"Rahinshield": Does it work?

[chgocolt]

Last winter I had several issues with snow and ice build up on my dish. It's on the roof of a condo building with restricted access so it's not easy to get up there and clear it. I saw something call "Rainshield" at Best Buy that is supposed to make the surface super slippery to repel rain and snow. Has anyone tried it? Is it waste of time/money or does it appear to work?

 

[Joe Diamond]

Last winter I had several issues with snow and ice build up on my dish. It's on the roof of a condo building with restricted access so it's not easy to get up there and clear it. I saw something call "Rainshield" at Best Buy that is supposed to make the surface super slippery to repel rain and snow. Has anyone tried it? Is it waste of time/money or does it appear to work?

They do work......or at least help. PAM, the spray shortening, is cheaper and a black trash black stretched firmly over the whole dish and arm also work.

Nothing will prevent fade from the storm itself. Atmospheric conditions between the satellite and dish just block the signal for brief periods. Note your signal on a clear day and you can almost predict the weather coming from the SW.

Joe

 

[Jimbo]

Rain Shield, Dome majic, whatever, they all do the same thing and don't work/ last, at least in my opinion.

I have tried several and they just run off the dish, Pam included.
I came to the conclusion that I was wasting my time.

If your in a high Snow area, look into a Dish Heater, with or without a thermostat.

 

[talos4]

The problem with PAM is that after some time it actually contributes to the accumulation of dirt and grime on the dish leading to the signal degrading somewhat.

PAM is essentially oil. After a while it loses it's slick properties and turns sticky and gooey and instead of repelling it attracts dirt.

 

[randyk47]

My experience, at least in Virginia, was not the rain on the dish but how heavy it was raining and/or the presence of heavy thunderstorms. In the four years I had service in Northern Virginia I can only remember one snow storm that actually impacted reception and it was coming down so heavily that I couldn't see more than 10'-15' outside. Snow and ice building up on my dish was never a problem thank goodness as the dish was three stories up and there was no way I could reach it. You may not think of Virginia as a major snow area but our last winter there was 2003 and we got 44" of snow in about a 4-5 week period in February and early March.

 

[Mr Tony]

Rain Shield, Dome majic, whatever, they all do the same thing and don't work/ last, at least in my opinion.

agreed. I know some people swear by it (probably because they sell it) but I tried some and it didnt do anything to help with rain fade

A bigger dish did

 

[ddobson]

You have to remember. There are 2 reasons you loose signal. First the storm itself interfering with the signal between the satellite and the dish. The only thing that could help this is more power or a larger dish to pick up the signal better. Nothing much you can do to prevent this one.

However the second reason you can lose signal is the rain, ice or snow collecting in your dish (yes rain does during heavy downpours) and that collection of precipitation actually changes the reflectivity focus of your dish so that all of the signal is no longer hitting the LNB.

In the winter pam cooking spray or something similar will help ice and snow slide out of the dish more quickly. Also a black trash bag (black so it heats a little more) will keep the snow and ice from collecting in the dish in the first place and it has almost zero impact on your signal.

The covers can prevent the rain from collecting in your dish but you still might lose your signal during storms because of the storm between your dish and the satellite. In many storms I notice two distinctive losses of signal. I get the signal loss before the storm arrives and the loss when the storm is here. These suggestions will help when the storm is on you, not when it is blocking you.

Its a game of minimizing loss because it is very hard to completely prevent it. They used to make 36" dishes (the old round single LNB dishes) for use in Seattle and other places where signal was weaker and they had a lot of rain. But I'm not sure if anyone makes a larger version of the HD dish. If so that is always a good option because it can help both sides of the issue.

Personally I'll pam up for the winter and maybe a black bag and live with it.

Make sure to take the black bag off for summer though or there's a chance your LNB will fail due to overheating. Just thought I'd throw that in. The Black bag should be considered a winter only solution!

 

[Jimbo]

You have to remember. There are 2 reasons you loose signal. First the storm itself interfering with the signal between the satellite and the dish. The only thing that could help this is more power or a larger dish to pick up the signal better. Nothing much you can do to prevent this one.

However the second reason you can lose signal is the rain, ice or snow collecting in your dish (yes rain does during heavy downpours) and that collection of precipitation actually changes the reflectivity focus of your dish so that all of the signal is no longer hitting the LNB.

In the winter pam cooking spray or something similar will help ice and snow slide out of the dish more quickly. Also a black trash bag (black so it heats a little more) will keep the snow and ice from collecting in the dish in the first place and it has almost zero impact on your signal.

The covers can prevent the rain from collecting in your dish but you still might lose your signal during storms because of the storm between your dish and the satellite. In many storms I notice two distinctive losses of signal. I get the signal loss before the storm arrives and the loss when the storm is here. These suggestions will help when the storm is on you, not when it is blocking you.

Its a game of minimizing loss because it is very hard to completely prevent it. They used to make 36" dishes (the old round single LNB dishes) for use in Seattle and other places where signal was weaker and they had a lot of rain. But I'm not sure if anyone makes a larger version of the HD dish. If so that is always a good option because it can help both sides of the issue.

Personally I'll pam up for the winter and maybe a black bag and live with it.

Make sure to take the black bag off for summer though or there's a chance your LNB will fail due to overheating. Just thought I'd throw that in. The Black bag should be considered a winter only solution!

I would not go with any of them, none of them are a GOOD solution, other than a larger dish.
They DO make heaters for them, for those of you in snow and ice areas.

 

[Jhon69]

You have to remember. There are 2 reasons you loose signal. First the storm itself interfering with the signal between the satellite and the dish. The only thing that could help this is more power or a larger dish to pick up the signal better. Nothing much you can do to prevent this one.

However the second reason you can lose signal is the rain, ice or snow collecting in your dish (yes rain does during heavy downpours) and that collection of precipitation actually changes the reflectivity focus of your dish so that all of the signal is no longer hitting the LNB.

In the winter pam cooking spray or something similar will help ice and snow slide out of the dish more quickly. Also a black trash bag (black so it heats a little more) will keep the snow and ice from collecting in the dish in the first place and it has almost zero impact on your signal.

The covers can prevent the rain from collecting in your dish but you still might lose your signal during storms because of the storm between your dish and the satellite. In many storms I notice two distinctive losses of signal. I get the signal loss before the storm arrives and the loss when the storm is here. These suggestions will help when the storm is on you, not when it is blocking you.

Its a game of minimizing loss because it is very hard to completely prevent it. They used to make 36" dishes (the old round single LNB dishes) for use in Seattle and other places where signal was weaker and they had a lot of rain. But I'm not sure if anyone makes a larger version of the HD dish. If so that is always a good option because it can help both sides of the issue.

Personally I'll pam up for the winter and maybe a black bag and live with it.

Make sure to take the black bag off for summer though or there's a chance your LNB will fail due to overheating. Just thought I'd throw that in. The Black bag should be considered a winter only solution!

DirecTV has the 36" International Dish if I lived in a rainy area I would consider this option.

 

[Jimbo]

DirecTV has the 36" International Dish if I lived in a rainy area I would consider this option.

But do they offer a larger "Slimline" dish, one that gets both KA and KU ?

 

[Jhon69]

But do they offer a larger "Slimline" dish, one that gets both KA and KU ?

I would use the SlimLine head(LNBs) with the International dish(36").

 

[Spize]

The problem with PAM is that after some time it actually contributes to the accumulation of dirt and grime on the dish leading to the signal degrading somewhat.

PAM is essentially oil. After a while it loses it's slick properties and turns sticky and gooey and instead of repelling it attracts dirt.

Here is the solution to all of this...

Cheap, yes
Smells like butter, No
Collects dirt, no
Has to be reapplied every few weeks in the winter, no
Can be purchased as a wipe for about a buck, yes

It's called.... Rain-X

sold at walmart, autozone, and most other places that have any glass cleaner for cars.

As far as using a cover, especially the ones dish and direct sell... ehh... never seen them do anything but cause problems. Sure they may keep the snow from piling up... but not if they get wet and become a satellite signal reflecting ice shield first.

 

[Jimbo]

Here is the solution to all of this...

Cheap, yes
Smells like butter, No
Collects dirt, no
Has to be reapplied every few weeks in the winter, no
Can be purchased as a wipe for about a buck, yes

It's called.... Rain-X

sold at walmart, autozone, and most other places that have any glass cleaner for cars.

As far as using a cover, especially the ones dish and direct sell... ehh... never seen them do anything but cause problems. Sure they may keep the snow from piling up... but not if they get wet and become a satellite signal reflecting ice shield first.

I have never tried RainX because I figured it worked the same as the others ... may give it a try if I have trouble this year.

 

[keithb]

I would use the SlimLine head(LNBs) with the International dish(36").

[/

I was under the assumption that the slimline lnb would not work with the international dish. Can someone please verify?

If it does work could one expect much signal improvement / lessen raid fade with it?

 

[jcrandall]

For anyone considering a bag or heater for winter, I find this a good economical and fun solution:

For heavy snow on dish, broom with a long handle.

For stuck snow or ice on dish, a super soaker squirt gun filled with hot water.

 

[Jhon69]

[/

I was under the assumption that the slimline lnb would not work with the international dish. Can someone please verify?

If it does work could one expect much signal improvement / lessen raid fade with it?

Don't know if the SlimLine head will fit on the International dish's focal arm,but to me it should work,but again you need to use the Slimline LNBs guess we need somone in a rainy area to find out.Remember you would need to use the International dish's arm cause it's the right focal length not the SlimLine's arm unless it's the same length which I doubt.The signal should improve and have less rain fade.The bigger the dish(reflector) the stronger the signal.You would not use the International head(LNBs) unless you want International programming.

 

[Jimbo]

For anyone considering a bag or heater for winter, I find this a good economical and fun solution:

For heavy snow on dish, broom with a long handle.

For stuck snow or ice on dish, a super soaker squirt gun filled with hot water.

I use a broom.
My Dad uses a contraption he set up to shoot RV antifreeze on to the dishwith his air compressor.

 

[Jimbo]

Don't know if the SlimLine head will fit on the International dish's focal arm,but to me it should work,but again you need to use the Slimline LNBs guess we need somone in a rainy area to find out.Remember you would need to use the International dish's arm cause it's the right focal length not the SlimLine's arm unless it's the same length which I doubt.The signal should improve and have less rain fade.The bigger the dish(reflector) the stronger the signal.You would not use the International head(LNBs) unless you want International programming.

Are the reflectors at the same angle ?
If not the focus would be off and it would eliminate any advantage you may have gained by using the larger dish.

What are the sizes of the two dishes ?
I've never checked out the international ones.

 

[Jhon69]

Are the reflectors at the same angle ?
If not the focus would be off and it would eliminate any advantage you may have gained by using the larger dish.

What are the sizes of the two dishes ?
I've never checked out the international ones.

That could be the difference the DirecTV International is 24"x36".DirecTV Slimline 5LNB is 22.5"x32.5".DirecTV's older AT9 was 25.5"x29.5"

 

[jdspencer]

For anyone considering a bag or heater for winter, I find this a good economical and fun solution:

For heavy snow on dish, broom with a long handle.

For stuck snow or ice on dish, a super soaker squirt gun filled with hot water.

I just brush the snow off of my ground level mounted dish.