Thunderstorm Signal Loss Question!

[charlesrshell]

Last night we lost signal from 110 on all our VIP722s due to a thunderstorm. Did not loose signal on our 625. Does anyone know why this situation would happen? I would think we should have lost signal on the 625 too. Could the coax length have something to do with it? Dish 1000+ coax length to the DPP44 switch is 85 feet. Coax length from the switch to three VIP722s is 45, 44, and 36 feet. Coax length from the switch to the 625 is 40 feet.

 

[JohnL]

Last night we lost signal from 110 on all our VIP722s due to a thunderstorm. Did not loose signal on our 625. Does anyone know why this situation would happen? I would think we should have lost signal on the 625 too. Could the coax length have something to do with it? Dish 1000+ coax length to the DPP44 switch is 85 feet. Coax length from the switch to three VIP722s is 45, 44, and 36 feet. Coax length from the switch to the 625 is 40 feet.

Charles,

Most of the Core SD channels are carried from 119. Its likely the channel you were watching on your SD receivers were coming from 119. Had you watched the handful of SD channels that are carried from 110 you would have had issues maintaining a signal lock on your SD receivers as well.

John

 

[charlesrshell]

Charles,

Most of the Core SD channels are carried from 119. Its likely the channel you were watching on your SD receivers were coming from 119. Had you watched the handful of SD channels that are carried from 110 you would have had issues maintaining a signal lock on your SD receivers as well.

John

No, I checked that when it happened. Our channel 5 SD in this area comes from 110 and HD from 118.7. I was watching channel 5 SD from the 625. The 722s had the signal loss.

 

[digital echo]

The FSS signal on 118.7 comes in better in rain?

 

[Hemi 6.1]

The FSS signal on 118.7 comes in better in rain?

I know thw 61.5 comes in better when its raining then the 119 or 110.

 

[charlesrshell]

I know thw 61.5 comes in better when its raining then the 119 or 110.

Yep, glad I have 61.5. Have to leave 129 disconnected. I sure hope they announce at team summit that the DPP64 switch is coming out.

 

[Hemi 6.1]

Last night we lost signal from 110 on all our VIP722s due to a thunderstorm. Did not loose signal on our 625. Does anyone know why this situation would happen?.

I'm not sure why this happends,But my Vip622 also goes out before my Vip 211.

 

[charlesrshell]

I'm not sure why this happends,But my Vip622 also goes out before my Vip 211.

Also the OTA antenna is connected direct to the 722s and couldn't get it to work either. Then the 722s went in to the check switch thing. The 625 never did loose signal.

 

[digital echo]

Being that the 61.5 is in the east and 119 and 110 both in the west where the storms are comming from. I am stumped on this, the shows you were watching are off diff sat's of course. Thats all i can think could be the problem.

 

[Hemi 6.1]

Being that the 61.5 is in the east and 119 and 110 both in the west where the storms are comming from. I am stumped on this, the shows you were watching are off diff sat's of course. Thats all i can think could be the problem.

That doesn't mean the storms don't move to the east from the west. Signal loss most likly would still happen. Just not right at the exact same time.

 

[vegassatellite]

Different receivers have different abilities when it comes to dealing with low signal-to-noise ratios. As you lose signal, the difference between the level of signal and the level of noise becomes closer. There is a threshold where the receiver can not make sense of the data and you will lose your lock on the signal at that point. The 625 either had a better tolerance for the reduced signal-to-noise or the signal-to-noise was not as affected on that particular run of coax.

Rain fade usually only occurs if the storm is real close. The higher the elevation of the satellite makes a difference. Here out west, I've seen rain fade more common on the 61.5 because of its low look angle, the signal is passing below 20,000 feet for quite some time before it reaches the dish. At 51 degrees, 119 and 110 are only below 20,000 feet for a short distance from dishes here in Phoenix. At a 45 degree angle a satellite signal moving below 20,000 feet would only move at a surface distance of about 4 miles.

 

[charlesrshell]

Different receivers have different abilities when it comes to dealing with low signal-to-noise ratios. As you lose signal, the difference between the level of signal and the level of noise becomes closer. There is a threshold where the receiver can not make sense of the data and you will lose your lock on the signal at that point. The 625 either had a better tolerance for the reduced signal-to-noise or the signal-to-noise was not as affected on that particular run of coax.

Rain fade usually only occurs if the storm is real close. The higher the elevation of the satellite makes a difference. Here out west, I've seen rain fade more common on the 61.5 because of its low look angle, the signal is passing below 20,000 feet for quite some time before it reaches the dish. At 51 degrees, 119 and 110 are only below 20,000 feet for a short distance from dishes here in Phoenix. At a 45 degree angle a satellite signal moving below 20,000 feet would only move at a surface distance of about 4 miles.

WOW, thanks vegassatellite. Good info. I would say that explains it then. When it happened, the 722s lost signal from 110 and 118.7, 119 and 61.5 were OK and 129 is disconnected. Then they went in to the check switch thing and of course I then lost 119 and 61.5. The 625 was pulling in everything OK. I wonder why the OTA wouldn't work too on the 722s! Thanks again.

 

[vegassatellite]

I wonder why the OTA wouldn't work too on the 722s! Thanks again.

From other people's posts on here, it seems that you can't watch OTA once you get the Acquiring Satellite message. However, if you already are watching OTA when the satellite signal is interrupted, then you can continue to watch it until you switch back to satellite during the interruption. That's what others are saying.

Here's a test you can try, since you seem to love experimenting:

Put a 722 on an OTA channel and then disconnect the satellite input from the box and see if you can continue watching OTA. Then switch over to a satellite feed and see if you can go back to OTA after seeing the error message.

 

[charlesrshell]

From other people's posts on here, it seems that you can't watch OTA once you get the Acquiring Satellite message. However, if you already are watching OTA when the satellite signal is interrupted, then you can continue to watch it until you switch back to satellite during the interruption. That's what others are saying.

Here's a test you can try, since you seem to love experimenting:

Put a 722 on an OTA channel and then disconnect the satellite input from the box and see if you can continue watching OTA. Then switch over to a satellite feed and see if you can go back to OTA after seeing the error message.

OK, I will try the test tomorrow. Got too much recording right now and Big Brother is on. I will post here tomorrow and let you know how the test went.

 

[JEFFinINDY]

From other people's posts on here, it seems that you can't watch OTA once you get the Acquiring Satellite message. However, if you already are watching OTA when the satellite signal is interrupted, then you can continue to watch it until you switch back to satellite during the interruption. That's what others are saying.

When the signal has gone out for me in storms, I press DVR and then press Guide, and can navigate to an OTA channel.

 

[charlesrshell]

When the signal has gone out for me in storms, I press DVR and then press Guide, and can navigate to an OTA channel.

JEFFinINDY, when I have lost signal in th past and used the guide method to navigate to the OTA channels, sometimes it worked and sometimes it didn't. I think it depends if the DVR is getting ready or is doing a self check switch procedure. I am not sure why, but I don't want that to happen again. I now have my OTA split going to the TV and DVR OTA in ports with an A/B switch at the main TV . This way if signal loss happens and going to the guide does not work for OTA, I just punch the A/B switch and bring in the OTA antenna signal to the TV. If that fails I punch another A/B switch at my head in area and distribute very basic cable TV service to all TVs. I try not to ever loose TV signal, keeps the wife happy.

 

[charlesrshell]

From other people's posts on here, it seems that you can't watch OTA once you get the Acquiring Satellite message. However, if you already are watching OTA when the satellite signal is interrupted, then you can continue to watch it until you switch back to satellite during the interruption. That's what others are saying.

Here's a test you can try, since you seem to love experimenting:

Put a 722 on an OTA channel and then disconnect the satellite input from the box and see if you can continue watching OTA. Then switch over to a satellite feed and see if you can go back to OTA after seeing the error message.

vegassatellite, I tried as you suggested. I disconnected the satellite signal at the separator on one of my VIP722s while it was on an OTA channel. I was able to continue to watch OTA. I switched to a satellite channel and then back to an OTA channel and it still worked. So I tried out all the OTA channels and it worked on all of them. I think I will take foil and cover all four LNBs on my 1000+ antenna to simulate a real signal lose. And then try out the OTA channels again and 61.5 to see how the DVR performs. It is raining out today so I will get it done this week and let you know. Any other test you want me to try out?

 

[vegassatellite]

Any other test you want me to try out?

If I think of any, I'll be sure to let you know.

 

[charlesrshell]

If I think of any, I'll be sure to let you know.

Did another signal loss test today. Covered all four LNBs on the 1000+ with foil. I only have OTA antenna coax connected directly to two 722s. The third 722 is to my kids room upstairs with only one coax. So I have modulated in signal from the other three DVRs diplexed to his room with the satellite coax. And I do not have any OTA signal going to the 625. I was able to access 61.5 channels on all receivers. On the two 722s with OTA antenna connected all channels kept working. Had the foil on for about ten minutes. Switched back and fourth from OTA to satellite channels several times. Had to navigate to the guide sometimes to change channels but it worked every time. I was surprised none of the receivers tried to do a check switch while I simulated the signal loss. Also when I removed the foil all four receivers immediately started working and did not do the check switch thing. How come that happened vegassatellite? Do receivers have to experience a signal loss for so long before they go into the check switch mode? Next time I have a real signal loss and the DVRs are in check switch mode I will see if the OTA channels keep working or not. Also, I met to see if during signal loss will the DVRs that have OTA still working can modulate that signal out or not. I will test that next time too. Also, does anyone know it the 625 has been updated by any chance to accept OTA antenna signal and if it blends in with the satellite guide like the 722 does?

 

[RandallA]

"Here out west, I've seen rain fade more common on the 61.5 because of its low look angle, the signal is passing below 20,000 feet for quite some time before it reaches the dish."

Same here. I setup 61.5 because of low signal problems with 129 here in California, guess what I kept losing signal on 61.5 when it was raining. 61.5 will actually go out faster than 129when raining.