights up for 91 so I know I am good to go there - I think my 82 sig is different from my 91 though so this is a good thing.

Overall Birdog is a bit easier to navigate in and I like the square box better than the bulky necklace (although . .there have been times when it was the greatest thing to have it hanging in front of my face and having both hands free!)

I have had good luck adjusting the meter for sig - bring the strong ones down a bit and bump the weak ones.

Anyway it beats dragging a mini tv and IRD and power onto the roof and is way better than walkie talkie for peaking the signal ain't it?

Good luck

Stu

[webssd]

Originally Posted by Sadoun

webssd

Try downloading the latest datfile V4.0 which updated the dataset for 110,119.
http://sathawk.tv/Downloads.htm

Let us know if that works for you.

will test it in the morning and let you know...thanks!

[webssd]

Originally Posted by Sadoun

webssd

Try downloading the latest datfile V4.0 which updated the dataset for 110,119.
http://sathawk.tv/Downloads.htm

Let us know if that works for you.

ok, here's my results:

It now tells the difference between Nimiq 1 (82w) and Nimiq 2 (91w), however it says sat found on dishnet 148, dishnet 61.5, and dishnet 119w while aimed at nimiq 1.

In regards to echostar 110 and 119 using my dishpro lnb, I am getting signal but no PQ, hence no sat found on either when using DishPro 110 or DishPro 119. Then tried calibarating, but no PQ available at high or low end of the scale. I also noticed that there is now only KL transponders available on those....isn't KR vertical and the core transponders for Dishpro 110 and 119 thus the reason I am not getting sat found? I had both KR & KL avail in A3.9, not anymore. Some KR's have disappeared from other sats as well.

MY other question is, I have an fta receiver that I can hookup to the dishpro dish and that shows both satellites coming across as "Echostar 110W" or "Echostar 119W" when connecting to clear unencrypted channels. Is the meter looking for "DishPro" in the sat id or is it doing transponder checks ? And yes, I have a DishPro lnb, not legacy.

Thanks,
Tim

[Sadoun]

The KR were removed from settings of both 110 and 119 becasue the data for KR is the same on both satellites, and the meter will not be able to differentiate between the two. I can have KR back, but it will show found on both satellites.

Have you tried the SuperDISH110 & 119 settings?

We can make more adjustments to the datafile.

[webssd]

Originally Posted by Sadoun

The KR were removed from settings of both 110 and 119 becasue the data for KR is the same on both satellites, and the meter will not be able to differentiate between the two. I can have KR back, but it will show found on both satellites.

Have you tried the SuperDISH110 & 119 settings?

We can make more adjustments to the datafile.

no dice...signal but no pq

[webssd]

did you guys happen to fix the datafile yet ?

[Admin]

Originally Posted by webssd

ok, here's my results:
Is the meter looking for "DishPro" in the sat id or is it doing transponder checks ? And yes, I have a DishPro lnb, not legacy

It is doing both. DishPro LNBF use DiSEqC commands to switch between 110 & 119.

[Admin]

Originally Posted by webssd

It now tells the difference between Nimiq 1 (82w) and Nimiq 2 (91w), however it says sat found on dishnet 148, dishnet 61.5, and dishnet 119w while aimed at nimiq 1.

Ok, Dish Network uses the same transponder information on these satellites. Only one or two transponsders are different between 110 & 119. Since both the SatHawk or the Birdog use transponder information and other parameters to identify the satellite, it becomes confusing when the data is the same from several satellites. So in this case, you will have to use the azimuth as another check point to verify the signal.