Henry
Silver Member
We use heated satellite dishes on the railroad I work for in snowy places like up-state New York. Reliability is very good.
Do you protect your satellite dish from snow?
- Thread starter RedDirt
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RedDirt
Gold Member
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Good ideas here. Thanks guys.
When I first hosed off the dish I still had no signal, went back out and found snow remaining on the feed horn. When that was hosed off signal returned.
I think I'll try a landscape sprinkler system with a few strategically placed nozzles (and a drain down valve). I have an existing hose bib several feet from the dish. Dish heaters are fairly expensive and don't heat the horn/LNB holder. I think the spray will.
I also remembered my wildblue account has a dial-up feature. I can always go back to that for short lived snow problems. I live at the low snow line so we don't get much (anymore-I'da told you 20 years ago global warming was real!) and its gone fairly quickly.
When I first hosed off the dish I still had no signal, went back out and found snow remaining on the feed horn. When that was hosed off signal returned.
I think I'll try a landscape sprinkler system with a few strategically placed nozzles (and a drain down valve). I have an existing hose bib several feet from the dish. Dish heaters are fairly expensive and don't heat the horn/LNB holder. I think the spray will.
I also remembered my wildblue account has a dial-up feature. I can always go back to that for short lived snow problems. I live at the low snow line so we don't get much (anymore-I'da told you 20 years ago global warming was real!) and its gone fairly quickly.
WarrenF
Gold Member
Having installed more than four hundred Wildblue systems, and more than two hundred Direcway or Hughsnet systems, I have a couple of thoughts.
First of all if you are in an area that gets heavy wet snow, you will have more difficulty than those of us who get the fluffy stuff.
Second....It is my experience that many of the problems with rain fade/snow accumulation can be attributed to poor quality of install. Please don't conclude that I am an "expert." I have seen much.
For those of you considering purchasing a satellite based, broadband internet system....please listen carefully. Mounting high on a roof is a very bad idea. If you ever have to get to the thing for snow clean out.....good luck. Just because you allow the installer to convince you to mount it there....doesn't mean you will get a "better" signal.....all things considered....I.E., line of sight issues.
The angle the dish is looking is NOT the angle that the signal "hits" the dish. Consider the reflection angle the signal takes to focus into the feed horn. Many times what is above the dish is more important than what is in front of the dish. Some that are mounted under and eave....even though they may have a good line of sight....may experience problems because the eave may be covering up a good portion of your signal.
Some of you may be having trouble because there may be 90 degree bends in the cable, or poorly installed connectors. That will cause problems for the two way internet systems more so than the DBS or receive only television systems. These problems may only show up when there is moisture in the dish.
Others of you may be having problems because you have equipment that is performing marginally....again showing up the most when there is moisture in the dish. Think of it this way. You may get some bad fuel in your tractor. It may run okay until you put it under load.
My experience is this. Have the dish mounted where it is high enough that the grand kids cannot use it for a basketball backboard, and yet low enough that you can reach it with a clean out tool. Have someone who knows double check and make sure the dish has not moved....even an eighth of an inch. (they will move in a good windstorm)....Also demand that there is a ground block and ground strap properly placed in the system. If you don't see one...it probably isn't there. The ground is there to bleed off static electricity. I have seen that create many problems because static electricity likes to ride the cable down and then raise all sorts of problems with the control voltages.
Finally....and I say this with great trepidation....if any of you would like to check your Wildblue system and see if it is operating and performing properly....On the back of your modem is a Mac address number. If you would PM me, I can check and see if it is operating properly by some of the numbers that we monitor for quality of install. Trust me, I cannot see your computer or where you are surfing or anything like that....I can only see the performance of your internet system.
For those of you with Direcway/Hughesnet systems....I cannot check those. I would simply say, it is my experience that this system is one of the most consumer unfriendly I have installed....so Good luck....
First of all if you are in an area that gets heavy wet snow, you will have more difficulty than those of us who get the fluffy stuff.
Second....It is my experience that many of the problems with rain fade/snow accumulation can be attributed to poor quality of install. Please don't conclude that I am an "expert." I have seen much.
For those of you considering purchasing a satellite based, broadband internet system....please listen carefully. Mounting high on a roof is a very bad idea. If you ever have to get to the thing for snow clean out.....good luck. Just because you allow the installer to convince you to mount it there....doesn't mean you will get a "better" signal.....all things considered....I.E., line of sight issues.
The angle the dish is looking is NOT the angle that the signal "hits" the dish. Consider the reflection angle the signal takes to focus into the feed horn. Many times what is above the dish is more important than what is in front of the dish. Some that are mounted under and eave....even though they may have a good line of sight....may experience problems because the eave may be covering up a good portion of your signal.
Some of you may be having trouble because there may be 90 degree bends in the cable, or poorly installed connectors. That will cause problems for the two way internet systems more so than the DBS or receive only television systems. These problems may only show up when there is moisture in the dish.
Others of you may be having problems because you have equipment that is performing marginally....again showing up the most when there is moisture in the dish. Think of it this way. You may get some bad fuel in your tractor. It may run okay until you put it under load.
My experience is this. Have the dish mounted where it is high enough that the grand kids cannot use it for a basketball backboard, and yet low enough that you can reach it with a clean out tool. Have someone who knows double check and make sure the dish has not moved....even an eighth of an inch. (they will move in a good windstorm)....Also demand that there is a ground block and ground strap properly placed in the system. If you don't see one...it probably isn't there. The ground is there to bleed off static electricity. I have seen that create many problems because static electricity likes to ride the cable down and then raise all sorts of problems with the control voltages.
Finally....and I say this with great trepidation....if any of you would like to check your Wildblue system and see if it is operating and performing properly....On the back of your modem is a Mac address number. If you would PM me, I can check and see if it is operating properly by some of the numbers that we monitor for quality of install. Trust me, I cannot see your computer or where you are surfing or anything like that....I can only see the performance of your internet system.
For those of you with Direcway/Hughesnet systems....I cannot check those. I would simply say, it is my experience that this system is one of the most consumer unfriendly I have installed....so Good luck....
turnkey4099
Elite Member
DavidVT said:
Yep, I did try it. Works great! No snow at all on the dish. Of course I did have to keep the snow brushed off the cover.
Seriously: I did try it and results were exactly that. Keep the snow off the cover or no signal.
Harry K
4720 OWNER
Gold Member
Alright, have trouble with the rain. Seems like the rain gets between the horn and the receiver more than the rain blocking the signal, was considering just using a plastic bag(?). Then could decorate for each holiday.
Could be rain on Mon here. Special, and then back into the freezer.
Could be rain on Mon here. Special, and then back into the freezer.
