(LNB) No 28E signal

[captainglassback]

Since the snow I have had a 0% signal coming down to my Sly box and 0% to both my Humax Freesat tuners. (The LNB is an Icecrypt 0.1db quad from Goldwafers!). (1m dish nr London). Due to the height of the dish and a foot of snow I have not yet been up there but have used a brush on tree loppers to clear snow! It's been up there for 6 months. The lnb has a cover over the connections and I used the rubber boots but not grease. Might it be possible that my old problematical Sly box has caused the problem or must the problem be created from the lnb down? Any thoughts folks as I'm not too clued up on LNBs?

[Homer]

It sounds like the dish may have moved a bit, as I wouldn't have thought the lnb would totally fail on all outputs at the same time. Does the dish look as if it is still pointing in the right direction ? Can you push it gently while someone looks at a signal strength screen ?

Noting that this is a 1m dish in London (a bit oversized for normal Sly use), is this a multi lnb set up ? If so do any others work ?

[captainglassback]

Yes a bit big for 28E! Used to be used for something else but just pointing @ 28E now. I'll go up there with a meter to check when a little better weather. No wind recently and I tightened the bolts myself. Am reassured to hear you say that all outputs would not normally fail.

[Giga]

if you have a snow/ice deposit on the dish, signal may bounce of the wrong way and not reaching the lnb?

[scotty111111]

if dish is pretty clean then lnb may have been damaged by frost and you may have to replace it - also check lnb power settings in your box menu - make sure settings have not been changed and lnb is being powered....

[Detlef]

Or more likely just a coating of ice over the front of the LNB.

Even a millimeter will kill almost all of the signal.

[captainglassback]

Very many thanks Gents. I guess I neeed to try and be patient and inspect the lnb when I can get close to it. (Dish v high, snow deep and ladder angle required....precarious!!). Hopefully it is ice that I can't see from ground.

[viking]

Ice and snow usually cause winter problem. I would suggest that if possible mount the dish as low as possible so that it can be reached. I can reach my dish with a pair of steps and I frequently in the past have had to pour warm water over dish and LNB. In fact I noticed that after overnight snow 1/4 of dish has snow but with a 1m dish I can get away with it.

Viking

[TonyO]

The voltage V+H switcher in the lnb also gets a bit intermittant in very cold weather, try changing polarity then turning the box off and on again at the mains.

[Detlef]

Just out of interest there was a big discussion about this on one of the usenet sat groups. Various built in heating methods had been used, etc.

Most of the posters were Yanks and I must admit to smirking until . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . the 'big freeze' hit N. Europe

[Thirsty]

Since the snow I have had a 0% signal coming down to my Sly box and 0% to both my Humax Freesat tuners. (The LNB is an Icecrypt 0.1db quad from Goldwafers!). (1m dish nr London). Due to the height of the dish and a foot of snow I have not yet been up there but have used a brush on tree loppers to clear snow! It's been up there for 6 months. The lnb has a cover over the connections and I used the rubber boots but not grease. Might it be possible that my old problematical Sly box has caused the problem or must the problem be created from the lnb down? Any thoughts folks as I'm not too clued up on LNBs?

Oddly enough, since the snow I am picking up the Beeb and all other freesat stuff on 28° much better and than by clear skies. And the astounding thing is, that since yesterday, with 80% of my 280cms dish covered in a 3 inch layer of snow, I am still getting full signal; no signal fallout and perfect picture on everything but ITV3
Maybe they have switched to wide beam for the duration of the weather crisis ???

[captainglassback]

Small thaw this morning and both boxes working again! Sure was a thin layer of ice then. Thanks to all for suggesrions.

[Homer]

Very odd ! Time for heating cable to be fitted ready for next year then :cheers2:

[Detlef]

An LNB typically draws about 0.25 amp at 16v = 4 watts.

Except under extreme conditions that is enough to thaw overnight frost but not when the temperature stays below freezing all day.

Glad it is all sorted m8 - not a good time of year to be up a ladder :D