24 inch dish install

[mrhph]

I called Voom CSR again and this time I got approved immediately for a dish upgrade, no questions asked (appt date March 5th). And I was prepared for an intensive debate Why the difference in response?

Thanks again everybody for the advice.

 

[BigTVSteve]

Not out of the woods yet

MRHPH,

Don't be so certain that you are out of the 24 inch dish installation woods yet. I was assured in mid-December that I would have a 24 inch dish installation in Nevada and that information was listed in the original VOOM service application. Despite many phone calls, some missed installation dates and some email help from Wilt, I am still waiting for that installation...

Be certain to call the installation company about 4 days before your sheduled installation date. Ask them what size dish they are planning to bring out to your installation and whether they have it in the shop right now. If you are in the western states, my advice would be to postpone the installation if they do not have the bigger dish ready for your installation.

Once the installation occurs, have the installer show you the receiver's signal strength for the satellite signal. If the system is properly set up and the dish is aimed correctly, the signal strength should be 98-99 for the 24 inch dish and 95-96 for the 18 inch dish. Good luck.

 

[SeattleVoomer1]

mrhph, BigTVSteve has it right. I'd follow his advice.

Watching HDTV-24" antenna-under increasingly cloudy Seattle skies, Gill

 

[1kftlbs]

I am wondering also. Self installation has always been a must for me. The first time I had voom installed the installer came out and aimed the dish & ota without using any meters and took off. Needless to say I went up on the roof and re-aimed both to max signal(actually gained me about 7 points). Before this I had D* which I installed for myself, 3 friends and my company so through it all I ended up with 3 of the triple LNB oval dishes brand new in the box. Has anyone had any experience with these dishes with voom? Bad luck with voom CSR's is a endless curses so I never call the techs out unless for the addition of equipment. Due to weather fade and the low angle(southern California) I have been having even light rain knock my dish out(18 inch). The last time I moved I had two boxes which I moved plus the satellite. When I had to add two boxes they insisted on sending out a installer(I wasn't present at the time) who preceded to re-aim my dish to a lower signal and install the 3rd/4th boxes in about 3 1/2 hours time. So I had to re-aim and I don't ever want to deal with an installer again. Does anyone know what model/brand 30 in. dishes voom is supplying?? I would like to just order and install myself. I was looking at a winegard DS2077 -

. It is supposedly compatible with dish network - 61.5 so I don't see any reason why it wont work in our application. Only $60 so I have no problem paying for a stable signal. Plus anyone have any experience with activating brand new receivers that are purchased third party. Voom says no but there has to be some way. My receiver is 100% unopened brand new. Also - any idea on how to get voom to display a picture at odd resolutions(1600x1200, etc). Sorry if I asked questions that have already been answered - I tried to look around first but I am new here and may not have covered the everything yet. Any experience would be helpful!!! Thanks, Randy

Has anyone tried using an elliptical such as the one that D*uses for the 3 lnb dish,this past weekend we had a storm come through and it took the VOOM signal down,D* signal was fine-concern is that this late spring and summer we can get bad storms here which has taken down D* a couple of times, so I know it will surely take down VOOM easier.I have two of the elliptical dishes laying around and could just pop off the VOOM dish and bolt on the elliptical---anyone tried this--my signal with the 18 is good now--96--but when weather rolls in it declines much faster than D* does

 

[OHMS]

DISH & OTA 'upgrades' Wed. Mar. 16 ??

VOOM approved and shipped upgraded dish & OTA ANTENNAE to So. Calif. installer last week; but won't allow me to track the shipment, nor allow the CSR to do it ? Our original installer did well; rejecting several VOOM "older" receivers which clearly weren't up to the job. I'm only 30 miles from Xmtrs. of major Los Angeles OTA, but received none atop 2 storey free-standing residence. The original installer immediately authorized the OTA 'upgrade' to something which would work, and the dropouts via dish worsened after he left and it got misty.

After VOOM approved the upgradeS, I again called the installer dispatcher to confirm the install date (as recommended on these forums) and the install company tried to talk me out of the upgrades !! ...larger ugly dish and OTA...only needed in Avalon, Catalina island...thousands of installs..yada..
The local kind folks who introduced me to their VOOM systems had to go to a 24 inch and 30 inch dish to get reliable service, and have a separate OTA put in for San Diego OTA (not transmitted from the same hill). Don't the installers get more pay for more work ?

I'm still struggling to get my good ole replay reprogrammed to something close to VOOM, bought a TIVO but can't edit that; so come on VOOM HDDVR !! I will let you know how our re-install goes; hate to miss work for another day !!

Any Santa Ana CAlifornia VOOMers able to confirm/deny our findings would be appreciated.

Mike

 

[crash331]

I am in NW GA with a 24" I presume (measures at 26 inches when I went on the roof with a tape measure). And I only get signal around 86 with no rain. How are you guys getting service with a signal of 40 or 50? It says Voom locks on to the sat at 80, and if my signal goes below 80, it turns red on the bar.

 

[SeattleVoomer1]

Mike, we'll keep our fingers crossed for you but in the...

VOOM approved and shipped upgraded dish & OTA ANTENNAE to So. Calif. installer last week; but won't allow me to track the shipment, nor allow the CSR to do it ? Our original installer did well; rejecting several VOOM "older" receivers which clearly weren't up to the job. I'm only 30 miles from Xmtrs. of major Los Angeles OTA, but received none atop 2 storey free-standing residence. The original installer immediately authorized the OTA 'upgrade' to something which would work, and the dropouts via dish worsened after he left and it got misty.

After VOOM approved the upgradeS, I again called the installer dispatcher to confirm the install date (as recommended on these forums) and the install company tried to talk me out of the upgrades !! ...larger ugly dish and OTA...only needed in Avalon, Catalina island...thousands of installs..yada..
The local kind folks who introduced me to their VOOM systems had to go to a 24 inch and 30 inch dish to get reliable service, and have a separate OTA put in for San Diego OTA (not transmitted from the same hill). Don't the installers get more pay for more work ?

I'm still struggling to get my good ole replay reprogrammed to something close to VOOM, bought a TIVO but can't edit that; so come on VOOM HDDVR !! I will let you know how our re-install goes; hate to miss work for another day !!

Any Santa Ana CAlifornia VOOMers able to confirm/deny our findings would be appreciated.

Mike

meantime make sure to call Installs, Inc. who were able to track the antenna and even offered to give us the tracking #. Installers don't get paid very much for a return visit but should still do the job and do it right. VOOM/Installs, Inc. loves to know of any installer who doesn't want to do the job and tries to "sell" you another service.

Still enjoying HDTV under "this must be desert California?!" Seattle skies, Gill

 

[SeattleVoomer1]

"crash331", if you are getting an 86 sat siganal without...

I am in NW GA with a 24" I presume (measures at 26 inches when I went on the roof with a tape measure). And I only get signal around 86 with no rain. How are you guys getting service with a signal of 40 or 50? It says Voom locks on to the sat at 80, and if my signal goes below 80, it turns red on the bar.

rain (like here in Seattle) and you have no obstructions such as trees, buildings, etc. then something is seriously wrong. You should be getting a 98-99 signal with your 24" antenna. Sounds like a misaimed antenna or a signal loss along the cable due to a bad diplexer, poor cable fittings or a cable splitter in your house if you are using more than one STB. Do a search on here and/or call a VOOM CSR and get your problem fixed.

Don't know where you got the info about getting service with a signal of 40 to 50. Maybe in the "good ole days" when VOOM first started using a different scaling but not now. Anything below about 74 and our goose is cooked but luckily since our upgrade to a 24"er it was cooking only for 30' and didn't even get done.

Enjoying HDTV but becoming depressed under sunny and sunny and sunny Seattle skies, Gill

 

[voomvoom]

crash331

I am in NW GA with a 24" I presume (measures at 26 inches when I went on the roof with a tape measure). And I only get signal around 86 with no rain. How are you guys getting service with a signal of 40 or 50? It says Voom locks on to the sat at 80, and if my signal goes below 80, it turns red on the bar.

I agree with Gill. I'm just west of Macon with an 18" dish and get a 94-96 signal. Something with your system has got to be loose or bad.

 

[OHMS]

THE 30in VOOM WAS SENDING JUST SHRANK TO 24in.

Hello to all I just received word from install inc. that they are going to install a 24 inch dish or a 30 inch at my house to see if it will cut down on some of the rain fade problems that occur from time to time.I know some of you out there have had this done in the past.I would like everyone who has had this done to post their results so I can let WILT and the engineering staff at voom no if this is a possible solution to the DREADED RAIN-FADE ISSUE.The reason I am asking this is because their may be a good chance that voom will make the 24 inch or the 30 inch as their primary dish in the near future.THANKS in advance to every ones help and support on this issue......................DIGITAL~DAN-----------MODERATOR

Originally Posted by OHMW
VOOM approved and shipped upgraded dish & OTA ANTENNAE to So. Calif. installer last week; but won't allow me to track the shipment, nor allow the CSR to do it ? Our original installer did well; rejecting several VOOM "older" receivers which clearly weren't up to the job. I'm only 30 miles from Xmtrs. of major Los Angeles OTA, but received none atop 2 storey free-standing residence. The original installer immediately authorized the OTA 'upgrade' to something which would work, and the dropouts via dish worsened after he left and it got misty.

After VOOM approved the upgradeS, I again called the installer dispatcher to confirm the install date (as recommended on these forums) and the install company tried to talk me out of the upgrades !! ...larger ugly dish and OTA...only needed in Avalon, Catalina island...thousands of installs..yada..
The local kind folks who introduced me to their VOOM systems had to go to a 24 inch and 30 inch dish to get reliable service, and have a separate OTA put in for San Diego OTA (not transmitted from the same hill). Don't the installers get more pay for more work ?

I'm still struggling to get my good ole replay reprogrammed to something close to VOOM, bought a TIVO but can't edit that; so come on VOOM HDDVR !! I will let you know how our re-install goes; hate to miss work for another day !!

Any Santa Ana CAlifornia VOOMers able to confirm/deny our findings would be appreciated.

Mike


meantime make sure to call Installs, Inc. who were able to track the antenna and even offered to give us the tracking #. Installers don't get paid very much for a return visit but should still do the job and do it right. VOOM/Installs, Inc. loves to know of any installer who doesn't want to do the job and tries to "sell" you another service.

Still enjoying HDTV under "this must be desert California?!" Seattle skies, Gill

more from mike in CA:


I just called Installs Inc. and was told VOOM research had shown that their 24in. dish had tested 'just as good as' their 30in. So they dropped 6/24 ~ 25% of the diameter, almost 50% of the area [d.1.squared/d.2.squared]; eg. 30*30 / 24 * 24 ; 900 / 576 . Will half the dish give the same signal pickup?

I guess their testing has defied physics ! We'll see, and if the dropouts in inclement weather continue we'll have another go at it.

Or, if California has already had their Seattle-like rainfall for 2,005 we may do just fine with a 2-footer. VOOM in progress continues.

mike

 

[crash331]

well, he aimed it with some device that made a tone that changed with the signal. he pointed till it got the loudest then tightened it up. it is diplexed at the antenna with a winegard diplexer. i have a 100ft cable run through the attic. from there it goes into my monster power center then into the 1 box I have.

 

[crash331]

ok, i just had my first rain and even a sprinkle made the signal go down to the high 60s. when the main part of the storm got overhead, it went down to 50.

I called Voom customer serivce and they said a 30 inch dish is only available in FLorida and I asked if I could get the dish repointed and they refused and said it would be a waste of time. i think the problem is the installed mounted it too low on our roof and some trees are in the way and it needs to be mounted closer to the peak, but apparently voom wont let them do that.

 

[TYORK]

ok, i just had my first rain and even a sprinkle made the signal go down to the high 60s. when the main part of the storm got overhead, it went down to 50.

I called Voom customer serivce and they said a 30 inch dish is only available in FLorida and I asked if I could get the dish repointed and they refused and said it would be a waste of time. i think the problem is the installed mounted it too low on our roof and some trees are in the way and it needs to be mounted closer to the peak, but apparently voom wont let them do that.

What is your signal before the rain?

 

[crash331]

mid 80s, usually 86

 

[crash331]

tyork, do you know the location of the satellite? i have a pretty fancy compass and can probably try to aim it better. I will, of course, write down the current settings and take pictures before i do it.

 

[SeattleVoomer1]

That CSR gave you a bunch of crap.

ok, i just had my first rain and even a sprinkle made the signal go down to the high 60s. when the main part of the storm got overhead, it went down to 50.

I called Voom customer serivce and they said a 30 inch dish is only available in FLorida and I asked if I could get the dish repointed and they refused and said it would be a waste of time. i think the problem is the installed mounted it too low on our roof and some trees are in the way and it needs to be mounted closer to the peak, but apparently voom wont let them do that.

VOOM routinely sends service people out to get the sat siganl right. The antenna should have been placed it the right place the first time. Call back and nicely demand to talk to a supervisor.

Or, hopefully, TYORK can get you pointed in the right direction. She keeps working miracles for customers even those not in her service area.

Enjoying HDTV under "we might get showers by Friday!" Seattle skies, Gill

 

[OHMS]

GOOD FLAT ROOF MOUNTS FOR 30in. DISH

SANTA ANA, CA MIKE AGAIN.

MY ORIGINAL SMALLISH VOOM DISH HAD BEEN MOUNTED TO A PIPE WHICH WAS FASTENED TO A CONCRETE BLOCK WALL BY SCREWS IN PLASTIC INSERTS. THEY PULLED OUT; AND THE DISH MOUNT BENT OVER KABLOEY.

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA HAS 'SANTANA' WINDS WHICH BLOW OFFSHORE, AND IF YOU'RE ACROSS THE STREET FROM A GLASS XEROX TOWER; IT ACTS LIKE AN AEROFOIL; INTENSIFYING THE WIND IN CERTAIN CHANGING AREAS DOWNWIND FROM IT. WE BE IN THOSE AREAS SOMETIMES. SOME OF OUR DROPOUTS; BLACK SCREENS, AND 75% VALUES MAY BE INFLUENCED BY MOVEMENT OF THE DISH AS WELL AS BY RAIN; MIST,EARTHQUAKES, ETC.

I'M NOT GETTING FUZZY WARM OPINIONS OF THE WORLDS' INSTALLER STAFF, SO I FEAR I MUST EDUCATE MYSELF ON DISH THEORY AND PRACTICE. RATHER THAN DEVELOP THE HIGHEST NUMBER OF ENTRIES ON THE VOOM FORUMS, CAN WIZENED PERSONS POINT ME TO THE FONTs OF ALL DISH AND MOUNTING KNOWLEDGE ? WILL YOU ? PRETTY PLEASE, WITH HIGH GAIN.

FROM SANTA ANA 92705-4002 THE INSTALLER (with transparent compass on a string around his neck) FACED VOOMie ANTENNAE JUST SLIGHTLY SOUTH OF EAST; SWAG: 120º, AND EVER SO SLIGHTLY ABOVE THE EASTERN HORIZON. IS THERE A VOOM/SATELLITE FOR 92705/DO IT YOURSELF PAGE?

ABOUT THE ''BEEPER'' THAT GETS LOUDER WHEN DISH IS POINTED BETTER....SHORT OF TAKING THE RECEIVER AND HDTV TO THE ROOF; IS THERE A RADIO SHACK/FRYs/CIRCUIT CITY HANDHELD BEEPER USED BY THE SEMI-PROS?

INSTALLER DUDE SUGGESTED I OBTAIN A WOOD PALLET AND POSITION IT ON THE ROOF; USING SANDBAGS OR WATER BALLOONS TO ANCHOR IT, THEN HE WOULD MOUNT THE TIN BRACKETS TO THE WOOD PALLET. WHEN I OFFERED METAL U-BOLTS (NOT THE ONES GERMANY DOVE IN) TO FASTEN HIS POLE... TO HEAVY METAL AIR HANDLING EQUIPMENT ON MY ROOF, HE PREFERRED PLASTIC MOLLIES IN THE ROOFING MATERIAL COVERING THE BLOCK WALL.

I, SATELLITE NEWBY GUY, OFFERED CONCRETE BASE FOR PICNIC TABLE/UMBRELLA. IT WAS MANHANDLED TO THE ROOF; BUT THE DIAMETERS OF THE TIN POLE AND THE UMBRELLA DID NOT APPROXIMATE WELL. I HAVE WHEELS/TIRES FILLED WITH CONCRETE WITH PIPES EMBEDDED (STANDARDS FOR VOLLEYBALL NET) WHICH WEIGHT A TONNE, BUT COULD BE ASSEMBLED ATOP SAID FLAT ROOF. ANY SUCCESS STORIES OUT THERE?

IN ATTEMPT TO MOVE DISH TOWARD CENTER OF BUILDING ROOF; HENCE AWAY FROM OUTER WALLS TO 1) REDUCE WIND EFFECTS; 'HIDING' DISH BETWEEN AIR CONDITIONING UNITS AND 2) LESS IN SIGHT OF NEIGHBORS;
HOW HIGH ABOVE EDGE OF ROOF; NEARBY AIR CONDITIONERS, ETC. IS NECESSARY / DESIRED ?

FEEDBACK / WEBSITES / PAY THE SATELLITE GUYS' REFERRALS / ALL WELCOMED. THANKS FOR YOUR PATIENCE; SORRY FOR MY IMPATIENCE.

MIKE IN SANTA ANA

 

[BigTVSteve]

Crash,

What SeattleVoomer said: Your antenna aim point is off or your installation wiring is not correct (or both). With a 24 inch dish, your clear weather signal strength (as measured on the Voom receiver) should be 98 or higher. Anything lower indicates problems with your installation. Period. Call Voom and get a competent installer out to fix your basic problems.

In really bad weather, my 24 inch dish signal drops occasionally to the mid-80s, but is typically in the low 90s during heavy rains. Fog with rain seems to have the biggest effect on my SoCal signal. Good Luck!

 

[crash331]

Well, Voom refused to reaim my dish and said 30 inch dishes are only available in Florida (which I think is BS, because some of you say you can get them). I did put in a work order for an antenna since the installer didn't give me one. Maybe I can get the guy to reaim the dish while hes up there.

 

[crash331]

oh man, i just climbed on the roof in the dark with a flashlight. i lined up the flashlight with the dish line of sight and the thing is pointing right through a thcik tree canopy. the installer just mounted it on my chimney near the eaves instead of actually doing work and getting it higher. i have a feeling this is going to be a big problem in the summer when the trees get leaves on it.