What should I tell the re-re-installer guy?

[PTravel]

I've got the sub-contracted installer returning tomorrow (5th time is the charm?), but I can't be there, so I'm going to leave my wife with a note. The problem is low signal strength on 103(b) (transponders in the 50s to 70s), resulting in occasional pixelation and signal loss on my locals and the new new HD channels. Last time they were out, they re-aligned the dish, but it didn't help much.

I noticed one thing, though. I live in an apartment building. I had originally had an SD dish. One the original installer brought the 5 LNB dish, instead of mounting it at the same place, he put it on the other side of the roof. Instead of running new cable, he spliced in extensions, using those little male-to-male threaded couplers. I think I remember reading somewhere that those couplers can cause as much as a 10-15db loss in the line. Is that right? Should I insist they run new cable (or, at least, relocate the 5 LNB dish back to where the original one was so that splicing is unnecessary)?

Also, the new dish isn't grounded. My understanding is that this is a safety hazard in the event of lightning.

In my note, I plan to tell them the re-re-installer that I expect 103(b) transponder numbers in, at least, the 80s and, if he has to re-wire or re-mount to get it, then that's what I expect him to do. I also plan to insist on installation of a ground wire.

Does that sound about right?

[CJTE]

Sounds pretty good...

I'd just tell the guy (hopefully he's an experienced tech and not some greenhorn) exactly that... Low strength on the 103, and it aint grounded...

[RobertE]

Good luck on having them find, let alone grounding you dish to your service ground.

Doesn't make it right, but thats life.

[Milominderbinder2]

I've got the sub-contracted installer returning tomorrow (5th time is the charm?), but I can't be there...

I hate to say it but whatever comes after that statement typically does not matter.

Reschedule for a time when you can be there.

- Craig

[aim2pls]

btw an F-81 only inserts a 0.5 db loss

[PTravel]

Guy came and went (I'm not available for another two weeks, so it had to be today). Told my wife as he left, "we're getting closer." Doesn't sound good to me.

[PTravel]

Well, it was just as bad as I feared.

The installer (who, again, showed up outside the 4 hour window) wrote on my note that he "fine tuned" the dish, and the transponder numbers for the 103(b) satellite were "normal." They still range between the mid-50s and the low-70s.

He also wrote that there was no place to attach a ground "on top," i.e. the roof. First, this isn't true, as my old dish was grounded, and second, so what? It's a safety hazard to leave it ungrounded/ The installer should run a wire to the ground -- that's why it's called "ground."

Coincidently, when I came home, a Verizon installer was out back working on installing FIOS to our building. He told me that he also works as a quality inspector for DTV. He confirmed that not grounding the dish is both dangerous and a violation of code.

I'm going to send a letter to DTV telling them, essentially, that they are on notice that any damage to my entertainment system is, presumptively, the result of failure to install a ground and I will hold DTV liable for the code violation. And, at the first sign of pixelation on my locals or the new HD channels, I'm canceling. This has been the fourth trip by an installer, my 5th box, and I've probably spent, total, 30-40 hours on the phone with DTV trying to get my service ordered, installed and working. I'm not calling back tonight because, frankly, I'm just not up to another 1-2 hours on the phone.

I've been assisted by one extremely nice and very helpful DTV CSR, but the rest of the DTV I've spoken to have varied from polite but indifferent to down-right rude and dishonest. I was a huge DTV supporter before I made the switch to HD -- I recommended the service to everyone. In only one month, DTV has been able to undo 10 years of goodwill that it had built up with me.

I just don't get it.