What would you do about them??

We got our satellite installed on a pole in our yard a little over a week ago and as of Thursday morning it went out of service. The repairman is due to come today or tomorrow to look at it. He said that the chances of any of the brand new hardware going out on us are VERY slim and that it is more likely that someone bumped into it and knocked it out of alignment.

Which brings us to the bigger problem. Our yard is one of the very few that is not yet fenced in in the neighborhood. Because of that our side yard (the only place they could place the satellite) is kid-central almost all of the time.... We can't afford to place a fence right now... but we also can't afford the repair bills if they do manage to damage the dish. I have asked the kids not to play in our yard before but it is a military neighborhood so there are more kids running around than I can even count. I don't think that placing a sign up would do any good as they made quick work of the signs that the utility people put out to mark their buried lines when we were getting the dish installed.
We aren't allowed to connect the dish to the house so its current location is the ONLY location for it....
What on earth do I do???

It will be impossible to catch someone who might hit the pole. Maybe some buddies of your hubby can help him put up a fence? Or
maybe somekind of screen can be put up around it.

or roll some barbed wire around the dish itself.

No, I don't think I am kidding...

Can you write a note or speak to the kids' parents explaining that you don't mind the kids playing, but could they please be careful about the satellite pole? And intriduce yourself as being new to the base, including that you've just come from Japan, etc. No time like the present to start getting to know folks, and that will help.

How about a fence around the dish? High enough to catch any balls headed it's way?

Can you make s mall garden around the dish and put upthe chicken wire / rabbit fence stuff, about 3 feet around the dish in every direction? I don't thing that would cost too much. And it re-enforces the "do not stand" zone.

We did have issues with a brand new satellite system several years ago. It turned out to be a bad receiver, which we had to exchange. So, it actually could be the new hardware...

Your picture quality and reception will vary depending on if the dish is moved. This can happen when someone bumps it or in a storm as well. You might have to go outside and move it while someone stays inside and gives feedback. Sort of like the old fashinoned bunny ears.

we are getting absolutely NO signal from either satellite. The trouble started one morning when it started going in and out. By afternoon the satellite signal was completely gone. The guy will be here tomorrow afternoon (err this afternoon :rolleyes: )