I'm getting re-peaked

[rollerfink]

My low signal levels (power=65 quality=80) finally dipped to the point of frequent signal loss today (especially on ESPNHD boo!!!).

So I called and asked Voom to send someone out to peak my dish. They're coming on Wednesday. If all goes well then I will be a happy voomer.

If it doesn't work out then I think I'll bite the bullet and switch to DirecTV with the HD TIVO (my birthday is coming up afterall).

 

[DarrellP]

Why quit? Ask for a bigger dish.

 

[rollerfink]

Yeah, maybe I'll try that if the re-peak doesn't work. My signal quality dipped down to 70 today but it's back up to 80-85 tonight, I'll see what happens.

 

[Ken F]

I hope you don't have leaves / foliage growing in your line of sight.

 

[GeneWildershair]

"I'm getting re-peaked"

sounds kinky? Have fun!

 

[rollerfink]

I hope you don't have leaves / foliage growing in your line of sight.

I don't think so. I originally thought that might be a problem but the neighbor's leaves have come in and I don't think its in the line of sight -- but it is kind of close. I'll see what the installer says.

 

[rollerfink]

"I'm getting re-peaked"

sounds kinky? Have fun!

I just hope the installer can find my G spot (g = good line of sight)

 

[TVH]

Ok, newbie here. What does "re-peak" mean? Sean Mota had mentioned the same for me but I am clueless as to what it means. My sat signal quality is around 85. Sean had mentioned 90 or above is what I should be getting. Does re-peaking mean the installer comes out and adjust the dish?

 

[cameron119]

Ok, newbie here. What does "re-peak" mean? Sean Mota had mentioned the same for me but I am clueless as to what it means. My sat signal quality is around 85. Sean had mentioned 90 or above is what I should be getting. Does re-peaking mean the installer comes out and adjust the dish?

Yes. But for the dish to be peaked, it must be PROPERLY adjusted

Otherwise, you've just moved it around.

 

[TVH]

Thanks Cameron119. I figured it was something like that.

 

[The Stone Man]

I had to do an emergency 'self re-peak' when I accidentally threw a shovel full of wet snow off the back deck, and it hammered the back of the dish. I felt like pounding myself for being careless, but it turned out to be easy. Satellite signal back to 96. I didn't think the free in-home service for 2 years would include a re-peak based on stupidity.

 

[bbtkd]

When first installed note that your signal strength (on install page) will read low, 50's range. After the firmware update, you should be in the 80's or 90's. After my installer installed the dish and as he plugged in the receiver, it started raining. My signal went from 48 down to 18 or so. I commented that this seemed low, but he insisted that was normal with his 5 other installs. I commented that I had seen higher numbers mentioned here, so he went back up and peaked it. Then I was getting in the 40's in the rain and about 60 when not raining. After the firmware update I get 92-96. The installer is having a 30" dish sent, to prevent/reduce rain fade.

 

[rollerfink]

I'm usually in the low 80s and then it drops down to 70 in light rain (with multiple picture breakups). If the peaking doesn't work I'll ask for a larger dish and if that doesn't work then I'll move on.

 

[rollerfink]

The guy's here now. Same guy as the original install. He says as long as the signal power is above 60 I should be good (it's at 66 right now) but he will change the LNB out and try and reposition a bit. He knows about the new scale.

He also said he'd tighten the bolts on my rooftop antenna (it blows around in strong wind) unless it looks too dangerous.

Hopefully he can get the levels up.

 

[rollerfink]

Well, he improved it a bit.

The satellite power went from 66 to 75 and the quality went from 79 to 83.

I'll wait and see what happens when it rains (or gets cloudy). He agreed that I could probably get approved for a 30" dish if I still have problems -- although he tried to claim that "you will always get signal breakups when it rains, that's normal." Not for me.

He said as long as my signal quality stays above 80 I should be fine. I know a lot of you guys get in the upper 90s though so I'll see what happens.

 

[dtsfanohio]

Does anyone know if a signal of 95 is better (PQ-wise) than a signal of 80? or is it all the same PQ above 80 ? The advantage of a 95 signal (IMHO) is you are less prone to rain fade effects than it you were 80 all the time. True? False

 

[rollerfink]

The advantage of a 95 signal (IMHO) is you are less prone to rain fade effects than it you were 80 all the time. True? False

I think that's how it is too.

 

[rollerfink]

Well the re-peak didn't work. We've had light rain the last two nights and I've experienced major signal drops.

I just sent this e-mail to Joe Harkins at intallers inc.

Hi Joe,

I got your name from the satelliteguys.us forum. Ever since my Voom installation in April I have been experiencing signal dropouts in very light rain. I recently had my original installers (Don Lors Electronics) come out to re-peak the dish. They got my signals up a little bit (signal power = 70-75 and signal quality = 81-83) but it rained again over the last two days and I have had major signal drops (unwatchable) on both days. The signal quality drops down into the low 70s. My OTA is working perfectly.

I would like to get a 30" dish installed if possible -- as I am hoping this will fix my significant rain fade issues. I love Voom and want to keep it, but I need a service that I can rely on. Thanks for any help you can offer.

We'll see what happens. If the 30" dish works then yay. If not then I will move to D*

 

[rollerfink]

Well today was really bad. It rained heavuily here in Detroit and I completely lost my sat signal for most of the day. My sat quality level went down to 39-40!!!

If Joe Harkins doesn't come through with the 30 inch dish then I'm definitely saying so long to voom.

 

[rollerfink]

I got an e-mail back from Joe Harkins...

I’ve requested a service call for a bigger dish.

Joe

We'll see how it goes. -- Note he didn't say if it was for a 24" or 30"