Help identifying problem

[danped]

Hi,

I've got a motorised dish which is about 10 years old with a vu duo 4k. In the last year or so I've had this problem where initialy when I go to watch a channel on another satellite, say 19.2, it seems to 'struggle' to lock on so I'll get a blocky image or it will fail to tune and usually if I leave it a few minutes it then connects. Sometimes it resolves the issue if I go to another satellite channel on another satellite (say 23.5) and then return to the channel. Finally if that doesn't work if I go into my tuner settings and change my longitude or latitude slighlty (this can be forwards and then back to a previous setting so I retain my original location) and then switch from one satellite to another and back it usually tunes in fine; it will then be robust for days on end with no issues.

It feels to me like to motor is perhps in need of replacing but then if it were I don't understand how it manages to tune in eventaually, I'd expect it to slip out of alignment and lose the signal entirely.

Any ideas what could be the cause or any more information I can gove to help diagnose the problem?

Thanks,
Dan

[Joe_90]

If your dish and motor have been operating for 10 years, then it's likely that either the dish u-bolts (on the motor arm) or the motor bolts (on the pole) have shifted slightly due to wind. It's possible that the gearing in the motor has slackened also if you use the motor a lot. If the motor gearing has broken a tooth (they are often made of plastic) you may get the symptoms you are observing also.

It may be time to get the ladder out (or call a satellite installer pro!) and check the alignment on your southernmost satellite and verify that everything is plumb and bolts are tight and that the motor is moving smoothly from horizon to horizon.

[danped]

Thanks for the reply. My usual process is both of those - I get the ladders out, contemplate fixing it then think better of it and call out the pros!

[Joe_90]

I feel your pain! My missus just won't let me get up the ladder anymore... (I kid myself that it's because she can't bear to lose me!).