How to get tech support to listen?

[Ken_king]

My dish is loose.  It will move a little left or right by touch, a strong wind, or apparently at will.  I tried to explain this to the tech support people via phone, but they don't seem to listen. 

The result is that my signal strength that was running in the high 90s to 100 is now hovering in the mid 70s and sometimes lower.  When it gets lower I go out and move the dish a little until I get the best reading on strength.

I need a tech to come out, realign the dish and then secure it, but I can't get tech support to understand this.  Why?  They have had me reset the modem and then gave me some BS reason that the problem was due to bad weather in Idaho.  All the while I was trying to get them to understand that the problem is with the dish alignment and it moving.  How hard must I bang my head into the wall before the listen?

[Ken_king]

Thanks Jezza, but it isn't "wobble" that it the problem, it is actual dish movement. I would readily accept "wobble" given the dynamics of the dish and wind forces, but taht isn't what I am experiencing.

The loose bolts are at the base of the dish assembly  where the dish attaches to the pole.  That plate has 3 bolts and a fine adjuster spaced 3.5" on center with slots to allow for assembly movement.  It appears when my installer achieved good signal (better than 94 per his conversation with me) he failed to tighten the three lockdown bolts.  Those slots are about 3/4"  in length and it appears the bolts are 3/8" which allows for 3/8 inch of movement around the vertical axis.

3/8" movement (based on my calsulations) equates to about 14 degrees of azimunth variation, which I am sure is absolutely unacceptable when trying to receive signal.

As to "escalting" my conversation with tech support I am sure I did that when I asked to speak to the supervisor.  While his English was much better then the first "script reader" his attitude sucked as he wasn't much for listening either and actually hung up on me as I was trying to explain what he seemed to be not getting..

Anyway, messing with it myself (just coarse adjustments) I have gotten over 80 on signal strength.  Maybe a little playing with the fine adjuster I can get it back where it needs to be and then lock it down.

[GabeU]

@Ken_king

I'll tag the reps so that they will be sure to see this thread and help you.  They're on M-F from approximately 8AM to 5PM EST, though it may take them a day or two to reply.  But, rest assured, you'll get help on here.  

@Liz

@Amanda

[Ken_king]

Thanks, GabeU.   Haven't seen anything yet, but I'll be patient.  Currently I have a snow situation and won't be messing with the dish until the signal drops so low that I have to go out and sweep it off.  At one point it dropped into the 30s and was starting to lose connectivity with the sattelite but after cleaning it off I am back into the mid to high 70s, not bad I guess with the weather.

[Liz]

Hi Ken_king,

I'm glad you found the community, thank you for posting. After running and reviewing your site diagnostics, we have decided as a courtesy to dispatch a technician to do a complete review of your site due to the concerns you've been encountering. Your dispatch is currently scheduled for Sunday, Mar 25, 2018 between 08:00 AM-11:00 AM . Call us at 866.347.3292 and reference case #110420294 if you need to reschedule. Please let us know how the site visit goes.

[Ken_king]

Liz,  Thank you so very much.  I will be here on the 25th and look forward to showing the tech the issue.  And I am glad I found the Community too.

Ken_king

[Liz]

Great! Hope it goes well. 

[Ken_king]

Liz,

As of 12:34PM it is a no show, no call, nothing.  I called the number you referenced above.  I talked with Ron Burgandy (sp?), call reference # 110586135 and he gave me the number to the dealer.  I called that number and it went to voice mail.  I left a message inquiring if they were infact coming out today.  Waiting for a call back.

Ken_king

[GabeU]

@Ken_king

Did they finally get there?  

[Ken_king]

Nope, they never got here and no call back from the message I left.  I do realize it was a Sunday and maybe something might have come up.  Maybe they will call or show up today.

[Liz]

Hi Ken,

Thanks for letting me know. Let me investigate to see what happened.

[Liz]

Hi Ken, 

Please be sure to check your PMs, as I've sent you a message there to address your concerns.

[Ken_king]

Checked and replied, thanks.

[Liz · Accepted solution]

Thanks, Ken. I've escalated your case to our installations department which oversees all the dealers. I brought attention to your current phone number so they can get in contact with you there. I've also updated your number in our system so that we are current. I'll post back if I get any updates from installs.

[Ken_king]

Thanks Liz.

[Ken_king]

The tech called at 6:45 PM.  He got here at about 8:20 PM.  By 8:40 PM he had aligned the dish and was getting a signal in the low 90s.  I had remembered during install that the tech had pressed on the dish near where the feedhorn arm goes below the dish and the signal went up so I pressed it and the signal went to about 105.  He said I had a bad dish too as well as it being loose.  He replaced the dish and now I have signal at the 109 - 110 level.

All I can say is Gino came, Gino saw and Gino conquered.  

Thanks all,

Ken_king

[Liz]

Wonderful, thank you for the update Ken! Feel free to drop by the community again if you have any other concerns.