Help wanted for Freesat reception problems in the Netherlands (near Amsterdam)

[a33]

This thread is a continuance of the request for help by @DeborahH in this topic/ starting in this post:

D

Post in thread 'Bremen Germany - Lost reception in the evening'

Jul 24, 2026

I'm having a similar problem to the gentleman in Bremen but in reverse. About 3 weeks ago I started to lose various channels during daylight hours. Only BBC1, ITV1 and Channel 5 are working properly during daylight hours. The rest say "no signal, or weak signal". The strange thing is that everything returns to normal as soon as it goes dark. Is the reason for this because of the recent heatwaves or has my dish become misaligned? Channels sometimes break up during storms but nothing like this has happened before. My 60cm SKY dish and LNB are around 20 years old. My Freesat...

• DeborahH

• 

The topic ended with three still open lines of investigation:
- Deborah trying to get someone to come round and have a look at it,
- The task of Deborah taking some photos from the dish + LNB, to check what we could determine from that,
- The question if the present dish was maybe rather small for proper reception.

Now I've heard that she managed to make some photos. In the meantime the thread was closed, though.

So I propose to continue her request here in this thread, and that she posts the photos here.
So that maybe we can pickup her questions, where we were left.



PS I started this topic in the freesat subforum, where it started. I think it the problem might not be freesat-specific, so maybe could also have been in the Dish Setup subforum. I decided to stay in the freesat subforum, though.


Greetz,
A33

 

[DeborahH]

This thread is a continuance of the request for help by @DeborahH in this topic/ starting in this post:

D

Post in thread 'Bremen Germany - Lost reception in the evening'

Jul 24, 2026

I'm having a similar problem to the gentleman in Bremen but in reverse. About 3 weeks ago I started to lose various channels during daylight hours. Only BBC1, ITV1 and Channel 5 are working properly during daylight hours. The rest say "no signal, or weak signal". The strange thing is that everything returns to normal as soon as it goes dark. Is the reason for this because of the recent heatwaves or has my dish become misaligned? Channels sometimes break up during storms but nothing like this has happened before. My 60cm SKY dish and LNB are around 20 years old. My Freesat...

• DeborahH

• 

The topic ended with three still open lines of investigation:
- Deborah trying to get someone to come round and have a look at it,
- The task of Deborah taking some photos from the dish + LNB, to check what we could determine from that,
- The question if the present dish was maybe rather small for proper reception.

Now I've heard that she managed to make some photos. In the meantime the thread was closed, though.

So I propose to continue her request here in this thread, and that she posts the photos here.
So that maybe we can pickup her questions, where we were left.



PS I started this topic in the freesat subforum, where it started. I think it the problem might not be freesat-specific, so maybe could also have been in the Dish Setup subforum. I decided to stay in the freesat subforum, though.


Greetz,
A33

Thank you for your help, A33. I posted originally in the Freesat forum because that is the system I have. I will post the photos later today. We may have identified the problem in the meantime but would appreciate some further input.

 

[DeborahH]

OK, just to recap, my problem is as follows:

Three weeks ago I started to lose Freesat channels during daylight hours. They would all mysteriously reappear as soon as it went dark. The only channels which are working during daylight hours are BBC1, ITV1 and Channel 5. The rest show "weak signal, or no signal". However, as soon as it goes dark everything is back to normal. This has never happened before. I've had some channel break up during heavy rain in the past but nothing more drastic.

My satellite dish is a 60cm mesh Sky dish which is at least 20 years old. The LNB is a quad, and is a bit newer. My 2 receivers are both Humax - HDR 1100s downstairs and an older Foxsat HDR upstairs. Both boxes are showing exactly the same loss of certain Freesat channels. I've never had a scrap of trouble with this setup in all the years I've had it until 3 weeks ago.

Some questions:

1) Is this being caused by atmospheric pressure (i.e. the current extreme temperatures and constant sunshine)?
2) Is there something wrong with my dish and/or LNB to cause this channel loss?

I have taken some photos of the dish and LNB and on closer inspection it would appear that the cap at the end of the LNB is missing. I have a vague recollection of finding a white plastic disc on the patio around end May/early June, which coincided with the first heatwave here in the Netherlands. Prior to that we had had very high winds. Not knowing what it was I threw it away but now realise it could have come from the LNB.

If it's just the dish and LNB which are causing the channel loss, then I plan to renew them. However, if it's something else, then I would appreciate some input.

 

[PaulR]

It looks to me like the LNB feedhorn is missing its weather cover. I'd like to see a photo looking into the horn to be sure.

Letting water in is a first class way of reducing signal strength and quality.

 

[hexah]

I agree. The LNB cap is missing. The dish is rusty.

I suggest getting a 'round' 60cm or 80cm dish and universal LNB which any satellite installer in Amsterdam will be using and can easily install. It may be possible to get a brick red coloured dish which might blend in to the wall better.

 

[DeborahH]

It looks to me like the LNB feedhorn is missing its weather cover. I'd like to see a photo looking into the horn to be sure.

Letting water in is a first class way of reducing signal strength and quality.

Thanks, that's what I thought too as soon as I examined the photos.

 

[DeborahH]

It looks to me like the LNB feedhorn is missing its weather cover. I'd like to see a photo looking into the horn to be sure.

Letting water in is a first class way of reducing signal strength and quality.

Yes, definitely something is missing. Unfortunately I can't get better photos. The dish is too high up.

 

[DeborahH]

I agree. The LNB cap is missing. The dish is rusty.

I suggest getting a 'round' 60cm or 80cm dish and universal LNB which any satellite installer in Amsterdam will be using and can easily install. It may be possible to get a brick red coloured dish which might blend in to the wall better.

My husband has called a Freesat spares company in the UK (Weston-super-Mare) and they recommended a TRIAX TDS 65cm dish for Freesat in the Netherlands. We can get it easily here. With that and a new Quad LNB, I hope it solves our problems. Now we just have to find someone to install it.

 

[a33]

they recommended a TRIAX TDS 65cm

I would go for at least one size bigger: the triax TD80 (71cm wide, instead of TD65 which is just 60cm wide).
see for instance Triax heeft zijn schotels vernieuwd

You were not limited to a small dish, you wrote earlier, so this would be a nice compromise between 60cm and 80 cm.

Greetz,
A33

BTW I know of an installer in Veenendaal, and one near Rotterdam (cheaper I believe). All a bit far. Or you could ask at the dutch forum, yourself.

 

[DeborahH]

I would go for at least one size bigger: the triax TD80 (71cm wide, instead of TD65 which is just 60cm wide).
see for instance Triax heeft zijn schotels vernieuwd

You were not limited to a small dish, you wrote earlier, so this would be a nice compromise between 60cm and 80 cm.

Greetz,
A33

BTW I know of an installer in Veenendaal, and one near Rotterdam (cheaper I believe). All a bit far. Or you could ask at the dutch forum, yourself.

Thanks. We have found a company in Zoetermeer who sell all the Triax dishes and will do the installation. That's only 1/2 hour drive from us.

 

[rolfw]

The only issue you may have after a new installation is the cables, water may have leached through to them from the open LNB, the installer should check that. If they have a foam dialectric rather than Air gap, you may get away with cutting the ends off rather than replacing the cable. Or of course, with the dry weather we've had, that may not have happened.

 

[DeborahH]

The only issue you may have after a new installation is the cables, water may have leached through to them from the open LNB, the installer should check that. If they have a foam dialectric rather than Air gap, you may get away with cutting the ends off rather than replacing the cable. Or of course, with the dry weather we've had, that may not have happened.

Thanks, I'll bear that in mind when we find an installer. We are thinking about having an an extra cable put in anyway for the Humax Foxsat HDR upstairs. There is presently only one due to having a non-recordable receiver upstairs originally.

Yes, the lack of rain may be a blessing in this case. It has not rained heavily where I live since the end of June. The dish is situated high up on the back of our house which faces due south so it gets all the sun and the heat. Perhaps after nearly 25 years (Sky dish was actually installed in 2002 with an upgraded LNB coming later) we need new cabling.

UPDATE: We have found an installer who could do the job on Saturday. I'll report back here when everything has been fixed, hopefully.

 

[Channel Hopper]

OK, just to recap, my problem is as follows:

Three weeks ago I started to lose Freesat channels during daylight hours. They would all mysteriously reappear as soon as it went dark. The only channels which are working during daylight hours are BBC1, ITV1 and Channel 5. The rest show "weak signal, or no signal". However, as soon as it goes dark everything is back to normal. This has never happened before. I've had some channel break up during heavy rain in the past but nothing more drastic.

My satellite dish is a 60cm mesh Sky dish which is at least 20 years old. The LNB is a quad, and is a bit newer. My 2 receivers are both Humax - HDR 1100s downstairs and an older Foxsat HDR upstairs. Both boxes are showing exactly the same loss of certain Freesat channels. I've never had a scrap of trouble with this setup in all the years I've had it until 3 weeks ago.

Some questions:

1) Is this being caused by atmospheric pressure (i.e. the current extreme temperatures and constant sunshine)?
2) Is there something wrong with my dish and/or LNB to cause this channel loss?

I have taken some photos of the dish and LNB and on closer inspection it would appear that the cap at the end of the LNB is missing. I have a vague recollection of finding a white plastic disc on the patio around end May/early June, which coincided with the first heatwave here in the Netherlands. Prior to that we had had very high winds. Not knowing what it was I threw it away but now realise it could have come from the LNB.

If it's just the dish and LNB which are causing the channel loss, then I plan to renew them. However, if it's something else, then I would appreciate some input.

View attachment 169963View attachment 169964View attachment 169965

Bing !

 

[DeborahH]

Bing !

Was it you who got the previous thread closed? You never even gave me the chance to post those photos. There was a genuine reason why I couldn't post them the day you asked for them. Next thing I knew was the thread was closed to further replies.

 

[DeborahH]

This is just to let you all know that my Freesat TV channel loss has now been solved. We have a new 80cm Triax dish with quad LNB and everything is working perfectly.

Thanks to all those who offered advice. :-)

DeborahH

 

[Channel Hopper]

Was it you who got the previous thread closed? You never even gave me the chance to post those photos. There was a genuine reason why I couldn't post them the day you asked for them. Next thing I knew was the thread was closed to further replies.

Your earlier posts gave the information required withour further member speculation, before sifting through posts of pure guesswork.

It takes less time and effort to open another linked thread with corroborative detail (imagery of the failed LNB ) , nor the fixes from your preferred installer which you have confirmed are to your satisfaction.

 

[DeborahH]

Your earlier posts gave the information required withour further member speculation, before sifting through posts of pure guesswork.

It takes less time and effort to open another linked thread with corroborative detail (imagery of the failed LN, nor the fixes from your preferred installer which you have confirmed are to your satisfaction.

So it was you who got the original thread closed.

 

[Channel Hopper]

So it was you who got the original thread closed.

No, it was I that closed the earlier thread.