Signal Strength Lower on Specific Channels

[sixy]

In the week, I've had some signal issues. We've had quite a bit of rain and wind recently, and my signal quality has dropped considerably losing picture completely with a slight drizzle and frequent breakups during a clear day. With the initial update after installation, my signal quality was around 95. Now it stays around 80-81 on most channels. Voom is sending someone out on Tuesday to check the dish.

This isn't my issue though.

As I said, my signal stays at 80-81 on most channels, but I can't even pick up StarzHD or StarzHD West because the signal quality on those channels is 69-70. It's just a black screen. Can someone explain to me why and how this works? I would have thought that since they're coming from the same satellite, that the signal would be the same for all of the channels.

Just curious, and thanks.

 

[cameron119]

The dish may not be peaked well on Rainbow 1. When they come back out, make sure you're getting all of your channels. Just getting a good signal on one channels doesn't mean all your channels will work, since different channels are on different transponders--you can have great signal on one transponder, yet terrible signal on another if the dish is improperly peaked. The same thing was happening to me. I simply repeaked the dish (since I believe it was peaked on Echostar 3) and I'm vooming.

 

[sixy]

Okay, I'll be sure to do that. Thanks. I can see where Voom added the ESPNs, but they're along the same lines as StarzHD and a couple of the Cinemax channels in that I can't watch them. Right now, with cloud cover outside, my signal quality has dropped to around 64.

 

[cameron119]

Yea, the problem is definitely the dish. Just repeak it/have it repeaked and you'll be golden.

 

[sixy]

Ugh. They came. They left. The first two times Voom sent someone, it was the same guy. He was nice, polite, and courteous.

This time they sent two people (one seemed kinda new or something). The one who did most of the talking was badmouthing Voom from the get go.. about how crappy the antennas are, and how I won't be able to pick up any local stations regardless of my location (according to antennaweb, I'm less than 10 miles away from most of them).

Anyway, he's never seen a signal quality over 60, and was saying my 69 should be great. I tried explaining to him about the software upgrade and whatnot, basically what I read from one of Sean Mota's posts. He'd never heard of it and wouldn't hear of it from me. They replaced some equipment up there... LNB, "the eye", and a multiswitch. I'm not sure what all that is (except for the eye, which I now have one sitting on top of my television).

To sum it all up, I now have a lower signal quality than I ever did before. On a clear day before I used to be able to pick up StarzHD and the ESPN if I was lucky. Now with a constant signal of 65 (it is a very clear day out), I know there's no chance. He tried to pass it off as Voom having programming issues and attempted to dazzle me by programming my remote to control the television.

I really like Voom's programming and I want to stay, but it's people like these who are really going to hurt their business. Now I'm going to have to call them back and request that someone different come out.

 

[sixy]

Is it difficult to repeak a dish? If I knew how, I'd just do it myself.

 

[cameron119]

Is it difficult to repeak a dish? If I knew how, I'd just do it myself.

You need to find the correct elevation for your location and make sure that it's locked in on your dish. There is a gauge on the left side (facing the rear of the reflector).

Once you have the elevation correct and bolts tightened (as well as having the mast as level as possible) you can "sweep" the dish slowly from left to right. You will need someone telling you proactively what the signal readings are as you "sweep" the dish.

Once you find the highest possible signal, go ahead and tighten the bolts. You're done!

Call Installs, Inc. and complain about these jackass installers. First of all, you don't badmouth your source of income. Whiners should go back to school if they don't like the job they've been dealt. As soon as the jackass started badmouthing my product, I would have told him to contact his superior and hit the road. If he didn't want to contact his superior and share his opinion, then I'd contact them and share it in the presence of said jackass. I'm all about some responsibility.

See if you can't get a certified installer out there. If you aren't professional, you won't be coming onto my property...

In the Army, if you have constructive criticism, you will be heard (generally). This installer is certainly no General Officer, not even field-grade. These folks are the top professionals of our military, generally obtaining a doctorate in their respective fields of study. If these folks can take criticism to improve our military, a two-bit jerk can take them as well. It's all about satisfying your customers.

Get someone out there that is certified and professional. Someone that gives a damn about their job...enough to become certified and not be in their "job of the week."

 

[ricks]

"Call Installs, Inc. and complain about these jackass installers."

Absolutely. No excuse for stupid people causing Voom problems. Especially if you knew enough to try to explain to him the difference in signal quality before and after the upgrade and he refused to listen. My installer was a total professional - perfect install and knew everything about Voom specifically. In fact, he told me I would love Voom - and he was right. Any incompetent installer should be able to properly peak a dish.

 

[sixy]

You need to find the correct elevation for your location and make sure that it's locked in on your dish. There is a gauge on the left side (facing the rear of the reflector).

Just got off the phone with Installs, Inc and they're contacting the original installer to set up a service date. He was very professional. I hope it's soon, because all I can watch are the locals now. Everything else is breaking up irratically.

Is there somewhere online where I can find out what the elevation should be?

Thanks.

 

[Sean Mota]

Is there somewhere online where I can find out what the elevation should be?

Thanks.

download this utility (it is zip)... Angle of elevation utility

 

[sixy]

Cool, thanks. Voom's at 61.5, right?

 

[sixy]

Just got off the phone with Installs, Inc and they're contacting the original installer to set up a service date. He was very professional. I hope it's soon, because all I can watch are the locals now. Everything else is breaking up irratically.

Well, Installs Inc just called back. They don't service my area now, evidently. They told me to contact a company called Kat Communcations to set up my service. I thought Installs Inc did all the work for Voom. Anyway, the thing is, they're the ones who sent the two guys on Tuesday that wouldn't listen to me. I'll definitely be trying to adjust it myself before I call them back. Haha, perhaps if I mess it up enough, they'll have no choice but to repeak the dish.

 

[sixy]

Well, that wasn't difficult at all. It just took me a couple minutes to get my signal back up to the mid-to-high 80s on all channels, including the Starz and ESPNs that I wasn't getting before. If I start losing signal in the rain, I may try to climb up there again and adjust it now that I know how easy it is.

Thanks for everyone's help.