Vast Signal Dropping Out

[mac-time]

Recently we have been experiencing signal drop outs on out VAST TV System. It has dropped out a couple of times today and each time it has come back on I check the signal quality. It sometimes reads 23 and other times reads 46.

Is it normal for signal quality to jump around so much? Our picture very rarely gets pixellated, and when it drops out its just sudden. One minute your watching tv and the next is says searching for signal.

We live in a remote area of central QLD 90km north of Injune.

We used to use the Optus Aurora Sat system and just changed the decoder in order to get VAST. I haven't measured the dish yet but I am certain that it is at least 90cm across. We haven't yet changed the LNB so we are using the older 11300 version.

Any ideas would be much appreciated.

[admin]

Recently we have been experiencing signal drop outs on out VAST TV System. It has dropped out a couple of times today and each time it has come back on I check the signal quality. It sometimes reads 23 and other times reads 46.

Is it normal for signal quality to jump around so much? Our picture very rarely gets pixellated, and when it drops out its just sudden. One minute your watching tv and the next is says searching for signal.

We live in a remote area of central QLD 90km north of Injune.

We used to use the Optus Aurora Sat system and just changed the decoder in order to get VAST. I haven't measured the dish yet but I am certain that it is at least 90cm across. We haven't yet changed the LNB so we are using the older 11300 version.

Any ideas would be much appreciated.

Its not a bird sitting on your dish LNB arm is it ? Just thought I would throw that one in

No, signal level and strengths should not jump around. Bad weather (thick clouds) can block the signal at times.

[marty 17]

Apparently the transponders on Vast are a bit weak so you may have to maximise your dish and or tweak of the LNB

12407 is the weakest TP with optus aurora but I am not sure with Vast any way maximise dish and Lnb settings with the weakest TP
Hope this helps

[viewer]

Is your vast box set up in the menu for the 11300 lnb?

[toyboy11]

Sounds like it could be bad weather even if you can't see any (weather that is).

Any trees in the site line

Actually i had a similar dropout on both my stb today at around 11.10 am WST so although the boxes did not show no or bad signal it just could be either UEC or Optus where playing around!

Anyone else have a similar dropout?

[mac-time]

Weather is crystal clear - so don't think it could be that.

There are no trees near the house and given the location of the dish and the angle of it I don't think it could be tree interference.

LNB set up in Decoder is 11300.

We have been using the decoder and vast for over 18 months, and other than the decoder freezing sometimes when changing channels (everyone seems to have this problem) and needing to reboot, the system has been working fine.

[mac-time]

Apparently the transponders on Vast are a bit weak so you may have to maximise your dish and or tweak of the LNB

12407 is the weakest TP with optus aurora but I am not sure with Vast any way maximise dish and Lnb settings with the weakest TP
Hope this helps

Sorry I'm not that technical - What does TP stand for.

Also I assume by maximising the dish and LNB settings you mean manually adjusting them slightly and see if the signal strength improves? Is this what you mean?

Thank you to everyone for the quick replies - this is amazing!!!

[toyboy11]

We have been using the decoder and vast for over 18 months, and other than the decoder freezing sometimes when changing channels (everyone seems to have this problem) and needing to reboot, the system has been working fine.

I,m not having any of those freeze problems when changing channels, might be worth changing your LNB to 10.700 that's what Vast is normally set up for.

[admin]

Sorry I'm not that technical - What does TP stand for.

Also I assume by maximising the dish and LNB settings you mean manually adjusting them slightly and see if the signal strength improves? Is this what you mean?

Thank you to everyone for the quick replies - this is amazing!!!

TP = Transponder

In a communications satellite, a transponder gathers signals over a range of uplink frequencies and re-transmits them on a different set of downlink frequencies to receivers on Earth, often without changing the content of the received signal or signals.

[viewer]

Have you checked the connection to the lnb and to the lnb in? ie could you have a fault in your f-plugs or line

[gordon_s1942]

If this after 12 Noon to about 1.30pm today I saw it as I was installing a STB for a lady and I blamed the cable I had made up for the connection.
I checked the VAST Menu when this was going on and the 'signal' was going from 0% to 39% erracticaly.
The Austar Mystar was ok so I swapped the cable over and it was ok after that.
What I did was use a 4 way Multi switch on the Austar cable to run both the MyStar and the VAST together.
Looks like I need to check that cable before I chuck it away.

[mtv]

If the 11300 LNB isn't fairly new, I'd strongly advise to replace it with a new 10700 LNB, as some of the older LNB's drift in frequency and will cause problems like you describe.... particularly with temperature/humidity variations. (Eg: day/night/rain)

90cm+ dish size is fine.

LNB skew alignment can be critical with VAST, so its important this has been optimised.

Ingress of moisture in the LNB connection can also produce issues as described, so you need to ensure the LNB coax temination is completely sealed with self-amalgamating tape (not electrical insulation tape).

If the F connector on the coax isn't sealed, you need to inspect it internally, as it may have rust/corrosion inside.

Once moisture gets into the connector, it can also travel down the cable a bit... usually indicated by a dull-looking foil/braid or a whitish powdery substance.

If that's the case, you'll need to either replace the cable, or trim back the cable until there is no corrosion, etc.

[husky61]

Recently we have been experiencing signal drop outs on out VAST TV System. It has dropped out a couple of times today and each time it has come back on I check the signal quality. It sometimes reads 23 and other times reads 46.

Is it normal for signal quality to jump around so much? Our picture very rarely gets pixellated, and when it drops out its just sudden. One minute your watching tv and the next is says searching for signal.

We live in a remote area of central QLD 90km north of Injune.

We used to use the Optus Aurora Sat system and just changed the decoder in order to get VAST. I haven't measured the dish yet but I am certain that it is at least 90cm across. We haven't yet changed the LNB so we are using the older 11300 version.

Any ideas would be much appreciated.

mac-time.....I am in Tassie and my signal has also dropped out a couple of times only for a moment though between 2 and 2.30 pm...quality is normally 42...weather also clear here aswell.
Me thinks they might be just having a bit of a fiddle

Cheers

[Softek2]

Check your LNB, sometimes the L(ocal) O(scilator) gets a bit off course (frequency drift).
In short replace the LNB and most likely things will be cured. For the sake of $35 plus post, you might as well get a new one and upgrade at the same time.
While many don't like them, I like the Sharp brand as they are consistently average & reliable.
It will be easy to fit (without any technical expertise) or equipment required, a philips screwdriver & 10mm ring spanner should see you out for the entire exercise.

Regards,
Softek

[KDS]

There were a couple of outages today on the VAST service. This was caused by heavy Storms over the Optus Belrose site. Unfortunately little can be done about it. This also happened over the Easter weekend.

[gordon_s1942]

Sydney did a get a pizzling again today by the news, over a 100 mm in some suburbs in very quick time.
Flash flooding all along the coast, my daughter sent pics of water a foot deep on the western side of Gosford.
And wheres that clown who said due to Global Warming, It aint never ever not gunna rain again no more ?
His forecast is as bad as my grammer.

[mtv]

There were a couple of outages today on the VAST service. This was caused by heavy Storms over the Optus Belrose site. Unfortunately little can be done about it. This also happened over the Easter weekend.

Correct.... there were interruptions to Foxtel/Austar as well due to the storms affecting the uplinks.

[mtv]

It will be easy to fit (without any technical expertise) or equipment required, a philips screwdriver & 10mm ring spanner should see you out for the entire exercise.

Fitting the LNB is dead easy... getting the skew exactly right is a little more tricky, as you need to be able to see the signal quality scale on a screen whilst making tiny adjustments.

[mac-time]

Firstly a big thank you to everyone for responding so quickly.

Sounds like it makes sense to replace the LNB with a 10700 version. Some have recommended the Sharp Dual LNB.

Do I only need a dual LNB if I have multiple decoders? Or are there other advantages to having a dual LNB. Also if I only have one decoder presently can I install a dual LNB and just put some some kind of a plug over the second output?

Any other recommendations other than the Sharp?

Thanks Again

[gordon_s1942]

I suggest that you do use a dual LNB as their not much dearer than a single plus run an additional cable down to a suitable place to 'Future Proof' your instalation.
Thoughly check your old inplace cable and consider replacing it as you update the LNB.
Depending on your layout, 5 plus metres of coax should do the job and save you from having to go back onto roof again if you get another STB later.
From what I have and seen used, Sharp is as good as you can get.
Believe me as you get older that roof gets higher and its just so much easier to work on the ground than perched on a ladder or pitched roof.
All up it should come in at under a $100 for the LNB, cable(s), connector(s) and bit of tape if your doing it yourself but once done, its done.