Rain = No DSTV??

[za1]

txs all for the advice

i took off the lnb and checked it and make sure the cables with snug and tight, also aligned as best I could, covered the connectors and removed a sapling that sprung up and occasionally when the wind blows was partially blocking the dish - so anyhow currently signal strength is 78% and quality 100% - the best I have had was 81% but now just waiting for the next rain to see whats what - and yeh, the repeat of private practive on sunday....

 

[killkom]

Its bad alignment

When I first got my dish installed i had 70% signal quality and 70% signal strength. I kept loosing signal really irritating as specially in Summer when it rains every day.

My LNB got hit by lightning and I had the installer come in to replace it he got the Signal Strength and Quality to 70% and he was willing to leave it like that but I insisted and said I would not pay for the install unless I was getting 100% signal quality and as close to 100% signal strength as possible.

I made that guy work for his money but at the end it was set perfectly

I have a Dual LNB running to a splitter and then into my HD PVR and only when it rains really had will I have a bit of breakup on the picture but I never loose signal anymore.

 

[Sackboy]

They do use smaller dishes in Europe, but not for the reason that you explained. The signals are normally more focused in Europe, because they need to cover smaller areas. The Intelsat 7 footprint for DSTV is quite big to give coverage to other African countries.

There is also nothing wrong with the dishes and LNB's that the good installers use. The problem is mostly bad installation by guys without the know how to align dishes properly. I've got a small cheap dish running a HD PVR through a multiswitch at home. This is normally quite a sensitive setup. I did the installation myself using a proper instrument. I only get a little breakup in extremely heavy rain.

They use mostly C-band in the rest of Africa, where the dishes are HUGE. I believe DSTV is putting up a new sat alongside IS7 to cater for a change to KU-Band.

 

[Captain Beer]

I believe DSTV is putting up a new sat alongside IS7 to cater for a change to KU-Band.

IS7 and 10 are being replaced in 2012 by IS20 (this is for Southern Africa).

The IS satellites belong to Intelsat not DStv.

 

[za1]

Its bad alignment

When I first got my dish installed i had 70% signal quality and 70% signal strength. I kept loosing signal really irritating as specially in Summer when it rains every day.

My LNB got hit by lightning and I had the installer come in to replace it he got the Signal Strength and Quality to 70% and he was willing to leave it like that but I insisted and said I would not pay for the install unless I was getting 100% signal quality and as close to 100% signal strength as possible.

I made that guy work for his money but at the end it was set perfectly

I have a Dual LNB running to a splitter and then into my HD PVR and only when it rains really had will I have a bit of breakup on the picture but I never loose signal anymore.

ok, i will wait for the next rains - if i lose signal badly i suppose i will have to get someone in to realign the dish.

BTW do you know how to connect extra tvs to xtra-view - with my single decoder i had 4 tvs connected, now with the extra view i have have the 2 - which is a bit of a drag

 

[Quantum Theory]

They use mostly C-band in the rest of Africa, where the dishes are HUGE.

Really? I beg to differ.

This is the Intelsat 7 Ku-band footprint, which we and some of the countries north of us use for DSTV...

http://www.lyngsat-maps.com/maps/intel7_safr.html

This is the Eutelsat W4 Ku-Band footprint, which the Central African countries use for DSTV...

http://www.lyngsat-maps.com/maps/ew4_afr.html

Notice how much bigger the W4 footprint is. Because it is even less focused than IS7, you need at least a 90cm dish.

They use C-band from IS10 for DSTV in North Africa, Middle East and even Perth Australia...

http://www.lyngsat-maps.com/maps/intel10_c.html