Dish or Direct TV,
Spray a whole can of Silicone Spray lube on the dish, not , NOT the DLNB or eyeball..just the parabolic powder coated dish it self.
You’ll not have near as much “rain fade” or worse snow sticking.
I hava rain event here ( finally) and the signal is twice as good as before.
Just saying.
Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
Repairs, Remodeling, Restorations
They kill Prophets, for Profits.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dj_oEx4-Mc4
A rear addition provides a small-scale example of how to frame efficiently.
"I have learned so much thanks to the searchable articles on the FHB website. I can confidently say that I expect to be a life-long subscriber." - M.K.
Dig into cutting-edge approaches and decades of proven solutions with total access to our experts and tradespeople.
Start Free Trial NowGet instant access to the latest developments in green building, research, and reports from the field.
Start Free Trial Now
Replies
Thanks I try that.. I have easy access thru a dormer window in my roof.
By the way I rarely lose a signal and my line of sight is thru stands of trees. maybe lost a signal 2 or 3 times a year at worst.. never more than say 20 minutes..
Do you get up on your roof and realign your signal based on the meter readings on screen? I did and found a massive improvement when I skewed it slightly. Had the cell phone with me and my wife told me what the signal was.
Up on the roof? No.
TV is located on west wall about 20' high, 214 and 38 degrees SW.
The internet dish is ground pole, and about the same..I'll mess with the TV dish if needed, I don't mess with the internet dish ( as far as aimimg it).Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
Repairs, Remodeling, Restorations
They kill Prophets, for Profits.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dj_oEx4-Mc4
I get rain fade maybe 1-3 times a year at the most. I've never had problems with snow. You sure you got the sucker aimed just right? And you've got the latest dish up there?
jt8
Well, Dishnet just ( I dunno how long ago) changed the signal status % , I also got a new "smart card" which I had not before..but I am dialed in now at 90% plus..so with the tree trimming, I guess I got as good as I can, on the 110 and 119 sat.
I forget the spcs for the skew, but I use the tone gen to dail it in..I THINK no matter what the lat/ azimuth is, the skew stays the same?
I had to update Mozilla and IE to work with the signal , I did that with a call to Dishnet, an changed a line in my "tools' internet options, advanced...and now I plumb forget..LOL
I wrote it down, but I am still paying the same. but have 2x the speed ( so far)
Here is a test site for sat
http://www.testmy.net/tools/test/results.php
ED: I just highed it , but YOU have to hit 'duel test' to get u/l an d/l on the test..grey box close to center. In the orig.page
Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
Repairs, Remodeling, Restorations
They kill Prophets, for Profits.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dj_oEx4-Mc4
Edited 10/24/2008 5:05 pm ET by Sphere
Hey, if you're talking about Dish internet, then I don't know what I'm talking about. I meant the regular TV Dish. And yeah, I just played with mine until I got green bars all the way across. But I don't have too much tree trouble.. just mild.
jt8
the specs for skew were enough off that my simple adjusting got me a much stronger signal
I use the same dish for both TV and internet..
I have two..lucky youSpheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
Repairs, Remodeling, Restorations
They kill Prophets, for Profits.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dj_oEx4-Mc4
I think I've remembered to spray the dish (DirecTV) once in the 12 or so years it's been up there. Not hard to get to - just fell off the list.What Internet service do you have that you have one dish? We've been thinking about satellite internet for some time as dialup is killing me.Actually considered getting satallite service and getting rid of normal TV - nothing good on anyway.-Paul
I got it as a part of of a bundled deal with Quest. then it was Direct TV but when I canceled Direct and got Dish they just included it as part of my package.
Frankly I'd just call Dish and ask them.. If they set you up they do all the install work for free and provide all the equipment free as well.. You can run up to 4 TV's off one dish many more if you don't mind controlling them with only one box.. IN return you agree to try it for a year.
As for satatilitte TV, I love it!
You have to get used to the bill (about $50.00 a month for expanded basic, the best deal) but there is so much good stuff on satilite I couldn't ever go back to cable or just plain TV.
The movie channels are about $10 each (that's 5 to 9 channels for your $10.00) and there are 4 packages. Changes the bill from $50.00 a month to over $120 if you want all of them, which is too spendy for me.. but you do see a lot of great movies..
You can watch pay per view which I think is a rip off and there are a lot of sports packages which I have no interest in.. those are all their money makers.
They have this TIVO thing which allows you to "tape" all shows (really easy to set up, they show you how and make sure you really understand) What's cool about the TIVO is you skip all commericals even on Broadcast TV (yeh! you get local channels)
Anyway there are sooo many cool channels on satilite that you won't believe.. National Geographic, Discovery channel there is TCM (Turner classic movies) commerical free uninterupted and great old movies (some not so old) Western channel, and Hallmark channel, Science fiction and Speed channel, there's a channeldevoted to mysteries and one devoted to old game shows..
Heck! there are 250 channels and at least 30% have some decent content..
And No commericals ! They have them but you simply click right through them takes about 5 seconds to eliminate what seems like 10 minutes of commericals..
IT's the best money we spend. Instead of going out etc.. we settle in and find something worthwhile to watch..
Thanks for the reply. I'll be doing some more research here.-Paul
My late parents lived in high altitude snow country in their rural retirement and they, like all their gray-haired neighbors, put plastic garbage bags over their dishes in the winter.
Sounds counter-intuitive, but it kept the snow off and the signal wasn't degraded one iota by the black plastic.
But I may try the spray lube for the heavy cloud and rain squalls that periodically nail me.
Those "weather blackouts" always happen after the two minute warning in a tied game and recover when the team I hate has just kicked a winning field goal that skipped in past the left goal post.
Hey stranger!
Yeah, my prob was UK bassetball during the finals ( March Madness)..freaking dish went out when the game was in double OT..awww I hated that.Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
Repairs, Remodeling, Restorations
They kill Prophets, for Profits.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dj_oEx4-Mc4
How about Rain-X?
Family.....They're always there when they need you.
Might fly, but don't cause a new drought.Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
Repairs, Remodeling, Restorations
They kill Prophets, for Profits.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dj_oEx4-Mc4
Got a DirecTV dish and only get "searching for signal" when we have cloudbursts directly south of us. Lost most channels last year when we had an ice storm.
Damn DirecTV won't sell me an HD dish. Gotta be "dealer installed" because they don't think anybody but installers can get the azmuths right for three sats, instead of two like now. I don't wanna spend the $ for HD anyway. Another $10.
I think Dishnet was more than that for the HD upgrade package, but it included the set top box reciever with the dish.
I dunno about the on air channels antenna, cuz I get my locals on the dish too.
It takes a pretty good storm to lose my signal, and we sure haven't had enough of them this year, rained yesterday for the firsttime in months it seems..1/2" maybe, no where near what we need.
Hell, I'm still picken maters and peppers..unreal.Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
Repairs, Remodeling, Restorations
They kill Prophets, for Profits.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dj_oEx4-Mc4
Thanks for the tip, rainiing right now, but I will do tomorrow!
google HD satellite dish or talk to a local installer/dealer. They ARE available but not all will sell them. If you don't want to pay for HD, why get the HD dish?
"I cut this piece four times and it's still too short."
Since we have two flat screens, it makes the picture better w/o the flattening of the figures if you adjust it to where it doesn't cut the heads off. Plus DW wants it.
I have my marching orders...
"I don't wanna spend the $ for HD anyway. Another $10."It's the $$ for the HD TV that hits your wallet, but if you have a high def tv, then spend the $10 extra. The difference is so dramatic that you will be amazed. Especially sports, but also network shows are stunning to look at on a 40" or bigger HD set. I find myself watching PBS travel shows now just for the sheer beauty of the picture - and I don't even have cable of satellite, just an antenna.BruceT
'Suggest' to Direct TV that you are considering other signal providers. If you are a long term customer with a regular payment record, the install will be free. Along with a free HD dvr.
That's what they gave me when I mentioned that cable would give me a free dvr.
Good luck.
I'm wondering why so many of you have the dish on the roof instead of pole mounting the thing?? You trying to get closer to the satellite or something?? Mine's pole mounted in direct sun- snow buildup never been a problem. I'm weirded out by the Pam solving rain fade though. I always believed that the rain fade was caused by rain in the atmosphere blocking the signal as it passed through the atmosphere. I'm not aware of rain causing signal fade at the dish itself. Might try it though- just to see.
"I'm wondering why so many of you have the dish on the roof instead of pole mounting the thing?? You trying to get closer to the satellite or something?? Mine's pole mounted in direct sun- snow buildup never been a problem."Exactly. That is why I am building a 50,000 ft pole. To get closer to the satellite..
.
A-holes. Hey every group has to have one. And I have been elected to be the one. I should make that my tagline.
My dish is on about a 5 foot pole on top of my roof.. (still below sight line from the street) Thus invisable unless you are in a helicopter overhead,<grin>
I've never had snow build up on my dish because from me the satelite is nearly at the horizon. Rain also runs off it easily. Those of you living south of me (nearly everyone except Vice presidental candidates and eskimoos) might have to have your dishes flater and thus concerns such as this would enter your life..