Freesat gone but Astra 2 still working... why/how?

[operacentric]

Hi all

I have two satellite receivers - a Technomate 7102 (which I use for European stations) on Astra 1, 2 and Hotbird (working fine) and a Panny BS 850 which my other half uses for Freesat. Last night, Freesat went down on some channels. A retune gave the no Astra 2 connection message. I retuned using its Other satellite option and after 45 mins (!) had 300 channels including, as far as I can tell, all the Freesat options. We have a rudimentary EPG but can only programme recordings manually.

As the Astra 2 feed is clearly working fine on both sets, I'm mystified as to how the Panny can't see the Astra 2 connection.

Can anyone shed any light on this? Many thanks

 

[Lazarus]

Freesat depends upon good reception of the Default (or Home) Transponder (Which carries the EPG and other data that allows everything to be pulled together) on 11428 H 27500 2/3 QPSK.

If there is insufficient signal on that TP, then that might account for the problem ...... possibly a slight dish misalignment/water ingress, but insufficient to cause iffy reception of most other Transponders? Don't forget, the actual Channels are exactly the same ones you get using any other receiver.

So, use one of your non-Freesat tuners to check signal strength and quality on 11428.

 

[Analoguesat]

Has the Freesat box been moved recently (your good lady cleaning for example) We have seen odd effects reported in the past where a box has been moved and the cable in the back has wiggled loose of the f-connector has unscrewed slightly.

 

[Lazarus]

And if all else fails, try a Factory Reset.

As with "have you turned it off and on again?" for Compooters, this seems to be the universal remedy for Satellite Receiver issues!

 

[Channel Hopper]

And if all else fails, try a Factory Reset.

As with "have you turned it off and on again?" for Compooters, this seems to be the universal remedy for Satellite Receiver issues!

What happpend to the tried and trusted 'thump' ?

 

[Lazarus]

Known as the Manchester Screwdriver up this way!

It bu**ers up the valve heater filaments .....

 

[Analoguesat]

And if all else fails, try a Factory Reset.

As with "have you turned it off and on again?" for Compooters, this seems to be the universal remedy for Satellite Receiver issues!

I work in one of the local high schools supporting the IT equipment & Ive got all my staff trained to "switch it off wait 30 seconds & switch it back on again" before they ring me to report any issues.

 

[Lazarus]

I work in one of the local high schools supporting the IT equipment

You're a Desk!

 

[operacentric]

Thanks all for suggestions - so swiftly too.

I'll measure signal from my Technomate. On a previous occasion, something similar, yes, I found the F-connector earthing had come loose. Also wonder if possible water ingress as this happened after the rain deluge Thursday night. That would need a man in a van and a ladder - does the water get in the DiSecq or is it LNB connections ( or both, I guess once he's up there he checks both! ) - but strange it would only affect the 1 TP?

 

[archive10]

You're a Desk!

No, a chair!

Edit: I mis-read that posting as support in the local IT department. Sorry.

 

[Lazarus]

Good reception of the Home TP is vital ...... it really has to be rock solid in comparison to mere actual Channels. So it might be that all signals are down a bit on what they were: still above lock threshold for stable Video/Audio but not for the essential data such as the Bouquet Association Table on the Home TP.

 

[Analoguesat]

Thanks all for suggestions - so swiftly too.

I'll measure signal from my Technomate. On a previous occasion, something similar, yes, I found the F-connector earthing had come loose. Also wonder if possible water ingress as this happened after the rain deluge Thursday night. That would need a man in a van and a ladder - does the water get in the DiSecq or is it LNB connections ( or both, I guess once he's up there he checks both! ) - but strange it would only affect the 1 TP?

I lost some of my frequencies on one dish a few years ago - and when I disconnected the relevant cable watched in absolute astonishment as half a pint of water dribbled out of the cable

If the cable is cable is loose at the dish end, or split in any way its certainly possible for it to gather water, and is certainly worth investigating.

 

[joddle]

I lost some of my frequencies on one dish a few years ago - and when I disconnected the relevant cable watched in absolute astonishment as half a pint of water dribbled out of the cable

If the cable is cable is loose at the dish end, or split in any way its certainly possible for it to gather water, and is certainly worth investigating.

+1 also had a water in cable issue - a few euros on a new length of cable sorted all sorts of things out!