How can I eliminate signal loss in rain?

[beware]

When there is a moderate to heavy downpour, I will get loss of signal on most channels. Even if the rain is scattered, but its heavy on the clouds, this doesn’t happen all the time but still…

Are there any remedies to reduce said instances?

 

[raoul5788]

For starters, is your dish peaked properly? Can you post the signal levels on all of the satellites during clear weather?

 

[coinmaster32]

Satellite signals are sent via microwave transmission from space. Rain breaks up these signals and can inhibit reception during a heavy downpour.

If your still using the "pizza dish" which is Directv's 18" round dish, I suggest calling Directv and having them install a "slimline" dish, the larger size dish is less susceptible to rain fade.

If your experiencing loss of picture on only local channels, there is nothing you can do. As these are transmitted to the dish on Ka band, which is even more prone to rain interference.

You may also call directv and ask to "have the dish peaked" a poorly aligned dish can experience loss of signal earlier than a properly aligned dish.

If all the above has been done, then sadly it's something you have to live with, as satellite TV goes out sometimes during rain. Cable TV does not have this issue, but some of us do not have cable as an option, or our providers are too expensive.

 

[Styler1]

Pray for dry weather!

 

[TheTechGuru]

When there is a moderate to heavy downpour, I will get loss of signal on most channels. Even if the rain is scattered, but its heavy on the clouds, this doesn’t happen all the time but still…

Are there any remedies to reduce said instances?

If you are SD only (Ku only) get one of the following:

http://www.solidsignal.com/pview.as...nt-(DS3100)&c=DIRECTV Dishes&sku=615798314699

"The 1 meter surface area of this dish gives you a much higher signal gain, which reduces rain fade"

or

http://www.solidsignal.com/pview.as...sh-(DS2078)&c=DIRECTV Dishes&sku=615798310578

The first one, being bigger, would be better.

 

[Joe Diamond]

When there is a moderate to heavy downpour, I will get loss of signal on most channels. Even if the rain is scattered, but its heavy on the clouds, this doesn’t happen all the time but still…

Are there any remedies to reduce said instances?

As mentioned by others....peak the signal and try a bigger dish. Also know that only weather between you and the satellite will have an effect so it could be raining on the north side of your house but if the sky to the south is still clear your signals will be nice. Planning for winter and snow (esp ice) on the dish will make the winter easier.

Rigging an OTA antenna and having a DVR will help ease the pain. Then life without TV is ok...........unless you have money or other interest in the game.

Joe

 

[dtro77]

I find that the channels on the 101 normally don't go out with a slimline dish. Unless the weather is really severe.

So what i do , Is I don't hide SD dups in my settings from day one, and when i lose the KA , "which seems to go fairly quickly during a T storm"
I switch it to ALL Channels from my Favorites and that gets us through the bad weather. Sure its SD, but incase everyone forgot, that all there used to be.
Also I like to know if we need to dodge bad weather, I'll take SD warning over No HD !

 

[robjlevin]

One other possibility is a bad LNB. I was having similar problems last year and a new LNB fixed it.

 

[bobvick]

I guess if you wanted to spend some bucks, you could get the AK/HI KA-KU dish, it is the 1.2M (I think) that is made for Alaska and Hawaii, the dish will run you about $160, the mount about $180, and the LNBF about $120, plus shipping will be costly with that 1.2m dish.

 

[Jimbo]

Satellite signals are sent via microwave transmission from space. Rain breaks up these signals and can inhibit reception during a heavy downpour.

If your still using the "pizza dish" which is Directv's 18" round dish, I suggest calling Directv and having them install a "slimline" dish, the larger size dish is less susceptible to rain fade.

If your experiencing loss of picture on only local channels, there is nothing you can do. As these are transmitted to the dish on Ka band, which is even more prone to rain interference.

You may also call directv and ask to "have the dish peaked" a poorly aligned dish can experience loss of signal earlier than a properly aligned dish.

If all the above has been done, then sadly it's something you have to live with, as satellite TV goes out sometimes during rain. Cable TV does not have this issue, but some of us do not have cable as an option, or our providers are too expensive.

Of course if your aerial plant and the storm comes thru and takes your Cable line down, you'll be out of service for several days vs the duration of the bad storm going thru.

 

[fayrich]

I find that the channels on the 101 normally don't go out with a slimline dish. Unless the weather is really severe.

So what i do , Is I don't hide SD dups in my settings from day one, and when i lose the KA , "which seems to go fairly quickly during a T storm"
I switch it to ALL Channels from my Favorites and that gets us through the bad weather. Sure its SD, but incase everyone forgot, that all there used to be.
Also I like to know if we need to dodge bad weather, I'll take SD warning over No HD !

That is what I do also. Only difference being that I take the locals and other frequently watched channels and activate the SD version back to back to the HD version. Then all I have to do is scroll down one channel when the rain fade occurs.

 

[cypherstream]

Do any of those bigger 1 meter dishes support 3LNB or 5LNB for HD? Any kind of inline signal amplifier you can use to limit rain fade on HD? Perhaps one with distributed feedback AGC so when the signal is good, it's not amping hard, but when it detects the signal sucks, it drives gain up until its satisfied or at its maximum gain level.


Since a handful of HD channels are distributed via IP (iPad app), an Internet connected receiver should take advantage of this and stream the IP version if the signal sucks. With a free tuner it can monitor the sat feed and switch back when a threshold of good signal is met.

Sent from my iPhone using SatelliteGuys

 

[genorm]

I also have a problem with rain fade in southeast Texas. I installed a 1.2 meter Alaska "Bigfoot" dish with a sl3 lnb for 99, 101, and 103 but I still get rain fade although it's not near as bad (lasts for only a minute or two instead of tens of minutes). I guess I'll try a 3 meter dish next.

 

[cave1376]

Pray for dry weather!

Unless you live in the desert, like I do, and pray for rain.

 

[PMKS]

I also have a problem with rain fade in southeast Texas. I installed a 1.2 meter Alaska "Bigfoot" dish with a sl3 lnb for 99, 101, and 103 but I still get rain fade although it's not near as bad (lasts for only a minute or two instead of tens of minutes). I guess I'll try a 3 meter dish next.

I Thought you had to use the special Alaska Hawaii LNB with that dish to get the focus right?


I'm in South Texas and rainouts are an issue here as well,
I used a 36" Primestar dish for the 101 sat and a Phase II dish for 110/119 for years until I got the Slimline Dish installed. I've thought about the Alaska/Hawaii dish/lnb but haven't got one yet. Those dishes are also being used down "South" with success.
I'm still waiting on some company to make a seperate KA LNB's with a combiner, they have a set-up available in Europe:

 

[Lanarian]

Just for clarification, do you get "Searching for Satellite (771)" or "Problem communicating with dish (771A)" when it rains (Which error do you get).
Also, is it intermittent (Comes and goes) or is it constant? If its constant, and lasts for a little while after it stops raining, then you could have a bad connector (leaking water into the cable) and/or a bad LNB on the dish.
If its intermittent, then you probably need the dish "peaked" (re-aimed).

 

[cypherstream]

Just for clarification, do you get "Searching for Satellite (771)" or "Problem communicating with dish (771A)" when it rains (Which error do you get).
Also, is it intermittent (Comes and goes) or is it constant? If its constant, and lasts for a little while after it stops raining, then you could have a bad connector (leaking water into the cable) and/or a bad LNB on the dish.
If its intermittent, then you probably need the dish "peaked" (re-aimed).

771 during storms and downpours. When the rain slows down its back on. SD goes out last and comes back first.

 

[genorm]

You are right - I am using the Alaska Hawaii LNB like the one shown in your picture, not the sl3 lnb. I costs more but is very easy to mount.
I get the 110/119 channels on a Slimline SL5 dish and have it connected to the receiver no. 1 on my HR23. The Alaska Hawaii dish is connected to receiver no. 2 for 99/101/103 channels. With any other setup I get "channel Guide" issues.

 

[PMKS]

You are right - I am using the Alaska Hawaii LNB like the one shown in your picture, not the sl3 lnb. I costs more but is very easy to mount.
I get the 110/119 channels on a Slimline SL5 dish and have it connected to the receiver no. 1 on my HR23. The Alaska Hawaii dish is connected to receiver no. 2 for 99/101/103 channels. With any other setup I get "channel Guide" issues.

Is your Alaska/Hawaii LNB a SWiM?
If not,
Can't you use a Phase 2 dish or 2 seperate dishes for 110/119 with the old Sat "C" kit and then use the older Hguhes/Channelmaster 4x4 multi-switch/combiner that was made for this type of set-up? ( I forgot the model number, I have one in my office somewhere )

I used a similar set-up for years before the 99/103 sats went on-line, I dunno if the 4x4 switch would mess up the switching to the Alaska/Hawaii SL3 type LNB.....

Just a thought....

 

[genorm]

Is your Alaska/Hawaii LNB a SWiM?
If not,
Can't you use a Phase 2 dish or 2 seperate dishes for 110/119 with the old Sat "C" kit and then use the older Hguhes/Channelmaster 4x4 multi-switch/combiner that was made for this type of set-up? ( I forgot the model number, I have one in my office somewhere )

I used a similar set-up for years before the 99/103 sats went on-line, I dunno if the 4x4 switch would mess up the switching to the Alaska/Hawaii SL3 type LNB.....

Just a thought....

My Alaska/Hawaii LNB is not a SWM. I'm only using one HR23 receiver and the setup I have works just fine for now. Unless DirecTv expands and makes things more complicated I will stay with what I have as long as it works.