103 fails on AIM meter

Please post back with your signal readings for each satellite's transponders (and both tuners if applicable). You'll find these readings under "Menu" -> "Setup" -> "System Setup" -> Satellite -> "View Signal Strength". Note the "+" and "-" symbols next to the "Satellite" and "Tuner" entries where you can toggle the readings between the various satellites and both DVR tuners.

Fill in your readings for each satellite and tuner using these examples. A properly aligned dish will show 80-90s on most of the relevant transponders (although some will be low or zero):


Satellite transponders (32 total at 101º)
[Most of your standard definition channels are beamed from 101ºW]
1-8 x x x x x x x x
9-16 x x x x x x x x
17-24 x x x x x x x x
25-32 x x x x x x x x

Satellite transponders (11 total at 119º)
[Not present with Slimline 3 dish. Local SD channels for some cities, Spanish package]
17-24 NA NA NA NA NA x x x
25-32 x x x x x x x x

Satellite transponders (11 total at 99º(ca))
[National HD channels]
1-8 NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA
9-16 x x x x x x x x
17-24 x x x x x x x x

Satellite transponders (14 total at 99º(cb))
[National HD channels]
1-8 x x x x x x x x
9-16 x x x x x x NA NA

Satellite transponders (16 total at 103º(ca))
[National HD channels]
1-8 NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA
9-16 x x x x x x x x
17-24 x x x x x x x x

Satellite transponders (14 total at 103º(cb))
[National HD channels]
1-8 x x x x x x x x
9-16 x x x x x x NA NA
17-24 NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA

When I'm aiming on the 103 I usually use satellite tune and lock on to 103a, transponder 24. 

11 or higher is a good number on SNR but 10 is the recommended minimum. if you cant get a good SNR on 103a-24 there are three possibilities that I see; the tree you mentioned, the dish is bent (you'd be able to see that visually of course), or the lnb is bad. 

If the offset is below 2, preferably as low as possible (closer to 0 the better) then the issue shouldn't be the lnb. 

Readings below.  101, 119 & 99 were all very close on tuner 2.  I only listed the specifics for tuner 2 on 103 as they were a bit different in some instances.

Tuner 1:

101:

98 94 96 99 96 97 97 97

97 94 96 99 98 97 97 97

97 100 97 97 97 97 97 97

97 98 97 80 97 97 97 98

119:

x

x

x x x x x 96 100 95

98 96 98 96 97 96 94 97

99 (ca)

x

94 95 93 95 93 94 92 94

92 95 92 94 93 92 92 92

x

99 (cb)

95 96 91 95 95 95 92 94

95 95 91 94 96 95

99 (s)

0 81 0 79 0 0 0 60

x x x x x x 77 100

94 98 99 100 67 73 73 74

x

103 (s)

0 0 0 0 x x x x

x x x x x x 64 0

66 82 60 67 0 0 72 70

103 (ca)

x

40 31 34 26 34 26 26 25

33 26 31 27 32 27 30 27

x

103 (cb)

41 40 33 38 37 40 35 37

38 40 35 42 37 32 x x 

x

x

Tuner 2

103 (s)

0 0 0 0 x x x x 

x x x x x x 74 0

61 69 34 0 0 0 49 61

x

103 (ca)

x

50 44 51 43 47 42 43 42

34 25 33 24 31 23 27 24

x

103 (cb)

37 37 30 34 33 38 33 36

33 38 35 41 37 35 x x 

x

x

Your 103º are definitely too low. Since your other readings look great, I'm guessing that something is blocking your dish's view of the 103º satellite. Check your line-of-sight using www.dishpointer.com or their app. 

Hello all.  I'm back with some additional information.

According to the DishPointer Pro application, I have a clear shot at the 101 & 103 satellites.  The 110 & 119 do have a tree in the path (oak), but I still have good signal on 119.

I also now have a shiny new LNB.  Still can't get the AIM to pass the EIV test on 103.

I was able to play with 103B, Transponder 2 directly and get that signal to lock by raising the elevation slightly.

Since I have the AIM, is there a better process to align the dish by using specific satellite/transponders instead of the dither method?  

thanks,

Tom

Yes, these are the two that you want to dial in:

99b, transponder 1

103a, transponder 24

SNR: Should be at least 11 (10 minimum)

Offset: Should be below 2

@TMullenJr , see if this video helps ....

https://youtu.be/QA1krU8eo8E

You don't really need a special meter.