Tree blocking the signal.....

fburns

My first posting. Great forum !!
Over the past few days / weeks my Sky satellite picture has gradually broken up, and yesterday finally gave up - showing "No Satellite Signal" message. Almost certainly the problem is a massive tree in an adjoining garden than has apparently spurted over the past few weeks, and completely blocked the signal. Not sure I have room to adjust the satellite, so I don't think there is a simple solution. BTW, I have two SKY HD boxes - so I've invested a fair bit in Sky hardware. Have I any rights here - or is it simply - tough !!. Anyone any experience or advice ?

byte

Since the tree is seemingly in a neighbours garden, there's little you can do about it, unless the neighbour would be willing to top the tree.

Is it possible for you to move the dish to another location, where the tree wouldn't be in the way?

fburns

Thanks for speedy reply.
Not sure there is much scope to move. getting Sky engineer out during the week, but am not too hopeful. Will Sky hold me to my 12 month contract...?

byte

Not sure about the contract. But if you can't get a signal, despite your best efforts, there isn't much else you can do, and Sky should see it that way.

wil

I dont think there is any legal recourse where a tree is blocking your signal. Vegetable rights -The tree has more rights than you. Perhaps if it was a hedge and blocking your light maybe, under recent English legislation you could serve an ASBO on it for contravening your right to reasonable enjoyment of your home, but satellitery doesnt qualify:(and we dont have such specific legislation here AFAIK.
You could suggest to your neighbour scare stories about tall trees falling on houses and see if he might top it. Otherwise either wait till winter or try dish positions on your property either side of the tree.

rovingrover

I had the same problem. Got my dish moved. Neghbour's tree grew bigger leaving me with no way to continue to have Sky.

I mentioned it to my neighbour and offered to get somebody in to top the tree if they were agreeable. They were very nice about it and did it themselves.

It is worth having achat with your neighbour. depends how you get on with them. Luckily mine on both sides are great.

fburns

Thanks for all the advice. The problem is that it's not an immediate neighbour. And she's elderly. So there's very little chance of negotiating a solution. BTW, it's a massive tree - maybe 80 feet or more. So even getting it trimmed would be a messy, expensive job. An engineer is coming out on Wed and we'll see if there are any options to move the dish - but I'm not optimistic. Meanwhile, I'm looking at a lot of expensive, potentially redundant hardware, including a €2,500 HD TV !! Appreciate the advice.

Ulsterman 1690

raising the dish might be a solution (ie. stick it on a high wall or tall pole)

the pole wouldnt need to be as high as the tree just high enough to get a clear view up towards the satellite

alternatively you might be able to find a spot in the garden which isint in the signal shadow of the tree

fburns

Thanks for this - I've been looking around the (small) garden, and simply cannot see a way around this tree. It's huge, and completely dominates. At present, the dish is on the chimney, so there's very little scope to go higher. And I don' think there's any spot in the garden or on the back wall that gives a clear view.

byte

What part of the roof is your chimney on? IE. is the chimney on part of the roof nearest the tree? If so, a stand off bracket and pole at far gable wall might work.

fburns

I'll mention this option to the engineer. Presumably this would only give an extension of a max of 2/3 feet or so. Not sure this will give the necessary clearance. Up at the very top of the chimney seems to be the best option - not sure what restrictions would be on that. Over the top of the tree seems to be the only option, and even that will only buy time until the tree grows again. So I've a feeling I'll be looking to NTl to get my Sky sports !!

byte

Well, be sure to report back on the outcome.

wil

Pray for Dutch Elm disease:D

Or offer to go halves with neighbour on other side if you can position dish on their wall outside the shadow with an octo lnb 4 for you 4 for them.
At this point anything is worth trying before stumping for cable.:eek:

mustang68

You should really have a chat to the woman in question, if you don't ask....

She may be quite receptive to trimming back the tree and never really noticed it getting out of control and this is just the encouragement she needs.

fburns

Thanks for the additional advice (particularly the bit about Dutch Elm disease !!).

Both neighbours already have Sky - one by Satellite, one by NTL.
Unfortnuately the lady who owns the tree is quite elderly, and beyond discussing this. In any event the tree is huge - it would be very big money to get it trimmed - I'm sure four figures.

Sky are coming tomorrow, but not sure they will move the dish. Anyone know any good dish installers in the South Dublin area ? Picked one out of the Golden Pages and he talked about doing a survey for €100 - no work, just a survey as to what the options are (but would offset the €100 against any work).

eirman

This piece of kit will definitely solve the problem

byte

Tony from satellite.ie would be worth calling.

Depending on who Sky send out, they may not move the dish.

fburns

Just to fill you in on the happy ending....
The very effecient Sky engineers arrived on Wednesday morning, assured me the tree would be no problem, and in no time I had the best Sky reception I've ever had. Not sure what they did, but I'm grateful. Thanks for all the support and advice - much appreciated.

wil

Dont just leave us guessing , you have to give a little more info than that at how those miracle workers managed it. Was the tree not so obstructive as first thought or did they make this minor adjustment before re-positioning the dish.:eek:
http://photos.jpgmag.com/58622_7109_7147816947_p.jpg

fburns

I don't know what they did to restore the picture - some arcane black magic on the roof !! From their confidence that the problem could be resolved, I suspect - as you say - the tree was not as obstructive as I thought. English was not their first language, so I didn't really discuss it with them - was just relieved to see my reception back. But it certainly improved my image of Sky.

I was reconciled that there was nothing could be done to the tree in the short term - it was simply too huge to tackle, and in any event the owner is not in a position to discuss it. BTW, I discussed the issue informally with a lawyer, and he confirmed the view of the forum - there was nothing I could do.

fburns

I should have mentioned if my previous post, that the engineers spent less than an hour on the job. There were two of them - they worked efficiently, quietly and cleanly.

5h4mr0(k

And all without enlarging your carbon footprint!

byte

Good to see you got it all sorted!

Rippy

Still mystified as to the black art performed by these East European magicians. Did they put the dish on a pole on the chimney? Reposition to another part of the roof ? Or simply re-align an off line dish? If so how the hell did it take two of them an hour?

fburns

Not sure what they (the hot engineers) did, all looks the same on the roof, but I can't really see the dish - it's hidden behind the chimney, and not visible from my garden, or the front of the house. In fact, I'd need to go into the neighbour's garden (the one with the offending tree) to get a reasonable view. They didn't do anything radical - certainly no evidence of an additional pole. Maybe just moved the dish up a bit on the chimney, or from one side of the chimney to the other.

BTW, I'm surprised blocked signals in not a bigger issue. I can understand where existing trees block a signal, and it's tough luck. But where a tree grows into the path of an existing dish - surely the viewer has some rights...? Apparently not, 'tho. Can't believe this is not a hot litigious issue, particularly in the States. But it doesn't seem to be.

wil

If you cant smell napalm and there isnt a big chunk missing out of the tree, perhaps they did use one of my suggestions (not Dutch Elm). Are there any cables heading to your neighbours dish.
I would say trees are a major issue but good installers will consider this.
It is one reason why it might be better to position your dish in summer when trees are in full foilage. A strong signal in winter through bare branches may disappear in summer. I have a similar problem myself but I can overcome it by placing dishes pointing either side of the offending plant. It is however putting paid atm to my wish to have a single dish solution.
It is a bit hard to sue a tree that probably predates the owner and will probably carry on long after. If it was a diseased tree and fell on your dish because the owner was negligent then you might have a case. Otherwise most of your case would be against God. Guess who'd win:D

fburns

No napalm. No wires to neighbour's dish. So I suspect the adjustment was minor enough.
Good advice about being aware of tree growth, and the difference between summer and winter. My tree, btw, is an evergreen (eucalyptus / gum tree), so no great difference over the seasons. But the surprising thing was how quickly it spurted up after all the recent rain. And I reckon it will be a problem again in the not too distant future. Meanwhile, I'll enjoy my Sky Sport and my HD.
But I'm convinced there must be case law about this - probably not here, but in the States. And surely a neighbour has some responsibility in the matter - but apparently not.
And, as I've said, there is no simple/cheap solution here. The tree is massive, and to top it would - I'm sure - cost a small fortune.