Signal loss through Diseqc switch?

[BabaLouie]

I use a 4-way Diseqc switch to combine signals from four different satellites to one receiver (Fortec Ultra). I notice that the signal from G10r, for example, is pretty good when I run it to the receiver directly, but falls off quite a bit when I run it through the switch. Why is this? Is there anything I can do to remedy this problem?

 

[Mr Tony]

different switch

I use switches on both of my setups and there is no difference between using a switch and not (I haven’t seen any)

 

[9999]

I get that problem too and mine is a DMSI swtitch

 

[Mr Tony]

that's what I'm using too (DMSI switch)

 

[Shawn95GT]

different switch

I use switches on both of my setups and there is no difference between using a switch and not (I haven’t seen any)

Same here with a DMSI or a Pansat branded one.

Shawn

 

[BabaLouie]

The Pansat switch is the one I'm using. I tried a LaVa switch, and couldn't get anything at all with it.

 

[Mr Tony]

make sure you are powering the receiver off (via the switch on back) when swapping out switches....or you could do damage!

 

[anik]

The Pansat switch is the one I'm using. I tried a LaVa switch, and couldn't get anything at all with it.

I had a LaVa switch and although I didn't notice great amounts of signal loss, what I did notice was leakage. For example if I was watching a signal off of a small dish pointed at one satellite and had my big moveable dish pointed at another strong satellite (such as Anik F1, back when the CTV feeds were viewable) it would cause all sorts of signal loss on the small dish signal, to the point that it wasn't even viewable until I moved the big dish. I recently got hold of a Chieta 4x1 DiSEqC switch which is rated to have only 1.5 dB insertion loss and Isolation of >30dB. I did not notice any huge increase in signal strength but it sure solved the leakage problem.

Unfortunately I could not do what I wanted to do with these switches, which was to put two of them behind a 22 kHz tone switch and select each DiSEqC using the tone switch. Apparently you can have Receiver <----> DiSEqC <-----> Tone Switch(es) but not Receiver <-----> Tone Switch <----> DiSeqCs, because the DiSEqC connected to the Tone Switch "ON position" will not respond to selection commands and always passes the signal from DiSEqC position #1 (the DiSEqC connected to the tone switch "OFF position" does respond to DiSEqC commands, however).

 

[Xevious2K]

Just to throw in my 2 cents here. I've been having some problems over the past week or so with signal loss. First I'd have it, Then nothing. Sometimes it would just drop out in the middle of whatever I was trying to watch.

When I got home tonight, (From a long day of playing golf ), I saw this thread and figured I'd try swapping out my switch to see if that would solve my problem. Wouldn't you know, I now have a strong steady signal, and about 5% more of it. My old switch was a coolsat and is now on it's way to my local landfill. I'm going to order a couple of spares to have on hand, just in case.

As always, This forum helps again, Thanks guys.

 

[Mr Tony]

so it was a bad switch then?

 

[Xevious2K]

Yes, but it took this thread for me to realize it.