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Tutor

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3 Messages

Monday, August 29th, 2011 7:24 PM

Losing signal when it gets hot outside.

This is getting weird to me.  Early in the morning and at night my HD channels work fine.  When it gets hot, about 90F or so, the signal on 103cb goes out and I lose channels such as 241, 242, 359 and some others to I would guess.  Those are just the ones I watch a lot.  I have a Slimline dish with a SL3 LNB.  Anyway, this is what I get when it ISworking. 

 

Sat 101: lowest signal is #4 @71.  Most all others are 90 or more with quite a few being 100.  I just can't get that #4 signal any higher no matter how I adjust it. 

 

Sat 103cb:  lowest is 76 with others around 80 or so.  That was the highest I could get with me adjusting it.  More farther down. 

 

Sat 99c:  Lowest signal is 82 on #8.  Rest are that or more.  Highest is about 90 or so.

 

Sat 99s:  #1 is 86.  0 on the rest.  

 

Sat 103s:  All 0's

 

Sat 103ca:  All 0's.

 

When it is not working I get this:

 

Sat 101:  The same as above.  This just doesn't seem to change at all. 

 

Sat 99c:  Same as above.

 

Sat 99s:  Same as above.

 

Sat 103s:  All o's.

 

Sat 103ca:  All 0's

 

Sat 103cb:  All 0's.  I give this the evil eye.  -_O

 

I assume from that the HD channels comes from 103cb for my box. 

 

Here comes the weird part.  When it loses signal on my HD channels, I can take some water in a jug with some ice in it, pour on the LNB and in a minute or so it starts to working again.  So, when hot it doesn't work.  Pour on some cold water and it works.  I have upgraded and added a towel to this to make it last longer.  Hey, I'm from the south, we do what we got to do.  lol

 

What else I have done.  I went out with a old TV and adjusted the signal from what the DirecTv guy had it set at.  I may have improved it some but not by much.  It still goes out when it is hot and works when it is cool or I pour water on it. 

 

I also have a second box that is standard definition.  It just has a old timey TV on it.  I listen to it while I am cooking or something.  It works fine.  It never loses its signal.  I have also went out and took the LNB off the dish and reversed the wires around.  Moved #1 to #2 and # 2 to #1.  I did the same sort of thing for #3 and #4.  No change at all. 

 

I think the LNB is messed up somehow.  Most likely heat related.  Wink  A friend of mine that has worked for about every dish company there is says a LNB does not go out like that.  It either works or it doesn't work.  Based on what I am doing to get it to work, I think this is a exception. 

 

Does anyone disagree with my thinking?  Or maybe have something else to try?  If not, I'm going to go out late one night and do some LNB hunting.  lol 

 

I tried to post everything relevant and then some.  If you need more info, just let me know.  I been with DirecTv since 1994.  I have even put up my own dish before but that was back in the round dish days.  Maybe I am missing something new here. 

 

Thanks in advance for the help. 

ACE - Sage

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46.4K Messages

14 years ago

Sounds like you have a defective dish LNB.  You should NOT have zero readings on 103º(ca).  Best to call DirecTV for a service visit.  It's free if you have their Equipment Protection Plan, or within 90-days of installation.  Otherwise ~$50, which includes replacing whatever is defective. 

Tutor

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3 Messages

14 years ago

That's what I am thinking to.  It seems to be getting worse allbeit slowly.  It was not out of the 80's when it went out this morning.  I'm also putting water out of the fridge on it today.  It takes longer for it to warm up so it lasts a while longer. 

 

I can get a LNB.  I found one online for about $30 but I got a friend that said he may have one that I can get cheaper.  He gets them from people that switched or moved off and left the dish behind.  He cleans up after people move out so it gets lots of nifty stuff for nothing. 

 

Of course, I could go out late tonight and get one.  Just have to make sure no one is watching TV while I do it.  lol  Just kidding tho. 

 

Thanks.  Still open if someone has a better thought.  Just post what you think. 

ACE - Sage

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46.4K Messages

14 years ago

Try swapping the LNB.  Just be sure to get the EXACT same kind.  There are for different Slimline LNB assemblies ....

  • 3-LNB
  • 5-LNB
  • 3-LNB Single Wire Multiswitch (SWM)
  • 5-LNB SWM

Tutor

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3 Messages

14 years ago

Mine is a SL3 with 4 outputs.  I could get by with just two since I only have two boxes but I may have to expand one day. 

 

I'm hoping my friend has one even if it is just to try out this thing.  I'm pretty sure that the LNB is going out tho.  I don't even touch anything else when it goes out.  I just walk outside, pour water on it, walk back in the house and the TV is working again.  A little while later, it goes out  so I repeat again.  Watering my LNB like it is a plant is getting old tho.  😕

 

Thanks.

New Member

5 years ago

I think it’s the shingles heating up and moving it just slightly out of alignment. I also lose channels that are numerically close to eachother. We reshingled last year and that’s when it started. Going to try to shim it.

ACE - Expert

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21K Messages

There are videos on youtube that may help to align the dish.

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