daily loss of picture

[rstart]

This is my first time logging in - so be patient. We lose our picture daily, starts around 11:00 and comes back sometimes as early as 2:00, other days as late as 6:00. Get this, only in the summer! This started summer of 03 and is doing it again this year. The signal meter shows all transponders receiving a minimum of 82 and maximum of 93. However, during full reception the meters read above 90 on all transponders except 12, 30 and 32 (30 & 32 get no signal at all.)

Our system is over 5 years old, 2 RCA receivers, 18" dual LNB, no obstructions, but it has always been on a 4 X 4 post, (Professionally installed, by the way). We have tried disconnecting both receivers, replaced all wiring between dish and house, checked switches, tried to resposition the dish ourselves with little improvement on reception.

I don't think it can possibly be an equipment problem because the rest of the day is good reception and no problems at all in the winter. We do seem to lose reception easily during storms. How many satellites transmit signals? Are we receving from the ones we should? Can I trust anyone to come and check things out if it wasn't installed properly in the first place? Any ideas out there?

 

[LOBO2999]

I am not an installer but I put all my receivers and dish in myself and you should be getting a stronger signal than 82% to 90% I get between 96 & 99 , I think your Dish needs to be adjusted to get a stronger signal , I think this will help a lot. Here is what I did and do if need be , if you have a way for you and someone else to talk to like if you and a friend have cell phones , go to your signal meter reading in your setup guide and then go outside and have your friend stay inside and go to the dish and adjust the dish up or down (just a little ) to get a stronger signal and have your friend let you know when it gets stronger if adjusting up and down does not work then from left to right or you might have to do both to get a stronger signal. Now for it being better in the winter than summer is there any trees in the way even a Branch that might be in the way ? Even a little is so this would explain the lost in summer because of the trees filling in . As for the 4x4 poll you have it on as long as it is cemented into the ground and it doesn't move even in a high wind or storm then it should be OK.

 

[dishjockey]

Where are you located?

 

[Skip Towne]

I recently had a customer have the same symptoms you have. I found a bad fitting on the LNB. It would draw moisture in the morning and lose the picture. Then, as it dried out during the day the picture would return. You have changed the wiring so it probably isn't a fitting. I suspect the ground block. Try changing it.

 

[bnaivar]

I had a friend with the same problem. His dish was mounted on his roof and where the cable went over the eave of the house there was a connector that would come apart after the roofing shiungles heated up and expanded.

 

[rstart]

Re: Daily loss of signal

I am located in North Carolina. We continue to have trouble losing signal daily, just waiting to move dish to metal pole and try re-alignment. It's got to be the alignment because of the seasonal loss. I don't think it's heat related, I think it's the tilt of the earth with the seasons! DirecTV told me if the dish is off by even 1 degree, the signal is lost. Don't know how accurate that is, but I believe them!

 

[022266]

I would check fittings as stated above by Skip Towne,
also since you have it on a 4x4 post and you have had it for 5 years... the post may be warping, not enough for your eye to notice but enough to affect the alignment... I would switch to a metal pole.