Possible line of sight issues?

[colt45allstar]

I've been a DirecTV customer since early 2009 and recently started having issues with my signal. It would seemingly randomly go out (although it usually wasn't for long periods of time) Sometimes if I played around with the SWM cable on the multi switch and unplugged it and plugged it back in, the signal would come back.

Additionally my signals from both DirecTV 10 and DirecTV 12 were always pathetically low when doing a signal test. (talking mostly 50's and 60's with 10 and abysmal 40's and 50's with 12)

Monday morning all three of my receivers lost their signal and I've been unable to get things up and running since then. When doing a red button reset, it's acting different than what it usually does when it's having signal issues. Normally it will go through the setup process and when it gets to the part where the guide gets built a "searching for signal" message will come up. That's when sometimes unplugging the cord on the multiswitch and plugging back in will allow it to find a signal and it will then build the guide and go through the rest of the setup process.

Ever since Monday though it instead starts to go through the setup process, but a searching for signal message never comes up. It goes to the guide building screen and then just stops at 0 (where as before it wouldn't even go the guide building screen at all, prior to me getting the signal working again.)

The thing that was always weirdest to me though, even when it was working.. when doing a test, it would always fail the alignment one. Anyway I've been long winded enough, this is the main purpose of my post. I have a service call on Saturday between noon and four. What are the odds of a tech coming, deciding that line of sight is the likely issue causing all these problems and then proclaim there is no place to move the dish to.?

Here's pictures I took earlier today, some from the ground and some from the roof. I took the time to title one of them "current location" as that one was taking right next to where the dish currently sits.

[ame="http://s242.photobucket.com/albums/ff114/colt45allstar/tree%20cover/"]tree cover pictures by colt45allstar - Photobucket[/ame]

Thanks for the help, I'm hoping that I'm worrying about nothing in terms of line of sight, I just know that trees aren't good in regards to that.

 

[TDK1044]

The first thing to check by eye yourself is your line of sight. If you can't see blue sky by following the line that your Dish is pointed at then you have a problem. If the line of sight takes you to tree branches then you need to resite your Dish.

From memory, I think the compass heading for the D* birds is between 208 and 212 degrees, with an elevation of 46 degrees. Get a compass and see if there is anywhere else on your property that you can get clear line of site to the satellites.

I know it's obvious, but trees grow and sway in the wind. Based on your pictures, you either need to cut off some branches or move your Dish.

 

[Jimbo]

Your in a bad situation there.
Can you find a better location ?
Is the tree on your property, is cutting it down an option ?

 

[jdspencer]

...
From memory, I think the compass heading for the D* birds is between 208 and 212 degrees, with an elevation of 46 degrees. Get a compass and see if there is anywhere else on your property that you can get clear line of site to the satellites....

The aiming parameters are location dependent.
Use dishpointer.com to determine your exact values.
For my location the azimuth is 215 (227 mag) and the elevation is 35.

 

[Jimbo]

The aiming parameters are location dependent.
Use dishpointer.com to determine your exact values.
For my location the azimuth is 215 (227 mag) and the elevation is 35.

I'm 208 and 39

 

[jdspencer]

For Seattle the values are 152 and 31.

So it's all about location, location, location.

 

[colt45allstar]

Well just to update the tech came by earlier, very helpful and cool guy.

He said that the trees were perhaps going to be a problem, but he replaced a bunch of things... various cables, the multiswitch and finally the lnb (replaced my 5 lnb with a 3 lnb.) He also did a slight realignment.

I am now back in business! The signals are even a lot stronger than what they were prior to the problems starting.

The ones that were primarily in the upper 80's and low 90's on signal are now mid to upper 90's. Even saw my first 100 on The "SWM" setting when doing a signal test.

Directv 10 and 12, which were both incredibly low before, are still not great (likely due to the tree branches) but are leaps and bounds better than before. I was getting mostly 40's and 50's on one, with a random 30 or two. The other one was mostly 50's and 60's, with a a random 40 or two.

They are now between mid 70's to low 80's on all transponders. I'm quite pleased overall.

Thanks for all the help!

 

[Jimbo]

Well just to update the tech came by earlier, very helpful and cool guy.

He said that the trees were perhaps going to be a problem, but he replaced a bunch of things... various cables, the multiswitch and finally the lnb (replaced my 5 lnb with a 3 lnb.) He also did a slight realignment.

I am now back in business! The signals are even a lot stronger than what they were prior to the problems starting.

The ones that were primarily in the upper 80's and low 90's on signal are now mid to upper 90's. Even saw my first 100 on The "SWM" setting when doing a signal test.

Directv 10 and 12, which were both incredibly low before, are still not great (likely due to the tree branches) but are leaps and bounds better than before. I was getting mostly 40's and 50's on one, with a random 30 or two. The other one was mostly 50's and 60's, with a a random 40 or two.

They are now between mid 70's to low 80's on all transponders. I'm quite pleased overall.

Thanks for all the help!

Still need to work on the tree when you can.
It will give you problems in the future.

 

[colt45allstar]

I'm having to move in around a month and a half to two months (long story), but I may go ahead and cut the branches anyway.

 

[Jimbo]

I'm having to move in around a month and a half to two months (long story), but I may go ahead and cut the branches anyway.

Well, if your numbers are good enough now, and the tree is in full bloom, don't bother if your moving.