# Does anybody else have problems with Sky TV reception??



## RogerAndHeather (Dec 23, 2007)

I started to have problems yesterday morning with losing the Astra2 (Sky) signal, and having over-reacted before, I would like to know if anybody else with a mobile system is having problems before I start stripping the bits apart.

The signal strength for (my) Astra2 is oscillating from 100% to 'nothing' but I still have a 100% signal from Astra1, Hotbird etc...... The sky box locks on OK, and displays the the correct network ID and transport stream, but the signal quality is always nearly non-existent.

Having been fooled in the past to fiddle with the bits, when the problems have been at the other (Sky) end, it would be nice to know whether this is a general problem (weather related?) and I am not going to make things worse by fiddling - We are in Aberdeenshire, but do have a 85cm oyster dish without any past problems.

Hoping for some feedback, Roger


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## Rapide561 (Oct 1, 2005)

*SKY*

Hi

Where ever I have used my 85 cm Oyster, I have always done well for reception, signal strength and quality, except in Italy when the quality and strength decrease at night time or during heavy rain.

The only place I can't get a signal is at the CCC site at Bala - due to trees. The autosearch goes on for ages and cannot lock.

Russell


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## 107990 (Oct 30, 2007)

Did i see on the weather forecast that you have been having high winds up there ?.


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## RogerAndHeather (Dec 23, 2007)

Agree, a magic systen, does us well all over Europe, at least with BBC parliament being the strongest signal everywhere - gives us the most magic connection with BBCi - the best teletext thingy in the world.

worked up here for 4 years untill yesterday, so is there a problem with Sky????? Or is it me again!!!

Ta, Roger


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## RogerAndHeather (Dec 23, 2007)

Hi DollarYen

Sorry that we crossed, weather has been a bit iffy, mostly rain, but wife is sitting outside now, 21:30(ish), weather on the magic machine is 16.3degsC, 68% humidity, pressure 1011,. Not a midgie in sight.

Wind isn't the Sat problem, but wife would disagree about me.

Cheers Roger


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## DABurleigh (May 9, 2005)

Roger,

I assume you really do have a clear view of the satellite. Many have claimed they do, or presumed they do, when subsequently it has been shown they did not. This is the best way to check, also your skew setting:
http://www.uksatellitehelp.co.uk/2007/08/12/satellite-alignment-calculator-v2/

Can you manually increment/ decrement the azimuth and elevation on your Oyster, to see if you can increase the signal quality once it has locked on?

IIRC there was an Oyster software upgrade to cope with the introduction of a nearby satellite. Did you have this done?

Dave


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## Rapide561 (Oct 1, 2005)

*SKY*

Dave - I think it is possible to adjust only the direction the dish is pointing rather than the elevation (manually) - I could be wrong though.

Roger, just something, have you moved the van. I had the problem you describe whilst I was in Italy last year.

Scenario was....

Dish was locked on and all was well. I took the van for a spin and returned to the pitch. Up went the dish and it locked immediately - no searching etc, but I noticed the signal quality was poor. I asked the thing to do a manual search for ASTRA2 and it was back to good quality signal strength again.

I remember posting on here about it at the time and I think it was felt that, whilst the van was back on the same pitch, it was not exactly parked as it had been. The dish found ASTRA by returning to its previous stored position - strong enough to lock, but not perfect.

Same thing would happen if you had one end of the van on levelling blocks and then drove a few inches to get off the blocks. The angle of the van would be wrong as it were.

I have the same situation every week when I leave the site and return to the same pitch the following day. The dish will lock immediately, but it has gone to it's last stored position. I force a manual search to fine things up.

Just a thought.

Russell

Just a thought.


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## DABurleigh (May 9, 2005)

I didn't know what to make of signal "oscillating". If you are peaked up properly, and nothing is moving, I can't see it happening. However if you are right on the ragged edge, then a little movement could take you up to 100% temporarily. 

Your suggestion is very plausible, Russell. I would have thought with systems that return to the last point rather than search from scratch as mine does, the owners manual would caution against such scenarios.

Dave


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## RogerAndHeather (Dec 23, 2007)

Hi Dave

Thanks for your input, we caught up with an MCC rally at Bridge of Allan on Saturday afternoon, a showground with no obstructions, and we had no problem. however on Sunday morning we did have a problem with Astra2 reception (in the same place).

We are now at Banchory CC site, dumping our tanks et al before back to our building tomorrow, and cannot get a signal that lasts for more that a few minutes, again with an open view te the SE. We can pick up a 100% signal from the Astra1/Hotbird.

I was really hoping that this would be a recognised problem because I normally jump in with both feet and make things worse - and it costs me a fortune - looks like it is going to happen again!

Cheers Roger


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## stewartwebr (May 27, 2005)

Strange......you now have me thinking. We were at Loch Lomond for the weekend. We did not watch TV until Sunday morning. We do not have the same system as you, we have a Camos dome (40cm) The system has never let us down. It started a search and searched for ages. We were in clear sight with nothing blocking the signal. We eventually gave up.

On getting back to Edinburgh the system is back to usual and locks on in less than 30 seconds. I wonder if their was something wrong at the other end on Sunday???

Regards,

Stewart


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## RogerAndHeather (Dec 23, 2007)

There is definitely something wrong with Astra2. I have just been talking to a couple of tuggers who cannot get a signal from their stand-alone dishes on the campsite - they did have a signal Saturday. It is probably a signal strength glitch which will only affect us poor downtrodden sods up here in the snow - and with our cost of diesel!

I have been playing with mine manually, up and down (sounds terrible) and can watch the signal strength oscillate between about 13 whatevers and zero on Astra2 while it stays constant on other sats. 

I am obviously not going to invest in a 087** whatever number with Mr Sky, but will email them for all the good it will do.

Thanks, Roger


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## Rapide561 (Oct 1, 2005)

*Sky*

Roger

Take a look at www.saynoto0870.com for other numbers for SKY.

I am not sure of the legality of a SKY dish in a motorhome so be careful what you say to them on the blower.

Russell


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## gm6vxb (Nov 3, 2007)

If Sundays weather was anything like here ( Fraserburgh) then 'rain fade' is highly possible. Signals in the microwave region get attenuated by heavy rain, 11-14Ghz is the normal satellite band, and I would expect in heavy rain to see a big degradation in signal strength, if you know what 10dB is then this is possible at these frequencies. The smaller and therefore more marginal the dish size the more possible the signal will drop out, though with an 85cm antenna I would not expect to loose any but the weakest of channels.
There is a faint possibilty that it was raining at the transmitting end ( either London teleport or Madley) in which case signals could become marginal, but should be ok now (Monday) as blue skys both ends.
I did not notice any dropouts on Astra 2 on Sunday but did notice lower signal strengths on Astra 1 but this was on my home system which is a 1.2 Metre dish with 0.4dB NF LNB.
Have also checked on my van (Oyster Caro 'Squarial) and seeing good signal and data rates on Astra 1 and 2 this evening.

Try shutting down the system ( complete power off) and then restarting everthing and setting up the dish from scratch as if you have just arrived on site.

Martin.


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