signal help, missing channels

[wt9]

I have about a 5 year old system, round dish, dual LNB (?? 2 cables off it), RCA receiver, and dish mounted over the air antenna. One cable from LNB to antenna, one cable from antenna to splitter at the receiver (100' cable), two short cables to back of receiver. Signal strength mid 90's. Installed it myself, followed directions, and not a ounce of problems until recently. In Savannah, Georgia.
The last couple of years I noticed the signal strength going down. Still good picture, I did not worry about it.
Last couple of weeks signal strength in the 50's. Most everything I read pointed to alignment. Screwed around with alignment a couple of days, nothing better than 50, I never checked anything but 101W and transponder 1.
Finally cut some higher tree limbs out the way.
Now I have signal strength in the low to mid 90's on the odd transponders and no signal on the even ones. I am not sure I ever had anything on the even ones. In addition I am missing a quarter of the channels 206, 207, 230, 360 are a few.
Any suggestions?
It install so easy and has been very reliable, I have not learned much about it.
Great forum, graet advice, but most on new equipment.
Thanks,
Will

 

[Jimbo]

I have about a 5 year old system, round dish, dual LNB (?? 2 cables off it), RCA receiver, and dish mounted over the air antenna. One cable from LNB to antenna, one cable from antenna to splitter at the receiver (100' cable), two short cables to back of receiver. Signal strength mid 90's. Installed it myself, followed directions, and not a ounce of problems until recently. In Savannah, Georgia.
The last couple of years I noticed the signal strength going down. Still good picture, I did not worry about it.
Last couple of weeks signal strength in the 50's. Most everything I read pointed to alignment. Screwed around with alignment a couple of days, nothing better than 50, I never checked anything but 101W and transponder 1.
Finally cut some higher tree limbs out the way.
Now I have signal strength in the low to mid 90's on the odd transponders and no signal on the even ones. I am not sure I ever had anything on the even ones. In addition I am missing a quarter of the channels 206, 207, 230, 360 are a few.
Any suggestions?
It install so easy and has been very reliable, I have not learned much about it.
Great forum, graet advice, but most on new equipment.
Thanks,
Will

Hello and Welcome to the site :up

Unfortunatly being as old a set up as that is, could be a number of things.

Are you against up grading to newer equipment ?
D* is upgrading people daily as they are getting people moved over to the new MPEG4 equipment, eventually everything will be Mpeg4 ( currently mpeg2 and mpeg 4), I expect mpeg 2 to be around till the end of next year , but I'm sure D* will try to make the change sooner if possible.

I guess what I'm saying is you will need to move to new equipment eventually and at this point D* will upgrade you and place the new dish and equipment for next to nothing.

Jimbo

 

[wt9]

Jimbo, thanks for the response.
I am not against upgrade, I figured it was coming to that.
My fear is Upgrade = $$$. My system was free and I pay $32 bucks a month.

On thing I do not like is that it appears you can not buy and install the equipment yourself anymore. I am kind of a control freak with house projects and I enjoy the work. Of course reading on the board it seems more complicated now.

thanks

 

[wt9]

problem solved

Dirt dobbers had built a nest in a connector.
Cleaned it up everything is good

 

[boba]

Dirt dobbers had built a nest in a connector.
Cleaned it up everything is good

Usually if the equipment works for 90 days it will work for years until something external happens,as you have proved. Trees do grow and may need to be trimmed to keep them out of the line of sight. Mud dobbers can interfer with the signal, so far it is pretty much normal maintenence for you. I think Jimbo is a little early in his forcast of MPEG2 becomming obsolete. There are probably 20 million SD receivers in use that would have to be replaced to completely upgrade to MPEG4 so figure on at least another 2-3 years of use still on your existing equipment.

 

[Jimbo]

Usually if the equipment works for 90 days it will work for years until something external happens,as you have proved. Trees do grow and may need to be trimmed to keep them out of the line of sight. Mud dobbers can interfer with the signal, so far it is pretty much normal maintenence for you. I think Jimbo is a little early in his forcast of MPEG2 becomming obsolete. There are probably 20 million SD receivers in use that would have to be replaced to completely upgrade to MPEG4 so figure on at least another 2-3 years of use still on your existing equipment.

You really think it will be 3 years yet on the mpeg4 conversion ?
I think when the time comes, they will start making offers to all that need them and then an ultimatum, but by that time a good portion will aolready have the updated rec's.
ALL subs with a sports sub should be upgraded by now or soon as they are moving in the MPEG4 only area.
MLB this year, NFL by next fall, they pushed Nascar fans to them earlier ...

Jimbo