24" Dish not working

[betaman10]

Hello,

Ok I have had about enough of these installers. Guy comes at 5:15 today to install a 24" dish because I get rain fade even when it is hardly raining. Anyway he gets it installed and now my signal is between 71 and 76. It was 86-88 before. He wanted to leave so it just left it at that saying when he was up there with his signal meter he was getting 99% and thats the best he can do and that there is nothing he can do for me. I have had voom since about april and have been having issues, but didn't have a problem paying because I like the concept. Anyway do have have them come out again? Its going to be 1 or 2 people who come out and they either both hate me or hate voom. They never want to do anything. The other guy wouldn't even try a larger antenna saying that I wouldn't get anything out here. So do I call voom again and just cancel and say the hell with it.

Thanks,

Dan

 

[Ilya]

Anyway do have have them come out again? Its going to be 1 or 2 people who come out and they either both hate me or hate voom. They never want to do anything. The other guy wouldn't even try a larger antenna saying that I wouldn't get anything out here.

Do you know which company these installers work for? I would call VOOM, explain the situation in details and insist on a different installer (company). If they will refuse to provide a different installer, let us know, we'll help you out.

 

[Vreesar]

In addition to Ilya's recommendations above...

If you have one other person you can work with and feel confident about working on the dish yourself, go up and try to align the dish with the reciever. My last two installers both locked onto other signals "Look, I got a 99% signal!!" I go down and look at the reciever and its like 60%. I got a friend to come over and pointed the dish myself and now I get 98% off the reciever. I found the dish wasn't even close to the correct direction and elevation.

"Idiots"

 

[betaman10]

Hello,

Well voom said they will have Installs INC come out this time. Before it was Direct Broadcast Satellite Center, Inc. So hopefully that would work. I want to go up on my roof, but I don't have a ladder that can get up that high. I want to one in the future just not right now. Hopefuly when Installs INC comes out next week or so it will all be working and I will be happy again.

Thank you,

Dan

 

[Ilya]

Well voom said they will have Installs INC come out this time. Before it was Direct Broadcast Satellite Center, Inc.

betaman10, Installs Inc. doesn't have installers. This is the main contractor for VOOM, but it in turn sub-contracts local companies, like Direct Broadcast Satellite Center, Inc.
If I were you, I would call Installs Inc. directly (1-888-987-3474) to find out who is dispatched to you and to make sure they are sending someone more experienced and better trained this time. You can also ask the name and the phone number of the installer and contact that installer in advance to make sure the person has experience with VOOM and OTA installations.
A couple of phone calls may save you from further troubles.

 

[betaman10]

Hmm, well thats wierd the guy came yesterday all the way from Tocoma which is about 1.5 hours away from where I am. Not sure which company he was with, but was a much nicer person that the guy before. He got me all setup with 88 signal strength in light rain which is wonderful considering with the 18inch dish I would have been around 70 or below. I am very happy now and everything seems to be working. Just waiting for it to rain a little harder to see if it still works. I don't expent it to work with really hard rain, but it would be cool if it did. I just wanted it to work when it was light rain and it seems to so that is great.

Thanks,

Dan

 

[Ilya]

He got me all setup with 88 signal strength in light rain which is wonderful considering with the 18inch dish I would have been around 70 or below.

And what's your signal quality now?

 

[betaman10]

Well depending on the channel I get anywhere between low and high 90's in clear weather. During rain its mid 80's on most channels. It went out once yesterday during a huge amount of hail so thats all good I wouldn't expect it to work then. It got to the 30's then, but a little after it had passed it started working great again. I was so happy I even upgraded to get all the channels instead of just the basic package.

Dan

 

[Ilya]

Hail fade!
Glad it all works now. Enjoy VOOM!

 

[JEFFinINDY]

What's a good signal strength for an 18" dish in clear weather? Mine is 94 or 95 right now, and everything works well, but I'm wondering if I possibly squeeze an extra few points out of it?

 

[Ilya]

I have 97 with an 18" dish.

 

[Vreesar]

I usually sit between 97 and 98. Every great once in a while I'll hit 99. (must be all the constalations lineing up)