2D power reduction?

[Zorba]

Theres a rumour going round that 2D has reduced power output by a couple of db's.
Any truth in this?

 

[Analoguesat]

This old chestnut comes round at least once a year

Its slowly ageing so there will be a gradual slight decline in transmitted power as components age.

SES are notoriously secretive about the health iof their birds, so the chances of getting any official confirmation is nil.

 

[Zorba]

My thoughts too,its just that for the last few weeks we have been getting weak signals in the evening on 2D and i was blaming the weather(its been very humid this summer)

 

[Analoguesat]

If its been a very hot summer over there than your lnb may be fritzed and needing replacement.

And of course if its very humid then the moisture in the atmosphere will absorb the signal more.

 

[Zorba]

No,this is happening to a lot of people and with recent installations,but i will go with your second statement.

 

[Analoguesat]

Interesting - of course if by any chance 2-Dee is down on power we would expect it to show up first in the ultra fringe regions. Let us know how things go once the humidity drops.

 

[Zorba]

will do.and as a matter of interest, the break up on bbc is between 7.30-8.30 pm UK time

 

[Analoguesat]

You could try emailing SES and see if they will admit anything. I doubt you will get anything useful off them, but you never know. I did get an admission off them that Astra 1A was finished a couple of weeks before she was junked.

 

[dxsat]

No reduction in power in Madrid, another marginal area, compared to the winter. The problem is almost certain to be the high humidity, which we don't get here. The very high temperatures make the LNB slightly less efficient.
Placing the dish in a garden away from heat-radiating concrete also seems to have an effect.

 

[iceman]

My thoughts too,its just that for the last few weeks we have been getting weak signals in the evening on 2D and i was blaming the weather(its been very humid this summer)

I can confirm this M8....I have also noticed this problem on quite a few of my installations which never had problem on 2D...I also blame the weather..The last few weeks heat & humidity has been well above average on the island...
We'll soon find out...weather cant last this for much longer..

 

[Topper]

I would also like to point out my own theory on this.

Whilst the downlink signal may indeed be affected by humidity as already discussed I am sure you will find that more important is the uplink signal as the UK has been cloudy for most of the month of August after that record hot July thus if the uplink signal is attenuated by cloud it will obviously affect the downlink even though the skies in the reception area have no cloud. There is also the sunspot activity to take into account as this is set to peak shortly I believe.

 

[Analoguesat]

We are right at the bottom of the sunspot cycle at the moment - although scientists are predicting this next cycle is going to be a right corker - up to 50% stronger than average.

 

[Topper]

We are right at the bottom of the sunspot cycle at the moment - although scientists are predicting this next cycle is going to be a right corker - up to 50% stronger than average.

I got it wrong again, I knew I had read something about it, could possibly kill the odd bird so I read. Predictions predictions mind you there are one or two up there that should be zapped

 

[bignick]

Hi Guys

Got the same problem with my stuff. Just installed a new dish for myself; a Famaval with petals, and am getting problems around the same time as you. My Thomson 160 has proven cr*p at handling it and will be going to Ebay this weekend. I have just got a Pace 3100 and the picture breakup is still there on the BBC's but still leaves a decent watchable picture most of the time, without any blue screens. Haven't hooked up a 2600 as I upgraded to negate the need to have two digiboxes...but I guess it would bring in a good picture on all except the likes of abc1. I'm still fine tuning the dish to stop the problems with BBC...reckon I will be able to sort it that way!

Hope that helps

Nick

 

[dxsat]

The weather here turned more humid yesterday and I started to lose BBC 2 during Newsnight instead of after midnight, so I think this theory is correct.
I doubt the uplink scenario of cloud in the UK. The UK transmitting antennas will have more than enough power to spare to cope with adverse weather.
Nick, have you tried the Pace 810XE HD receiver? Mine was giving a clear picture last night when my Pace Sky+ TDS 470n was starting to block up. It seems to be as good as if not better than a Pace 2600. It also doesn't suffer from bad sound when the picture is blocking, meaning the programme can be watched.

 

[benidormgary]

I get my 2D "fix"via a re-transmit system here,and Im sure the provider is using big enough dishes,but the pictures have been breaking a little occasionally between 9pm and midnight,especially BBC2.

 

[Likvid]

No problem here in Stockholm with reduced levels on 2D, about the same as 1 year ago.

 

[bignick]

Nick, have you tried the Pace 810XE HD receiver? Mine was giving a clear picture last night when my Pace Sky+ TDS 470n was starting to block up. It seems to be as good as if not better than a Pace 2600.

Even better than the 2600.....Very Very interesting.....I will have to see if I can get one to test. Have you tried it with fringe HD transmissions? I don't know how weak the BBC Feed where you are. I'd like to know how much losses MPEG4 can withstand before breaking up - its far more compressed I believe.

 

[dxsat]

The BBC HD tests on 10847 V have been solid since I got the box, no break ups at all even in rain.
I also tried it on a 1.2 metre dish here with perfect results, albeit only for an hour or so mid- evening. 10847 V is the strongest 2D channel in central Iberia.
I put a 810XE in for a customer who wanted Euro 1081 on Astra 3, in Madrid.
Got a clear result on a 60cm dish with a single Invacom.
I think the answer to your question on fringe reception is that MPEG 4 is as robust on this Pace receiver as MPEG 2.
Another useful side effect of this receiver is that standard definition is clearer when using the HDMI connection, with cleaner, more accurate colour.

 

[Zorba]

Thanks for the replies guys,so i will put it down to humidity.In fact I will print this page and show it to all my customers.
Ps when are the sunspots going to peak,I dont fancy standing in front of a 3m dish when they do,i might evaporate :-beer