NEW WRINKLE/HELP

[duggy]

First let me say that I have been doing Directv, Directpc, Directway and Dish network for some years as well as some Ag sat work. I'm not not a stranger to working with such equipment.
I can tell by some of the post that there are a number of equally experienced people posting here.
I was recently approached and offered a job to install four FORTEC systems for use on the T-5 satellite. All these units have been in use in Texas so I believe they worked at one time. The owners all are doctors that moved to my area in Tenn. to work at a local hospital.
I've been working on the first install with no success after about three days of flustration. The customer had tried to install it himself with no luck. I pulled all new RG6 from dish to rcvr. I have a clear shot from due south to west. I'm using the info of this website for initial set-up. I'm using a run of the mill sat. finder and getting a good hit from the satellite. I even tried hooking up a Directv reciever to the dish to check my cable run. IT WORKED FINE after I re-adjusted the dish. I have the choice of extra parts from the other units so I've pretty well eliminated the bad part issue. I did get at one point , 73% signal and 70% quality. (Both indicated in GREEN) I down loaded the channels which were stored in the unit but no picture plus the strength indication for each channel fell below 45%.
Any suggestions.
Are we having fun yet???
Duggy

[bobkat]

Hi duggy:

Oh yes! We're having barrels o' fun :lol: :lol: :lol:

First off, most run of the mill signal finders will not identify Telstar 5; other nearby satellites are more powerful and the meter locks onto them instead. The Birdog WILL pinpoint Telstar 5 but it is an expensive tool. So you are best to drag a little TV and the receiver out to the dish and align the four dishes that way.

Second, the trick (one of them) to aligning a Free To Air dish is moving the dish in VERY tiny incriments - these dishes are much less forgiving than DirecTV or other small dishes.

There are a couple of good threads here in the Installation Support forum -- check the "I'm a beaten man" thread -- lots of good info and hints in that one. Some good laughs too.

Good luck and let us know your progress

:P

kat