Tree blocking line of site for Satellite Dish

[Big Aura]

As per the subject line, there's a tree on neighbouring (Council) land that's started growing for the summer, and is now causing my freesat to lose lock, so the picture is 'blocking' and stuttering. I know I've no common law or statutory right to a TV signal.

Is there anything I can do (it's too high to prune it myself, which isn't entirely legal either!).

 

[Anonymous]

 

[Andrew Everard]

On someone else's land, max? Helpful, very helpful.

But aside from getting in a dish installer to see whether the dish can be relocated on your property or maybe put on a mast to 'miss' the tree, not sure what else to insist. Amazed any dishperson worth their salt located it in a position where it (presumably obviously) would eventually be obstructed by a tree.

 

[BenLaw]

Write to the council, tell them the problem and ask if they're happy for you to give it a trim / pay them to?

 

[Big Aura]

a former sky dish on the property when we moved in, I'm not surprised by a sky technician doing so - they seem afraid to site a dish more than 2 m above ground level, due to the 'elf n' safety, innit'...

Will call the Council and claim the tree is a subsidence risk, which it probably is....

 

[Andrew Everard]

Ah right: well, if it's been up a good few years it might be worth getting a satellite tech to check it over, ensure the LNB is still watertight and the downleads are OK. They tend to benefit from renewal every so many years: last time I had Sky problems the engineer replaced the lot.

And while they're at it, they will be able to check out the tree and see whether a better dish location is viable.

 

[Dave_]

As Andrew has already mentioned, look at having the dish resited. There's more often than not a solution to NLOS issues,

A good place to start before calling anyone in though is http://www.dishpointer.com/ which is a LOS/obstacle height checker that uses google earth/maps. Enter your full address,select satellite (28.2E Astra 2A,B and D), zoom in on your property move the green marker to different locations, it will give you a line of site, move the red marker along the green LOS line and it will tell you the maximum height of an obstacle at any given distance can be before it becomes an issue...

Or if you have an iThing or Android phone theres a genius dishpointer app that uses your GPS/camera (costs money though).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5AFtcgYRcu4&feature=player_embedded#at=19

 

[Big Aura]

thanks. I recall the survey mentioned the tree should be removed. The Council won't touch a tree without an engineer's report; I wonder will the survey suffice...

Failing that, I'm gonna have to spend some more money (not ideal, given I'm spending a fortune this week burying copper rods in the garden as our mains earth is exhibing a level of resistance to make a Borg blush).

 

[Big Aura]

Plan B - wait til everyone's watching the royal wedding, head out with a ladder and some garden shears. Bit of pruning. Job done.