Signal loss during heat of day

[thundercleese]

Hello all,

I'm new here, but desperately seeking some advice and this looks to be a knowledgeable group.

I am having a problem with my DirecTV system where I lose signal as the day gets hotter, and it returns as it cools of into evening. This problem didn't show itself through winter or spring, but now with summer here and increasing temperatures, we are completely losing signal for much of the day.

I spoke with one person who thought it may be the multi-switch, so I went out and got one and replaced the old unit. While this did slightly improve things (I get signal an hour or two earlier, but to only one of the two receivers??), it has not fixed it.

Do any of you have suggestions? I have been considering just calling a pro and having the whole thing re-installed, but would of course like to avoid any more cost than necessary.

Info on the equipment, in case you need it, both receivers are DirecTiVos with dual tuner:
Sony oval dish with two dual LNBs (sat A and B)
1 Sony SAT-T60
1 Phillips DC7000 (I think, not at home now) with 240hr upgrade.

If it seems like I don't entirely know what I'm talking about here, you may be right! I'll clarify what I can if you need.

Thank you!

 

[CablerMN]

I have been considering just calling a pro and having the whole thing re-installed, but would of course like to avoid any more cost than necessary.

Check all cable and connectors. Heat - expands, cold - contracts. Conductor of the cable is either solid copper or more likely copper clad steel. Especially in the case of the latter, the heat of the day could make it expand enough to lose continuity if connectors were poorly crafted, center conductors are to short or nicked in any way. Also, check the external runs of the cable for damage; animals and pests of all varieties like to chew on it.

 

[PSB]

Jim's (CablerMN) right go over the above again, I had a customer call me recently with the same problem, I installed his dish on his roof as requested in the winter, he called me saying he was losing some channels during the day when it gets hot out side, he thought maybe the dish had moved in the wind, I returned to find the dish solidly still in position, I re-tweaked the dish and he has been fine since, I put it down to the roof expanding and contracting from winter to summer, bottom line was it just needed re-peaked, hope its as simple as that for you.

 

[thundercleese]

Thanks for the replies.

I will go over the cabling this weekend, that sounds kind of promising as lately one of the receivers has been having more trouble than the other, regaining signal later in teh evening.

The roof expansion and contraction sounds interesting as well. I have a flat roof (townhouse) and that was one of the wild theories I had originally, but figured I must be crazy. Maybe I'm not so crazy after all.

 

[boba]

Thanks for the replies.

I will go over the cabling this weekend, that sounds kind of promising as lately one of the receivers has been having more trouble than the other, regaining signal later in teh evening.

The roof expansion and contraction sounds interesting as well. I have a flat roof (townhouse) and that was one of the wild theories I had originally, but figured I must be crazy. Maybe I'm not so crazy after all.

What do you have for signal strengths, if they are low then realignment will help. You might also have a temperature sensitive LNBF works ok when cool fails when hot.

 

[thundercleese]

boba, I'll be thorough here as there is quite a bit of variance. During the day when it goes, it's really gone, everything at 0. At night, it's varied:

A
transponder sat1......sat2
1...............92........91
2...............88........86
3...............85........88
4...............0..........0
5...............85........92
6...............81........82
7...............76........85
8...............92........93
9...............83........91
10.............92........88
11.............83........86
12.............0..........0
13.............89........90
14.............89........89
15.............74........85
16.............85........89
17.............68........88
18.............100......100
19.............71........85
20.............0..........0
21.............84........85
22.............91........88
23.............76........83
24.............93........93
25.............81........86
26.............0..........0
27.............58........78
28.............100......100
29.............63........83
30.............81........82
31.............81........88
32.............89........88

B
transponder sat1.....sat2
22.............91........88
23.............78........85
24.............93........93
25.............80........85
26.............0..........0
27.............59........78
28.............100......100
29.............62........82
30.............82........82
31.............81........88
32.............89........88

Before doing this I never noticed that the transponders for A and B had the same signal strength.

 

[boba]

You didn't say what you have for a multiswitch but I would guess you have a temperature sensitive LNBF and from your signal strengths and you observation on signal strengths you may not actually be receiving the 119 satellite.