Panasonic Satellite Dish Antenna Ta-da2420 Manual

							-11- 12. Attach the rectangular feed tube to the antenna socket. Make certain the large round hole for the spacer is positioned
as shown in Figure 7. Tighten bolt while holding nut.
13. Attach the LNB Adapter to the feed tube with #8 hex insert nut and 1 long Phillips head scre w.  See Figure 7. Do not over-
tighten to the point of deforming the feed tube and the LNB Adapter.
1 4 .Install plastic Cover Clip in the Plastic LNB Adapter in the empty space between Sat A and Sat B dual LNBs before mount-
ing LNBs. See Figure 8.
15. B e f o re making any wire connections, read “Connections”, Page 18. The next steps involve making the coaxial cable
i n t e rconnections between the LNBs, multiswitch and the satellite receivers. First, choose one of the mounting location
options for the multiswitch listed below that best fits your installation. Use approved installation kits with high quality,
low loss RG6 coaxial cable to insure the best perf o rmance under all conditions. All coaxial cables must be gro u n d e d
outside at the point of entry. Contact a licensed inspector or electrician in your area for assistance. General gro u n d-
ing re q u i rements are outlined in Figures 11 and 12.
M U LTISWITCH LOCATION OPTIONS:
• Option #1: Mounting a weatherproof multiswitch to the back of the antenna as shown in Figure 9. This location
is  simplest  for  installations  that  use  one  receiver  since  only  one  cable  enters  the  building.  If  this  option
is  selected,  connect  the  LNBs  to  the  multiswitch  per  the  following  instructions  while  on  the  ground  with
coaxial cables. Depending on your model, a 4-cable set may be included for ease of installation.
• Option #2: Mounting the multiswitch inside the house. This option provides the best weather protection and may
p rovide the easiest access for future wiring changes, such as adding additional satellite receivers. 
• Option  #3: Mounting the  weatherproof  multiswitch  under  the  building  eaves  at  the  point  of  cable  entry. This
option provides excellent weather protection to the wire connections and the switch. It eliminates the coaxial gro u n d
blocks since the multiswitch also serves as a grounding block for the four LNB cables connected to it.
NOTE FOR  OPTIONS #1 and #3:Typically in a single family home,  the RG6 cable for the supplied 4 x 4 mulitswitch  does
not  exceed  100  feet  from  the  satellite  receiver(s)  to  the  LNBs.  For  installations  where  each  RG6  cable
run from the satellite receiver(s) to the LNBs exceeds 100 feet, such as often encountered in a commercial or multi-dwelling
building, it is recommended that you use an AC-powered multiswitch (not supplied). An AC-powered multiswitch
powers  the  multis wit ch  an d  the  LNBs  direct ly  from  an   AC/DC  power  modul e  so  t hat  t he
satellite  receiver  is  capable  of  driving  a  longer  RG6  cable.  Contact  Channel  Master  Technical  Service  for  an
Application Note concerning such installations. Other manufacturers may offer similar pro d u c t s .
16.  Even though all the above mutiswitch location options are used by installers, this manual will concentrate on option
#1. If an installer chooses to install the multiswitch in the house or at the point of entry to the house, then cables of pro p e r
lengths must be cut. To prevent corrosion, weatherproof outdoor connectors with rubber o-rings must be used for
all outdoor connections. See Figures 11 and 12 for general wiring diagrams.FIGURE 7FIGURE 8 
						

							-12-ON-GROUND INSTALLATION WITH MULTISWITCH ON BACK OF DISH - OPTION #11. To  install  the  outdoor  multiswitch  to  the  back  of  the  antenna,  use  the  #8  self  tapping  screws  and  washers
provided in the multiswitch carton. CAUTION: Use a hand tool to tighten the screws until the face of the screw head is
evenly touching the multiswitch mounting lug – then tighten Z\vturn more.You will also need 4 cables to make the con-
nections between the multiswitch and the LNBs. A set of gray cables is provided for Option #1, in most antenna models.
The cables are routed from the multiswitch through the feed tube to the LNBs as shown in Figure 10. The cables should
be dressed as shown using the cable clips provided in the hardware bag. IRD cables should be routed underneath the
gray cable set as illustrated in Figure 9 (one IRD cable shown in black). With the exception of the IRD cable, it may be
easier to perform much of this installation on the ground.
FIGURE 9 
						

							-13- 2. Review Figure 10 for multiswitch wiring.
Multiswitch Installations Using Sat A & Sat B (Two Dual LNBs)FIGURE 10
3.  Pass one end of two coaxial cables (labeled “Sat A”on both ends) through the rectangular feed tube on the side marked
“Sat A”. Then attach them to the LNB that will be mounted in the position marked “Sat A”at the end of plastic LNB Adapter.
IMPORTANT! If labeled cables are not supplied, then mark two cables on both ends “Sat A” with masking tape.
4. Repeat Step 3 for inserting the two coaxial cables (labeled “Sat B”on both ends) in the other side of the feed tube and
connect to the second LNB that will be mounted in position marked “Sat B”. Tighten all cable connectors on both LNBs.
See Figure 8.
5. Carefully push the LNBs and attached cables into the LNB Adapter all the way flush with the edge of the LNB Adapter
and  secure  with  #8  insert  nut  and  1”  long  #8  phillips  head  screw  and  then  tighten  screws.    See  Figure  7.  Slight
movement of LNBs after tightening is normal.
6. Connect opposite loose end of the cables labeled “Sat A”from “Sat A”LNB to the multiswitch “Sat A”terminals as
shown in Figure 10. It does not matter which “Sat A” labeled cables connect to 13V or 18V multiswitch term i n a ls–t h e y
are interchangeable.
7. Repeat for connecting opposite loose end of the cables labeled “Sat B”to the multiswitch “Sat B”terminals as shown
in Figure 10. It does not matter which “Sat B” labeled cables connect to 13V or 18V multiswitch terminals. They are
interchangeable.
8. Install weather caps on all unused multiswitch connectors.
9. This  completes  the  On  The  Ground  Assembly  work  for  Option  #1.  For  Options  #2  and  #3,  follow  similar
applicable procedures in addition to Figures 11 and 12 as references. 
						

							-14-The National Electric Code
is published by the
National
Fire Pr otection Association
1 Batter ymarch Park
Quincy, Massachusetts, 02269-9959
and may be available at
your local public librar yGeneral Grounding Requirements for Outdoor Unit
Option #3  Multiswitch located at building entrance point
Refer to National Electric and Local Codes for complete requirements.General Grounding Requir ements for Outdoor Unit
Option #1  Multiswitch located on back side of dish
Option #2  Multiswitch located inside building
Refer to National Electric and Local Codes for complete requirements.
FIGURE 11
FIGURE 12 
						

							-15- GENERAL GROUNDING REQUIREMENTS
The universal mount and coaxial cables must be properly connected to grounding electrode(s) per National Electrical
Code (NEC) Sections 810 and 250, and per your local codes. For the three multiswitch options described, please see 
top-level general grounding diagrams in Figures 11 and 12.
MOUNTING THE ANTENNA ASSEMBLY TO MAST
1. Slide the clamp/mount on the antenna assembly onto the Universal Mount mast and loosen/tighten the (2) azimuth
clamp  bolts  (see  Figure  5A)  and  the  elevation  pivot  bolt  (See  Figures  3  and  4)  just  enough  that  the  antenna
assembly is set into the mast all the way until the top of the mast meets the elevation pivot bolt/spacer.
2. Tighten only the elevation pivot bolt. This will not restrict the azimuth (horizontal) rotation.  If, after the antenna
assembly is already mounted on the antenna mast, and the elevation adjustment screws are loosened or the tilt adjust-
ment screws are also accidentally loosened, tightening the elevation pivot bolt will prevent any extra free play of
the Az/El mounting assembly. See Figures 3 and 4.
3. Install quality RG6 cables from the satellite receivers to the multiswitch. You may want to install one receiver first
until the satellite signals are acquired and fine tuned. Routing of receiver cables, if the multiswitch is mounted at
the back of the dish, is shown in Figure 9. 
						

							S T E P - B Y-STEP INSTRUCTIONSF O RA C Q U I R I N GA N DF I N E
TUNING THE SIGNAL
1. Read  the  instruction  manual  that  came  with  your  satellite  receiver  or  set-top
converter to determine how to access the on-screen signal meter.
The signal meter shows you when you have locked onto a satellite’s broadcast sig-
nal, and gives you the signal strength. It is easiest to use the signal meter with the
help of another person to relay signal strength values to you, or by moving the TV
displaying the signal meter so that it is easily viewed at the point of installation.
NOTE: Satellite A (101˚) has 32 authorized transponders from 1 to 32; all are
active. Therefore, the on-screen signal meter may be tuned to any of the 32
transponders for the initial dish antenna adjustment.
Satellite B (119˚) has 11 authorized transponders from 22 to 32; but a few of these
may be reserved for upcoming programming expansion. Tune your on-screen
signal  meter  to  transponders  23,  25,  29  or  31  for  the  initial  dish  antenna
adjustment.
2. Make sure that you select the correct type of dish (oval, 2 LNBs) on your re c e i v e r
menu. The signal meter will give you the pointing coordinates for your antenna,
and values will depend on the type of antenna you have selected. Failure to select
the correct dish will result in wrong pointing angles as well as the inability to re c e i v e
certain programming. Consult your receiver manual for additional detail.
3. Access the signal meter. Set signal meter to the 101° satellite (this might also be
represented on-screen as “Satellite A”). At this point you will probably not have
a signal.
a. Using a compass, point the antenna to one side (left or right by a few degrees) of
the azimuth value for your location.
b. Sweep the antenna towards and through the azimuth point by moving the dish in
a p p roximately 3 degree increments. Pause for a couple of seconds and wait for an
updated value from the signal meter. When the signal is found and the signal meter
is locked onto a signal, go to step 4.
c. If,  after  sweeping  the  antenna  com-
pletely left to right or right to left and
the satellite signal is not found, adjust
the  elevation  +2  degrees  and  sweep
the azimuth again. (Do not change tilt
alignment setting.)
-16-ACQUIRING AND FINE TUNING THE SIGNAL
Now that you have installed the satellite antenna and routed all of the cables, it’s time to acquire and fine tune the
signal. Before you begin, you may want to go outside and double-check the azimuth, elevation, and tilt settings on the
dish to make sure they correspond to the on-screen coordinates given by the satellite receiver.
• Make sure that the elevation indicator is aligned with the edge of metal, not the washer or bolt, per Figure 6A.
• Make certain the antenna mast is plumb, per Figure 2B.
• Use a compass to verify that the azimuth setting on the dish is correct and no obstacles are
between the dish and satellites.
T i p
If your receiver is notequipped
with the audible tone feature,  you
may  have  a  friend  watch  the
signal  meter  and  relay  the
strength reading to you.Maximum Signal
Strength
While  the  maximum  signal
strength is 100, the signal strength
you achieve will  most probably
be  less.  Although  there  is  no
d i fference in picture quality above
signal strengths of 60, the higher
the signal, the less likely you are
to  experience  signal  outages
during adverse weather. For this
reason, it is important to obtain
the strongest signal possible.Point center of the antenna
to the exact azimuth direction
according to your compassT i p
If your receiver is equipped with
the  audible  beep  tone  feature,
make sure you have the stro n g e s t
possible signal(s) by moving the
dish  until  you  get  the  highest
pitched beep tone. Consult your
receiver manual for detail. 
						

							-17- d.If the signal is still not found, adjust the elevation -2 degrees from the original value (-4 degrees from the current
setting) and sweep the azimuth again.
e. If the signal is still not found, check to make sure the cables are connected correctly. Using a bubble level, verify the
Azimuth, Elevation and Tilt angles, in addition to making certain the mast is plumb.(Alignment may be difficult to
achieve if the mast is not plumb.) See Figure 2B.
4. With signal meter locked onto a signal and displaying a value greater than 0, adjust the azimuth until the signal meter value is
maximized. Make a note of the elevation and the azimuth angles where signal meter was the highest. (The elevation angle can
be read from the scale, the azimuth angle can be noted by marking the mast and antenna bracket using a pencil.
5. Using the on-screen display, switch the signal meter to satellite at 119˚ (this might also be re p resented on-screen as “Satellite
B”). If the antenna, mast and multiswitch have been installed pro p e r l y, the signal meter should be locked onto a signal.
If no signal is available, check the connections to the multiswitch.
6. Once again, sweep the azimuth until the signal meter value for satellite 119˚ is maximized, then adjust the elevation
to peak the reception for satellite 119˚. Make a note of the elevation and azimuth angles.
7. Switch signal meter to satellite 101˚ to make sure that the signal meter is locked for both satellites.
7a. Further maximize the signal strength on both satellites by finely adjusting the Elevation Adjustment.
8. Carefully tighten all of the elevation and mast clamp bolts, (See Figures 3, 4, 6A), trying not to move the antenna on
the mast while you do so. After tightening the bolts, make certain that the signal meter is still locked onto a signal for
all satellites and the signal value has not changed.
9. Professional installers may want to use alignment meters or equipment, such as the Channel Master Model 1006IFD
Dual Satellite Signal Level Meter, or industry equivalent, to speed up alignment and achieve maximum signal strength
on both satellites. 
						

							-18- TROUBLESHOOTING FOR MULTISAT DISH ANTENNAS
C o n n e c t i o n s
1.IMPORTANT:  Before installing coax cable, visually inspect the inside of each cable connector to make sure
that there is no dirt, moisture or any other foreign material in the connector. Also check to make sure that
the aluminum cable shielding foil or braid is not touching the copper center conductor. After inspecting the
inside of the connector and making any corrections, make sure that the copper center conductor is straight
and centered in the end of the connector.
2. Make sure that the two “Sat A” cables that are  included with your antenna are marked ‘Sat A” on both ends.
The two “Sat A” cables connected to the “Sat A” dual LNB mustgo to the two “Sat A In” connectors at the
multiswitch. Any one of the two “Sat A” cables can go into any one of the two “Sat A In” connectors at the
multiswitch.
3. Make sure that the two “Sat B” cables that are included with your antenna are marked “Sat B” on both ends.
The two “Sat B” cables connected to the “Sat B” dual LNB mustgo to the two “Sat B In” connectors at the
multiswitch. Any one of the two “Sat B” cables can go into any one of the two “Sat B In” connectors at the
multiswitch. 
4. “Out 1”, “Out 2”, “Out 3”, and  to “Out 4” are all identical multiswitch outputs to the satellite receivers.
5. RG6 cable must be used for installation from the dish to the receivers to achieve optimal signal levels. RG6 cable
have less signal attenuation than the existing RG59 cables sometimes found in a user’s home.
6. Exisitng  TV-specific  components,  such  as  TV  splitter,  etc.  may  not  perf o rm  pro p e r l y.  When  unsure  of
installation, remove such components and reduce the installation to the basic connections called out in the 
installation manual.
7. Make sure the satellite receiver operating manual is properly followed, in addition to the dish antenna installa-
tion manual. Make sure the DIRECTV Access Card is fully inserted in the card slot of the receiver.
8. Make sure all the cable connections are securely tightened/fastened from the LNBs to the multiswitch, from the
multiswitch to the grounding block (s) and then to the “Satellite In” jack at the receiver. This is also critical for
preventing any cable conductor corrosion in the future.
P o i n t i n g
1. Make sure the correct numbers, by Zip code, are used for the “tilt” (dish angle rotation), “elevation” (vertical
up or down) and “azimuth” (horizontal left or right) for the installation location.
2. B e f o re the dish antenna is moved to the antenna mast, use the re c e i v e r ’s on-screen pointing menu to fix the “tilt”
setting by following the procedures found in the dish antenna installation manual. Once the signal is acquired,
the Elevation Adjustment setting may need to be fine tuned to maximize the signals.
3. The most critical procedure is the proper plumbing of the dish antenna mast.It must be plumb and level,
otherwise the acquiring of both satellites is difficult and even if the satellites are acquired, it may not be an
optimum setting and is therefore prone to rain, snow, wind outages.
4. When using a compass to set initial “azimuth” as indicated by the receiver’s dish-pointing menu, make sure the
compass is not falsely deflected by any nearby metal object(s).
5. Make  sure  there  are  no  obstructions  between  the  dish  antenna  and  the  satellites,  for  the  settings  of  “tilt”,
“elevation” and “azimuth” at the installation location. Trees may have to be trimmed periodically if they grow
too close.
6. Slowly rotating the dish antenna left and right of the required “azimuth” until the receiver’s on-screen meter
indicates strong signals for both satellites. 
						

							-19- TROUBLESHOOTING FOR MULTISAT DISH ANTENNAS (continued)
7. If all have been done correctly but the system is still not aligned optimally, slightly change the “elevation”
adjustment  of  the  dish  antenna  and  repeat  the  pro c e d u re. The  “tilt”  must  be  set  for  a  given  installation
location by Zip code, per receiver’s on-screen menu, and must not be changed.
Te m p o r a ry Loss of Signal
1. If there is an unusually heavy rainfall in the installed area, the signal may be lost temporarily. An optimally aligned
dish antenna minimizes the chances of “rain fades”.
2.Make sure the dish antenna is mounted securely to prevent it from being permanently blown out of the correct
position in heavy wind.
3.Until it is removed, heavy snow accumulation on the LNBs orthe dish may reduce the satellite signal strength.
4. A dish antenna with tree foliage in the line of sight to the satellite may have a good picture on a clear day,
but no picture with a slight rain.
R e c e i v e r
Your receiver requires adequate ventilation. It should not be stacked with other entertainment units such as VCR
and stereo. If stacking is needed, the satellite receiver should be on the top of the stack. Otherwise the receiver
may fail, which could lead to troubleshooting in the wrong area.
Installed System
The 4x4 multiswitch, which is supplied with this system, is powered directly from the satellite receiver(s), thus off e r-
ing greater flexibility in locating the multiswitch as described in the preceding pages. Nevertheless, the longer the
cable length, the higher the DC and the signal attenuation. Though rarely encountered in a single family home, cable
lengths longer than 100 feet, from the satellite receiver to the LNBs, should be avoided.
For installations where the RG6 cable run from the satellite receiver(s) to the LNBs exceeds 100 feet, such as often
e n c o u n t e red in a commercial or multi-dwelling building, it is receommended that you use an AC-powered multiswitch
(not supplied). An AC-powered multiswitch powers the multiswitch and the LNBs directly from an AC/DC power
module so that a satellite receiver is capable of driving a longer RG6 cable. Contact Channel Master Technical Serv i c e
for an Application Note concerning such installations. Other manufacturers may offer similar pro d u c t s .D I R E C T V, DIRECTV PLUS and DIRECTV PARA TODOS are trademarks of DIRECTV, Inc., a unit of Hughes Electronics Corporation,
and are used with perm i s s i o n . 
						

							NOTES-20-