Warmer Weather & Most Satellites Back, WHY?

[jsattv]

Today Temps rose in Winnipeg to a balmy -15 degrees Celcius, (previously all last week up to yesterday it had been -30 degrees). Also it was very windy this Afternoon. I could see the Dish shaking a bit on the roof. This evening the winds died down, & we had a very clear sky (could see the stars). I was able to pick up dozens of channels on IA5 95.0W, so I checked other Satellites from AMC-5 79.0W, AMC -5, AMC-3, IA-8, IA-6, Galaxy 3-C, all the way over to Galaxy 10-R 123.0W and was able to pick up most channels again - that I could NOT get when it was
- 30 degrees!! For most Sats S = 65 and Q = 35 - 40. I am still having problems trying to pull in any channels on SBS-6 74.0W.

Except for SBS-6, I am very happy about this situation but, does anyone have any ideas why just an approx 20 degrees in warmer temps could cause the 1 meter Fortec Dish to track most of the Satellites much better again?

 

[Anole]

too cold for ya ?

Better get it a blanket...and a heating pad.

No, wait! How 'bout a radome ?


...so, the problems of your previous thread, with the beautiful pictures, is all cured now??

 

[jsattv]

Anole, maybe I'll need to send some heat up there. The problem is not completely fixed, since anything East of AMC-5 79.0W is just not coming in so far. Also since Iceberg & others posted about the great wild feeds on SBS - 6 74.0W, I would love to capture it again. It's a very interesting Bird & I did have it before, along with ONN, but can't seem to get it at all now. I'm still thinking given my Low Q values - (nothing much above 50), that the Dish Elevation may need a very slight tweak, but only when it gets much warmer. Thanks for the comments on the pics, and what's a radome??

 

[bryansr]

Thanks for the comments on the pics, and what's a radome??

A RADOME is a FIBERGLASS (usually) structure that cover dishes to prevent weather related problems at the receiving side of of a dish. It is tuned to allow the radio waves to pass thru it. They commonly use them on Airplanes, although they can also be used to disguise or hide a dish.

BryanSR

 

[jsattv]

Bryansr, thanks for the info on Radome. (Should have clicked on Anole's defination, and I would have known). Sounds like I need one.

 

[Hermitman]

If your roof mount is correctly installed, it may be your house. Not knowing how your house is constructed, here's a few ideas what may happen. A house is not a solid object, but moves with the effects of temperature. Example: If the north side of your house has 1/8 inch more frost heave than the south side, that 1/8 inch is exaggerated on the peak of the roof, tilting the mounting pole. Example: If you have one of the antenna support poles secured to a piece of plywood under the shingles, that piece of plywood could actually be warping at extreme cold, again tilting the mounting pole off plumb. Example: Wood in a house expands and contracts depending on the temperature and humidity. Certain supporting wood structures of your house may be contracting to a point that the house shifts, again tilting the mounting pole. Unfortunately, the only way to know for sure is to get an accurate protractor and check the mounting pole for plumb at various temperatures, not something real fun below zero. I hope it's something else. Whatever it is, have fun.

 

[dem0nlord]

It could also be LO stability, this will vary a lot with temp in cheap LNBs, I hear as much as 1.5mhz, compared to 150khz for my Norsats, but they are about $125 each also.

 

[jsattv]

It could also be LO stability, this will vary a lot with temp in cheap LNBs, I hear as much as 1.5mhz, compared to 150khz for my Norsats, but they are about $125 each also.

Hermitman, we used cedar fence posts tapered to the pitch in the roof to install the ground mount for the Fortec Dish on the roof. It was perfectly level in December. I'm hoping that the House didn't shift enough in the cold weather to cause leveling problems. But as you mentioned the only way to know for sure is to go up there which I'm not too keen to do right now. See posted pics when Dish was mounted in Dec and last week's pic in the snow.

Dem0nLord, we used the Invacom LNB for the Fortec Dish, would it have a problem with cold weather?

 

[Mr Tony]

I dont think its the LNB. I've used an Invacom with no issues weasther wise. I stopped using it because it hung down too low so it would hit my roof on the far east & west satellites

 

[SatelliteAV]

Iceburg,

Did you ever consider turning the LNBF 180 degrees so the housing would not hit the roof? The increased height should not shadow the reflector .... Just a thought .....

 

[Mr Tony]

nah. I ended up selling it and went with a KU/DBS 2 LNB setup. Plus the lNB was pulling on the holder fo the 76cm dish so my signals were affected

I have a Invacom that is attached to my p* dish right now but that dish isnt up (too cold & snowy right now)