Tree obstruction question

dankargo

dankargo

Specialist Contributor
My Satellite Setup
90cm Motorised
My Location
Brentwood
Hi all,

I've noticed that my 90cm motorised dish is no longer able to receive 39E and 42E albeit a few channels which are coming in at around 25-30% with consistent breakup. Weirdly I've been able to receive both of these sats in the past - most recently, I was watching Turksat just a few months back and was getting reasonably good levels of 65%+. The TRT channels especially on 42E would come in over 75% reliably.

My initial thought was that it was probably due to USALS needing to be recalibrated. I did some tweaks here and there but noticed no improvement. Then I checked satellites 28E - 5W and all of those are coming in with pretty much perfect levels, so I didn't want to screw things up as it seems to be correct. Only then did I get a lightbulb moment and realise there's a big tree that's pretty much in line with 39/42E and would explain why other satellites aren't affected. Sadly I can't check beyond 42E as that's my limit. It's a neighbours tree and really needs TLC to be honest, long overdue a trim!

But just to confirm or throw my thinking off, is it actually possible to still receive some sort of signal on some channels when there's a tree obstruction or is it all or nothing? As I say, most of the channels were showing no signal but the odd TPs, such as Show Turk HD, I was receiving with very low signal and breakup.
 
Same problem here - the cliff edge is not especially steep and you might get glimpses of the stronger Channels now and again.

I have 39E only during late autumn and winter, when the foliage has dropped.

A few copper nails driven into the trunk will sort it ......
 
There are large Ash trees to my west, every year I loose all sats past 37.6 west in summer.I get them back in Autumn.This year 37.6 has gone too.I have had lots of advice on how to solve the problem from Copper nails to Chainsaws.:)
 
Last edited:
dankargo said:
Hi all,

I've noticed that my 90cm motorised dish is no longer able to receive 39E and 42E albeit a few channels which are coming in at around 25-30% with consistent breakup. Weirdly I've been able to receive both of these sats in the past - most recently, I was watching Turksat just a few months back and was getting reasonably good levels of 65%+. The TRT channels especially on 42E would come in over 75% reliably.

My initial thought was that it was probably due to USALS needing to be recalibrated. I did some tweaks here and there but noticed no improvement. Then I checked satellites 28E - 5W and all of those are coming in with pretty much perfect levels, so I didn't want to screw things up as it seems to be correct. Only then did I get a lightbulb moment and realise there's a big tree that's pretty much in line with 39/42E and would explain why other satellites aren't affected. Sadly I can't check beyond 42E as that's my limit. It's a neighbours tree and really needs TLC to be honest, long overdue a trim!

But just to confirm or throw my thinking off, is it actually possible to still receive some sort of signal on some channels when there's a tree obstruction or is it all or nothing? As I say, most of the channels were showing no signal but the odd TPs, such as Show Turk HD, I was receiving with very low signal and breakup.
Click to expand...
Move the dish or move it higher for permanent solution
 
If you go to a site like dishpointer.com, they provide an obstacle checker, for at what height an obstacle has to be, to interfere with your satellite signal.
You simply type in your postcode, if in the UK, or location, if elsewhere, zoom in on the map, provided, moving the green icon, to where your ish is sited, then tick the check obstacle option, and move the red icon to where the tree is.

I can sympathize, with your problem, as when I first moved, in to my new house, I could get 52E, but now, due a new neighbour, not getting his old tree trimmed, I no longer can get it. You are allowed, in the UK, to trim a tree branches, if the overhang your property.
 
dankargo said:
Hi all,

I've noticed that my 90cm motorised dish is no longer able to receive 39E and 42E albeit a few channels which are coming in at around 25-30% with consistent breakup. Weirdly I've been able to receive both of these sats in the past - most recently, I was watching Turksat just a few months back and was getting reasonably good levels of 65%+. The TRT channels especially on 42E would come in over 75% reliably.

My initial thought was that it was probably due to USALS needing to be recalibrated. I did some tweaks here and there but noticed no improvement. Then I checked satellites 28E - 5W and all of those are coming in with pretty much perfect levels, so I didn't want to screw things up as it seems to be correct. Only then did I get a lightbulb moment and realise there's a big tree that's pretty much in line with 39/42E and would explain why other satellites aren't affected. Sadly I can't check beyond 42E as that's my limit. It's a neighbours tree and really needs TLC to be honest, long overdue a trim!

But just to confirm or throw my thinking off, is it actually possible to still receive some sort of signal on some channels when there's a tree obstruction or is it all or nothing? As I say, most of the channels were showing no signal but the odd TPs, such as Show Turk HD, I was receiving with very low signal and breakup.
Click to expand...
Post a picture or two from just under the dish looking out along the boom arm to the LNB, and include your coordinates.

Someboody here will tell you if there is an issue with the tree(s)
 
How far is the top of the tree above the bottom of your dish? As mentioned, check on dishpointer if that tree is in your way. And then, with a bit of high school trigonometry, you can double check if the tree is in the way.

But if your dish is reachable, say it is at ground level, use an app like Sat Finder NG. You can use the AR line of sight viewer to check for obstructions.
 
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