GEOSATpro Restarting MicroHD to get signal to return?

[radio]

With warmer weather comes the time to check out the FTA system....and tonight was "re-scan and re-organize channels" evening.

I'm finding that my MicroHD is rendering "no signal" upon changing from favorite to favorite if on different satellites, even the fixed-dishes. All dishes as always feed through an 8-place diseqc, no 22khz switches in use. I find when I get a 'no signal" if I restart the receiver from the remote (no reboot of power supply) the intended signal to which I changed lights right up!

I've read many old threads on a search, and this seems to be a recurring situation here...IF it were water in the coax, I doubt it would work at all, definitely not on a restart (??) Found a post on sharp bends in coax very interesting, but that would come and STAY, I'd think...not come and go. Great post to learn-from, however for simplifying the system....I've done much homework...

Is it possible the input voltage on my MicroHD from the power supply could be running low and unable to power the change? Somewhere the receiver has to step up the voltage to 18 volts, from the incoming 12, correct? Obviously changing the power supply would be recommended...and I have to admit, I've been using a belkin 12 volt backup to operate the receiver exclusively, rated at 3 amp available output, but maybe the wall wart as shipped with the unit would provide better power if the problem is related to input voltage? I run the Belkin due to frequent power outages and the constant resetting of clocks and timers. Receiver is running cool, no issues, and not obstructed in any venting.

output 1: C-band on Birdview motorized dish
output 2: Ku band on Birdview motorized dish.
output 3: C-band on fixed Birdview
output 4: ku band on fixed 103 west
output 5: ku band on fixed 125 west
output 6: ku band on fixed 97 west (used to be 72 as in picture)
(spare ports 7 and 8 are not connected to any cables)

 

[radio]

With warmer weather comes the time to check out the FTA system....and tonight was "re-scan and re-organize channels" evening.

I'm finding that my MicroHD is rendering "no signal" upon changing from favorite to favorite if on different satellites, even the fixed-dishes. All dishes as always feed through an 8-place diseqc, no 22khz switches in use. I find when I get a 'no signal" if I restart the receiver from the remote (no reboot of power supply) the intended signal to which I changed lights right up!

I've read many old threads on a search, and this seems to be a recurring situation here...IF it were water in the coax, I doubt it would work at all, definitely not on a restart (??) Found a post on sharp bends in coax very interesting, but that would come and STAY, I'd think...not come and go. Great post to learn-from, however for simplifying the system....I've done much homework...

Is it possible the input voltage on my MicroHD from the power supply could be running low and unable to power the change? Somewhere the receiver has to step up the voltage to 18 volts, from the incoming 12, correct? Obviously changing the power supply would be recommended...and I have to admit, I've been using a belkin 12 volt backup to operate the receiver exclusively, rated at 3 amp available output, but maybe the wall wart as shipped with the unit would provide better power if the problem is related to input voltage? I run the Belkin due to frequent power outages and the constant resetting of clocks and timers. Receiver is running cool, no issues, and not obstructed in any venting.

output 1: C-band on Birdview motorized dish
output 2: Ku band on Birdview motorized dish.
output 3: C-band on fixed Birdview
output 4: ku band on fixed 103 west
output 5: ku band on fixed 125 west
output 6: ku band on fixed 97 west (used to be 72 as in picture)
(spare ports 7 and 8 are not connected to any cables)
View attachment 125914

Putting an original MicroHD 2 amp power supply on today did not change the symptoms. Will go back to the UPS by Belkin and look into other ideas. We've changed diseqcs before, with no change in results....maybe the cable's going bad...it's probably a total of 125 feet for any of the dishes that are connected.

 

[KE4EST]

I hate things that are hard to track down. Have you tried putting another receiver in it's place?

 

[radio]

I remember doing that in the past...and finding the Amiko mini wouldn't "sniff out" some low quality signals that MicroHD would.
You make a valid point, and with many of my "regulars" being fixed dishes, it's less bother than if they were all motorized.
Will try the Amiko. I just have a feeling some voltages are not getting where they need to be.....and there's no 22khz switches in use, (read on one thread that voltage is available on both sides, "a drain" of the good Ecoda units.)....so I'm really stumped. It's like "lazy voltage" instead of "stray voltage.

Come to think of it I can back up my MicroHD files, load 'em to the spare MicroHD and try IT. THAT could prove interesting.

 

[Titanium]

Probably a failing DiSEqC switch, common coupling or a voltage potential. Had a more than a few systems act that way and resolved with a new switch or finding a distribution fault. DiSEqC switches can exhibit some strange behavior with stray voltages.

A DiSEqC switch latches on the last selected port. If the switch has problem with that port or a common voltage is present, it may not reliably switch. The power cycle would return the switch to the default port 1.

 

[. Raine]

I had this type of problem intermittently using cheap DISEqC switches. After I swapped them out for Amiko switches, the issue never reaccured.

 

[ZetaMale]

I don't use switches and had this problem. My cable run is about 120 feet of RG-6.

 

[radio]

I'm hoping I can find a fix. The Amiko was the recommended 8 place switch, and it's what I'm using! Has anyone found a better one? JohnnN: Thanks for that note, too. Maybe I'll have to change coax ....I'm running direct bury RG-6, but it could have an issue. Now I have to try identical receiver/same cable, and the "same receiver, new cable" scenario. Darn! Well, after the constant rain stops this week, anyway.

 

[primestar31]

I'm hoping I can find a fix. The Amiko was the recommended 8 place switch, and it's what I'm using! Has anyone found a better one? JohnnN: Thanks for that note, too. Maybe I'll have to change coax ....I'm running direct bury RG-6, but it could have an issue. Now I have to try identical receiver/same cable, and the "same receiver, new cable" scenario. Darn! Well, after the constant rain stops this week, anyway.

Is your cable run grounded properly?

 

[radio]

Yep. I've got 5 thousand watts of RF to keep out of it.

 

[Larry1]

I had strange channel switching issued that were never completely solved, but did get better if I changed the transponder frequency up/down by 1. Also played with changing various other settings up/down 1 or 2. (i.e. symbol rate, etc) Channels would lock if going in one direction but not the other. Just something else to try.