Poor reception of BBC channels on 10818V

[Harper]

I am in NE England and have a 1m dish. Tonight, I noticed the low signal strength and signal quality on many of the Freesat transponders on 28degE, especially 10818V. It is so poor that the channels on that transponder are unwatchable. There are other FTA channels, eg NHK World TV and Al Jazeera English whose signal strength and quality are very good, otherwise I may have thought it was a dish alignment problem. It is a clear night so it's not due to the weather.
Does anyone know whether there is a problem with it?

Regards,

Harper.

 

[Llew]

Haven't noticed any problem checking now Harper. Should be booming in where you are. Is 10714H on the same satellite (2D) OK?

 

[Harper]

10714H is alright although the signal strength and quality are not as high as 11681V.

Regards,

Harper.

 

[Llew]

Possibly a slight misalignment of your dish between Astra 28.2 and Eurobird 28.5, but it would be unlikely considering the overall signal strengths of the satellites at your location. Could be your LNB is a little deaf at those low frequencies.

 

[PaulR]

That's a huge dish for 28E in the UK. I presume that you're running a multi LNB setup to pull in other satellites.

It does sound like an alignment problem, probably caused by the recent heavy winds. If you ARE running a multi LNB arrangement then this bracket may have moved.

 

[Llew]

Regarding the LNB, maybe its low band local oscillator is weak into the mixer and causing low amplification out to the receiver via the final amp.

 

[Harper]

That's a huge dish for 28E in the UK. I presume that you're running a multi LNB setup to pull in other satellites.

It does sound like an alignment problem, probably caused by the recent heavy winds. If you ARE running a multi LNB arrangement then this bracket may have moved.

It's a motorised dish and the lnb is a twin universal.

Regards,

Harper.

 

[Harper]

Regarding the LNB, maybe its low band local oscillator is weak into the mixer and causing low amplification out to the receiver via the final amp.

If I check the signal strength and quality on other low frequencies, (if there are any) should they be on the same satellite or would any satellite do?

Regards,

Harper.

 

[Llew]

Another satellite, maybe Astra1 or Hotbird, for comparison of low and high frequencies might be worthwile.

 

[Harper]

On Astra1:
10788V is good and 10876V is alright.
Euronews on 12226H is alright and has a lower signal strength and quality, (about 50%) than BBC World 11597V which is pixellating.
10979V has good signal strength and quality but is encrypted so I can't tell what it's like to watch.
10744H pixellates and 10862H is worse.

Does this provide any further information?

Regards,

Harper.

 

[Llew]

Doesn't really prove much. Are you able to align precisely on your satellites? What motor are you using, a 36V motor driven by your Echostar, or a DiSEqC motor via a different receiver?

 

[Harper]

The most precise alignment I can get is by going to Menu>Program Satellites in the Echostar and using a transponder with a strong signal strength and quality on each satellite to find the optimum position. The Echostar, polar mount and jack were fitted by a satellite installer and I've had no problems with it until now.
The Echostar drives the motor. It may be that the signal strength and quality on all the channels on all the satellites is reduced and my memory of what they were like has faded because I haven't used any of them apart from Astra 2 for ages.
I think I'll have to arrange for someone to come and check it out.

Regards,

Harper.

 

[Analoguesat]

The most precise alignment I can get is by going to Menu>Program Satellites in the Echostar and using a transponder with a strong signal strength and quality on each satellite to find the optimum position. The Echostar, polar mount and jack were fitted by a satellite installer and I've had no problems with it until now.
The Echostar drives the motor. It may be that the signal strength and quality on all the channels on all the satellites is reduced and my memory of what they were like has faded because I haven't used any of them apart from Astra 2 for ages.
I think I'll have to arrange for someone to come and check it out.

Regards,

Harper.

Wrong way round - peak it up on a *weak* signal!

 

[Llew]

It could be just a degraded connection between the LNB and receiver, possibly at the LNB end, depends on how long the installation has been installed. If it is a sudden worsening of the signal, maybe some water ingress into the cable. As you say, a check by an installer might be a good idea if you aren't able to do it yourself.

 

[Harper]

I'll do that and let you know what I'm told.

Thanks to everyone who's offered help and advice.

Regards,

Harper.

 

[Harper]

With the dish pointing at Astra2, the installer told me that the signal wasn't as strong as it should be. He rotated the LNB which increased the signal and solved the problem.
He said he didn't think the wind could have caused the problem so the only other thing that I can think of that could have caused the problem is the LNB being knocked by the person who was replacing gutters, gutter brackets and slates recently in the vicinity of the dish.

Once again, thanks to everyone who offered help and advice.

Regards,

Harper.

 

[Lazarus]

All's well that ends well.

Thanks for letting us know how it was resolved.

 

[Llew]

Good to hear the problem's been rectified