Now that we're getting afternoon storms here in Atlanta I've noticed a problem that seems to mostly just affect the mpeg4 channels. Whenever it's about to rain, even if it's just cloudy, these channels all go out. The mpeg2 channels work almost 100% of the time when it's raining. I've looked at the signal strength of all the satellites, but I'm not sure which transponders I need to be looking at on the non 110/119 satellites. Most of the strengths are extremely low, but I'm not sure which ones are used for national HD and which ones are spotbeams. Is there a list of this somewhere?
Only mpeg4 channels go out in rain
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^I live in the Daytona area and I was having the same problems you are. I'd lose my HD/mpeg4 channels in light rain. I recently had my dish repeaked and it made a world of difference. Today it started raining as usual and I had a clean picture until it started raining ultra hard.
I believe you should be looking at the 103(c) satellite (this is the sat the tech guy looked at when he was diagnosing prob). I have the HR20-700 box.
I believe you should be looking at the 103(c) satellite (this is the sat the tech guy looked at when he was diagnosing prob). I have the HR20-700 box.
I have read that the Atlanta HD locals are on the 103 satellite as are many of the newer MPEG4 HD channels. The local spot beams are on the 103(a) or 103(s) depending on how shown in the receiver. The national beams are on 103(b) or 103(c) again depending on how shown in the receiver.
I am located in SW Georgia and installed myself, and seldom have rain fade. My readings on the 103(b) range from 93 to 97 on a clear day.
Readings on the 103(a) are 1-6=0; 7-14 NA; 15=65, 16=93, 17=97, 18=87, 19=0, 20=94, 21=0, 22=0, 23=69, 24=0, 25-32=NA.
I don't know which transponder carries the Atlanta locals. Have searched forums and Goggled to try to find out but DTV is keeping this type of info very quiet.
Anyway, I hope this helps. Would appreciate if you would post or PM me with your 103(a) or 103(s) transponder signal readings. I am curious if you have any transponders active which I don't receive. Have been thinking about "moving" to the Atlanta area to receive their locals as DTV has none in my area.
I am located in SW Georgia and installed myself, and seldom have rain fade. My readings on the 103(b) range from 93 to 97 on a clear day.
Readings on the 103(a) are 1-6=0; 7-14 NA; 15=65, 16=93, 17=97, 18=87, 19=0, 20=94, 21=0, 22=0, 23=69, 24=0, 25-32=NA.
I don't know which transponder carries the Atlanta locals. Have searched forums and Goggled to try to find out but DTV is keeping this type of info very quiet.
Anyway, I hope this helps. Would appreciate if you would post or PM me with your 103(a) or 103(s) transponder signal readings. I am curious if you have any transponders active which I don't receive. Have been thinking about "moving" to the Atlanta area to receive their locals as DTV has none in my area.
The channels are in Ka-band which is about 20 times more susceptible to "rain fade" than the other channels are.
You're going to have to get a tech out to aim it as well as possible.
If that cannot work you might try switching to DISH Network which does not use Ka-band for its HD service (in fact they went backward and use something even older than DBS).
You're going to have to get a tech out to aim it as well as possible.
If that cannot work you might try switching to DISH Network which does not use Ka-band for its HD service (in fact they went backward and use something even older than DBS).
You beat me to it. The higher the frequency, the less it will penetrate objects (including clouds and rain).
Hmm, if that's somewhat to be expected I don't know if I'll keep D* when I buy a house, damn I really like it 
. I'm in a DirecPath serviced apartment complex, so I guess I'd have to call them and hope they'll come look at the sole dish. Wouldn't be surprised if noone else has complained, I gather not many people here have HD service because when they upgraded to MHF-2 the installer told me that I'm using the only 3 active jacks on the SWM in my building... leaving 5 open jacks for the other 8 units in my building! Signal strengths are as follows:
99c - 14 transponders, upper 80s to low 90s on all, fine
99s - 6 transponders but this is the new bird correct? I'm getting anywhere from 0% to 40% on each
101 - all transponders above 90% except 2 in the mid 80s, fine
103s - 16 transponders, 0% on 1-6, mid 90s on 15/16/17/20/23, 33% on 18, 0% on 19/21/22/24
103c - 16 transponders, mid 80s to upper 90s on all, fine
110 - 3 transponders, upper 80s to low 90s, fine
119 - 11 transponders, 23/25/29 are 0%, 31 is 45%, all others 99% or 100%
For some reason SWM shows up with 8 transponders at 100% each
. I'm in a DirecPath serviced apartment complex, so I guess I'd have to call them and hope they'll come look at the sole dish. Wouldn't be surprised if noone else has complained, I gather not many people here have HD service because when they upgraded to MHF-2 the installer told me that I'm using the only 3 active jacks on the SWM in my building... leaving 5 open jacks for the other 8 units in my building! Signal strengths are as follows:99c - 14 transponders, upper 80s to low 90s on all, fine
99s - 6 transponders but this is the new bird correct? I'm getting anywhere from 0% to 40% on each
101 - all transponders above 90% except 2 in the mid 80s, fine
103s - 16 transponders, 0% on 1-6, mid 90s on 15/16/17/20/23, 33% on 18, 0% on 19/21/22/24
103c - 16 transponders, mid 80s to upper 90s on all, fine
110 - 3 transponders, upper 80s to low 90s, fine
119 - 11 transponders, 23/25/29 are 0%, 31 is 45%, all others 99% or 100%
For some reason SWM shows up with 8 transponders at 100% each
Hmm, if that's somewhat to be expected I don't know if I'll keep D* when I buy a house, damn I really like it
99c - 14 transponders, upper 80s to low 90s on all, fine
99s - 6 transponders but this is the new bird correct? I'm getting anywhere from 0% to 40% on each
101 - all transponders above 90% except 2 in the mid 80s, fine
103s - 16 transponders, 0% on 1-6, mid 90s on 15/16/17/20/23, 33% on 18, 0% on 19/21/22/24
103c - 16 transponders, mid 80s to upper 90s on all, fine
110 - 3 transponders, upper 80s to low 90s, fine
119 - 11 transponders, 23/25/29 are 0%, 31 is 45%, all others 99% or 100%
For some reason SWM shows up with 8 transponders at 100% each
Your number look fine for the most part.
I would not be concerned at all with the low numbers on the 99s, that is a spot beam and you are not close enough to the location it is trying to service.
Everyone has low numbers on the spotbeam sat, unless it's YOUR city it effects.
The same goes for the 103s.
The 99 and 103 C you should have good signals on, here again, maybe not all transponders.
119, there is not a whole lot on the 119 so I would not expect all transponders to be active.
Jimbo
Well I lost my signal today on my slimline for 25 minutes, "Heavy Rain" Longest since the Ice storm in 2004. That one snapped my dish!
But firstime ever My Dish 500 was out less time then my Slimline 18 minutes. I better call D* for an a justment.
But firstime ever My Dish 500 was out less time then my Slimline 18 minutes. I better call D* for an a justment.
Ah yes, I mixed up 99s and 99c, also found a list to make sure I don't have anything on 99s and with those 99c numbers looks like I'm all set for new HD! 
:
I guess all I can do then is complain to DirecPath and see if they can do anything. I've had DirecTV several times on and off since it was new, and I've just never had channels go out in the rain like the mpeg-4 channels do. I don't even know where the dish is located on the property, they might have been stupid and put it up with trees in the line of sight, who knows!
: I guess all I can do then is complain to DirecPath and see if they can do anything. I've had DirecTV several times on and off since it was new, and I've just never had channels go out in the rain like the mpeg-4 channels do. I don't even know where the dish is located on the property, they might have been stupid and put it up with trees in the line of sight, who knows!
Why,
If you had a severe storm , that is to be expected, it will come back as soon as the storm rolls thru.
Definatly better than cable line being taken down and waiting 3 days for service.
I only lose signal once or twice a year and it's only when it's a very severe storm, ya know the kind where the women tell you to shut everything off and god forbid don't be on the phone ....
I think I lost my signal this year for about 10-15 minutes during a storm we had, thats the longest I can remeber ever being out.
I tell them thats why I have battery backups and stuff to prevent that and that a cordless phone is safe.
Jimbo
I think I lost my signal this year for about 10-15 minutes during a storm we had, thats the longest I can remeber ever being out.
I tell them thats why I have battery backups and stuff to prevent that and that a cordless phone is safe.
Jimbo
I watch the prerecorded shows on the DVR therefore if a storm comes it will not affect what you are watching, only content that is being recorded when the rainfade is occurring.
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