Issue with Channels and Signal?

[rafter_01]

Hi,

got a strange issue, my channels stop and start every 20-30 seconds. Seems like a signal issue. The free channels like BBC work perfectly fine.

When I moved in a few months I had new wiring installed from the dish to the wall ports around my house.

The satellite dish cables (2 cables) go into my store room from the outside, which are then extended to my ports around the house. Store room is the location where all my satellite cables meet, my central point.

Dish > store room > house ports. The cables from the dish and the wiring inside my house are connected with extenders.

Not sure if I've got a signal issue, my signal readings from the box are:

SNR: between 49-60
AGC: 79%
BER: 0%
10.708
79
0

I have purchased a cheap signal booster from ebay that will be coming in the next few days, do you think this will make a difference?

If so, do I connect the booster in my store room, at the point where my dish cables and internal cables connect? or shall I connect it at the port behind my box?

If signal booster isn't the answer, what else could I do? Not entirely sure what the cable distance is around my house.

Your responses will be appreciated.

Thanks

[twol]

So if BBC and fta are OK then I would expect all to be OK.
Booster is a waste of money.
So the question are using a card to access the non fta (encrypted) channels, if not thats your likely issue.

[rafter_01]

So if BBC and fta are OK then I would expect all to be OK.
Booster is a waste of money.
So the question are using a card to access the non fta (encrypted) channels, if not thats your likely issue.

Strange, how would I know with my readings above it's not a signal issue?

[twol]

Because the Astra 2 satellites providing the sat signals are roughly in the same area and in the UK provide the same strong signal for all UK channels.
I think the bottom line of my original response is the key question - if you are using a valid card and your FTA channels are working solid without glitching then it shouldn,t glitch on the encrypted channels..

[rafter_01]

Because the Astra 2 satellites providing the sat signals are roughly in the same area and in the UK provide the same strong signal for all UK channels.
I think the bottom line of my original response is the key question - if you are using a valid card and your FTA channels are working solid without glitching then it shouldn,t glitch on the encrypted channels..

Okay thanks for your reply,

but what can I do to resolve my issue?

[twol]

Are you using a valid Sky card?
If not thats your issue.

[cactikid]

i see it as low levels due to dish out slightly,reading should be in the 90+ for 28.2

i take it when you say extenders cables are joined with an adapter to join 2 f connecting together.

[rafter_01]

i see it as low levels due to dish out slightly,reading should be in the 90+ for 28.2

i take it when you say extenders cables are joined with an adapter to join 2 f connecting together.

Yes that is correct.

Which reading should be in the 90+? How do realign the dish?

[twol]

The only one that matters is SNR and that is not consistent across receivers so its a relative figure that can be used to tune the receiver dish/lnb.
Aligning a dish first time round can be painful, but is actually easier the more you do it. It helps if you can see the Snr figure (use the installed satfinder) on the TV or use an app on your phone whilst playing with the dish. Google ViX for info on setup there may even be a sticky .
If its bad alignment just slight (very) changes should fix it.

[rafter_01]

The only one that matters is SNR and that is not consistent across receivers so its a relative figure that can be used to tune the receiver dish/lnb.
Aligning a dish first time round can be painful, but is actually easier the more you do it. It helps if you can see the Snr figure (use the installed satfinder) on the TV or use an app on your phone whilst playing with the dish. Google ViX for info on setup there may even be a sticky .
If its bad alignment just slight (very) changes should fix it.

So it's okay for me to get up on a ladder and move the dish slightly?

[twol]

Yes, but you need to be able to see the Snr:)
Slightly loosen the bolts, so that it is almost moveable by tapping with a couple of fingers to move the dish left or right. (You don,t want big movements)
Then tighten enough so its not going to move and adjust the verticle.
Its worth using something like a marker pencil to note the original positions!
Tighten everything and then adjust the skew by moving the left sloooowly left and right:)

Its really not hard, but like everything when you haven,t done it before!

[rafter_01]

Yes, but you need to be able to see the Snr:)
Slightly loosen the bolts, so that it is almost moveable by tapping with a couple of fingers to move the dish left or right. (You don,t want big movements)
Then tighten enough so its not going to move and adjust the verticle.
Its worth using something like a marker pencil to note the original positions!
Tighten everything and then adjust the skew by moving the left sloooowly left and right:)

Its really not hard, but like everything when you haven,t done it before!

Okay excellent I will give this a go making sure i'm very careful.

At what SNR percentage do I know the signal is solid? Over 90?

Thank you for your help so far.

[twol]

Just as high as you can get it! You are in the UK, so should not be an issue.
Satfinder is now called signal finder (hadn't noticed the change)
I am very marginal signal on 28.2E so my SNR varies on my Xtrend from 67% (BBC1) to 95+ on some channels on my 1.5M dish, whereas local channels (19.2E) on my 80cm are around 86%.
Everything is relative :)