Losing even transponders but signal strength high?

[Tony S]

I have a 501 receiver and a DPP LNB with a dish 500. The last few weeks it has developed a problem that has me confused. Can anyone tell me what might be happening.

Intermittently, I will lose several channels on the even transponders on both 119 and 110. "The satellite signal has been lost" error screen comes up and it tells me the satellite and transponder number of the channel that has failed. However, when I go into the point dish screen, and select the satellite and transponder that does not tune in, the signal strength is very high. For example, some of my local channels are on satellite 110, spotbeam 20. When those channels fail, I get a signal strength of 120 (out of 125) yet the channels on that transponder still do not come in. Does that make any sense? Also, I only have a 3 day guide, not the 9 day guide that I am normally used to.

The problem seems intermittent during the day and usually clears up at night, but it does not seem to be temperature related. The 'check switch' test does not report any errors, although it seems to take a while to complete. Has anyone ever seen this problem with channels that have high signal levels not tuning in?

 

[Roadwarrior]

Who knows? I have seen that exact problem before and replacing the LNB fixed it. It could be anything, but I'll bet whatever it is it's equipment related.
The only problem with having a tech come out is that you may not be able to recreate the problem. If the tech gets there and check switch is ok, all the transponders on both sats are coming in, it's going to be hard to pinpoint it. He should start by checking all the connections then replacing the LNB. If that doesnt fix it then it's in the box. Could take a couple of trips to get it fixed.

EDIT- I suppose it could be in the cable too. I think in a recent post on another thread, someone mentioned that using RG-59 could cause problems like that. So let the troubleshooting begin! Process of elimination is the only way it's going to get fixed. Unless they nail the problem on the first trip, you may need patience.

 

[tankerman]

I had the same problem on my 508 and my 510, a couple of weeks ago.

It seems that the 50X models are able to pick up problems with the LNBF, that other models don't notice.

I called customer service and we did a RA on my LNBF, at a cost of $14.95.

Long story short, I had a faulty LNBF.

You only have a 3 day guide, because the 9 day guide comes from an even transponder on 110.

So replace it if you can, or have a tech replace it.
Your problem will be solved.

 

[Tony S]

Thanks a lot for the replies. I agree that the LNB is most likely the problem. After monitoring this problem a little more closely, I think that the problem is temperature related. When it is cool outside everything works normally, but as the day goes on and the temperature warms, the even transponders start to cut out.

I have kept a record of which channels/transponders fail, and it turns out that there is a pattern to the way that they fail. The even transponders fail in a set pattern, with some failing about a half hour to an hour before they all cut out. When the temperature cools, they come back on in the same order that they failed (the ones that fail first come back on last; the ones that fail last come back on first). I think that this indicates that you guys were right in suggesting that the LNB was the problem.

However, it still does not make sense that when I go into the point dish screen, and select the satellite and transponder that does not tune in, the signal strength is very high on ALL of the failed transponders.

tankerman, how did you get customer service to RA your LNBF for $14.95? Do you have a service contract? When I called customer service, they want to send a technician at a cost of $100!!

 

[desiguy2447]

508

I am having the same issue with my 508, and Dish Network has replaced my 508 three time thus far and the same issue on each box.

I'm going to have to call Dish and get a replacement LNB because this issue as talked about in this forum does not occur with my 211 or 6000 HD receivers.

I Know it is not the cable because I have placed my 6000 at the 508 location and it had no issues, but when I took the 508 to 6000 location it had the same channel lost error with the 119 sat with very high signal levels. Most of my 119 sat issues with the 508 are on Transponder 6 funny though when I got to the install menu and select transponder 6 with 119 it shows on the 508.

 

[Jared Twomey]

sometimes problems like this can also be caused by problems in the cable. Often if there is a problem early in the morning but clears up as the day goes on it can be moisture getting into the ground block/connectors, ect...
When I go to a service call like this I always go ahead and replace the connectors and ground block, and then I would probably go for the LNB for this particular problem...
A lot of times if you are just losing the even transponders it is a line problem because they are on the higher freq signals that are more sensitive to loss over long runs, imperfections in the cable, sharp bends in cable, ect...

 

[mdwatt]

Have the DPPlus twin replaced with a regular DP Twin, and that should fix your issues. No need to have the plus on a single tuner box. Besides that the DP Twin is one of the most reliable LNBs that DISH has ever made.

 

[skyviewmark]

As Birddoggy said, check your cable.. Although equipment failure is always an option, I have found more often than not that most of my service calls that I go on are cable related. People sometimes just don't understand the inability of the cable to handle little things like bends and cracks and connectors that are not on good. Sometimes it's just something that you can't even see looking at it. But inside something has broken. Cable, connectors, barrels, ground blocks.. All should be the first suspect in an intermittant problem..

 

[PKII]

I have a 501 receiver and a DPP LNB with a dish 500. The last few weeks it has developed a problem that has me confused. Can anyone tell me what might be happening.

Intermittently, I will lose several channels on the even transponders on both 119 and 110. "The satellite signal has been lost" error screen comes up and it tells me the satellite and transponder number of the channel that has failed. However, when I go into the point dish screen, and select the satellite and transponder that does not tune in, the signal strength is very high. For example, some of my local channels are on satellite 110, spotbeam 20. When those channels fail, I get a signal strength of 120 (out of 125) yet the channels on that transponder still do not come in. Does that make any sense? Also, I only have a 3 day guide, not the 9 day guide that I am normally used to.

The problem seems intermittent during the day and usually clears up at night, but it does not seem to be temperature related. The 'check switch' test does not report any errors, although it seems to take a while to complete. Has anyone ever seen this problem with channels that have high signal levels not tuning in?

Had the same sorta problem. Went outside and made sure the pole was still level. It was. Then I made sure the dish was level it was not. I leveled it and went inside. Poof all the transponders were there.

 

[Jared Twomey]

Had the same sorta problem. Went outside and made sure the pole was still level. It was. Then I made sure the dish was level it was not. I leveled it and went inside. Poof all the transponders were there.

what part of the dish did you make level? unless it is a Dish300 nothing on it should be "level". everything sits skewed, or at an angle