Before you spend any money, you may want to review the article below, which I have just had sent to me.

Q: Last month you wrote about BBC signals disappearing, which is EXACTLY what has happened to us. We used to get BBC1 & 2 Wales till around 11.30pm - midnight, but now the BBC signals go off MUCH earlier - from 9pm on. The strange thing is that when I checked the TV again just before going to bed last night at 11pm, the signals seemed to be fine again! This does not affect the version of ITV1 which you kindly programmed into my 'Services, Other Channels' on my digibox when you came over last, which now goes on all night. What can be done to get things back to normal?

A: I have had literally HUNDREDS of calls and emails about the strange behavior of the BBC channels recently. When I attended a few properties to re-align big dishes, I found I was unable to improve viewing times, in some cases. After further research and talking with other satellite afficionados, it turns out that it may not be anything to do with me, after all. A combination of unfavourable atmospheric factors are causing already weak satellite signals to weaken even further! These include a very dense ionosphere at present. The ionosphere is made up of electrically charged ions, and when the ionosphere is especially dense, it can obstruct satellite signals much in the same way that a heavy rain cloud between your dish and the satellite can.

In addition, on 19th March we experienced the biggest full moon in nearly 60 years. This means that the moon is physically closer to the earth than it has been in most peoples' living memory. The gravity effect of the moon being so close has caused satellite signals to be pulled off-target, meaning that signals we were already struggling to get with a big dish have been weakened even further!

The answer? Sit tight for a bit, and wait it out. There is very little that ANYBODY can do to improve things at the moment, and it's not worth paying a stranger to 'have a go' unless like me, they offer a 'no fix, no fee' guarantee. I have personally been turning jobs AWAY recently because I have found myself chasing my own tail... Within two to three weeks, signals should start to return slowly back to normal. Of course, in mid April we will have another problem beyond our control - the 11-year cycle of sun spots is due then, which also has a strong reputation for causing satellite reception issues...






Graham Paul Glick
Television Technology Costa Blanca & Costa Calida

(0034) 966783944