Question about satellite TV reception...

[Margo_C-T]

How reliable is your reception when it is cloudy or rain/snow is falling?

I live where it SELDOM rains, and is fairly seldom cloudy. I have Dish TV, and have almost since it was launched--over 10 years now. It sure seems to me that it has gotten 'wussy'; used to be, the signal was lost ONLY if there was major snow accumulation on the dish, or, when a HECK of a heavy thunderstorm was going on. Yet in more recent years, EVERY time there is a full cloud cover, or ANY sort of rain--the 'signal is lost', and it cannot be 'retrieved'! Same with snow; now if there is the merest skiff of snow that sticks to the dish--same thing-have to go out and clean it off(no mean feat, as it is on the corner of the roof(atop the overhang), and I have to climb up on a small stepladder and use a long-handed 'car washer'--that soft blue 'chamois' type stuff--to clean the snow off...tipsy and scary!

This has made me wonder how anyone who lives where cloudiness is common gets along w/ a tv satellite dish!?

I have a full and completely unobstructed view of the southern sky. I use rabbit ears to 'pull in' the signals of my 'local' network stations, because I live down off the lower slopes of the 'back side' of the Sandia Mountains, atop which sit the TV transmission towers, and I get a PERFECT picture on all but PBS, which is a bit less so, but OK, usually (I think their transmitter just isn't as powerful as those of the commercial networks...). Dish hasn't been very accomodating lately; my original remote has some buttons that almost won't work anymore(no way I can push them 'hard enough' w/ my finger' they just don't respond!); Dish wanted to charge me for a replacement(after that long as a good and loyal customer....). I thought of switching to Direct, BUT--they have the local channels as part of their mid-range pkg. I tried paying the extra/month to get the local channels over the DISH a few years ago, BUT--the issue with how easily the whole signal is 'lost' meant that when it went out, I had NO TV to watch, and it turned out to be too often a hassle.

The remnants of Dolly are bringing cloud cover and intermittent rain today; the lastest 'loss of signal' on a Sat. when there is NOTHING except the 'usual' sports on network TV(and I do NOT watch that stuff...UGH!) prompted me to ask about some of you guys' experiences!

(Update: at least, the rain stopped and the signal returned; Animal Planet is actually showing show jumping! YAY!)

Margo

 

[Jill]

Margo --

We have Directv and have had it since they bought out "Primestar" which is what we originally had. I would say we've had Directv since 2000, so a long time. The only time we lose reception is if we have a bad thunderstorm or, like you said, a lot of snow on the dish. Ours is actually in the back yard so easy for us to clear snow off when it happens.

Hope you get it fixed soon!!!

Jill

 

[babygoose]

I had the same problem this morning (living a few hours south of Margo, rain and cloudy days are even less common here) with Dolly remnants giving us some rain. I find that sometimes if there is no signal it helps to turn the power off to the satellite reciever to "reset" everything or whatever it does. We have it all on a power strip and I just flip the power off for a minute and turn it back on. It worked this morning.

I'm enjoying the show jumping too and checking out the auction on RFD-TV during the commercials.

 

[bonloubri]

We have DirecTV and recently had problems picking up some channels, turned out that the dish had moved slightly and wasn't picking up the signal properly. We don't seem to have a problem on cloudy or raining days unless there are bad storms.

 

[CyndiM]

We have Dish and the only time we have trouble is when it is a pretty severe thunderstorm (lighting). The snow hasn't bothered us either and to clean ours would be a major project it is on the roof and near the peak. We've had Dish for about 4 years now did have Direct before that and only had problems with thunder storms.

Maybe you need a newer dish and I would think if you told them you were going to change to Direct they would be willing to accommodate you. I would make sure I was talking to a supervisor who would have some authority first though.

 

[vvf]

We have Dish also.

I can't wait until the contract is up. ( I stupidly signed up for 18 months.)

Ours goes out if we get a sprinkle, or cloud cover. And of course snow.

I wasn't thrilled with Direct TV when we had that, but i do think it was better than dish.

 

[Mona]

It sounds like your dish has moved slightly, and that is likely what is causing it to lose signal. You may have to get someone to come and help you adjust it to the strongest signal strength again by repositioning it a little one way or the other. Good Luck!

 

[Miniv]

We have Dish and only have a problem when we have had a lot of snow. (Probably should "knock on wood", after saying that.)

 

[Margo_C-T]

Thanks for the input so far, gang...and additional observations/experiences will still be welcome!

I actually do have a 'newer' dish, as my daughter gave me an 'upgrade' for my birthday about two-three years ago, and they replaced it at that time. I now have an 'original' converter box, and the newer converter box on the TV in my bedroom. I still have the "old" program display on the 'original', the TV in the family room; my daughter grumbles that I should get it upgraded, but it is kind of expensive(to me at least!), and I have a whole list of 'needs' in line in front of that 'want'!!

I do think I will contact Dish about the 'loss of signal' problems, because it certainly *could* be that the dish has moved---we get a lot of wind here!

Again, thanks for the ideas and input!

Margo

 

[Al B]

We have never been bothered by snow.

Thunderstorms now, thats a different problem.

 

[Equuisize]

We have Direct TV here.

We are located 30 miles from the ocean and had lots of gray rainy

days here this spring.

This past December when we had a horrible wind & rain storm, with

massive flooding, we did we loose reception.....When the power came

back on Michael did go up and adjust the angle ever so slightly as it

must have been pushed about in the wind.

We don't get a lot of snow here, usually, but in January we had a soft, wet

ploppy snow and the picture broke into small boxes so you couldn't see

the programming. Michael went out with a broom and swept it away

and that took care of it.

I'd call them and ask anyway......you are paying for their service, they

should provide it for you.

 

[River Wood]

We have Direct TV. We have noticed it is not as good as it used to be.

Now anytime its rainy/cloudy out, reception is in and out.

 

[Margo_C-T]

Thanks for your comments! What River Wood stated is what I've found--when I first got DISH, it took a REALLY serious, heavy thunderstorm to disrupt service, yet nowadays, it seems that every little shower causes disruption! It is maddening! Surely seems as if the technology should get BETTER, not WORSE!

BTW--at certain times of year, certain times of day at that time, the picture will 'break up' into those 'little boxes' someone mentioned, the sound will turn into a 'chirp, chirp'--and I just as well turn it off, for perhaps 5-8 minutes...think that's from activity on the sun, and it's annoying, but at least, you can predict when it will pass!

I need to discuss several things w/ DISH, so will be contacting them as soon as I can shift my focus off my ongoing water system problems!

Margo

 

[HGFarm]

Hmmm, I have had Directv since about 2002 or whenever I moved to this location. Without satellite, you have NOTHING- there isnt even cable here. I have never had problems and could probably count on one hand the times the signal failed for just a minute, and it had to be something horrible for that. Sounds like maybe your dish or wiring or something needs replaced now?

 

[Betty B]

I think it must have to do with who is taking care of your service issues.

We have had satellite with DirecTV since it was Primestar. It goes out while the core of the storm is passing over but generally 10 minutes max and not very often. It has to be a real downpour storm for it to go out. We get lots of snow here too and if it is a wet snow we need to take the broom out on the deck and brush it off. But that happens only a few times a winter. No other options for in the rural area either. I like it!

Neighbors have WildBlue satellite for internet and they haven't had a big problems either.

 

[gimp]

I had a lot of problems when I had Directv as far as losing reception in storms, and I live in the Seattle area, so get a lot of rain

! I changed over to DishNetwork a couple of years ago as they were part of a bundle with the phone company. I have no problems at all; the only loss of reception was with snow and as soon as I took the broom to the dish it was fine.

I don't have a clue why it would be any different, but sure has been. (BTW, it is still MUCH cheaper than cable in my area!)

 

[nootka]

We get about as much rain as anywhere, and it's really fine unless we're having a serious downpour.

The worst is a bit of snow, or hailstorms.

Sometimes during the Fall or Spring, they say sunspots cause disturbances, but if you're having more outages than usual, you might want to check on having the lines/cables checked.

For our internet dish, the cables got full of water and caused lots of outages/bad reception.

Liz