Satellite

We've been having reception problems for the last few weeks.

I called our provider on the 11th and was told that we were in a period of solar activity that could cause that...it was in it's peak (which is why I called...it was out more than in at that point)

She said the peak would pass on the 12th and that the activity would stilll be there through the 14th...

It was still going out bad yesterday so I went to check the switches outside...(with enough signal outage it starts saying you may have a switch problem.)

To check the switches you basically disconnect them and put a cable to cable connector in it's place...Did that and our signal strength got a bit better...still lower than we were used to.

I checked our channels and we didn't appear to be missing anything so I decided to switch to the other dish to check and see if it was a LNB problem...after the switch I checked the channels...and found a bunch of crap channels we never use (and I mean never) so I figure...ok...so we don't need a switch...because we actually aren't using that dish at all. So I disconnect it completely and put it in our shed. (might need a spare)

I have by this time finally got it through my head what starsongky  has been telling me all along... the tree in front of it has grown enough over the summer to block our signal really bad.

So I take the dish off the shed and try putting it on various things on our patio...none of them are stable enough...so I wind up putting it on of all things...the ground...closer to our door...shooting between the trees (I already had it on a concrete block trying to get a better signal earlier in the summer). It got a better signal...but still lower than what we were used to....and it would cut out when the wind blew...or traffic went by....or someone walked in front of it...or as I demonstrated to starsongky  by putting my hand right in front of the LNB.

So This morning I went and got two 4x4x6s, two concrete blocks, assorted bolts and screws...and mounted it on top of the 4x4x6s...using the blocks for a base and the bolts to make them a solid unit...still a bit top heavy so I bolted it at the top to the building.

Then I spent a while getting it set in the right direction and angle...but not quit right because it would still cut out...just not as often...so out I went a few minutes ago and very carefully adjusted the ange and such...got a signal strength we had  rarely seen...it's staying consistantly above 100 on both satellites......

I now know more about my satellite system than I ever wanted to know...I know where to find which channel is on which transponder and satellite...I know what the switches do...why I don't need them, How to turn and adjust my dish...and where to look for helpful "fix it yourself" advice.

Now if I can keep the ice off of it this winter...

Satellite

We've been having reception problems for the last few weeks.

I called our provider on the 11th and was told that we were in a period of solar activity that could cause that...it was in it's peak (which is why I called...it was out more than in at that point)

She said the peak would pass on the 12th and that the activity would stilll be there through the 14th...

It was still going out bad yesterday so I went to check the switches outside...(with enough signal outage it starts saying you may have a switch problem.)

To check the switches you basically disconnect them and put a cable to cable connector in it's place...Did that and our signal strength got a bit better...still lower than we were used to.

I checked our channels and we didn't appear to be missing anything so I decided to switch to the other dish to check and see if it was a LNB problem...after the switch I checked the channels...and found a bunch of crap channels we never use (and I mean never) so I figure...ok...so we don't need a switch...because we actually aren't using that dish at all. So I disconnect it completely and put it in our shed. (might need a spare)

I have by this time finally got it through my head what starsongky  has been telling me all along... the tree in front of it has grown enough over the summer to block our signal really bad.

So I take the dish off the shed and try putting it on various things on our patio...none of them are stable enough...so I wind up putting it on of all things...the ground...closer to our door...shooting between the trees (I already had it on a concrete block trying to get a better signal earlier in the summer). It got a better signal...but still lower than what we were used to....and it would cut out when the wind blew...or traffic went by....or someone walked in front of it...or as I demonstrated to starsongky  by putting my hand right in front of the LNB.

So This morning I went and got two 4x4x6s, two concrete blocks, assorted bolts and screws...and mounted it on top of the 4x4x6s...using the blocks for a base and the bolts to make them a solid unit...still a bit top heavy so I bolted it at the top to the building.

Then I spent a while getting it set in the right direction and angle...but not quit right because it would still cut out...just not as often...so out I went a few minutes ago and very carefully adjusted the ange and such...got a signal strength we had  rarely seen...it's staying consistantly above 100 on both satellites......

I now know more about my satellite system than I ever wanted to know...I know where to find which channel is on which transponder and satellite...I know what the switches do...why I don't need them, How to turn and adjust my dish...and where to look for helpful "fix it yourself" advice.

Now if I can keep the ice off of it this winter...