2 out of 3 receivers not getting odd channels

[FordMan77]

Hello to all. I'm a noob here and am trying to repair an issue w/ my sat. service. Here's the background info:

System was installed about 2 years ago. It is a single dish and 3 Hughes receivers. All was well until a few months ago. I noticed that the 2nd and 3rd receivers were not getting a lot of the odd # channels, and all the screen says is "searching for signal". The receiver in my living room works just fine, and has always. I've tried to reset the boxes in question to see if they would find the missing channels, but to no avail. Once in a GREAT while, for whatever reason, the 2nd receiver decides it wants to give me all the channels. This has only happened twice in the last 3 months. I do not watch the other 2 receivers all the time, but when I do, I would like to be able to see any channel I want.

Nothing has changed the alignment of my dish, so I doubt that's it. I have yet to move the receiver in question to the living room to test it, but I'm interested in any other ideas I can try if that fails. I called DTV and they walked me through setting the box up again to see if it was a programming issue. It wasn't, so all they wanted to do is send a tech out @ $50/hr to repair, plus cost of parts (if any). I'm not rich so that is out. I'm mechanically inclined, so I think this is something I can probably do myself if I had a little guidance.

Thanks in advance,
Jay

 

[damaged]

Could be LNB, cept that you say the 1st receiver doesn't exhibit that behaviour, so, it could be the multiswitch, could also be a bad connector, or bad coax run(s).

What are your signal levels on all the transponders?

 

[FordMan77]

On which receiver? I will get the signal levels and post 'em up once I get back home and take a look.

Thanks,
Jay

 

[mmulet]

I had a similar problem with Dish a week or two ago; the DBS systems are very similar. Mine was a loose connection; I'd recheck ALL connections (and by recheck I mean take them apart, make sure there is no corrosion, and reconnect), and if you still have the problem, rerun the cables (especially from the switch to the receivers).

Hope that helps.

mmulet

 

[mmulet]

Oh, and check for moisture in the lines while you're checking.

mmulet

 

[FordMan77]

Ok, I'll give it a look. I have never been happy w/ the way the cable was run on the install. I work in telecom, and I would never think about installing and leaving my customer prem such a mess. I think I may get some (IIRC) RG6 cable and a crimp tool and just re-run all my cables the way they should be- neatly. It always bothered me, but at the time, it worked so I didn't care. Now I wonder..... And on a side note, for whatever reason, there is a splitter on the outdoor part of the cable run near the dish. Not really sure why it is needed, but I'll check that to, since it is exposed to the elements as well.

Thanks guys!

Jay

 

[uboatcmdr]

Ok, I'll give it a look. I have never been happy w/ the way the cable was run on the install. I work in telecom, and I would never think about installing and leaving my customer prem such a mess. I think I may get some (IIRC) RG6 cable and a crimp tool and just re-run all my cables the way they should be- neatly. It always bothered me, but at the time, it worked so I didn't care. Now I wonder..... And on a side note, for whatever reason, there is a splitter on the outdoor part of the cable run near the dish. Not really sure why it is needed, but I'll check that to, since it is exposed to the elements as well.

Thanks guys!

Jay

That "splitter" as you are calling it is most likely the "multiswitch". Check the connections on that and see if any are corroded. Often times the connections get water in them and because there is low DC current running through them from the receivers so as to power the LNB, the water & current mix and ends up eating away the center wire ("stinger") of the coax in the connection. If this is the case here then I'd replace both the connectors & the multiswitch, and make sure you mount the MS with the wires running in & out horizontally so water will not run down the wire and seap into the connector causing this to happen again.
If all the connections are fine and the problem is still there, check the leangth of the coax runs to see if it is possible that an animal has chewed the wire or a weedeater got ahold of it. If so replace the coax.
Also, I have run across receivers that will develop the problem of only getting either odd or even transponders without there being any connection, wiring or LNB problems present. The way to tell if that is the case here is to test the two problem receivers on the one line you know is working properly. Hope this has helped.