Winter

[ikki]

With winter just a few states away, I was wondering, how much of a snow magnet is a C Band dish?

What do you folks do to mitigate the problems caused by blowing snow accumulating on the dish and more importantly how much signal attenuation am I going to get, if any?

Thanks

 

[Mr Tony]

depends on the angle of the dish. If the dish is at or near true south (38 degrees for us) it can get on the bottom of the dish. When I have it on a western satellite the snow just slides off

Here is a thread the 1st year I had my C-Band dish and the snow issue (or lack thereof)
http://www.satelliteguys.us/764657-post1.html

snow fade doesnt exist really...unless the dish is buried

The biggest thing is heavy snow weighing down the dish. Then I just wipe the dish off with a broom or by hand

 

[Cadsulfide]

Never had too much trouble with snow on the BUD's, in the lane yes...

 

[Corrado]

I just park the dish low in the arc if heavy wet snow is forecast. The light powder snow just slides into a pile below.

The same in the summer if lightning is forecast. I dislike the idea of being high in the arc collecting the energy of nearby lightning and focusing into the LNBF.

 

[LocutusOfBorg]

With winter just a few states away, I was wondering, how much of a snow magnet is a C Band dish?

What do you folks do to mitigate the problems caused by blowing snow accumulating on the dish and more importantly how much signal attenuation am I going to get, if any?

Thanks

There's not much you can do short of installing a heating system. That's what the commercial and military systems have. They either use an electric heat blanket attached to the back of the panels or they use a hot air de-icing system. You'll just have to go outside and gently wipe the snow out of the dish with a broom. (Unless someone else has a better idea). A thin layer of snow in a C-band dish won't be a big problem, though, and you probably wouldn't see a degradation of signal from such a small amount of snow.

 

[Dishman Dan]

Lake effect snow in my area along with near freezing temperatures create this pretty coating of ice and snow which is usually about 2 inches thick! This does not come off too easily!!!... It takes a good half hour of scraping but there is usually stubborn ice left frozen in the mesh that I just leave!

Normal snow fall does brush off without much effort. Ku band is quick to disappear but the C band survives fairly well. Last season this coating built up at least eight times! (That is NOT including "normal" snow build up!)

 

[Lak7]

I use a broom and gently sweep it off.

 

[stogie5150]

I look outside, if there's snow on the dish, its time to think about moving farther south.

 

[sergei]

Snow is not that bad just have to sweep it off the bottom of the dish, now if your unlucky to have an ice storm then your "SOL" and all you can do is wait for warmer weather and hope that it doesn't snow before the ice melts because the extra weight will knock it out of aligment and not much you can do about it. And with ice it not going to make much different as to what type dish you have.
You've not mentioned where your located which might have a big impact how the weather affects your dish which I believe is a 6 footer.

 

[Pismire]

Just keep it swept off. I lost one last year.

http://www.satelliteguys.us/c-band-...44-always-secure-your-dishes.html#post1658072

 

[sergei]

Just keep it swept off. I lost one last year.

That look's like it might have been a heavy wet snow that took the dish out .

 

[Pismire]

Wet and lots of it. Had 9' total.

 

[madmadworld]

wheel bearing grease

ice on the dish .
i used a small screw on type push (about 1 foot) broom and very gently tap on the back of the dish and it would break up and fall off.
living in cleveland by that lake this happened alot.
back there it is this time of year i would put wheel bearing grease around all the moving parts and ball joints. it will help keep water and salt out and make movement smooth. if water can get in there and then freeze not good for the motor.

 

[Mr Tony]

well we had a little bit of snow here last nite. Just went out and swept off the deck. The 6 footer has probably a coating on the bottom 2 feet...but that will melt off

 

[LocutusOfBorg]

Got a couple inches in my dish overnight with about 75% of the dish covered. But I'm getting good reception. I'll probably go sweep it out later since we're suppose to get more snow tonight. Awful cold for this neck of the woods. Currently 19 degrees.

 

[ikki]

We finally got that snow I was concerned about.

 

[Mr Tony]

same here. Good 4+ inches on the bottom half of the dish. Signal still strong but I went and wiped it off the 6 footer

 

[1inabillion]

Seen them auto BUD snow removal addons years ago it shakes the dish to

remove the snow not a good idea. a Telescopic broom Handle works great.

 

[hwm]

I spray my dishes with silicone or wipe them down with car wax to help minimize icing in the Winter, it also makes ice easier to remove.

Very cold here in north central Idaho for early October: 14 degrees F. last night.

 

[truckracer]

snow won't really hurt it too much. solid thick ice can cause some damage possibly.

I used a hot water garden hose to melt off the ice on mine last winter. I know that sounds dumb but believe it or not even though the hot water froze on the dish ..that ice was very thin. I got the thick stuff off.