Greek TV Hellas Sat 2

Muddler

Hi People

Anyone out there regularly viewing Greek programs from Hellas Sat 2 39E?

Back in early December 2005 I installed a Raven 70cm mesh, fixed dish feeding a Fortec Lifetime Ultra FTA receiver. (Published figures suggest that for our Northamptonshire location Hellas reception should be ok on 50cm dish).

Reception of all available programs was good until early February. Break up of sound became apparent on most, but not all of the required Greek channels. Annoyingly, other, less desired channels from this satellite appeared to be unaffected.

Dish alignment was checked and found to be at optimum position. LNB temporarily replaced by another new unit with no improvement. Another receiver was tried with similar lack of improvement.

By chance it was discovered that the problem appeared to be confined to the channels residing at receiver program locations 1 to 8. As an experiment these channels were moved individually to locations starting at program number 11 and upwards. This solved the problem, all Greek channels worked ok again . Decided to leave it like that to see what happens next.

Nearly four weeks later, problem has returned. ERT and channel showing Hellas Sat 2 promotional video working perfectly but sound break-up and video freezing has returned to all other Greek channels.

I have decided that a larger, solid dish will have to be tried next.

Does anyone out there have any other ideas or comments?

rolfw

Some of the Greek channels have very low symbol rates and some receivers struggle with them. Moving the channel numbers in the receiver should have no logical affect on how they perform.

When you say the dish was checked, did you try playing with the LNB skew as well?

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Muddler

Thanks for reply.

As you say, no logical reason whatsoever for moving channels within receiver. This did cause much head scratching, as did the suggestion that the ten new windturbines just being commissioned three miles away from us and 90 degrees off beam could be causing the problem???? I don't think so...but?

Anyway, yes I did play with LNB skew. I had initially set it up for the recommended 20 something degrees, swinging it around did make a marginal difference to received signal level but optimum was at the original, recommended skew angle.

Original dish was solidly mounted on 2" pole on TK brackets, with dish looking at clear sky (no trees etc.) Probably try new dish tomorrow, will post results.

Muddler

Well, did try replacement, 80cm solid dish with no percievable improvement.

By chance, noticed that waving arm across dish face did not affect received signal. Then tried progressively screening dish face (with some folded cardboard) working from bottom edge upwards, signal level remained unaffected until top edge of cardboard screen reached centre of dish, then signal degraded dramatically. Doh !!!!!!!!

I had been sure that dish was looking at clear horizon but this test suggested that the bottom half of dish was in a signal shadow area. The roof ridge of the house across the road and about 50 metres away was too low to be causing a problem but then maybe the dish was actually lining up with part of the house chimney!

I decided that lifting the dish by at least 60 cm should take it out of shadow. The 24" length pf pole was replaced by a 48" and the dish remounted to above the top bracket of the TK pair. What a difference, sorted. Reception now ok for last two weeks.

Moral, check and check again. Ta for reading

Channel Hopper

If it didn't affect the signal when first installed then there is something else happening

Stork's nest ?

There is a very fine line between "hobby" and "mental illness"

rolfw

Interesting result, glad you got it sorted.

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Muddler

I have assumed that reception had been acceptable initially, due to more favourable prevailing weather conditions and then tipped-over-the-edge with the onset of markedly increased cloud cover. Last re-positioning was carried out during very cloudy conditions.