FREESAT reception!

[Malcolm]

We have no problem in Arboleas with a 1.9 dish but it has been aligned by a Sky engineer with the proper equipment who knows how to use it. BBC on 101 looses the signal at certain times but BBC is available from other regional locations. ITV doesn’t play up and we watch tv mostly with the dish and we have a vpn for Netflix etc and live tv if it’s pouring down with rain.

[raymondo44]

With reference to JohnPowers suggestion of asking for owners of 1.9m dishes to voice their opinions of the current satellite reception quality. It would go towards a better understanding of the Freesat reception and what we need to do.
Well done JohnPowers, more to your elbow!

[JohnPower]

We do know that some tv channels have been switched recently from the European beam to the UK Spot beam. This further reduced the number of tv channels which some of us can receive on our smaller 1.2m dishes. Perhaps the spot beam signal has been further reduced in strength or the beam more acutely focussed on the UK such that a 2.4m or even a 3m dish is now needed in our part of Spain. But before any of us can reach that conclusion, we need everyone with a 1.9m dish in Arboleas to confirm that they are no longer receiving a reliable signal. If some people are still getting a good signal in Arboleas with a 1.9m dish, then we can only conclude that the others have faulty or inferior equipment, or their dishes are not correctly aligned!

Personally, I gave up using a satellite dish for the main tv channels when the spot beam was created. I am very happy with IPTV together with Sistel Almanzora's fibre optic internet connection. However, I do understand some people's preference for the direct satellite solution.

[shadeseeker]

The reception has been up and down for a few weeks  now.
Bbc1 on 101 breaks up at certain times  as does 212 ,several other channels too. Over the last years we normally get 2 periods a year when reception  is iffy, apart from bad weather, but this year something  has changed. I did wonder if the several  satellites that were sent up together a little while back has affected things.

[JohnPower]

There is no fundamental difference in the reception of common TV channels whether through a Sky box or a Freesat box. They are both receiving the same free-to-air transmissions from the Astra 28 satellites.

You say the system is in good order but did the installer check your dish alignment? Most people in this part of Spain get acceptable reception with a well-aligned 1.9m dish in good weather.

You seem to be concerned about your Freesat receiver. May I suggest you try to borrow a neighbour's known working receiver (whether Sky, Freesat or any generic model). Connect it to your satellite dish and TV: if you then receive all the channels, then your Freesat receiver is faulty; otherwise, you may need another installer to check out your system, especially the dish alignment.

Good luck.

[packard]

We are in Arboleas and have large dish. Nothing on itv, channel 5 only fair in evening. others ok.

[raymondo44]

Hi, for several weeks now I have had really bad Freesat reception on all channels.
I had my dish and cabling, sat box etc checked out by the installer man and he said the system was in good order. I asked him about the reception problems and he told me it was usual for this time of year!
I've had a system (SKY first, then FREESAT with a Manhattan Plaza HDR - S box) for around 16 years and I can't remember the reception being this bad.
Is it the same for all viewers of FREESAT?
I live in the Antas area if this is relevant.
Appreciate any comments/help on this issue.