Problem: Lose 119 same time every day

[pmsimon]

OK, I'm stumped, and maybe someone can help- if it's been answered before, I apologize, but I couldn't find it.

Here's my problem- every day, at the same time, for about a half hour, for about the last week, I lose all reception of the 119 satellite for Dish, except for the spotbeam transponder. It's at about 11:50 am PT; the channels return at about 12:20 pm.

Here's what it probably ISN'T:

1. Solar outages. Echostar says that outages for 119 in my region should occur at 2:30-3 pm PT.

2. Weather. I've had the problem in perfect, crystal-clear weather as well as overcast days.

3. Obstruction. Clear shot to the birds, no trees or structures- we're 6 houses from the edge of a cliff that looms above the Pacific facing south- zero obstruction.

Here's what it COULD be: interference from an outside source (no kidding). Ham radio? Something else? I don't know- to the best of my knowledge, nobody put up an antenna for anything in this area recently, there's no new license granted for ham operation here, and there are no broadcast stations here- we're at the base of, and on the back side of, a large hill that sits between us and the Los Angeles market radio and TV antennae (mostly on Mt. Wilson, about 35 miles north-northeast)- there's one FM on the hill, but it's on the opposite side, has been there since the 60's, and has not changed its transmitter or antenna for about that long. There's also a military radar installation, there since probably the 50's and unchanged.

Anybody experience this? Can a ham operator have that effect? What else can block out just one satellite for a specific period each day? And if it's equipment trouble, why just for that half hour every day (7 days a week)? Dish's tech support doesn't know.

Thanks for your help.

[Cheyenne]

Could be AWAC sweeps ocurring.
Unfortunately, nobody will confirm this.
Hopefully the sccheduled interval/position will change soon.

[ElJefe]

It might actually be solar outages. Echostar told you the wrong time, or perhaps they told you in Eastern time. For Los Angeles, CA, a solar outage of 119 would occur around 12:07 PM. I don't know why you'd lose signal for a half hour though, my signal strength numbers only go down into the mid 60's during a solar outage.

[boba]

The problem occurring at the same time and for the same time sounds more like some business conducting a upload of information. Is the problem 5 days a week or 7 days a week, if 5 it might be a business that is sending out some harmonics that you are picking up and the spotbeam is strong enough to overide it. I don't think anyone is licensed to broadcast in the same frequency as DBS satellite so it would have to be spurious signal that should be eliminated.

[Mike123abc]

Go into your installation menu and check your signal strength. Maybe your dish is out of alignment, and when the sun is right over head it causes just enough interference that you lose the signal.

[Pat A]

I noticed solar outages over the weekend on the 119 bird. Here in Alaska, they happpend somewhere around 11:00 am, and lasted 10 to 15 minutes.

[pmsimon]

Originally posted by ElJefe
It might actually be solar outages. Echostar told you the wrong time, or perhaps they told you in Eastern time. For Los Angeles, CA, a solar outage of 119 would occur around 12:07 PM. I don't know why you'd lose signal for a half hour though, my signal strength numbers only go down into the mid 60's during a solar outage.

They indeed quoted the wrong times. It could be solar outages. I've noticed signal strength in normal reception times that is weaker than it used to be- in the 40s through 60s, which would mean that a solar outage could take it down to zero. The Dish is mounted on the roof, so it's tough to adjust, but I may try anyway (carefully!) or get someone to come down and do it for me.

Thanks for the help!

[pmsimon]

Originally posted by Pat A
I noticed solar outages over the weekend on the 119 bird. Here in Alaska, they happpend somewhere around 11:00 am, and lasted 10 to 15 minutes.

And that's consistent with what el Jefe suggested as well. So that's the current leader, and I'm going to see what I can do to adjust the dish to up the signal strength (it's not as if there are any obstructions between it and the bird, so maybe it got blown out of alignment in the last rainstorm...).

Thanks!

[lapplegate]

I also will lose the sat. picture (break-ups) but it is when someone uses the microwave. It only does it on one reciever.

Someone in the house always decides to nuke something during the "and the real killer is..." part of the show.

BTW, the Dish Tech said I could fix this by going to a bigger "24" inch dish.
Larry

[Bill R]

Originally posted by lapplegate
I also will lose the sat. picture (break-ups) but it is when someone uses the microwave. It only does it on one reciever.

Someone in the house always decides to nuke something during the "and the real killer is..." part of the show.

BTW, the Dish Tech said I could fix this by going to a bigger "24" inch dish.
Larry

Larry,

The tech might not be correct about a larger dish correcting the problem. Quite often the "noise" that the microwave generates gets into the electrical line and if the satellite receiver happens to be on the same circuit (or the same leg of the 110 line) a larger dish won't help. A good electrical filter ON THE MICROWAVE will fix the problem IF that is where the noise is getting in. It also could be the location of the microwave in relation to the cable running to your receiver. The fact that it is only a problem on one receiver means that is not a problem cause by your dish (LNB) picking up the microwave signal. Some microwave ovens are designed so poorly (like those $35 "K-mart specials") that they generate all sorts of electrical noise (and some of them leak radiation).

I would try a good filter on your microwave and see if that clears up your satellite receiver.

[lapplegate]

Originally posted by Bill R


Larry,

The tech might not be correct about a larger dish correcting the problem. Quite often the "noise" that the microwave generates gets into the electrical line and if the satellite receiver happens to be on the same circuit (or the same leg of the 110 line) a larger dish won't help. A good electrical filter ON THE MICROWAVE will fix the problem IF that is where the noise is getting in. It also could be the location of the microwave in relation to the cable running to your receiver. The fact that it is only a problem on one receiver means that is not a problem cause by your dish (LNB) picking up the microwave signal. Some microwave ovens are designed so poorly (like those $35 "K-mart specials") that they generate all sorts of electrical noise (and some of them leak radiation).

I would try a good filter on your microwave and see if that clears up your satellite receiver.

Bill,
Thanks for the response. I will try the filter.
I threw in the tech advise because I thought it was an amusing shot by a tech that had no idea.
I usually get all my good advise here.
Larry

[Bob Haller]

Videotape your signal strength screen during the time the outages occur.

Microwaves, birds roosting on dish arm, radar detectors, are all common interference surces. Perhaps a neighbor with a radar detector leaves for work at that time daily?:)