Signal problem re UK tv in South of France - Dec 2013

sonnetpete

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Laminas 1.2M fibre dish with an IBU, on a Clarke Tech USALS motor, covering 57E - 24.5W to an Octagon SX88. Displayed on a 20" Dyon LED TV.

Seperate 80 cm dish on 28E with a Humax Freesat for SWMBO.
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Normandy, France
TBH Paul, I think when dealing with stuff 'on the fringe' you would need about four different LNB's to cover the frequencies which each individual one didn't do well at. Obviously, for ex pats it's usually a certain set of frequencies on Astra 2 that are the problem area and one that the IBU may well not be up to. Judith's problem seems to be a more general reception one, rather than certain transponders being 'difficult'. Guess we'll have to see if the new LNB will help out....
 

hairybadger

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Thanks for your message. When I say I lost all my channels, I meant the regular UK channels: all the BBCs; all the 4 channels; all the 5 channels; all ITV; ITV2. I still had CBS channels, BET, Horror, True, etc, but did not check .
Aren't these channels at 28.5e rather than 28.2e? Is it possible the dish alignment is optimised for the "wrong" bird in the cluster?
 

sonnetpete

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Laminas 1.2M fibre dish with an IBU, on a Clarke Tech USALS motor, covering 57E - 24.5W to an Octagon SX88. Displayed on a 20" Dyon LED TV.

Seperate 80 cm dish on 28E with a Humax Freesat for SWMBO.
Free Sat V8 meter. Sony Bravia 46" LCD, Sony BluRay and Home Cinema.
My Location
Normandy, France
I suppose it's possible HB. Strange thing is, that those channels are weaker for me (about 75% Q as opposed to BBC1HD, ITV etc, which are maxed out to 99%Q). It could be down to differing alignments and the installer using a weaker TP. I'd like to see him temporarily try a new 1M dish with a new LNB before committing Judith to a larger solution.
 

PaulR

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The Eutelsat signal difference could surely be down to it having a slightly different skew from the Astra satellites?
 

sonnetpete

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Laminas 1.2M fibre dish with an IBU, on a Clarke Tech USALS motor, covering 57E - 24.5W to an Octagon SX88. Displayed on a 20" Dyon LED TV.

Seperate 80 cm dish on 28E with a Humax Freesat for SWMBO.
Free Sat V8 meter. Sony Bravia 46" LCD, Sony BluRay and Home Cinema.
My Location
Normandy, France
Oh absolutely Paul, though I did try and find a median point between the two. I do wonder if it was a 'Brit' who put the dish up at Judith's home or a French artisan. I know some of them who are used to sticking a dish up for 19E and not bothering about the LNB skew.
 
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Steve Steve

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LNB skew is ultra ultra critical for fringe reception of spot beam channels... ....the thickness of a pencil line can make all the difference ...Between evening reception or not ......The Eutelsat channels are easy to receive ...and should be ignored when setting up / aligning a dish at 28,2 for fringe BBC etc....reception....I always try to max my weakest channels ...Ch5 and ITV1 HD England.....tho....ITV 1 HD ..is almost impossible for evening reception....on the Gibby 150.... I can live with that problem.....as long as.... at least SD versions of BBC, ITV ,Ch4 and Ch5 are ok....
 

JudithP

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LNB skew is ultra ultra critical for fringe reception of spot beam channels... ....the thickness of a pencil line can make all the difference ...Between evening reception or not ......The Eutelsat channels are easy to receive ...and should be ignored when setting up / aligning a dish at 28,2 for fringe BBC etc....reception....I always try to max my weakest channels ...Ch5 and ITV1 HD England.....tho....ITV 1 HD ..is almost impossible for evening reception....on the Gibby 150.... I can live with that problem.....as long as.... at least SD versions of BBC, ITV ,Ch4 and Ch5 are ok....

To update you on the new LNB which I got from UK a couple of weeks ago. I had it installed just over a week ago by the local guy, Thomas, who also checked the alignment etc, and my signal immediately improved so I could see all the UK channels again - some were a bit pixelled but got a good picture mostly. However, throughout the week it has often disappeared completely again and it is coming and going intermittently - Thomas warned me this would happen subject to weather etc. He does seem to know what he is doing and I have to trust that he is aligning the signal properly as all your advice on aligning is above me as I cannot go up on the roof to do any such stuff myself!

My son arrived on Friday and had to watch the World Cup on French tv because UK had disappeared again. However, ITV reappeared loud and clear last night so he was able to sit up all night and watch the England match. Amazing! We thought that maybe the UK signal people (whoever they may be!) took pity on the ex pats and gave us some extra signal for the match!!!

Any way, as I just haven't got a space for a bigger dish I have come to terms with having an intermittant UK tv service. Not the end of the world anymore! But many many thanks to all of you who have discussed and advised on my problem.
 
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