Blizzard of the year, yet no fade

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taxtwit

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Rain/snow fade has been far and away my biggest beef with BEV in the last year or so, so I was expecting the worst when the biggest winter storm we've had in years hit Edmonton yesterday, yet I didn't lose signal for a single minute. In fact, in the middle of the worst of it, I checked signal strengths and was getting near 100 on several 91 transponders and 90+ on a couple of 82s. Not sure if BEV has changed anything with their birds lately, but kudos if they have :)

Anyone else notice a decrease in rain/snow fade signal loss lately?
 
I think you would run into more of a problem if their uplink site had a bad storm. I totally agree though, the rain fade issue has more to do with the installation than the technology.
 
I do think you have made a incorrect assumption, yes a poor install will have it's issues, though due to the ku/ka-band freq and the laws of physics even a 4.5 meter solid dish tuned with a spectrum analyser will have rain fade in a heavy down poor, this is why most big name broadcasters use C-band over ku-band for distribution purposes, as rain has some if not no affect on C-band transmissions and is best for cable co's and satellite company's at there receive sites.

In my 25 years of using a C-band dish I have never lost reception with rain or snow falls, though with my 15 plus years of watching ku-band on my 10' dish and the 3 years I have had ku on my 1.1 meter Patriot I have lost Ku-band reception numerous times and this will continue as it is the nature of the beast.

Best way to limit rain fade is to use a larger quality reflector with a proper installation.
 
... or sticks to the dishes in Scarborough, ON ...

(sorry, couldn't resist)
 
Blizzards often tend to be very close to the ground, so the signal doesn't go through a lot of snow. It's a snow event that has heavy snow, which extends up a long ways that is the source of signal issues. Same for rain.
 
The big monster thunderhead clouds (that go up to 40,000 feet) usually block the signal. They're common here on the prairies in the summer. I've seen them cause fades on professionally installed BEV and StarChoice systems.
 
I've been without service since late yesterday afternoon here in Mississauga.
I do have a bit of snow on the dish, I guess I should send the wife out to clear it off!
LOL, just kidding!
 
There are certain dish covers that would save you those problems
See:http://www.installateur.ca/design/tiFRENCH-FINAL.jpg

Some client put some PAM cooking spray on their dish and say that it works

Some have used lubicant, like Jigaloo and said that it helped

Other have used car wax, the paste in the white container, apparantly the otehr are not working, but this one does

The next time you moove you might want to consider installing the dish next to a window, or on a balcony were it's easily accessible so that you could remove the snow on the dish and get your reception back right away
 
I've had satellite for almost 8 years now and I don't recall ever losing signal during any snow storm. It's those big monster Summer thunderstorms, when the sky turns really black, that cause problems. Fortunately those are few and far between, at least here in Southern Ontario.

-Mike
 
This was the first time I've ever had that problem. I stood on a ladder with a broom & gently cleared it off, but for some reason I'm still not getting channel 405 Sportsnet Ontario.
I may try car wax in the summer time & see if that works.
 
It turns out I had to update the software on my 3100's.
I have more snow & ice on the dish right now but better reception than during last week's storm.
 
yea storm in T.O is pretty bad right now. I cant see a thing out there.. its coming down really hard. Funny thing.. My dish thats really high on the roof doesnt collect snow( main dish). It all blows away.. yet my Second dish on back of the house ( relatively low off the ground) collects snow constantly! ( Good thing it only feeds my 6100 thats in a spare room)
 
I'm in Mississauga and my 2nd dish (at the rear of the house over my deck) is full of snow. I'm working from home today and I will have to get at it with a broom (as this dish feeds my 6100,) (and I want to watch the HABS crush the Leaf$ in HD tonight).
 
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