Help for non techies re: lost 5,5usa,5*, 4HD Foretecstar Passion HD in France

[nebeluk]

Hello, I read about the migration of the above channels from Astra 2D to 2F My question is, how are we able to re-set our boxes with the information required. Sorry if I have missed something, but I do not see a link to how this may be achieved.

As for the above channels, I am watching at the moment (12.58 hrs.) channel 5 on the old 10964 H 22000, and all others of the 5 bouquet are also showing, but they will disappear later tonight, for sure by 20.30 hrs. I have an 85cm dish, and have had no problems of late (except for very heavy rain and cloud cover) and normally receive a very clear picture/sound. Location Cote d'Azur.

PS I did a complete rescan for Freesat last night and was able to receive channel 5 (not any of the others), but still on Astra 2D 28.2 E, not on 10964 but on another 177??

Any help would be greatly appreciated
Thank you

 

[Lazarus]

Well 2D went out of service ages ago.

The recent migration was from 1N to 2F and there has been no change in the parameters of individual Channels.

So, if you no longer get them, this will probably be due to the coverage area of the new Satellite being different.

In your location, the only cure for that is a larger dish, but as yet we don't have sufficient detailed reports to hazard a guess as to the minimum size you'd need - and there are further changes to come over the next few months, so the situation may become even worse for you.

 

[nebeluk]

thank you for the speedy reply, however I am still rather confused. I am able to view the 5 channels at this very moment on 10964 h 22000, but they will disappear getting towards evening time. If I had a larger dish, and did a rescan, would the channels on 2F automatically appear, or would I have to manually change settings?

 

[Lazarus]

As stated, no parameters have changed, so there is nothing to change on the box, either in terms of settings or scanning.

Basically, the 2F signal is clearly much weaker for you than the 1N signal it has replaced for (at the moment) just a few Channels. This degradation has affected a great many people who could previously get these Channels with little difficulty and arises from better "narrow-beam" technology in the new Satellites.

A bigger dish will prolong the amount of time you get the signals for or might even give you back 24/7 lock - but we can't advise exactly what to do and when as there are further changes to come - including transfer of some Channels from 2A and 2B to 2F and the arrival of 2E in a few months time.

 

[nebeluk]

ok thanks for that. Will be going to the UK for a month or so, so I guess I will just have to try and sort it out when I get back. Maybe they will have got all their changes done by then and we will know what is possible, otherwise it's back to Froggievision!

 

[PaulR]

85cm seems to still be OK up in the Vaucluse. Although I am not there at the moment to check my own setup, some friends who live the other side of the village (near Orange) didn't even notice that there had been a changeover. They only lost signals in the heaviest of rain storms before and haven't had anything weatherwise to compare yet.

First for you would be to check that your dish is precisely aligned and that the skew of the LNB is correct. I have a feeling in my bones though that in order to maintain the margin for rain fade you'll need to get a larger dish.

 

[nebeluk]

Thank you Paul R for this info. I had no problem before I went to Italy a couple of weeks ago. Even when I got back last weekend all was ok. It was maybe 4 nights ago I lost the channel 5 bouquet on an evening, but mornings are fine. We have had good sunny weather for a few days, but still lost reception on a night. Today is overcast but still receiving 5 at the moment, although intermittent freezing and zapping of sound, but I will lose reception again later I'm sure. I am by the coast, surrounded by the Maures in 83, and of course further north the Hautes Alpes de Provence. Perhaps signals are bouncing around the mountains lol

 

[timo_w2s]

The fact that your reception is fading in and out over a 24 hour period is a classic sign that your dish is too small for fringe reception and the signal is dropping just below what the receiver can handle at times. This is of course assuming the dish is lined up and skewed spot on to the satellite as mentioned above.

 

[nebeluk]

thank you Timo, but this has only started happening over the last 4 days, and the parabole has not moved. Previous to this, I have not had any problem with reception. I guess I will wait and see what other changes with channels are going to be made, then take whatever action required to resolve the situation eg Increase the size of the parabole

 

[timo_w2s]

Yes, I wouldn't make any major changes or spend lots of money just yet on your system as there are going to be some big changes over the next few weeks and months as the new satellites come online and the old ones are relocated elsewhere.

 

[Lazarus]

Well the few Channels you are having trouble with moved early in the morning of 4 Dec, so it would be too much of a coincidence for the issue to be related to anything but that transfer from 1N to 2F.: Your "................. 4 days ................" fits the bill rather too well.

 

[nebeluk]

Thanks to everyone for the advice. I guess it is a question of wait and see for the moment.

 

[Analoguesat]

One of our contributors is in Grasse which isnt too far from you. His reports suggest a well set up 85cm dish will give reasonable reception in good weather, but doesnt have much rain fade capability.

You probably need to go up to 1m or preferably 1.2m to give you 24/7 reception.

However you might wnat to adjust the skew (twist) of the lnb to peak up your reception if you can safely reach the dish.. Move it slowly and a tiny bit at a time to see if you can improve the signal. Mark everything up with indelible marker before you start!

 

[Channel Hopper]

Maybe they will have got all their changes done by then and we will know what is possible, otherwise it's back to Froggievision!

And what's wrong with French TV ?

 

[macbean]

Hi all
Im having the same probs here in Germany , south of Hanover with a smart TV and 85cm dish..
Mornings everything is ok and then about 20.00hrs everything go's to pot ie channel 4 Ch5 , 5* ect.

 

[Lazarus]

................. Bigger dish. Some Channels moved a week ago to Astra 2F.

 

[Analoguesat]

And you might need to go up several sizes - A report a little east from you in Braunschweig says a 1.2m isnt big enough

 

[John Womble Coates]

Hi just found this forum and have similar problem, however my 5 etc have only just started to go off at night and now have lost them all. I have a sat finder app on my phone and a sattelite finder with lcd which is very good quality. I have had 60cm dishes until recently when saw that an 80 is required when searching for advice. I changed to the 80cm which hasn't made any difference i still have 85% intensity and 74% quality with a quad lnb. I also have a single line running in from another 60cm dish which when i connected on it's own to the back of the box i got all the chammels without any issues. So i connected the quad lnb to this dish and lost them all again???? i have gites and we have a 60cm on our house in the same grounds (about 15m apart) with an octo lnb and don't have any issues with any of the channels and it has the same intensity and quality. it has confused me as i recently adjusted 2 friends in Bize around 24km away they both have 80cm and haven't had any issues. Could it be the lnb although i am getting good intensity and quality.

Cheers

 

[Analoguesat]

If the lnb has been through 2 or 3 hot summers it may well be coming to the end of its useful life.

Replacements are cheap as chips so its the first thing to consider replacing.

 

[nebeluk]

I did manage to get back most of the channels. As I said, we were having localised very bad weather when I lost everything. Now, it remains that I have lost the 5 bouquet and a few others, which I believe have also moved to Astra 2F . I will however replace the LNB as suggested as our summers are usually up to the low 40's C in August. Has Astra 2 E come online yet?