Anyone experiencing a break in reception at around 9.55 each morning? it started last week as just a pixillating screen, but last few days, we have lost reception completely for a while. Wondered if anyone could explain why?

Ola,

It happens about twice a year for about a week or so - something to do with the alignment of the satellites.

Cheers
Liz

I watch tv through sky freeview and recently I lose all bbc channels at 6 pm!! What is going on?

I have FreeSat and I am in Tavira too but don't lose BBC unless there is really heavy rain. I get pixelation on More4 and E4 late evening though...

We have always received BBC Wales 1 and 2 here, but were told the frequencies were changing end of last year, which should result in better reception - unfortunately the reception is worse! we can get a picture until around 5 - 6 o'clock then it just disintegrates! We can get excellent reception on other BBC regional stations, but it mean OH cannot see his rugby! Wonder if your freeview is tuned to BBC Wales?Some of the channel 4 stations are poor as well, but later in evening they seem to correct themselves.

There has been a lot of discussion about this via the Sallellite installers in my area and here are the findings:

1st Possibility:

Badr satellite at 26 degrees east - near Astras 28.2 has started broadcasting on 10810 Horzontal and 10810 Vertical. These are close 10803 Horizontal and 10818 Vertical * BBC 1's.

Both Astra & Badr have a signal bleed over Spain and as they are only 2 degrees apart, how well the dish is tuned may affect matters.

Most people seem to be unaffected, though in certain areas may not be the case. This will also be dependent on dish size.

We have been told in other locations - further North Costa Blanca, that a simple dish realignment / retune has cured this problem.

BBC / BBC1 HD has not been affected.

2nd possibility :

Twice a year (March & October), when the sun is directly behind the satellite. This results in loss of weaker signals between 10 and 11am, as the sun basically swamps the satellite signals. You can use the LNB shadow on your prime focus dish to see when this is...(at this time it is also a good indicator as to what things are affecting the signal - the shadows on the dish will show what needs to be trimmed off those trees and bushes that cast a shadow onto the dish)

Well, what about 12 hours later when the satellite is in "eclispe". In other words, the satellite is directly in the shadow of the earth, and not geting ANY solar energy from the sun as it is blocked by the earth. It is, for a short time, operating totally on battery power, which may be the reason for the drop in signal. Some say this change to battery power has a reducing effect on the power output of the satellite, others say it increases the power output. And the issue with the neighbouring satellite could have more of an impact....

Hope this helps to explain things a little.

Regards

PS: BBC ONE HD is much stonger and more stable so one answer is to upgrade to a SKY HD Receiver which will also give you the benefit of ITV1 HD, CH4 HD, FIVE HD which are all much stronger than their SD versions !!!!!


Best regards

Thanks for that explanation. For the last two days, we have not had any interruption in signal at 9.55 so I guess the sun has moved away from the satellite now! Still having problems with BBC Wales but what you have said would seem to be the reason, perhaps I will have to invest in HD!

If you control your Sky subscription Sky have an offer on at the moment.

Up-grade to Sky HD for for 1 year at +£10.25 a month get 2 months free (before or after is not made plain) and you get a free HD Box (self install) and 54 HD channels. You then cancel the HD sub if you don't think it is worth it so you will have paid £102.50 for a genuine brand new Sky HD box. That compares very well with buying S/Hd on ebay or a new Foxsat HD box.

You are tied in for 12 months and the FREE 2 months is in addition to the 12 months so you would pay 123 GBP + the one off admin fee of i think 55 GBP so the total would be around 178 GBP still a good deal but watch out because if you cancel at the wrong time you will get stung for an extra 1 month notice period !

Regards

It always pays to read anything from Sky at least twice and I have. So you have the 2 free months at the end that makes £123. No mention of admin fee but in heavy print it does say free self set up and HD pack free for first 2 months. Call before 25 March.

The small print is so small it is difficult to read but it emphasises that you have to take a new 12mth contract at a min of £19.25 but we would have that anyway. I always put a note in the diary when the 12mth period is up and give notice straight away then if they offer an inducement considor that at the time.

Just called our supplier to clarify and you do have to pay for 12 months subscription but are given the 1st 2 months free so that in my mind is a 14 month contract naughty, naughty

As far as the FREE self set up goes yes that is correct but that only covers the installation and NOT the administration FEE so you do have to pay something but he was unsure of the exact amount ?

Also the other important point that he mentioned that we forgot is that as you are getting a subsidised SKY+ HD receiver you must have it connected to a UK phone line for the 12 months contract period, as with any NEW contract taken out with SKY where they are offering a reduced price piece of hardware.

As i said a good deal but not as cut and dry as you may think !

The way I read it is the 12 mth contract is for the package you take, in my case £19.25 you then add the £10.25 on top for the HD and only pay that after the first 2 mths. Therefore £102.50 and with regard to the phone connection at the outset of our sky contract and the subsequent upgrade to sky + we told sky we only had mobile phones and they accepted that and we have never connected the sky box to a phone. They have my mobile no registered so any problems here in Spain I phone on my UK mobile and they respond fine even calling me back if I ask. There is no mention of an administration fee in the small or big print.

OK, lets agree to disagree on this one and let people find out when they try and contract the service !

The main thing is that with a SKY+ HD receiver you will have better reception via BBC 1 HD and FREE HD versions of the main channels which are all strong versions !