 WINTER WEATHER
Winter Weather: Winter is the roughest time of the year in some
parts of the country. And it can be especially rough on your satellite system.
Polarity Servo Motors can work slowly or stop completely, due to the cold weather. This
will cause the loss of either odd or even channels.
Build-ups of ice and snow can warp or bend a satellite dish. A warped satellite dish can
result in low signal quality or complete signal loss.
Snow and ice add extra weight to your satellite dish mount. Normally, this extra weight is
not evenly distributed, causing your dish to be pulled out of alignment.
Actuator, or the dish motor arm, can freeze. The actuator is what is connected to the
motor that moves your satellite dish. If it freezes, your dish will not move from its
present location.
LNB's can have a "frequency shift". This will cause some channels to be weak or
have low signal quality. If the frequency shift is severe enough, then you will not be
able to receive any channels on your system.
Winter Weather: Winter is the roughest time of the year in some
parts of the country. And it can be especially rough on your satellite system.
Polarity Servo Motors can work slowly or stop completely, due to the cold weather. This
will cause the loss of either odd or even channels.
Build-ups of ice and snow can warp or bend a satellite dish. A warped satellite dish can
result in low signal quality or complete signal loss.
Snow and ice add extra weight to your satellite dish mount. Normally, this extra weight is
not evenly distributed, causing your dish to be pulled out of alignment.
Actuator, or the dish motor arm, can freeze. The actuator is what is connected to the
motor that moves your satellite dish. If it freezes, your dish will not move from its
present location.
LNB's can have a "frequency shift". This will cause some channels to be weak or
have low signal quality. If the frequency shift is severe enough, then you will not be
able to receive any channels on your system.Never
fear. . . here are some tips to help you beat the wintertime satellite blues: Check you
satellite dish often during winter storms for snow and ice build-up. Before you turn off
your system for the night, position your dish to the satellite farthest east or west. Your
dish is shaped like a large bowl and can fill up with snow and ice. By positioning your
dish to the satellites at the end of the satellite arc, less snow and ice can fill your
dish.
NEVER climb into your dish to sweep out snow and ice. Not only is this extremely dangerous
for you, it can damage your satellite dish.
If your dish is on an elevated mount (not at ground level), DO NOT ATTEMPT TO SWEEP OUT
THE DISH. It is dangerous to use ladders or to climb hills in the winter to sweep out your
dish. If you are physically able and the weather is not too severe, you can try to sweep
the snow and ice out of your dish. Use a broom and gently sweep out the loose snow and
ice. Do not try to scrape or knock out the ice. You can damage the panels in your dish.
NEVER USE WATER, even hot water, to melt away snow and ice. In the cold weather, water
only does one thing. . . freeze! Extreme temperature from using water change could warp
your dish. Not to mention, water could ruin the electronics and motor on your dish,
especially from a high powered hose. Many parts on your dish are mechanical. Since oil and
water don't mix, water can cling to vital parts and cause friction. This can lead to
premature wear and, of course, the water will freeze once the temperature drops again. |
