Intermittent signal failure on DSTV

[riscbroker]

Can the technical guys here help me?

Every now and then our DSTV drops reception completely - the screen stays on 'Scanning" for minutes or hours sometimes, then it acquires signal without any intervention and works as expected. This can happen once every few months or several times a week.

When it's scanning, signal level and signal quality are both at 0%, then when it acquires signal the signal level is reflected as 95% and the signal quality at 100%.

Since the signal level and quality are high (when it works), I assume the dish and LNB alignment are OK and cabling is good. Is this maybe indicative of a component failure, and if so do I need to have the LNB and/or decoder tested?

 

[Sonic2k]

LNB is probably on its way out... temperature changes causing intermittent problems.

 

[riscbroker]

LNB is probably on its way out... temperature changes causing intermittent problems.

Thanks Koosi, yes, the weather has been quite changeable here recently, temperatures all over the place plus rainy spells. Can the LNB be tested or do you just replace it?

 

[Sonic2k]

Thanks Koosi, yes, the weather has been quite changeable here recently, temperatures all over the place plus rainy spells. Can the LNB be tested or do you just replace it?

No easy way to test it... i.e. I have yet to see a test fixture that can do all the RF testing.
Cheap enough to replace though. I replace mine frequently just to be on the safe side.

 

[Falco]

Also check the multi-plug where the decoder is plugged in. From the wall socket to the decoder, sometimes you can have a bad wire connection.

my 2c

 

[riscbroker]

Thanks Falco, everything on the decoder side looks good, I'll do what Koosi suggests and get a fresh LNB

 

[Rickster]

Maybe a bird knocked it slightly?

 

[riscbroker]

Maybe a bird knocked it slightly?

I did have an issue with a couple of fat pigeons that were using the arm that holds the LNB as a perch.

But happily, I think I've found the cause of my recent trouble - the cable at the LNB had hardened up from the sun etc and when I stripped it to remake the connection, the coax shield had pretty much corroded away. I've re-done it and all is well for now, it will take a couple of weeks before I know for sure whether that was the only problem or if I'll have to replace the LNB.