Be careful what you wish for...

[kyleorton]

So, several people chimed in last week and helped me get an appointment to get rid of a two-dish setup in favor of a 1000.4 setup.

It's been raining today and I'm not getting an ounce of reception. Even during a lull when it wasn't raining the progress meter didn't tick once.

In the last two+ years with Dish, I don't remember such light rain causing issues and I don't remember ever going 45min-1hour without finding anything.

Is it possible something was left loose during installation and the rain or wind knocked it out? Have I just traded two dishes for a less effective one?

 

[navychop]

....Have I just traded two dishes for a less effective one?

I think that's what I did, although my reception does not seem as bad as yours.

You have a window to call back and describe the problem. They can send out someone to peak the dish.

 

[kyleorton]

So it's back up now, though the weather doesn't look much different. Maybe the nasty stuff was just to the sse of me or I'm just over sensitive because of the change.

The installer had said I had the best readings on those satellites he'd seen. I guess the proof will be evident in the DVR recordings from tonight.

 

[TheKrell]

Indeed I have seen rain fade issues when there was not a drop of rain over my house. It all depends on your LOS. I went from a two-dish setup to EA and I frankly don't see much difference at all.

 

[jscud]

Is it possible something was left loose during installation and the rain or wind knocked it out? Have I just traded two dishes for a less effective one?

It is possible the dish was not aimed correctly to begin with.

Both my son and I have EA dishes. We are 12 miles apart. He was always complaining about losing his signal (from day one). I rarely lost mine. So I went over to check his dish out. The dish was physically rock solid on it's post, no play and nothing was loose. There was no way the wind could have moved it.

I checked TP 19 and 21 on 61.5 and he was only getting about 10%. So I took a small TV out in the yard and ran a line from his receiver. While watching the TV I adjusted the elevation bolt which improved the signal level to about 15%. Still not acceptable. Then I adjusted the azimuth cam. BAM! the signal level shot up to 60% . The level on 72.7 was bout 55%.

He has had no further problems. I am guessing that his dish was never aligned properly by the installer.

 

[dishcomm]

It is possible the dish was not aimed correctly to begin with.

Both my son and I have EA dishes. We are 12 miles apart. He was always complaining about losing his signal (from day one). I rarely lost mine. So I went over to check his dish out. The dish was physically rock solid on it's post, no play and nothing was loose. There was no way the wind could have moved it.

I checked TP 19 and 21 on 61.5 and he was only getting about 10%. So I took a small TV out in the yard and ran a line from his receiver. While watching the TV I adjusted the elevation bolt which improved the signal level to about 15%. Still not acceptable. Then I adjusted the azimuth cam. BAM! the signal level shot up to 60% . The level on 72.7 was bout 55%.

He has had no further problems. I am guessing that his dish was never aligned properly by the installer.

Youy guess correctly
75% of signal fade issues with satellite antennas are due to poorly aligned antennas. 20% due to poor line of sight. 5% due to bent antennas.
Yes, those dishes are stamped metal that bends very easily. If it is bent, it's done.

 

[Bob Haller]

not plump poles is a major cause of poor signal

 

[SatelliteTelevision2]

The installers should be able to tell you when they do the install if it is likely that you will run into problems due to trees impeding the line of sight etc. As long as your dish was installed properly, your Dish Network should work great in all weather conditions except a major ice storm.... The dual dish system should be no exception!

 

[kyleorton]

I checked the pointer screen for signal strength this morning and the 3 signals were 50-60. The only issue I had was yesterday afternoon, otherwise it's been fine.

I'm guessing the old western arc + 61.5 setup was higher from jimmerinwi's comment from another thread as I'm in WI too. I wish he had been the installer to show up and dissuade me.

Since WI HD locals are on 61.5 does that mean Dish intends Wisconsin customers to all be EA and reception here might improve?

 

[papalittle]

My dish (which I installed) is a 500 with a signal of 80 on 119 (21) but I still experience signal loss before I even get rain, funny thing is when it does start raining I get my signal back. Strange I say.

 

[jbrooks987]

My dish (which I installed) is a 500 with a signal of 80 on 119 (21) but I still experience signal loss before I even get rain, funny thing is when it does start raining I get my signal back. Strange I say.

Not unusual. Your dish isn't looking at a satellite above you. It's looking at a point in the sky some distance away so the signal is blocked until the bulk of the storm is overhead, and the sky that the dish is actually looking at is now relatively clear.