changing signal strength

[milt007]

I am having a strange problem with an install thats about 3 months old. Recently the customer began having picture dropouts and when doing signal checks I found signal seemed a little low. Checked dish and its solid as a rock. Checked everything and couldn't find anything wrong. The signal seems to drop off worse at night and is higher during the day. Its gotten worse as the weather here in northern michigan has gotten colder. It only seems to affect 121 and 119 and their signal varies by 25-30 points for no apparent reason. 110 is over 100 points and is stable . Any input? Thanks

 

[TheDishNetworkInstaller]

Have you tried replacing LNB's or Switch yet?

Have you check fittings for corrosion or signs of the cable being compromised?

My first impression is the switch is having issues as I've never had 2 LNB's take a dump on a SD. This is of course if you triple checked and re-pointed the Dish and checked line of sight +/- 10 degrees on the AZ/Elv.

 

[ktriebol]

I just finished insatlling a dish 500 system at my cabin in northern Wisconsin. I did the best I could to aim the dish but the 110 signal is much bettern than 119. I am getting a signal strength of about 104 for the 110 satellite and signal strength of about 65-70 for the 119 satellite. I think this is because the signal leaving the 110 satellite is just stronger than the 119 signal.

 

[Van]

I just finished insatlling a dish 500 system at my cabin in northern Wisconsin. I did the best I could to aim the dish but the 110 signal is much bettern than 119. I am getting a signal strength of about 104 for the 110 satellite and signal strength of about 65-70 for the 119 satellite. I think this is because the signal leaving the 110 satellite is just stronger than the 119 signal.

110 / 119 are close in signal strength, most likely your not aligned with both sats possibly from the settings on your dish itsself. I always tune my dish's off the 119 side of the dish because my settings are always correct and if I get the 119 strong I know I have the 110. Make sure your mast or pole is plumb all the way around, also make sure that your skew settings are correct and that your elevation is correct. If all of this is good and you have tuned off the 119 side and your signal is still low take a look at where the dish is facing and see what tree's or other objects may be high enough to block some of the signal, if there is something you may need to relocate the dish higher or somewhere else altogether.

 

[Van]

I am having a strange problem with an install thats about 3 months old. Recently the customer began having picture dropouts and when doing signal checks I found signal seemed a little low. Checked dish and its solid as a rock. Checked everything and couldn't find anything wrong. The signal seems to drop off worse at night and is higher during the day. Its gotten worse as the weather here in northern michigan has gotten colder. It only seems to affect 121 and 119 and their signal varies by 25-30 points for no apparent reason. 110 is over 100 points and is stable . Any input? Thanks

It does sound like a temp sensitive switch though I have actually had several super dish lnbf clusters have multiple lnbf failures. The next thing you should look at is what the superdish is mounted to, if its a wood post then its possible that the post is flexing from moisture and temperature wich was a problem that our shop faced many times over the last year or so.

 

[milt007]

Thanks for all the replies...as I stated I checked everything...and mount is "solid as a rock" It is a roof mount with support arms. I can't get a good handle on it as everytime I go out it seems ok but I believe the customer and had him keep kind of a 'log' noting the times of day/night and signal strengths.I had heard that there was a series of lnbs that were known to be bad and the subject of a "recall" ? Does this sound like the symptoms to you? Thanks again

 

[TheDishNetworkInstaller]

Well if its intermittent and you can't duplicate it when your there, your only real option is to start replacing things one at a time.

Since its 121 and 119 being affected and Van has stated he has had multiple LNB's on a SD cluster go out I would probably try swapping the cluster out first. Maybe the mounting bracket was tweaked just enough that once the cold set in and cause it to contract it pulled them out of alignment.

Most of my SD experience is SD 105's and only thing I've had go out on them is 119 or 110 and simply fixed by swapping the dual with another. 105 problems were always turned horn (yes they turn).

 

[Liquidforce88]

Yes check and see if it is one of the defective batches of LNBs