How do you deal with snow

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When us desert-dwellers see it's white outSIDE, we grab our skis and make a run for the border! - :eek:


But, if you want to brain-storm a little, how 'bout an electrostatic shield that repels is as it falls toward your dish?
 
> Didn't I read somewhere in the forums that you can spray silicon or Pam on the dish to keep the ice and snow off it?

Pam is a BAD idea. I did that back in 2000 by the next summer I had mold on the dish.
 
I live about 35 miles from Stogie. We don't get much snow down here, and when we do, it usually melts before it accumulates. However, last December, we got a very big surprise. It snowed a couple of weeks before Christmas, and we got a 3 inch accumulation before it all melted later in the afternoon. Fortunately, the temps were a bit above freezing. If they'd been below freezing, I don't think this area knows how to deal with that much ice.

Here's the thread I posted about it last year with pictures...
 
If you think that was a white-out, o green one, you really are moisture deprived there in the land of fruits and nuts!

Right, Iceberg?

;)

That aint no white out :)

Here is a couple of the times I really had to clean out around the dishes ;)
 

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Snow is a GOOD thing. We got 5 or so inches in the last couple of days with almost no wind for a change. Everything has a wonderful white blanket. It keeps the topsoil from blowing to South Dakota when those Alberta clippers roll through. Still really warm, in the teens most of the day.

I've been waiting for two years to burn this big brush pile 50 yards west of the barn. The barn has a wood shake roof and I didn't want any embers blowing onto it. So at 8:30 this morning I lit the pile (with some help from the dog and 2 gallons of diesel) , still burning at 8:30 pm. And, only the brush pile is burning.

Snow is a GOOD thing.
 
A dusting is in my forecast tomorrow night, or into Saturday morning, so we shall see. Usually amounts to not even any rain when they say that down here.
 
The average winter here features about 130 inches of snowfall. Never have much trouble with accumulation on offset dishes, I just mount them high enough keep them from being buried. My 12 foot Orbitron deep dish is another matter, but I can often clear it without even going outside.

While watching from a window, FM remote in hand, I motor it over to the east limit. Then I bump it west a click, stop for a fraction of a second, bump it west again, stop again. The idea is to get the snow laden dish and the pole it is mounted on to sway at its natural resonance. Time the bumps just right and the effect can be quite dramatic. If it is a particularly heavy load of wet snow, and it all falls off the dish at once, I can actually feel the ground shake - great fun.
 
Yep, use a broom, gently. If it's light fluffy stuff, use a leaf blower. If I know an Ice Storm is coming, lay large plastic bags on the dish.

Go out with a broom and remove the snow. You can do it while it's snowing then do it again when it's done. Keep the dish low in elevation if it's movable till the storm ends that helps too. No biggie been doing it for 22 winters :D

I agree with Lak and Tvropro. This will be my 26th winter with the "Big Boy."
 
There was a squeegee laying under the large dish attached to a 20ft or so stick. My truck beside it sits at 12' 3".
 

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it wasn't much

By 7am it was already melting away fast!
By afternoon it's almost all gone.
 

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Where do you get a plastic bag big enought for a primestar ?

Where do you get a plastic bag big enought for a primestar ?

-
 
I honestly use a broom. We had snow a few days ago, and it first started falling as freezing rain, so you get a crust that the snow sits on top of. I brush the snow off with a broom and let the sun melt the crust.
 
Go to Lowe's and buy some contractor trash bags. Used to have them sometimes when I worked for the park service. We called them 'body bags' because they're big enough to use for that! Im sure you could fit a primestar in one.
 
I just used the broom today to clean off the 6 footer. Had probably 2 inches of fluffy snow on it
 
We are finally supposed to get some snow! :eek: So far this winter season we only got a inch or 2 here and there which is well below normal. The "Lake Effect Snow Machine" is going to kick into gear over the next couple of days. The wind direction determines which areas will get pounded and which ones are spared. Usually New York state lakeshore counties (towards Buffalo) get hit first and then when the wind shifts the snow bands will move to a different area like northwestern PA. The weather gal is predicting up to 2 feet of snow out of this. The bad thing is that this time of year the temperature will be just right where the snow will be wet and heavy plus metal (like on BUDs and dishes) will be cold enough to freeze. This causes an ice layer that is nearly impossible to remove and it sure downgrades reception especially Ku band and knocks it out a lot of times. As winter rolls on and the lake gets colder and eventually it will freeze over, the snow gets drier and lighter which is easy to remove. Last years wet lake effect snow squalls knocked my reception out at least 8 times!:rant:
 
I don't bother with snow. I don't like snow. I like it better than ices and sleet and slush, but I'd rather be in Florida right now!

It is - 4.0 degrees F here right now and I am surrounded by snow! My car is buried and I can't even walk out to the mailbox without wading through drifts up over my hips.

I went out to my car and lost a shoe. Called in the farmer to open my driveway. Hope it remains open! I am counting on the wind not blowing. It is really nasty, but, for all of it, I know that we got the least of the storm!

Now how do you like those apples? :)

My Mother even called me to see if I was alright. It is bad out here, but evidently it is even worse in town for her.

I am sure glad that I stopped at the gas station on my way home the other day and bought plenty of...BEER! LOL!

I always make fun in a bad situation. What the heck else are you going to do about it? And how could I complain? I have food, I have water, it's warm inside, I have warm clothes if I want to go outside. No body comes to my door to sell me anything (Wahoo!).

I have TV and radio and get to talk to all of you! :up

Yep! This is ok with me! I like it just fine.

I am glad that all of you are around, I probably wouldn't like being stuck at home alone. You all make it worth while. I have someone to talk with while I am stuck here. And, may I say that I enjoy being: "stuck in the middle with you". Eh, some of you will get that, some won't. But, I have plenty of time.

Take care everyone! And thanks for keeping me company here! :up

Gordy
 
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