Signal dropping out

[Poltergeist]

I have a Fortec Mercury II with a 36" Globecast elliptical dish. The signal strenth is about 77% and quality is about 65%. The signal level and quality will both crash to about 0% to 4% and stay there about a second or two and then pop right back up. This repeats about every 5 to 30 seconds. I am pointed at 97.0 West. Channels work except when level crashes they break-up. Some days seem worse than others but does not depend on weather. Not a cloud in the sky tonight and the receiver is unwatchable. No wind either and dish is firmly mounted.

I tried optimizing dish pointing, actually took a TV to the roof, tweaked everything, got a couple percent out of it. No improvement for this problem.

I tried factry reset, made sure I didn't have transponder 12152. No improvement.

I don't know what to try next. Please help. Thank you.

[elgemcdlf]

Possibly a near dead lnbf. Did this just start or has it always been this way from installation? How long has the system been up? How old is the lnbf? Do you have any spare equipment you could start replacing items with to see when it goes away? My first thought was wind and a moving mount but you stated that is not a problem. Is it consistant? Sometime you will lose signal due to issues on the other end. A bad storm at the uplink location can cause it as an example.

Do you have the problem when the receiver is out at the dish on a short piece of coax?

[bobkat]

Yes, I agree. Its likely a bad LNBF. I would suggest a bad cable connector too but you've pretty much elimnated that by taking the TV out to the roof and still poor signal. Just swap out the LNB.

kat

[pictureon]

This is a receiver problem. You need to update the software to 1.53. I'm runnig around fixing the same problem for a month now. It making me lose gas and time but I have to do it since I choose to sell this receiver.

[Poltergeist]

Thank you for your insights into this problem. Just to answer a few of your questions:

It has been this way since installation. Sometimes worse than others but does not correlate to anything (cloud cover, wind, time of day, etc.). A factory reset seemed to help the first time I tried it 6 weeks ago. It worked for a few weeks then got bad again. Tried a factory reset again recently and no improvement this time.

System has been up since August 2007.

Purchased system Summer of 2007.

I don't have spare equipment.

I did not have the problem with the short piece of coax out at the dish but when I brought the receiver inside I did not have the problem inside either. So this was inconclusive. Also, the signal strength and quality were within a couple percent between long and short coax.

It sounds like it could be software but with that said I agree the right way to trouble shoot this is to swap out components. Since I don't have spares I think updating software is probably cheaper and easier than throwing other parts at it.

[Poltergeist]

Pictureon,

Thanks for sharing your experience with the software. I found instructions to download and install software but it voids warranty. What is the best way to get the update? I assume Sadoun would support me on this??

[rainman]

Originally Posted by Poltergeist

Pictureon,

Thanks for sharing your experience with the software. I found instructions to download and install software but it voids warranty. What is the best way to get the update? I assume Sadoun would support me on this??

I think this is only for after market software that voids you warranty check with Sadoun to be sure.

[Poltergeist]

Thanks Rainman, I will try updating with the software from the fortecstar downloads website. I will post results...

[Poltergeist]

Today I finally had time to update software. So far no problems. I will post if I have any.

Thanks again for the advice.

[nhulst]

Be sure and post back with your results, good or bad. I've seen something similar from time to time and I've been struggling with whether to do the software update (same question as you had about voiding the warranty.) If you see a big improvement, it's probably worth it to just bite the bullet and go for it.

[Poltergeist]

Results so far:

I am still having trouble from time to time.

The signal level improved to near 90% after the software update. Quality is about the same.

This time when it drops out the level only falls to about 40 to 50% (insead of near zero before update). The quality still goes to near zero and I lose the picture. My wife watched it this morning and had no problems but I saw problems with it earlier this morning (not good enough to watch). Right now it is watchable but not perfect.

More later...

PS

I will be kind of offline until the weekend.

[Poltergeist]

I have been out of town but my wife has not had a single problem with the receiver since the software update. I have had it on all this morning and not seen any trouble either. So whatever happened shortly after the update seems to have been temporary.

So it looks like the software update fixed this problem.

[rainman]

Originally Posted by Poltergeist

I have been out of town but my wife has not had a single problem with the receiver since the software update. I have had it on all this morning and not seen any trouble either. So whatever happened shortly after the update seems to have been temporary.

So it looks like the software update fixed this problem.

Glad to here it worked for you.

[Poltergeist]

Thanks for the help but it looks like I spoke too soon.

Tonight the receiver started breaking up again. Same symptoms, the quality will drop from 65% to near zero and level will drop from 88% to about 50%. At one point the signal was out continuously for about 20 minutes.

Again weather is not a factor. Clear sky and light breeze.

[rainman]

you don't have any trees in the area that could be blocking the singal do you.

[Jim-S]

I don't know if this will help but I was having trouble with my system for months. I did not experence signal droping out, my problem was the the motor would move a few times and quit. The last thing I tried was to replace the LNBF, it was the cause of all my trouble. It has been working great for 2 weeks now............
Jim

[bobkat]

1) replace LNB
2) change connectors on coax with good quality crimp kind
3) check dish for warpage of pan
4) check dish for loose or missing bolts
5) check LNB bracket holder for proper alignment

If the above don't solve the issue then I have to agree with rainman - are there any trees that blow into the signal path?

Possibly a bad IF tuner section in your receiver - can you borrow another receiver and test it out? Use the process of elimination.

kat

[Poltergeist]

Thank you for all the advice.

My dish is on the roof where there is no possible trees in the signal path. The down side is that due to ice and snow it is not so safe to go up there right now. I will have to wait to replace LNB.

Last fall I checked most of the items on your list. Tried a different coax, played with LNB alignment, etc.

I think your idea to borrow another receiver is the most practical approach right now. I will see what I can come up with...

[bobkat]

Ice and snow !!?? In Minnesota?? You don't say...

OK, well stay off your roof until spring. Yes, try to borrow a receiver.

kat