Signal loss only during the day

DocX

New Member
Original poster
Jun 10, 2006
3
0
Hey folks,

My parents have a DishPro with a 522 receiver and another standard receiver that I can't remember the model # of right away.

During the day, signal comes in on both receivers for satellites 105 and 110. However, for satellite 119, 95% of the time there's no signal. Every once in a while it will jump up to something like 35-40.

At NIGHT, however, all three satellites come in perfectly. No audio bugs, no artifacts, perfect signal.

I've done a check switch and during the day it'll show that the port that the satellite 119 LNB is connected to has connection but no signal. At night, it performs as it should.

I tried different ports on the switch and I switched the wiring between different LNBs to ensure it was not the switch or the wiring. When running the switch test and trying to access the 119 channels, it did the same thing as before, except with satellite 110 on a different port, of course.

Yes, there is a tree in the path of the satellite signal BUT it's the same tree that's been there ever since it was installed and it's about 100-150 yards in the distance. It's not a full tree and it's only one branch thick where the signal comes through. New growth is always a concern but this one is a fairly mature tree that hasn't changed much, if at all. (EDIT: I should also note that this started happening about 2 - 3 weeks ago, which is a while after the tree had grown to full leafage.)

I figured it was an LNB problem with overheating. We had the techs come out and he said he tried a new LNB but it was having the same problem. I'm not too sure about the tech...he didn't seem too sharp. He said it was the tree.

I have two questions: Could this day/night issue really be caused by the tree; and does anyone have any suggestions of what else this might be?
 
Last edited:
signal loss at specific times and specific durations can be atributed to equipment failure of the lnbf becoming temp sensitive, the coax line flexing from temp change causing the center conductor to brake contact with a contact point in a connection, a localized terestrial source such as radio towers, microwave towers, radar detectors are also known problems.
 
lakebum431 said:
Is this happening every day/night? Or just sometimes?

This is happening every day, without fail.

Van: There is nothing new around the dish within at least 1,000 feet. More than likely farther. Additionally, there have been no recent towers added. They live in a hilly area and if there were any towers added, we could see them. Also, wouldn't that have an effect day and night both?

I've checked the switch and the coax cables. The only thing it can be is that one LNB. But he says that's not the problem.

Do either of you think it could be attributed to the tree as the tech said? Thanks for your help so far!!!
 
Reading through the thread, I'm not sure what all of your equipment is. You mentioned a DishPro, 522, another receiver, and a switch.

What type of dish, but particularly the LNBF or LNBF's, do you have?
Maybe a DishPro 500.
A DishPro Twin.
2 DishPro Singles.
Is there a second dish within the configuration?

Do you have an external switch, and if so, what type?
 
DocX said:
This is happening every day, without fail.

Van: There is nothing new around the dish within at least 1,000 feet. More than likely farther. Additionally, there have been no recent towers added. They live in a hilly area and if there were any towers added, we could see them. Also, wouldn't that have an effect day and night both?

I've checked the switch and the coax cables. The only thing it can be is that one LNB. But he says that's not the problem.

Do either of you think it could be attributed to the tree as the tech said? Thanks for your help so far!!!

(1). Neighbor has a new car and some cars come with radar detectors built into them. A tower doesnt have to be close ( 1,000 ft ) to have an effect, they can be within a couple of miles. Some companies that operate towers some times run test patterns that may cause problems.

Most likely it is the lnbf, the tree idea is an incredibly far fetched one and only possible if the tree lowers its branches and folds its leaves at night.

Some times the center conductor in a coax line will be loose in its dielectric core and can move due to temperature flexing of the coax line itsself and the only way to fix it is to replace the line.
 
SmityWhity: Well, I'm not too sure about the type of LNB's they are. I believe the dish is a DishPro 500. Here is how the dish is setup: it's the wider dish with three LNB's. Two are encased in the plastic box that says "HDTV" on the back of it. One is attached to a metal arm that extends out of the mentioned housing. It has its own plastic casing, which is more formfitting, around the LNB. The latter is presumably the one that's not working.

Van: I agree that it's probably the LNB...unless someone's doing tests through the towers a little after the sun goes down and end around the time the sun comes up. :) There are only a couple neighbors within 1,000 ft. I'd put the probability of that as the cause as low on the totem pole. Wouldn't frequency interrupts affect more than just the one satellite anyways?

There are some plants that do fold up their leaves at night, but I'm pretty sure this is a normal mimosa. :)

And I've switched the wiring around already to ensure it wasn't the cable. I'm thinking this guy didn't change out the LNB and just said it was the tree to have a short service call while getting paid the same.

I wish I knew more about all this so I could be 100% sure it was the LNB. But, using my research skills, what I've found out seems to be corroborated by what you all think. I really appreciate it.

I guess I should call Dish Network and tell them to send someone else down to work on it. I mean, on a service call, the guy should have at LEAST tried to move the dish to a different spot. If it was still giving the same problems, we would've known it was the equipment. I wish I could've been there when the tech was there. I would've told him to reposition it.
 
I had a bad switch that would fail every day when the sun hit it. I tracked it down to the switch by using a hair dryer to heat the various components and a cold wet rag to cool them.
 
What's the lot number on that LNBF. I'm guessing maybe it's P310 or P311. There are some lot numbers that are known for a high failure rate related to temperature (too hot or too cold causes failure)
 
***

Users Who Are Viewing This Thread (Total: 1, Members: 0, Guests: 1)

Who Read This Thread (Total Members: 1)