Receiver

[Raymond Aspinall]

We have a Glorystar system with a signal quality of 60 to 65%. The receiver is a Fortec Star Mercury ll with two LBN. We can be watching a good picture with the above quality and it may instantly go off and indicate no signal. Turn the receiver off and back on and you get a good picture and same quality. It may last 5 mins or 20 or more and then instantly go out again and you stop and restart the receiver. Indicates to me the receiver may be no good, I don't know. Any ideas? Ray

[rv1pop]

WELCOME to Satellite Guys and to the Glorystar Forum!!!

If as you indicate, it is saying no signal, then it may not be the STB. As stupid as this sounds, I have found dishes that flex enough that they will drop the signal off the "Digital Cliff". Rebooting the receiver causes the receiver to search for the signal and when it finds it, even slightly off fequency it will lock again. Then after the LNBF drifts a little agin, you fall off the "Cliff" again. When you get a signal locked in, again, SLOWLY AND CAREFULLY check the dish alignment- Tweak - as they say. OOPPS before you tweak, check the string test and be sure the dish is not warpped. A marginal aim by itself, or a slightly drifting LNBF or a slightly drifting STB is usually not enough to cause a loss like that, but the combination can do it.
Overheating of the STB is a possibility, BUT since it comes right back instead of a ten minute off time, that is not likely. But that being said, do look inside the box through the holes for dust bunnies.
POP

[Glorystar1]

Could be a defective LNBF, Switch, Receiver or even a cable. Do both the Signal Level and Signal Quality go away?

Here are some trouble shooting tips:

• If the Signal Level stays good, but the Signal Quality is 0 - 10% the LNB may be failing and the LO may be drifting off frequency. Confirm by direct connecting to LNBF #2, bypassing the switch and swapping LNBFs in the clamp. Test the other LNBF in the #2 position. If problem is solved, the first LNBF is possibly defective. You can test for LNB LO drift by shifting the LNB LO Frequecy up or down in 1 or 2MHz steps to a maximum of 5MHz in either direction. If the Signal Quality stays good when you shift the LO frequency, the LNBF should be replaced. This is a usual sign of LNB aging that can be accelerated by heat or cold extremes.
• While the system is working, direct connect to LNBF #2, bypassing the switch. Does the problem occur? If not, the switch may be bad. If still occurs, swap LNBFs in the mount and repeat test with the other LNBF in position #2. If problem still occurs, issue is most likely not with the LNBFs or the switch.
• Test the voltage on the SAT IN port at the receiver when the problem is occurring. Is the voltage 13VDC on a Vertical channel and 18VDC for a Horizontal channel (+/- 10%). If not, the receiver is failing. If good, perform same test outside in front of the switch. If switch passes power, test both coax jumpers by disconnecting at each LNBF. What are the results?
• Try a temporary coax cable from the receiver to the dish. Could be corroded fittings or moisture wicking into the cable.

Hope that this information helps!

[Dr. Pepper 6044]

Raymond,

In my younger day, any electronics tech would go inside and evaluate the circuitry in the receiver, power supply voltages, overheated components, etc... Not today. These boxes are relatively inexpensive and improving almost daily. So many people have spares sitting around. I have 2 such boxes. The easiest way to diagnose is to swith receivers as a test. You may not have that option.

I have a Mercury II. They haven't been marketed by Glorystar for some time now, so yours is older. The new GeoSat Pro receivers are very good.

It is possible that the lnbf is heating up and failing. If you switch the 101W lnbf with the 97W lnbf, that may show you one is bad. I haven't seen that, but anything is possible. Again, swith components of the system to see what happens.

That's about all I can suggest.

Bill

[rv1pop]

One other thought, I have had switches fail like that. Turn off the box by the switch on the back (or by unpluging it from the outlet). Then remove the switch and reconnect with out it to your prefered LNB, probably for 97W, and turn the box back on andtest again and see if that corrects the problem.

By the way, the term STB means "set top box" also know as receiver or box.
LNBF is generally the same as LNBF exsept the 'F' means is feedhorn is part of the unit, not detachable. I am not trying to confuse anyone..
And the string test means stretching strings across the face of the dish in several places and make sure they touch where they cross. if they do not touch, your dish is warpped. The greater the gap, the worse the warp. The more warp, the poorer the adjustability of the dish AND usually the poorer signal.

[Gary Z]

I had a similar problem with the Xtreme II LNBF--- I would loose the signal, rescanning restored the signal slightly off frequency-- after a couple of days had the same problem-- rescan again slightly more off frequency. I installed another new Xtreme II LNBF same problem. The Xtreme II LNBF was the culprit. Replaced the LNBF with the Geosatpro SL1 Bullet LNBF problem solved! What LNBF do you have?