105 locals pixalating

[papalittle]

Two weeks ago I installed a super dish 105, DP34 Switch and 2 322 recievers for one of my new customers who I stole from D*. On the day of the install everything was working good, 105 had a 80 signal, 110 and 119 90+ signal. 1/2 hour after I left he called me and said the locals were pixaling and the sound was messed up. I drove back (50 miles) and tried resetting recievers, switch tests, replacing switch, replacing the LNB's and replacing reflector and even tried replacing cabling. finally got locals working until tonight. He called me and said the locals were not working at all and this has been happing alot lately. He said usually around 9:30 pm until morning with the exception of today it started around 6 pm. I had him do a switch test and tell me what the 105 signal was. on transponder 17 the 105 read 71 but drops every few seconds to 55 or lower. Every few seconds his tv's (all 4 of them) show the acquiring satellite signal.

There is nothing in the way of the dish since there nearest tree or structure is 200 + feet away. The only thing in that direction of the dish is 2 110 volt power lines in which the dish over shoots it and they are more than 50 feet away. I called dish tech support several times but no one there has a clue.

He lives 77 miles from me and do not want to drive up there with no idea what to do. he is very upset and is threatening to go back to D*.

Help! Anyone have an idea what is wrong??

 

[webbydude]

I do know there was a batch of defective LNB's. Particularly the 105's. And the fact it's a consistent time-frame leads me to believe it's an environmental issue (weather, heat, etc)

I read where you replaced the LNB, but....I would swap out another LNB. Just my two cents worth

 

[BrettTRay]

Sounds to me that the signal is not too good to begin with and then anytime the wind blows or any other environmental issue occurs it throws the signal below the threshold. Make sure that superdish is mounted on a sturdy pole. If you replaced everything then that means that the only thing it could be is the dish is not peaked.

 

[BrettTRay]

If you have a signal meter with just one input then put it on the 105 lnb and peak the dish to the 105 satellite. If you have a accutrac pro or any other meter with 2 inputs then put them on the 105 and the 119 and peak it that way. I would make sure that the 105 is peaked very well because i think that is where the customer is having problems (locals). The 110 and 119 are pretty high power so they shouldn't be any problem as long as the signal is around 90 on a clear day.

 

[HCI]

Sounds to me that the signal is not too good to begin with and then anytime the wind blows or any other environmental issue occurs it throws the signal below the threshold. Make sure that superdish is mounted on a sturdy pole. If you replaced everything then that means that the only thing it could be is the dish is not peaked.

He said that the signal was around 80, It should be find. You have to remember that different areas will have different signal strength on certain transponders.

I had one just like this doing the same thing about a year ago when the superdishes first came out. Nothing in the way of the dish and the signal cutting in and out, but my problem was 119. It turned out to be the receiver. If I was going to bet I would bet anyone 100 dollars that is your problem. I could be wrong but you may want to try that. Also had one one time that would not pick up anything but 105.

 

[BrettTRay]

Your probably right I went back and read it again. I thought that it said he replaced the receiver.

 

[webbydude]

Not to mention I'm not sure of the likelyhood of BOTH receivers creating the same problem at the same time. I'll stick with the LNB problem or, as Brett said, check the pole itself; it may be a case of it not being set-up correctly

 

[papalittle]

The istallation is on a roof of his garage and it is a newly built house. I used 6 lags and struts. it does not move a bit, I used my accutrac meter and for signal strength 80 on the 105 here in South central Nebraska is a above average signal. there is was no wind or rain yesterday there. it was 85 degrees and sunny. both recievers do it on all 4 tvs. replaced the lnbs and reflector along with 2 switches. replaced cables from switch to lnbs and from switch to both recievers. tried another receiver with same results. there are no communication towers within 2 miles of the place. absolutly no trees or structures near. this house is 5 miles from the nearest town. near a lake and a river. I just wonder if there is something in the house wiring that could be causing this interference.

 

[bweiteka]

Check to see if he or a neighbor has a radar detector. sounds like a neighbor might come home in the evening and leave the radar detector on at night. Those things will kill 105 signal, i've seen it numerous times. The signal strength on both your handheld meter and the receiver will fluctuate rapidly when the interference is present.

 

[papalittle]

Bweiteka THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!
That was the problem! his wife has a radar detector in her car and when they shut it off the 105 locals started working again. I figured it was an outside interference but could not fantom what it was. Fantastic! again THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!

 

[BrettTRay]

I'm glad you got everything figured out. Bweiteka, how many times have you seen this happen? Why does it only happen on 105?

 

[bweiteka]

I see it happen every few months. Just the other day I was trying to peak a dish and noticed my accutrac meter bouncing around on 105. I asked the customer if he had a radar detector in his truck, he said yes and shut it off. Presto!! problem solved. I scratched my head a few times before when that happened, aggravating as hell. It happens because the 105 operates in the Ku band, same as some radar detectors.

I received a phone call from a customer yesterday who said he had just purchased a new microwave. It sits about six feet from his SD, which is on a pole just outside his kitchen. He claims that every time his wife turns on the microwave he loses satellite signal. anyone else ever hear of this?

 

[Stargazer]

I have noticed that the locals pixellation would happen in certain areas. I have seen a computer cause the signal not to come in while it is on close to the receiver.