Randburg's big trees are lovely until one grows into the path between your dish and the satellite. OnspotElec handles DStv installation in Randburg along with realignment and repairs, for older freestanding homes as well as the townhouse complexes that have filled in between them. We are an authorised DStv installer and a mobile service, so the technician comes out to your property.
The tree problemWhen Trees Block a Dish That Used to Work
A DStv dish in Gauteng points roughly north-east and tilts upward, towards a satellite above the equator. Anything that grows or gets built in that direction can block the signal. Because trees grow slowly, the loss usually creeps in: first the picture breaks up in rain, then in wind when the branches sway, and eventually the E48-32 no-signal message stays on screen.
There are usually three ways to deal with it:
- Trim the tree. If it is your tree and trimming clears the view, this can be the simplest fix. Use someone qualified for tree work, and keep well away from overhead power lines.
- Realign or raise the dish. Sometimes shifting the dish a short distance, or mounting it higher on a pole, clears the branches. That is a realignment and signal test, occasionally with a new mount.
- Move the dish elsewhere. If the tree belongs to a neighbour or cannot be cut, the dish may need to go to another wall or roof section. A dish relocation covers taking it down, remounting it and re-routing the cable.
If you are planning ahead, the guide to choosing a satellite dish position explains what makes a spot work well over the long term.
Older Homes, Newer Complexes
Suburbs such as Linden, Blairgowrie, Ferndale and Bordeaux have plenty of established houses with dishes that have been up for a long time. These setups often need more than alignment: an LNB that has weathered badly, cable with cracked sheathing, or a connector full of corrosion. Replacing the LNB or the dish and renewing the cable runs are regular parts of a repair on an older property.
The townhouse complexes found across Randburg, in areas such as Randpark Ridge and Robindale, raise different questions. Many have rules about where a dish may go, and some run a shared system. Check with your body corporate or HOA before booking a new install or a move, and if you rent, get the landlord's permission first.
Northcliff
Northcliff's homes sit on and around a hill, and some of the higher properties have a wide-open view of the sky, which helps the signal. The trade-off is wind. A dish on a high, exposed wall or mast catches more of it, and a mount that is not solid can shift a fraction over time, which is enough to weaken reception. On these properties the bracket, fixings and mast get as much attention as the alignment itself.
Lower down the slope the problem can reverse: houses above you and their gardens may sit in the dish's line of sight, so the position needs checking before any drilling is done.
Signal dropping every time the wind picks up? That often points to a loose mount or moving branches. Call 083 489 1322 and describe what you see, rather than climbing up to check the dish yourself.
Other DStv Work Around Randburg
Repairs are only part of it. We install new dishes and decoders on homes that have never had DStv, set up Explora and Explora Ultra decoders, and add second TV points for bedrooms or studies. Upgrading an older decoder often means fitting a newer LNB at the same time, so it is worth mentioning your current equipment when you call.
Booking and Quotes
We are open 24 hours, every day, with emergency DStv assistance available. Pricing depends on what the job involves: realigning a dish on a single-storey roof is a smaller task than moving it to a new pole and running fresh cable. Call us or ask for a quote online, and we will explain what is likely to be needed. When a visit can happen depends on your location, the fault and technician availability.
OnspotElec also covers Roodepoort, Sandton and Johannesburg next door.
Common Questions From Randburg Customers
Yes, as well as Blairgowrie, Bordeaux, Robindale, Randpark Ridge, Cresta and the rest of Randburg. We travel to you; there is no OnspotElec branch in the area.
Usually one of two things: branches moving through the dish's line of sight, or a dish or mount that is loose and shifting. Both need someone to look at the dish, so please do not try to tighten it from a ladder yourself.
Yes. The technician checks the line of sight and measures the signal at the dish. If the tree is the cause, they will explain the options, from trimming to a higher mount to a new position.
