OT: DirecTV, cloudy day, no signal???

[Eddie]

Sup guys, this is my first time with DirecTV and satellite television.

So is it true about cloudy days and unreceivable signals? I'm ready to flip out.

Cloudy day here in NY. No satellite signal.

Sky better clear by 4pm or else I'm gonna rip the satellite off the roof and toss it in the street. :bang2:

 

[BlueWave]

Not just clouds. Check your signal meter. You may have to change transponders to one with a stronger signal. If you cannot find one in the nineties, you will probably have to readjust the actual satalite. It should only go out in downpours, or right before a downpour.

 

[BlueWave]

To check you satalite signal, go to menu and you will see it.

 

[AsthmaField]

It should only go out in downpours, or right before a downpour.

Right. It should only go out if the clouds are very, very thick, like just before a storm or during a storm. Usually the signal will go out for 15-30 min. because there just usually aren't storms that last that long.

If the signal is out from it just being overcast... well, then something else entirely is wrong. It isn't the clouds.

 

[Reality]

Not just clouds. Check your signal meter. You may have to change transponders to one with a stronger signal. If you cannot find one in the nineties, you will probably have to readjust the actual satalite. It should only go out in downpours, or right before a downpour.

I agree with BlueWave .. I have a 95 signal strength and the ONLY time I ever lose signal is about 60 seconds before a downpour and it usually only lasts up to 5-10 minutes at most.

Definitely do as BW suggested and check your signal strength, then check signal strengths to other transponders to see if you can do better with them. If your signal strength is below 80 on every transponder, your dish is most likely not aligned correctly OR its view is being obstructed by something such as trees.

 

[Jarv]

Yep, I'm in the NE too Eddie. I'm getting a signal this morning. Don't know if you still have cable, but the game is being played on local channel 5 outta NY.

 

[Nors]

I'm also in New England. Have a clear shot and a 94 transponder. Its aligned right but I lose it when it rains or snows.

Any thoughts?

So far so good today - full reception but its dreary out there.

 

[tyke1doe]

I'm getting directv installed today.

Questions:

-for TIVO/DVR do you need a permanent line from the DVR to the phone jack? Or is it temporarily needed for calibration?

- how long does it take to install? four rooms?

- did any of you get the protection plan - $7.99 a month in case of some necessary repair? If you need, did it come in handy? If not, why not? I have it free for a month then the charges begin. I'm wondering whether I should keep it or not.

Thanks.



I'm getting the Sunday Ticket package free for premium service for four months ($89 a month for four rooms).

 

[Rush 2112]

I've had DTV for 4-5 years now. Rain/snow never phased it in Manhattan. High winds caused me to lose signal on 4-5 occassions for 5-10 mins.

I've got wireless connection so you don't need phone line.

 

[jksmith269]

The newer dishes that are being used now days don't lose their picture as quickly or should I say it takes more "interfeerence" to lose the signal. I live just north of Richmond Va and it rained yesterday and all day friday with solid cloud cover (what you guys in NE are getting today) and never lost my siginal once. My brother with a older dish used to lose his signal if a bird flew over head. J\J but you get the point so he had a new dish installed and he no longer has that problem.


For the dvr you will need a phone line connected to get the updates that are downloaded. Atleast Mine has to have one. I get downloads weekly. and it takes about 1 hour per room if they don't need to run any new wires this includes them calling and getting your system activated and the system downloading its programming.

 

[Chevyman08]

I have never lost a signal due to clouds. The only time that I have lost a siganal is during heavy rains. You need to check your signal and adjust your dish position. Go to menu, dish pointing, and the directions on the screen will show you how to do it.

Hope it works out for you.

 

[MinnesotaCowboy]

I had been having problems with my DTV which I have had for about 4 years now. During that period I had never had anything checked. Cloudy and rainy days proved disasterous for any successful viewing. Called in a local guy and he found I was at 89 and my dish was a little loose and offline. He also stated my receiver (a Sony) was outdated and probably was the cause of all my problems. He said the newer receivers were much better! Anyway he set up on transponder 12 and after numerous adjustments he had me reading 96 when he left which he stated was better than his newest receiver! This was 3 weeks ago.....twice it was raining or unusally cloudy and once even during a thunderstorm and the DTV was only disturbed for a few minutes (during the thunderstorm). I find the higher number channels get the best reception! I am now one happy camper!

 

[Tricked]

i've never had no signal just because it was cloudy... the only time i've had no signal was when it was raining REALLY hard

 

[jterrell]

I lose power to the house right after I have lost the DTV signal. 5 years ago it kinda sucked but now worst case it cycles to another transponder.

 

[MinnesotaCowboy]

I forgot to tell you that it cost me $60 and he was at my place for about 45 minutes. He also stated you can now get new receivers for about $80. I was told a couple of years ago that a new one was about $250!

 

[twa]

I'm also in New England. Have a clear shot and a 94 transponder. Its aligned right but I lose it when it rains or snows.

Any thoughts?

So far so good today - full reception but its dreary out there.

Might be the location allows too much rain or snow between transponder and dish...Have you tried a cover?

 

[Yeagermeister]

I switched from DTV to cable because of losing signal all the time and because The Ticket was too expensive. So far I have been lucky that all of our games have been shown locally.

 

[silverbear]

I'm also in New England. Have a clear shot and a 94 transponder. Its aligned right but I lose it when it rains or snows.

Nors, you WILL lose signal if snow accumulates on your dish... I recently learned a way to combat that, though-- spray it with Pam... I'm anxious to check out whether or not that works...

Really, I only occasionally lose the signal, and then for a fairly short time... as has been noted, this is almost always during severe rain events... but there is one time you'll be at risk for losing your signal, even on a clear day, when we experience solar flares... these are most common in the spring and fall (don't know why)...

 

[DLK150]

Nors, you WILL lose signal if snow accumulates on your dish... I recently learned a way to combat that, though-- spray it with Pam... I'm anxious to check out whether or not that works...

Really, I only occasionally lose the signal, and then for a fairly short time... as has been noted, this is almost always during severe rain events... but there is one time you'll be at risk for losing your signal, even on a clear day, when we experience solar flares... these are most common in the spring and fall (don't know why)...

I thought of the Pam spray, and also wondered whether or not teflon or silicone lubricant would work.

We have the same issue with heavy rain, but it's usually when the rain is to the south in the path of the signal. We've had bad storms pass directly north of us and not affect the signal. With snow, we only have issues if it's the kind of wet snow you get when it's right around freezing or just below. Ours is mounted right by the edge of our roof about 14 feet off the ground. I use a roof rake that I made a "dish cleaner" for using a mop. The handle for the roof rake is 15 feet long, so I just snap my mop head attachment on and wipe the dish off.

I remember reading something some time ago that said one of the reasons for increased solar activity during the spring and fall was the angle of the earth's axis relative to the sun during fall and spring. The axis is tilted to begin with and wobbles on it, and when it wobbles more to the south during these times of the year it exposes the earth to more solar activity, or something along those lines. It was cited as a possible reason for increased activity of the aurora borealis during those seasons. Don't hold me to that though.