Installing Dishes In Spain for 2E Chit-Chat

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Got called to a job today by a very upset client. He had a system installed by Norton´s last Thursday, that went wrong Thursday night. He has tried to call them since, but cannot get through.

Turns out the stb they put in has failed within 6 hours. Re-installed his old Bigsat stb to give service, didn´t take a note of the name of the new box, not one I´ve heard of before.

Did have to take some pics of this quality installation!

View attachment 78940 View attachment 78941 View attachment 78942

Like the pole brackets, not, and no sign of the rubber spacers for the dish face to mount. Doomed to fail in the next high wind!
Forgot to mention that they had scanned the stb on Astra 1, not Astra 2, without doing a network scan. As a result several channels were missing inc Sky News etc. Basic schoolboy error!
 
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Bought a new 80cm from the Russians today to resolve a problem for a Belgian client. Took a 4.3 monoblock lnb no problem, took 3 mins to build and two mins to line up. Getting 13.2 on Astra 1 and 12.3 on Astra3 using Konig 4.3 monoblock. Tried it on my roof just now, will be installing it for the client tomorrow. Brilliant dish for Dutch / Belgian clients, trade price less than 20€
 
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Lost all UK channels on my 1.8m today. Forgot to tighten the bolts after the boys had finished concreting the garden and the wind got up!

Don´t tell any of my clients!
 

woborny

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TBH, I almost never see a Famaval or a GI dish with the rubber spacers fitted, even though both perform miles better with them in.
Well, after all these months, I today finally visited a Fam 1.4 dish that actually has the rubbers spacer on them by the original installer....
To say I was shocked to see them was an understatement, after seeing so many without them.
And yes it did seem to perform slightly better with them in.
But still the Tectatel 127x137 next door pulled in that little bit more signal...

And glad I stocked up on Invacom PF LNBs, the storms we have had around here this last week has knocked out so many of them...
 
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Well, after all these months, I today finally visited a Fam 1.4 dish that actually has the rubbers spacer on them by the original installer....
To say I was shocked to see them was an understatement, after seeing so many without them..

band 3:-dgang
 

Huevos

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woborny

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1.8m Dish, most Sky and Freesat receivers, 80cm on Illusion motor and Dreambox DM7025, TDT, TDT HD, Ariva 100e,
My Location
Gandia, 70kms south of Valencia, Spain
What storms?
Like the electrical storms over the last week in my area....
One now inland nr alcoy, already had a call form there about an LNB popping this afternoon...
 

Huevos

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Not had anyone ring up with lightning damage for a long time.
 
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Had a few comments from Dutch and Belgian clients who are experiencing problems with reception, particularly the HD channels from 23.5 E. Has anyone else had any problems or noticed any significant drop in signals? I know 28.2 E reception is normally worse this time of year, so assuming 23.5 E could also be affected.
 

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How big are the dishes? Really needs to be at least 80cm with the 23.5E LNB as the focal LNB and the 19.2E LNB as the offset. Also, personally I don't use that monobloc LNB. I use a BU at the focal and multi-connect at 19.2E. All depends on dish size. I've got one set up on an LH110 that is on UK for 6 months and TVV for 6 months. On that I just use 2 standard 40mm LNBs.
 
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Got round to check one of the Belgian systems in Hondon yesterday. 4.3 monoblock on a 60 wide 70ish high dish. Turned out the problem was the dish was hitting the pole at the top of the dish preventing correct elevation. Client, ex radio engineer, cut the top off the pole with an angle grinder, problem solved! 70+ years of age and came up on the roof to cut the pole himself! Great guy!
 

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the dish was hitting the pole at the top of the dish preventing correct elevation.
That is because the focal LNB is on 19E. Put the focal as the 23E LNB and it would clear the pole.
 
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I know we are only talking mm in adjustment, but the dish was mounted about halfway up the " above tile height " of the pole, which was mounted on the wall below the tiles, thus giving line of sight above the roof. I could have dropped the pole by about 75cm to allow clearance for the dish, but due to location it was easier to lop the top off the pole. Don´t think changing the focal lnb to 23.5 would have resolved it, but cannot be sure, and not going back to Hondon just to check. Problem now resolved, approx 11dB on HD´s on 23.5 and about 12dB on 19.2 ( and no ugly pole sticking about 50cm above the dish! )
 

Huevos

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Don´t think changing the focal lnb to 23.5 would have resolved it, but cannot be sure
Depends on the dish. All dishes clear the top of the pole on 28E. Most clear on 23E. And lots touch the pole on 19E. Depends on dish size too. Lots of 60cm for 19E are strapped to TV mast and work, but often are touching the mast. But anyway we are right in the footprint of those lo-band vertical transponders on 19E that everyone wants to receive so even if the dish is touching the pole and not pointing quite high enough there is still sufficient signal.
 
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Saw a great set-up today, but no pics as I was shotgun in the lorry. 3rd floor flat, cable from flat to pole mounted dish with motor. The " pole " was a lamp post outside the apartment block in the village.

QUALITY INSTALLATION!
 
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Big storm here now, lost everything on the 1.8 for about 5 minutes, back on line now, but there must be some local damage cause by this!
 

PaulR

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Ka-ching! It's an ill wind...
 
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Anyone know when the effect of the autumn equinox will start to show? Signal on the motorised 1.2 was down this morning, no obvious reason, clear sky and no wind. May just be the exact position the motor stopped at, but 10818 V appeared almost 1 dB down at about 10:30 local time, seems to be back up now, currently 9.2 dB
 
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