How to Repair an FTA Satellite

When signal reception goes wrong, several satellite repair steps are available.

Repairing an FTA satellite dish does not require the aid of a professional satellite installer or even a technical knowledge of your FTA satellite dish. With a wrench and the help of an assistant, you can troubleshoot and repair the dish, including ensuring correct coaxial and A/V cable insertion, correcting dish obstruction issues and performing realignment of the satellite through signal meter screen reports.

Things You'll Need

• Satellite receiver
• Coaxial cable
• A/V cable
• Wrench

Instructions

1. Check the coaxial cable that runs from the FTA satellite dish outside to the satellite receiver inside. Ensure that the coaxial cable is plugged securely into the back of the satellite receiver. Also, make sure the cable is in the proper port, which will be the "ANT IN" port on the back of the receiver.

2. Check to ensure that the A/V cables are correctly attached to the satellite receiver and your television. These cables have prongs that are red, white and yellow in color, and there is one of each on either end of the cable. Each set plugs either into the back of the TV or into the back of the receiver. Ensure that these prongs are color-matched to the corresponding red, white and yellow ports on both your TV and your receiver.

3. Make sure your FTA satellite dish is free of obstructions outside that may impair it from receiving a strong signal from the satellite above. The FTA satellite dish should be pointed to the southern sky. Ensure that it is. If any trees or buildings block its path, consider relocating the dish.

4. Consider realigning your satellite dish to achieve a better signal. This recalibration is possible via the use of the signal meter screen, which can be brought up on your TV by powering on your satellite receiver, accessing the main menu and selecting the "Signal Meter Screen" option.

5. Go to your satellite dish outside after bringing up the signal meter screen. Have a friend or family member remain inside at the signal meter screen to provide reports.

6. Reloosen the nuts beside the elevation bolts on the back of the FTA satellite dish's mast with a wrench. You performed this step upon initial installation of your dish if you chose to self-install. (Your satellite manual also will have a visual guide to these bolts and nuts.) Once loosened, make slight up/down (elevation) adjustments to the dish. After each slight adjustment, wait 5 to 7 seconds for a report from your assistant at the signal meter screen. This screen informs you as to how close you are to pointing your dish to the right coordinates above.

7. Reloosen the LNB dish arm nuts on the back of the FTA satellite dish's mast with your wrench, which will allow you to make slight left/right (azimuth) adjustments to your dish. Again wait 5 to 7 seconds after each adjustment for meter screen reports. Once the meter screen indicates the correct coordinates have been hit, your realignment is complete.

References

• "Practical Home Theater Guide: Satellite Dish Installation Guide"