Common Sense to keep your FTA System Up & Running:

Ok you have done it, got your new FTA receiver up and running and WOW, - it works! Congratulations!! Now Lets keep it running! The very first thing that should be done is record your settings! I cannot emphasize this enough! When you update your Receiver (STB), and the setting get “wiped out” or one day, six months from now the screen goes blank and you have to do a “Factory default” or a “Factory reset” now what do you do? I recommend a simple log that has each satellite setup parameters, and any other pertinent information such as receiver passwords, porn channel locks, Etc. I keep mine on my computer and when I make a change I record it. I also copy and paste or down load the “how to” “stickys” for my receiver and have a manila tag on the receiver that has the version number of the software that the box in running on. I also recommend recording the “Q”uality and “S”trenght readings on a horizontal and vertical transponder channel for each satellite in use (I use the weakest ones, as they will be the first to give problems). This will give you good troubleshooting references as to if it is hardware weather, setup, or the providers playing games. I mark my dishes with a “Sharpie marker” the bird it is aimed at (110/119 etc); its “elevation”, “Skew”, and mark the pole to the dish collar for its Azimuth. This way if the painter, gutter cleaner etc. bops it with a ladder, or someone hits it with a basketball etc. It is easy to put back into service. On my switches and cables, I lablel or mark them as to the bird etc. All cables should be routed out of the way and tied down to the dish post, dwelling etc, so no one can snag them with a ladder or trip on them. Your cables should be connected to your receiver through a well grounded – “grounding block”. Your dish or Dish support pole should be connected to a good electrical ground with a #12 or larger copper wire. The grounding procedure above, if implemented, will protect your satellite receiver and other electronic equipment (like the 42inch Plazma). Now you know - what you need to do, to keep it running!