Lost Astra 2D reception !

stephengrenfell · 29-11-2008

I have lost Astra 2D reception since yesterday.

The receiver shows signal level 70% (I live in the south of France and never get more than ~85%) but the quality level is 0%. I have tried re-scanning for channels but this finds nothing. I also tried another receiver but it's the same.

Has my dish gone out of alignment ?. There were howling winds here last week but the setup worked perfectly during the storms and afterwards.

Has the LNB gone kaput ?.

Does anyone have any suggestions / helpful tips ?.

Thanks.

**rolfw** · 29-11-2008

Strength but no quality would normally indicate that you are on the wrong satellite, but could perhaps be an LNB fault. An LNB is cheap to replace, so may be worth trying that first.

Also, as an afterthought, check that the LNB hasn't moved in the holder, Skew is quite important.

stephengrenfell · 30-11-2008

I have Astra 2A/2B reception just not 2D. Which implies that the dish is still pointing at the reight satellite. But as you say perhaps the skew is out.

I also noticed that the lowest frequency transponder that I get now reception from is 11.469 GHz. Which makes me wonder if the LNB is simply not switching to the lower band. I don't know if the upper/lower band switch frequency is standard or specific to each LNB. The downfeed goes through a combiner/splitter (shared with terestial feed) which could be blcoking the swicthing signal.

Anyway I will by buy another LNB and try that. Hopefully by the time it arrives the rain will have stopped and the roof will be reasonably dry so that I don't slide off.

Thanks

***snap*** · 30-11-2008

This can also be a faulty receiver. If it doesn't send out the correct signal back up the cable, the LNB will not switch to low band. Try if possible to borrow another receiver to check this. LNBs frequently fail, what you describe is a typical fault. Sometimes only one polarity goes on one band, often on low band (2D).

pjgregory · 01-12-2008

Hi

I have also lost Astra 2D reception. It was OK last night, but then we had a torrential storm with rain and hail during the night. Checking at lunch time, I found no Astra 2D channels but I can still get Radio 4 and Channel 5.

There is no visible sign of damage or movement of the dish, but then my alignment is very critical. Before I start a new alignment, does anyone know if Astra has reduced the power on the BBC transponders?

PJG

***snap*** · 01-12-2008

No reduction in power has been reported anywhere.
You must have got some rain in the cable or LNB.
Did the cable have a waterproof connection to the LNB?
Check the front of the LNB has no cracks. These are common in hot countries if the LNB is a few years old.
Strong wind could have moved the dish.
Heavy rain can sometimes destablise a dish mounting if it is mounted in a garden.

pjgregory · 01-12-2008

Originally Posted by snap

No reduction in power has been reported anywhere.
You must have got some rain in the cable or LNB.
Did the cable have a waterproof connection to the LNB?
Check the front of the LNB has no cracks. These are common in hot countries if the LNB is a few years old.
Strong wind could have moved the dish.
Heavy rain can sometimes destablise a dish mounting if it is mounted in a garden.

That's the best news today. Problems with dish I can fix - problems with the satellite, no chance.

PJG

stephengrenfell · 04-12-2008

Hi.

Solved my problem. The dish elevation had dropped slightly. Now sorted and bolts well tightend.

Thanks for the comments.

ugania2 · 07-12-2008

I am in Bologna ,Italy ,and I've got a 150 cm dish ,I've got the sky digibox from an agent in italy and I Pay the subscription to Sky (about the double of an uk citizen) since Sky uk was born ..I could watch astra 2d perfectly,until a few month ago,when some of the channels related to channel 4 disappeared, (not all) but film 4 and film 4+1 are impossible to watch....I can watch chan 4 in another frequency (12480 V) that is not in 2d, or one hour later in ch.4 +1.in 2d Sky changed frequencies or else ? or could be a problem of dish elevation ,due to the subsidence phenomena that affects my region ,caused by years of long periods of drought? I controlled the dish and didn't move of a mm. ,but if was the house that lovered of a mm.,it could be the problem..what do you think?

***snap*** · 07-12-2008

Film Four changed 2D frequency, Channel Four went free and moved from 2A north to 2D. It's nothing to do with your installation. If you want them back you will have to install a larger dish. You weren't watching Channel Four on 2D before- it wasn't on this satellite before Autumn 2008.

ugania2 · 07-12-2008

Thank you for your answer,but a dish of 150 cm.is the maximum measure I can put on the terrace on the roofs..Thans..

**denis1501** · 08-12-2008

You should be able to receive Astra 2D in Bologna with a 1.5m dish. Maybe your dish has moved slightly or maybe your lnb may need to be skewed better.
Time to call your installer or get up on that roof yourself me thinks!
regards
D.

ugania2 · 08-12-2008

I am my installer,installers here are only able to install the usual 90 cm dish for Sky Italy,....they don't understand the rest.....I installed my first dish by myself in march 1986,it was an heavy 180 cm cassagrain dish who became obsolete a few years ago and I gave it away...Then for a few years a 90 cm dish was big enough to receive Sky UK...Then the problems started with the launch of the astra 2d..So..I installed A 120 cm dish and I used it for about a year,then I decided to change it again for a 150 cm dish because The signal on ITV and BBC weakened about 11 o' clock at night...With the new dish I could watch perfectly all the channels on the 2d satellite...But 2 or three months ago,channel 4 disappeared, followed by others brother channels...Now the only channels impossible to watch are Film 4,Film 4+1 and More 4+1....I can Watch Chan.4 on 12480 V that is on another satellite....I don't understand Why this happens ,because usually everything is perfect..I can't Watch the other 2d channels only when it rains heavily and the clouds are full of hailstones...I only noticed some weakness on ITV 3+1 When it rains...but the rest is always ok! Do you Know if There are other frequencies for Film 4 ? For your Knowledge,the default for my subscription is Yorkshire,If I want to watch BBC news London I have to search it specifically with my remote...Thank you for your attention..

***snap*** · 08-12-2008

There is unfortunately no alternative frequency for Film Four, you have to get your dish working better, probably by changing the LNB. The frequency they are on is 10714 H, Astra 2D.

geoffreys · 08-12-2008

Originally Posted by ugania2

I am my installer,installers here are only able to install the usual 90 cm dish for Sky Italy,....they don't understand the rest.....I installed my first dish by myself in march 1986,it was an heavy 180 cm cassagrain dish who became obsolete a few years ago and I gave it away...Then for a few years a 90 cm dish was big enough to receive Sky UK...Then the problems started with the launch of the astra 2d..So..I installed A 120 cm dish and I used it for about a year,then I decided to change it again for a 150 cm dish because The signal on ITV and BBC weakened about 11 o' clock at night...With the new dish I could watch perfectly all the channels on the 2d satellite...But 2 or three months ago,channel 4 disappeared, followed by others brother channels...Now the only channels impossible to watch are Film 4,Film 4+1 and More 4+1....I can Watch Chan.4 on 12480 V that is on another satellite....I don't understand Why this happens ,because usually everything is perfect..I can't Watch the other 2d channels only when it rains heavily and the clouds are full of hailstones...I only noticed some weakness on ITV 3+1 When it rains...but the rest is always ok! Do you Know if There are other frequencies for Film 4 ? For your Knowledge,the default for my subscription is Yorkshire,If I want to watch BBC news London I have to search it specifically with my remote...Thank you for your attention..

Which other satellite do you watch Ch4 on (on 12480V)??
Thanks,
Geoff
Sunny Cyprus.

**satelliteman** · 08-12-2008

12.480 : TT on 4, FTA

SM

ugania2 · 14-12-2008

Originally Posted by geoffreys

Which other satellite do you watch Ch4 on (on 12480V)??
Thanks,
Geoff
Sunny Cyprus.

The Channels on 12480 V are:

12005 feed of Ch 4 London
More4
Ch4
Ch4+1
E4+1
E4
TTon 4 (ch4 but no subtitles)
British hits tv
Asia hits tv
Prl24 (audio only)

**divibi** · 14-12-2008

Originally Posted by ugania2

I am in Bologna ,Italy ,and I've got a 150 cm

or could be a problem of dish elevation ,due to the subsidence phenomena that affects my region ,caused by years of long periods of drought? I controlled the dish and didn't move of a mm. ,but if was the house that lovered of a mm.,it could be the problem..what do you think?

Hi ugania2

Yes, it could or even must be the elevation problem if the building sunk into the ground. Also, 150 cm dish needs high precision adjustment, especially for Astra 2D which is out of footprint in Italy.
Is your dish offset or prime focus parabolic? Ageing offset dishes are more prone to losing their focal points, as well. What 150 cm dish have you got?

geoffreys · 15-12-2008

Originally Posted by ugania2

The Channels on 12480 V are:

12005 feed of Ch 4 London
More4
Ch4
Ch4+1
E4+1
E4
TTon 4 (ch4 but no subtitles)
British hits tv
Asia hits tv
Prl24 (audio only)

Many thanks for that Ugania,
Cheers,
Geoff,
Sunny Cyprus.

mwanjawe · 15-12-2008

am in south africa, i have ku band dish and strong reciever i want to watch playboy and mauritius channells.
can any one out there help me with frequencies and position?

mwanjawe · 15-12-2008

can any one send the friequences and position of playboy and which sat transmit it. am in johannesburg south africa

ugania2 · 22-12-2008

Originally Posted by divibi

Hi ugania2

Yes, it could or even must be the elevation problem if the building sunk into the ground. Also, 150 cm dish needs high precision adjustment, especially for Astra 2D which is out of footprint in Italy.
Is your dish offset or prime focus parabolic? Ageing offset dishes are more prone to losing their focal points, as well. What 150 cm dish have you got?

Hi,Verdana.....I've got an emmeesse offset parabolic dish realized by high precision forming ,which guarantees a constant production quality,I think it's in varnished aluminium sheet.and the gain is 43.5 db....the lnb it's a sharp ..A few years ago when I still had a 120 cm dish ,I bought a Syntec 2000 (0,3)on my holiday in England to improve the strenght of the signal ,but it was useless,it performed better with small dishes ,but for a large dish the sharp was better..Bye..

**Muad'Dib** · 22-12-2008

Originally Posted by mwanjawe

can any one send the friequences and position of playboy and which sat transmit it. am in johannesburg south africa

Eh??

Go to lyngsat and search for them.

ugania2 · 27-09-2009

Originally Posted by ugania2

I am in Bologna ,Italy ,and I've got a 150 cm dish ,I've got the sky digibox from an agent in italy and I Pay the subscription to Sky (about the double of an uk citizen) since Sky uk was born ..I could watch astra 2d perfectly,until a few month ago,when some of the channels related to channel 4 disappeared, (not all) but film 4 and film 4+1 are impossible to watch....I can watch chan 4 in another frequency (12480 V) that is not in 2d, or one hour later in ch.4 +1.in 2d Sky changed frequencies or else ? or could be a problem of dish elevation ,due to the subsidence phenomena that affects my region ,caused by years of long periods of drought? I controlled the dish and didn't move of a mm. ,but if was the house that lovered of a mm.,it could be the problem..what do you think?

I Thought that the most important thing in fringe areas was the dish size,and it's true,but I couldn't buy a bigger dish than the 1,50 cm I still own. So I wanted to try The invacom LNB ,because I read good reviews about it ...I went to the local shop but I couldn't find it,so I bought A Humax Universal Twin LNB121 with noise figure 0,2 dB for 20 € that was available.,just for a try....And the lost channels reappared: Ch4,film 4,film 4+1....Problem solved....

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Lost Astra 2D reception ! Sky digital support forum at Sats UK, Everything involved on the hardware and software side of reception of the channels from 28.2/28.5 East BskyB, special focus on fringe reception of Astra 2D for UK free to air channels

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