Complaint 1: TV channel is freezing occasionally.’

Possible cause of the problem may be any one of the-

• Rain may cause this problem.

• Carrier in carrier interference

• Carrier interference local

Teleport Tech- ‘Receives this complaint from client on phone must ask him to hold let us check.’

Though you are monitoring down link of TV channel continuous, do not immediately say that I am getting down link ok.

Take a moment, few seconds only, from the client and then reply. Extend their TV channel on monitor let client listen Audio of his channel. This will confirm that his TV channel is ok at Teleport.

Tech- ‘At my site your TV signal is running perfect no problem. Looks like some problem at your site with dish or may be affected by rain at your site, or local interference may be causing this problem.’

If client is still insisting, do not argue with him. You may tell him- ‘Please talk to my senior I am giving phone to him.’

Engineer on duty may better explain and satisfy client.

Note: 1. Client will not complaint just unless he is facing real problem.

2. In case of Carrier interference all down link TV channels will freeze. Carrier interference can be seen either on spectrum analyzer or SAT DSA monitoring system.

3. Carrier in carrier causes BER variations which results occasional freezing of services.

Client’s end possible problem

1. Local interference: it may be due to ship moment if client is situated nearby sea or river.

2. Poor cable connector or loose connector causes intermittent freeze. Sometime cable connectors get corrosion over the conductor which also causes intermittent freezing.

Complaint 2: My TV channel is black since 10.00 AM

Possible causes:

• Signal is not available for uplink on Fibers or switch failed at teleport for redundant fiber.

• Heavy rain causing it

• Encoder failed at teleport

• Uplink chain problem - Modulator, up-converter, HPA or tracking.

Tech – ‘Received this complaint from a client ask him hold a moment let me the check’. Then in case of all down link black suspect tracking issue and check immediately uplink chain for problem and get it rectified. After rectification inform client on failed system which causes this problem. Or due to heavy rain at teleport causes this and send an outage report to all clients concerned on that.

If problem was with only one client who has complained. Check the source of signal if present on both main as well as backup links. If main has no signal but backup has means switching is not taken place at teleport

Switch manually and restore the service. Tell the client fiber switch problem at teleport and send an outage report to him. Also inform him no signal on primary fiber from you.

If signal is present on main and backup both then check encoder in the multiplex system it might be failed and also failed to switch on Backup encoder. Manually switched encoder and restored the service. Tell the client encoder problem.

Note: in case one TV service failed it may be due to no signal from source on both main and backup link, switch failure or encoder failure and its switching problem. As appropriate resolve the problem in the all cases, an outage report to be sent to client concerned.

Complaint 3: No audio on my TV channel.

Causes:

• No audio on source signal.

• Audio sampling rate is not correct.

• TV service system is changed from source- from PAL to Secam or NTSC etc.

Tech: ‘Receive complaint from client there is no audio on my TV channel.

Hold client and check for audio on source. If not present inform the client that audio is not coming from your side.

If audio there on the source then check for sampling rate. It is 48 KHz for PAL. If it is not 48 KHz then report client on sampling rate mismatch. Say audio is coming from you at 41 KHz while must be 48 KHz sampling rate. Please correct it.

‘Sometime client get original TV signal in NTSC and convert it in their studio to PAL. Due to some reason it is not completely get converted into PAL but comes at teleport as NTSC. Then not only audio but video too get black.’

Let them fix the problem. Upon restoration the problem you send the report showing problem at client’s end.

Complaint 4: Lip sync problem in my TV channel.

Causes:

• Recording is not correct from source.

• Dubbing from one language to other language done.

• Movie if in different language but dubbed in English language.

Tech: ‘Receives lip sync complaint. He will check the lip sync problem from source. It is generally from the source either dubbing problem or converting from NTSC or SECAM system to PAL and over looked it’.

Sometime movie in French dubbed in English so lip sync will be noticed in such cases. Report the problem to client for rectification.

Complaint 5: Carrier interference in the channel.

Causes:

1. Carrier interference on satellite.

2. Local carrier interference:

3. Carrier in carrier interference.

Tech: ‘Receive this complaint from client. You must check it on spectrum analyzer and Sat DSA both.’

If it is carrier interference on Satellite it will appear on the spectrum as a clean carrier in the center of the spectrum of down link frequency.

If interference is of low power and modulated present in the transponder. You can find it with SAT DSA system. This will display carrier in carrier. Plot of down link spectrum taken and sent to satellite operator for rectification.

‘Tell your observation to client and also tell him that satellite operator has been informed to rectify the problem. Once cleared inform you their finding.’

Note: clean carrier is from SNG where tech operating DSNG uplink carrier on wrong pol causes it.

This can be rectified easily and duration would be just 5 to 7 minutes. Satellite operator will take action immediately as he knows the client whom DSNG operation is allotted.

‘Carrier in carrier interference in done by someone one who wants intentionally to harm all TV services on the Satellite.’

This is difficult to trace and rectify quickly. Such interference takes longer time to resolve it. Some time it takes a day or so.

Now a system has planned in which modulator information also get transmitted along with signal.

In such cases, Satellite operator then with help of manufacturer find out who is owner of this modulator and then satellite operator will contact them and resolve the issue. But it will take longer time to resolve it.

Complaint 6: My TV is not available for T/A at London.

Causes:

• Their local problem at London

• Signal level is gone low

• Heavy Rain may be at London

Tech: Receive the complaint and try to check down link level. If it is low than the recommended, power may be increased by 0.5 dB to 1.0 dB.

Enquire with client if signal is back at London. If yes that’s all. So signal was not available due to low power downlink.

Complaint 7: TV channel is freezing occasionally at London T/A site.

Tech: ‘It may be due to carrier interference at their end. It may be from Radar, Ship or other source. Let them check and resolve.

Complaint 8: Lip sync and no audio.

Tech: ‘It is related to local problem and can be resolve as in the complaint No. 3 and 4 of client simultaneously.’