Weird Problems with communal satellite system

huggybear · 07-08-2009

Guys,

I am having problems with my sky system in the flat im living in. The Sky will start showing a error message stating “No satellite signal is being received”. This error normally occurs between the hours of 12pm and 6pm. During these hours, I do not get most Sky channels. After 6pm (sometimes later) all channels are restored. I get BBC1, BBC2, ITV, Chan 4 and a few other channels like Virgin 1 and Sci fi.

A contractor came round and checked the multiswitch and said that there was 70 db going in and only 52 db going out. SO he stated the multipoint was at fault and he changed it .

This hasnt solved anything as We are still getting the same problem. I have had another contractor out and he said the problem could be either the power supply to the multipoint or the quattro LNB.

Any advice and help welcomed ......

Huggy

***Tivù*** · 07-08-2009

Don't rule out the possibility of an ailing Receiver.

What make/model is it?

Have you borrowed another Box to prove/disprove that?

Are other Residents experiencing problems?

Edit: I've just spotted it's Sky+, so are both Feeds behaving the same? If not, have you swopped them around? Is the Box a Thomson, by any chance?

Just trying to eliminate possibilities that haven't previously been mentioned. If they weren't mentioned because they'd been eliminated from the diagnosis, then so be it.

huggybear · 08-08-2009

Tivu,
I have an Amstrad box, Model A2s0616, using software version 5.04e.

Ive got another standard Sky box and that does the same.

The other residents are experiencing the same problems.
Although I have Sky +, I only have one input going in the system. The other residents are using the standard Sky and some are using the Sky + system all with the one input coming off the wall socket.

ANy further help?

Huggy

**PaulR** · 08-08-2009

Doesn't sound like the first contractor found the fault then, does it?

He needs to come back and do a proper check of the system starting from the dish alignment and LNB and then working in. He will need the proper equipment to do this - a beeping satellite meter just doesn't cut it!

**satelliteman** · 08-08-2009

Sounds very much like the original contractor gave up after trying the switch or maybe he's not familiar with fault finding on IRS systems. Either way a competent installer should get the system up and running.

***ralphmagno*** · 09-08-2009

hello,
if they changed the multiswitch and the problem is still there it is probaly the lnb.
if it was the power supply nothing would work and not just some.
it would be good to know what channel were effected as well and what size dish in your area as well.
the lnb has 4 outputs hor lo,hor high,vert lo and vert hi.
if the group of channels were on the hor hi output .
if all the bbc,itv and E4 and channel 4 and disney are working then that would rule out the hor and vert low lines.
if sky sports 1 and 3 fx sky 2 and sky 3 they are on horz high output of the lnb and it could be the output of that one or the line from that output going to the multiswitch
if you have a list of channels effected it would be easier to brake down the problem.
even a small brade resting on the center conductor could give occasional problems on one output.
if you can provied a list of channels effected we could brake the problem down.
hope this helps
ralph

**satelliteman** · 09-08-2009

Originally Posted by ralphmagno

even a small brade resting on the center conductor could give occasional problems on one output.

One small strand is enough to create a short circuit on the cable resulting in no satellite at all.

**rolfw** · 09-08-2009

If as you say the other residents are experiencing similar problems then the fault is at the multiswitch or the dish, so nothing you can do personally, the contractor must sort it out.

Is your terrestrial reception good?

***Tivù*** · 09-08-2009

Originally Posted by huggybear

Tivu,
I have an Amstrad box, Model A2s0616, using software version 5.04e.

Ive got another standard Sky box and that does the same.

The other residents are experiencing the same problems.
Although I have Sky +, I only have one input going in the system. The other residents are using the standard Sky and some are using the Sky + system all with the one input coming off the wall socket.

ANy further help?

Huggy

A great help, yes

It means I can bail out and leave it in the capable hands of the IRS gurus (guri ??)

***ralphmagno*** · 09-08-2009

hello to all
first of all if the contractor installed the system he sat to fix it.
if the multiswitch was changes out then it is not the switch.
if the lnb is a 4 output and it is driving a 16 output multiswitch for 16 flats then there is the possibility that the lnb 1 output is bad or the one line has a strand of brade that is so close to the center condoctor that it is shorting out.
the lnb is labeled: vert low,vert high ,horz low,horz high.
if only channels giving you the problems and in the horz high then all those channels will be out for all flats.
if you can tell us what channels are effected during the outage then it would be easier.
the lnb could have a cold solder joint just the one output and it is intermitentant.
i found one that was like that,poened the lnb up soldered the joint and put it back and it was ok after that.
today they will swap the lnb.
ralph

**Channel Hopper** · 09-08-2009

Since the o/p confirms the outage occurs between certain hours of the day (and every day) , I would suspect the problem is outside.

It could either be a faulty LNB, one that may be getting cooked in the summer sun, or a misaligned dish is becoming distorted due to temperature, that takes it just outside minimum reception.

huggybear · 10-08-2009

Originally Posted by ralphmagno

hello to all
first of all if the contractor installed the system he sat to fix it.
if the multiswitch was changes out then it is not the switch.
if the lnb is a 4 output and it is driving a 16 output multiswitch for 16 flats then there is the possibility that the lnb 1 output is bad or the one line has a strand of brade that is so close to the center condoctor that it is shorting out.
the lnb is labeled: vert low,vert high ,horz low,horz high.
if only channels giving you the problems and in the horz high then all those channels will be out for all flats.
if you can tell us what channels are effected during the outage then it would be easier.
the lnb could have a cold solder joint just the one output and it is intermitentant.
i found one that was like that,poened the lnb up soldered the joint and put it back and it was ok after that.
today they will swap the lnb.
ralph

Guys,

Thanks for all your help so far.

I have the engineer coming out to me short (sometime this afternoon). I have noticed a few changes. For couple of days now the system will show the same error (no sat signal being recieved) but where it used to come back on around 5pm, it didnt all evening. It came back on around midnight ish. It has done this a couple of times.

Also I havent checked all the channels but the ones i know that dont come on are as follows:

FIVE
SKY 1,2,3
WATCH
GOLD
LVING
DAVE
BRAVO
CHALLENGE
ITV 2,3,4
MORE 4
DISCOVERY
NAT GEO
DISCOVERY TURBO, SCIENCE,KNOWLEDGE
SKY SPORTS 1,2,3,XTRA

The ones that do come on :

BBC1,2,
ITV
CHANNEL 4
SCI FI
COMEDY CENTRAL X
VIRGIN (AND +1)
E4 (AND +1)

It is a 4 LNB output (as there are 4 inputs) feeding 15 flats (16 point multiswitch with one spare).

I hope this helps. I also hope the engineer that comes out has some knowledge on what is is doing!!!!!!

Huggy

***Tivù*** · 10-08-2009

Hmm - thanks for the detail, Huggy

A cursory comparison with the listings on _http://www.flysat.com/28east.php reveal no obvious common link.

You appear to be getting some H and V signals from both Low and High Band - although without breaking it down further and specifying exactly which BBC, ITV and Channel Four Regional variations you get I may have missed something.

But whatever the cause (and I'll wager it's a faulty Quattro LNB and/or degraded cabling {water ingress, perhaps} between the LNB and the Multiswitch), let's hope your Installer chappie/chappess gets a handle on it this time!

Keep us informed

chris2k2 · 10-08-2009

shouldnt this be quite easy to trace.? im not that experienced , but surely just check the lnb feeds from the dish on the required freqeuncies and band....i too would say lnb seen as the switch has been changed......

huggybear · 10-08-2009

Originally Posted by Tivù

Hmm - thanks for the detail, Huggy

A cursory comparison with the listings on _http://www.flysat.com/28east.php reveal no obvious common link.

You appear to be getting some H and V signals from both Low and High Band - although without breaking it down further and specifying exactly which BBC, ITV and Channel Four Regional variations you get I may have missed something.

But whatever the cause (and I'll wager it's a faulty Quattro LNB and/or degraded cabling {water ingress, perhaps} between the LNB and the Multiswitch), let's hope your Installer chappie/chappess gets a handle on it this time!

Keep us informed

Tivu,

The guys has just been and changed the LNB. The system is working but I will keep everyone informed if the problem still persists ...

Thanxs again.....

Huggy

**satelliteman** · 10-08-2009

Nice result

***Tivù*** · 10-08-2009

Originally Posted by huggybear

Tivu,

The guys has just been and changed the LNB. The system is working but I will keep everyone informed if the problem still persists ...

Thanxs again.....

Huggy

Excellent

Did you grasp the nettle and tell him/her/it what the likely cause was, or did they find it quickly enough anyway?

Was it the same person who came before?

If it goes strange again, it'll be cable degradation (Did he examine it/change it anyway??)

***ralphmagno*** · 11-08-2009

it seems that the lnb has 2 local oscillators the run the quatro

one runs at 9.750 ghz the other runs at 10.6 ghz.
its the second that runs the hor and vert high band were the problem was occuring.
all channels that are above 11.700 ghz are in the high band and since the L.O drives both the horz and vert high band i would say it was probally that.
they are not usualy fixable anyway and a swap was in order.
ralph

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Weird Problems with communal satellite system This section is for discussion on domestic multi-receiver systems for distribution of both terrestrial and satellite signals. Multiswitch, diplexer, triplexer, earct bonding, smart Priority switch, signal splitter, SCART doubler, video sender, remote extender, etc.