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Old 09-23-2005, 02:07 AM   #1
Ontheroad
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Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Winchester
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M.O.C. #551
WHAT AN ORDEAL!!!

My first experience installing my Direcway dish with DirectTV as well. It took me six hours of trial & many errors to finally get it right. I must say that four of the six hours were spent getting the tri-pod right, reading & re-reading the manual, plugging the signal meter in backwards, and getting the "feel" of dish adjusting.
Next time should only take half the time and I can foresee only about an hour as I get better. We've been without internet & TV for the last three days and it felt like living in a black hole.
My one suggestion to any first-timer. Get someone to help you who has done this before. If not possible, be patient. you can do it.
 
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Old 09-23-2005, 09:37 AM   #2
RonS
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M.O.C. #1316
At first my wife would go for a walk while I was trying to get a signal, guess she did not like to hear the names I was calling the system. But all is well know with the use of the signal meter. Each time gets better unless a tree is in the line of sight, or if I continue to lock onto the wrong bird.
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Old 09-23-2005, 10:49 AM   #3
drhowell
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We have all been there. Some of us actually admit it. The important thing is that we keep trying until we get it right.
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Old 09-23-2005, 11:32 AM   #4
adelmoll
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Every time is a challange but it does get easier. And when you finally get it right a storm comes up and out you go again. LOL
Been there, done that.

Bill
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Old 09-23-2005, 12:32 PM   #5
Dave e Victoria
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One thing I have learned battling the satellite system is to make sure the pole holding the dish is absolutely vertical - that means straight up and down. Once I learned to do this, I could frequently just set the proper angles and the signal would be there with no more adjustment retired. Boy, a cold beer tastes good when that happens....
Dave
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Old 09-23-2005, 12:57 PM   #6
richfaa
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Yes the dish has to be ABSOLUTLY straight and level can not stress that enough. We have bubbles on our tripod stand,,You are trying to hit a satellite about the size of a Volkswagen 22,300 miles up.The slightest bit off on this end means miles and miles on the other end. Dave is right, if you are straight and level and the dish is set at the proper elevation, set your azimuth and most of the time you are right on the signal.
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Old 09-23-2005, 02:10 PM   #7
HamRad
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sph77,
Hi Steve,
Six hours sounds about right for the first time! Are you talking DirecWay? Or just the DirecTV?

First time setup with the DirecWay took us about the same. Thought we were clear of the trees but NO! We were going right into a branch way up on a neighbors tree. Finally figured that out and then it was search time for a clear sight to the south.

Now it normally takes about 15 to 20 minutes from start to finish. As stated by folks already getting things level is very important. It makes the job much easier.

Good luck and know that it does get better!

HamRad
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Old 09-23-2005, 02:30 PM   #8
Ontheroad
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Thanks for the support.
Can't wait to try it again
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Old 09-24-2005, 06:09 AM   #9
richfaa
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Example of how importent PERFECT azmuth and elevation is. Just moved our dish from the roof to 100 ft out in the back yard to get clear of some trees that had grown over the years. Set the new pole into the ground (quickcrete) and plumbed it absolutly stright.Did not have to mess with the elevation 37 degree as it was already set. installed the dish on the new pole, used my trusty boy scout compass to point at Azmuth 215 and a 91 signal strength was there. That's how easy it CAN be..
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Old 10-11-2005, 01:57 AM   #10
Ontheroad
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Second attempt took four hours, if I would just read the directions....Finally on my third install it took an incredible 1/2 hour. Everything was textbook. I feel better now.
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Old 10-11-2005, 06:07 PM   #11
fulltimedreamer
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I borrowed a friends Direcway 2-way satellite system to use in Louisiana doing disaster relief. We set it up in his driveway and I had it up in under 15 minutes. We looked up all the adjustments I would need in Louisana. When we got to Louisiana I followed the directions to the T. The system would not do a crosspol. This went on for a whole day. I was ready to pull my hair out. I had people waiting for the system to come up so they could register with FEMA, find family, etc. The next day a friend had a contact at Hughes Satellite and called them. Apparently, they were having a problem with the satellite and were resetting it about every 10 minutes. A crosspol can take 15-20 minutes. Guess what, after they stopped playing with the satellite it came right up. We used it for two weeks and were able to help a lot of people. I'm gonna have to get me one of these things!!
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Old 10-12-2005, 03:20 AM   #12
ols1932
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We have DirecTV. I use a sensitivity meter in line with my satellite dish and the receiver. My satellite dish is mounted on a 2X6 which I set on the ground in the general direction of where the satellite is located. I then just move it until I have max signal (on the right satellite, of course)and voila! I am locked on. After tweaking (adjusting right and left, and moving the dish up and down for max signal) I then nail the 2X6 down using those long nails that you can buy at Wal-Mart in the camping supplies section. This usually gets us a signal strength of 70 or more on transponder no. 1 (that's where I have ours set because that's one of the weaker transponders). I then just remove the sensitivity meter (and the signal strength goes up because the sensitivity meter pulls the signal down a little while setting up). This whole procedure takes me 5 minutes or less. After awhile, you get so you can set the antenna down and it's almost right on.
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Old 10-12-2005, 03:33 PM   #13
richfaa
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you got it ols1932..We have about the same setup.We usually throw the dish on the ground, see that it is level, use our trusty boy scout compass to find the az, point it in that direction and 8 times out of 10 we can hear the signal pop in.5 mins is usually a long time...just takes practice.
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Old 10-13-2005, 04:14 AM   #14
Ontheroad
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Thanks guys,
I just finished intalling the dish again, and it took less than 1/2 hour. The Direcway internet dish must be mounted on a tripod as the bottom of the dish must be at least 5' above the ground. It is also much more sensitive than the direct TV. What I really like about the system is that the Direct TV LNB is on the same dish. Once I have the Direcway locked, the TV also works.
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