Wind keeps turning my Dish 1000

[ChrisK114]

I have a problem with losong my service when ever the winds picks up. Apparently it keeps blowing my dish out of alignment. I am only talking about the wind blowing at maybe 25 mph. I have an appoitment today between 8- 12. They have already been twice about the same thing and both times they have told me I should not have the problem again. They keep realigning and tightening the screws. I have only had service for about 2 weeks and in those 2 weeks it has only worked for about 8 of those days. Is there anything I should tell them to do to make sure it is fixed. Should I insist on a new dish or mounting material?

 

[mdonnelly]

That shouldn't be happening. We've had wind gusts from 40-60 mph here for the last 3 days, and haven't lost service at all. In fact, I haven't needed to adjust the Dish 1000 in the 15 months I've had it (knock on wood ).

 

[garys]

Certainly sounds like something not tightened down right or broken. I have had higher winds than that and haven't had your problem.

 

[AllieVi]

We need more details. Where and how is the assembly mounted? The dish being firmly affixed to the mast doesn't help if the base isn't rock-solid.

 

[ChrisK114]

We need more details. Where and how is the assembly mounted? The dish being firmly affixed to the mast doesn't help if the base isn't rock-solid.

It is mounted at the very top of my house. It is on an extender. It is the only place I can get a view of the satellites.

 

[AllieVi]

Could you post a photo so we can get a better idea of your situation?

 

[ChrisK114]

Could you post a photo so we can get a better idea of your situation?

here is a pic. the dish in question is the one in the center

 

[Hall]

I'd say that given the length of the extension, it's simply flexing and no amount of tightening bolts down will fix it. You need braces from the dish itself to your roof. They used them commonly on SuperDishes but aren't normally needed on standard dishes. I suspect nothing is available from Dish either...

 

[AllieVi]

Thanks for the photo.

I'm going to assume the base that's attached to the roof is the standard, small rectangle and that it's bolted/screwed to the roof through shingles. That mounting arrangement could be your problem. Stresses at that area during windy conditions may cause it to dislocate slightly, and slightly is all that needed to interrupt the signal. The dish gets a lot of wind loading at that high point. Also, if the base isn't bolted directly into a truss there's more chance of problems.

Is that a ridge roof vent I see? When they're installed the sheathing isn't as stable near the vent, possibly allowing slight movement.

The concept of what I’d suggest is something like mounting the base to a larger plate (2’ square piece of thick plywood, for example) and then mounting that to the roof directly into the trusses. Once again, that’s not an actual solution, just the concept.

BTW, it’s not clear from the photo why the dish needs to be so high. Is there another tree we can’t see?

 

[ats7627]

I will have to assume that the installer extended the the mast pipe to clear a tree. It could be that the tree in the background of the picture is being moved by the wind and therefore blocking the satellite signal.

 

[AllieVi]

The extended mast may or may not really be necessary. It may simply have been the only mast the installer had at the time.

It appears that the dish is aimed generally along the roof ridge line. If it really needs to be that high where mounted, it could simply be moved to the left in the photo and be mounted lower, without the extended mast.

cgking114 - Could you provide another photo, this time including more of the area where the dish is pointed?

 

[ChrisK114]

Well they no showed me. Went up on the roof myself and the pole is really loose. I turned it very easily. Tried to tighten it but screws seemed tight as they could be. Brace might be too big for the pole maybe. Got a lock on 119 and 110, but could not get a lock on 129. Have all my SD channels and OTA HD but no HD's and regular locals. I am really frustrated. Any advice.

 

[webbydude]

If you have the 119 and 110 pretty decently (at least 90 or more for BOTH sats) then I'm going to say you have an issue with line of sight for the 129.

If indeed that tree in the background is the issue, I wonder if it's possible to relocate your dish to the "left", and more towards the corner of the peak of the roof.

 

[AllieVi]

Well they no showed me. Went up on the roof myself and the pole is really loose. I turned it very easily. Tried to tighten it but screws seemed tight as they could be. Brace might be too big for the pole maybe. Got a lock on 119 and 110, but could not get a lock on 129. Have all my SD channels and OTA HD but no HD's and regular locals. I am really frustrated. Any advice.

Sounds like your diagnosis may be correct. The pole's diameter may not be as large as it should be and the clamping mechanism has run out of "travel" before it snugs to the pole.

Try this - loosen the bolt and wrap something around the pole to make its diameter a bit bigger. I'm thinking along the lines of a thin piece/pieces of sheet metal or plastic that would survive the elements. Experiment a bit with how much you need. Your "shim" doesn't have to go the whole way around the pipe, but more is better.

When its right, the pole will feel solid.

 

[ChrisK114]

Well it seems I forgot to run a check switch after I alligned the dish. Did that and i got all channels. heck I even git a stronger signal than I did before. I will try that with the pole. I might have something that will work.

 

[minnow]

I doubt the wind is responsible as dish doesn't blow -- it sucks !

 

[ats7627]

Could I get a rimshot Smitty, please?:

 

[nazz]

So the installers came out and tightened those already tight screws twice without ever noticing that the pole was loose anyway? That's crazy.

 

[ChrisK114]

Yeah I know. Well went back up this morning and found where it was loose. Tightened it up and I think I am good to go, Bracket was not tight enough around the pole and base. Called Dish and said I did their work for them and got a credit towards my bill. Worked out okay.