Cyprus Reception

MikeO

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Quick question for anyone in Cyprus receiving 2D.

As Im sure everyone knows, If you check the secret menu (services 4, 0, 1) you can see the signal strength and quality for any particular frequency.
Using the Beeb frequency for example at 10773H, I generally see a signal strength of 50% most of the time. During the late evening when reception is at its best, the quality shows 30%, rest of the time it shows 20%. When reception is bad, around 8-9pm local time, when the picture is breaking up, this shuttles between 10%-20%, or even drops to 0%.
Can anyone else confirm these observations. I was just wondering if in Cyprus, these signal strengths and qualities are reasonable.

Any comments would be greatly appeciated.

Thanks

Mike
 

bignick

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MikeO said:
Quick question for anyone in Cyprus receiving 2D.

As Im sure everyone knows, If you check the secret menu (services 4, 0, 1) you can see the signal strength and quality for any particular frequency.
Using the Beeb frequency for example at 10773H, I generally see a signal strength of 50% most of the time. During the late evening when reception is at its best, the quality shows 30%, rest of the time it shows 20%. When reception is bad, around 8-9pm local time, when the picture is breaking up, this shuttles between 10%-20%, or even drops to 0%.
Can anyone else confirm these observations. I was just wondering if in Cyprus, these signal strengths and qualities are reasonable.

Any comments would be greatly appeciated.

Thanks

Mike

Hi Mike

Sorry, Can't confirm the readings for your digibox. To be honest they are largely meaningless. They give a decent indication of strength but its by no means accurate. You could have another digibox which may give zero lock anywhere but yet throws a perfect picture on the screen. I must admit, I'm having no problems with BBC right now from any of my installations - it's a strong time of the year...unless you are in a weak zone then the beeb should be coming in loud & clear (a Pace 2600 would cure your woes either way - they will clear a pixelating picture from a DS430N). I think you are due a visit ;)

Cheers

Nick
 

MikeO

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Cheers Nick for the reply.
Yeah you are probably right about needing a visit, but Ill have to wait a little till Ive got some spare cash.
What I have noticed is that around 8-9pm, the picture breaks up a bit. Periodically, I get the spanners out and slightly adjust the azimuth angle, and it improves, but then a few days later I need to tweek it again. I am not sure however about the elevation angle as I dont have a spanner big enough to play with this one. Maybe this isnt optimal?
Anyway, Ill take your advise about the digibox and give you a call nearer the time when I can change it. If I change the box, will I need to change the card too? At the mo, I have a FTA card, but if I replace this with a full sky viewing card, will I need to subscribe immediately for it to work? I am thinking that maybe later I will take out a subscription but not right now...so maybe it would be better to change the card too if that can be done without having to take out a subscription immediately.

Anyway, thanks again for the advise. Ill be in touch.

Cheers,

Mike
 

bignick

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MikeO said:
Cheers Nick for the reply.
Yeah you are probably right about needing a visit, but Ill have to wait a little till Ive got some spare cash.
What I have noticed is that around 8-9pm, the picture breaks up a bit. Periodically, I get the spanners out and slightly adjust the azimuth angle, and it improves, but then a few days later I need to tweek it again. I am not sure however about the elevation angle as I dont have a spanner big enough to play with this one. Maybe this isnt optimal?
Anyway, Ill take your advise about the digibox and give you a call nearer the time when I can change it. If I change the box, will I need to change the card too? At the mo, I have a FTA card, but if I replace this with a full sky viewing card, will I need to subscribe immediately for it to work? I am thinking that maybe later I will take out a subscription but not right now...so maybe it would be better to change the card too if that can be done without having to take out a subscription immediately.

Anyway, thanks again for the advise. Ill be in touch.

Cheers,

Mike

Sounds like you are starting to get the hang of it all by yourself m8. Buy yourself a big adjustable for that nut and have a go on the Elevation too. Use the adjuster at the top (around eye level) it is for declination but since you don't have a motor you can use it for elevation. It is better for fine adjustment as you can get to both nuts. When adjusting use only SMALL ajustments MAXIMUM one nut flat, then watch the picture for 10 seconds or so. Marginal signals seem to cycle so don't make the adjustments hastily. If you can't sort it out then give me a call - I have a feeling you will sort it yourself though ;)

Cheers

Nick
 

Zorba

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Yep,thats what keeps me busy,people adjusting their own dishes.
I went to a 3.2m in Erimi(the first one you see when you drive in from the highway) the other day.the customer said he tweaked it here and there,got signal levels but "no signal" on screen.When i checked,he managed to align the dish bang on Astra 19,2e.
Talk about getting carried away with the adjustable spanner !
 

bignick

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zorba said:
Yep,thats what keeps me busy,people adjusting their own dishes.
I went to a 3.2m in Erimi(the first one you see when you drive in from the highway) the other day.the customer said he tweaked it here and there,got signal levels but "no signal" on screen.When i checked,he managed to align the dish bang on Astra 19,2e.
Talk about getting carried away with the adjustable spanner !

:-rofl2 :-rofl2 :-rofl2 Thanks some serious tweaking m8, I usually advise 1 'nut flat MAXIMUM' at a time.

Is that the one on the right hand side of the highway as you drive out of Limassol towards Paphos?
 

Zorba

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No not that one(is that one of yours?)Its when you come off the highway to go to Erimi just before the right turn into the village.
 

bignick

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zorba said:
No not that one(is that one of yours?)Its when you come off the highway to go to Erimi just before the right turn into the village.

Not one of mine i'm afraid. That one was in place before I got 'into it'. At this moment in time I don't venture too far out of my patch (you know where I mean ;) ) other than for jobs for friends etc. I usually recommend that Simon fella when its for others, have you heard of him?

Cheers

Nick
 

Zorba

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Yep,quite popular guy aka Simon the Skyman.He must owe you a drink or two.;)
 

iceman

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zorba said:
Yep,quite popular guy aka Simon the Skyman.He must owe you a drink or two.;)

:-rofl2 :-rofl2 :-rofl2
 

simonskyman

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:confused My ears are burning .
 
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