The troubles with 129 - A summary

[TalonDancer]

This thread is intended to compile/summarize the various troubles with satellite 129 (AKA EchoStar 5) particularly when using a Dish 1000. Based on what i have _read_ in several different threads in this forum.,,

1) "129 is a dying bird" -
* 129's automagic orbital correction system is broken.
* 129 must regularly (frequently?) be 'manually' repositioned via thrusters.
* This can't go on much longer since it is running out of fuel.

2) When using Dish 1000, signal strength on 129 is often (usually?) much lower than on 110 & 119.
* 110 & 119 are frequently reported at 80-90, while 129 is at 40-50
* This can cause 129 to drop below lock threshold even when 110 & 119 or OK.

3) Some of 129's transponders produce "weak" signals.
* In particular, Tp 22 is "weak".
* This causes HGHD (9461) to be one of the poorest HD channels for reception.

For those using a Dish 1000, the bottom line is that the HD content (most of which is on 129) is the first to go in any poor reception scenario (e.g poor weather). And HGHD is the canary in the HD coal mine.

Please post corrections / additions.

Talon Dancer

PS the reported "solution" is to use a separate Dish 500 for 129 (or 61.5 if your locals are not on 129) until E* replaces "the dying bird".

EDIT: The solution in my case was to follow the suggestions in this thread to have my Dish 1000 re-aligned to get better reception on 129 (to the mid 70s). As it happens, this also improved the signal strength of 110 & 119 to above 100 on most transponders. So all of the satellites improved significantly

Thanks to everyone who contributed to this thread.

 

[lakebum431]

Well, alot of this vaires on location. I have a Dish 1000 in Atlanta (that I have now adjusted) and I can get about 75 on 129 which isn't really causing any reception problems. (There are MPEG 4 video and audio problems with the locals, but that is a different story). And your 110/119 numbers are off too. Maybe you just have a dish that isn't correctly aligned.

 

[TalonDancer]

Well, alot of this vaires on location. I have a Dish 1000 in Atlanta (that I have now adjusted) and I can get about 75 on 129 which isn't really causing any reception problems. (There are MPEG 4 video and audio problems with the locals, but that is a different story). And your 110/119 numbers are off too. Maybe you just have a dish that isn't correctly aligned.

Thanks for the input. It's good to know that better signal strengths are possible on 129 without crippling 110/119 even when using a single Dish 1000

FWIW The signal strength numbers I used for 110/119 and 129 are roughly what I see on my recent install. But I used them in the summary because they are also signal strengths I've seen posted by others having trouble with 129.

Talon Dancer

 

[lakebum431]

I hear you. Depending on the transponder, I am at about 109 on 119, 100 on 110 and 75 on 129.

 

[ScottChez]

I there a replacement planned for 129 sometime in the next few years?

 

[ahanif]

This is probably a newbie question, but if my 129 signal is poor, but i have a strong 61.5 signal, will the reciever automatically get the HD channel from 61.5 instead of 129?

 

[gdarwin]

This is probably a newbie question, but if my 129 signal is poor, but i have a strong 61.5 signal, will the reciever automatically get the HD channel from 61.5 instead of 129?

My receivers would pick 129. Others have reported the same. I just disconnected 129.

 

[lakebum431]

i have both connected and I have 61.5 in front of 129 on my DPP44 and it seems to choose 61.5 from what I can tell so far.

 

[RickyMac]

Great Analogy!

What a great analogy!

"HGHD is the canary in the HD coal mine."

I might just steal that line...Thanks

 

[coolbreeze]

So during my install today, can I insist the tech use 2 500 dishes, pointing one at 61.5, and the other to 110/119.

At this point I don't care if my locals (Savannah, GA) aren't on 61.5 (this is the second attempted install, no LOS the first time). I just want Dish.

 

[Beckhamfam]

I use a 30 inch Wineguard dish to get 129. My signal is usually in the 90s. I live outside Louisville KY. This may be over kill but it sure works great.

 

[Tom Bombadil]

Normally a D300 works well with 61.5, I get mid to upper 90s from it with an 18" D300.

Lakebum, those are best set of signal strengthes I've seen posted from a single D1000 setup. You report that you get a typical 75 from 129 but don't mention the varying signals from that bird ... everyone talks about how it can vary 20-25 points from one moment to the next.

 

[DaveyBoy26]

I check my 129 signal fairly often, and unless there is a bad storm it never varies more than 2-3 points up or down.(I also average a 75). Also have no problems with HGHD, looks pretty good from where I'm standing.

 

[MNHTUG]

Our Voom dish on 61.5 pulls a strong signal. After two install attempts and lengthy conversation with advanced tech last night, I'm going to thru a DP lnb onto my Voom dish and connect it to the port on my DP Twin where 129 would normally be connected. Hope this works.

This thread is good. In my opinion, the thread should include solutions to the troubles around 129 bird. My solution is above. I'm sure others have done this. Hope it works.

 

[brg606]

i wonder what they're waiting on to fix sat 129.

 

[Poke]

I think HGHD looks the best out of the 4 they just added from what I can see.

 

[gdarwin]

i wonder what they're waiting on to fix sat 129.

I guess they will send the Shuttle up to replace the gyros....

 

[Smith P.]

It will be cheaper to replace whole sat

 

[Jim5506]

Shuttle does not go that high.

 

[abricko]

I thought the next sat for E* was another spotbeam sat specifically for HD locals (or A 129 replacement) I'm sure they'll consolidate their *junker* sats and put HD there! way to go HD leader, still I'm glad to get what i get.