No satellite signal? Check your dish for snow!
Brian Butterworth published on UK Free TV Normally, if you get 'No Signal' or 'Technical fault' on your Sky or Freesat box there is a solution: What can I do when my Sky Digibox says 'No Signal' or 'Technical fault'?
However, if it has snowed you will also find the same message. And there is nothing wrong with your box, or viewing card. This time it is the simple matter of there being snow on the dish or LNB.
(Image from Snow in Manchester! « davesull's Blog).
The satellite signal will be scattered by the snowflakes, so you may wish to clear the snow from the dish. Remember to take care not to move the dish if you do this, and only remove it if you can do this safely.
See Freesat reception - all about dishes - Free satellite - general - ukfree.tv - 10 years of independent, free digital TV advice for more.
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Monday, 28 January 2013
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Tony Hill5:46 PM
Dorchester
jb38: Off you go then. Untold riches await!
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Tony's: mapT's Freeview map terrainT's terrain plot wavesT's frequency data T's Freeview Detailed Coverage
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Tony Hill5:54 PM
Dorchester
jb38: Me again. Just been thinking about where the snow problem lies. I think it is snow on the dish rather than the LNB which is the problem. It is a bit difficult for the snow to stick on the LNB because of its relatively small size and the way it faces. I don't know if this correct (all the snow has gone now) but if it is just the dish which is the problem, then the solution is a bit simpler - along the lines you suggest but also incorporating a thermostat?
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Tony's: mapT's Freeview map terrainT's terrain plot wavesT's frequency data T's Freeview Detailed Coverage
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jb388:50 PM
Tony Hill: Well, although that snow on the dish is by far the most common reason for the satellite signal dropping out, I am sure that you would be quite amazed at just how little it takes on the LNB surface to kill reception, as even the merest sprinkling can do on some types.
I will agree though that it depends entirely on diameter of the LNB surface as some of these Zinwell brand Sky quad blocks with the slightly tapered front ends (as they have various types) are reasonably immune to collecting snow, and so concentrating on keeping the dish clear is really all that's required, and as you have said, much easier to arrange.
As far as a thermostat is concerned, yes! you could fit the rough equivalent of a "frost stat" as used on some of these greenhouse heaters, although whatever system was arranged I would refrain from designing any system that requires a higher rating than 24 volts, although maybe 50 volts at an absolute push!
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Tuesday, 29 January 2013
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Tony Hill5:57 PM
Dorchester
jb38: As we live in Dorset and not far from the coast, snow is not (usually) a major problem for us but it would seem that there would be a market for some sort of heating device in colder parts.
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Tony's: mapT's Freeview map terrainT's terrain plot wavesT's frequency data T's Freeview Detailed Coverage
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jb389:38 PM
Tony Hill: As far as the UK is concerned, I feel that this type of facility would only possibly be of appeal to a limited number of people that reside in locations where by necessity their dishes had be mounted on the sides of a chimney or some other high up location due to it being the only possible position that enabled the dish to have a clear view of the S/South Eastern Sky, or on the other hand with it maybe being of interest to a disabled person who was physically unable brush the snow off the dish.
Of course it has to be admitted, that after someone has gone to a lot of bother fitting such a device then its almost guaranteed that the following winter the classic "Murphy's law" situation would no doubt come into the equation, insomuch that it would turn out to be a mild one with only the occasional flurry of snow being experienced, and with this being of a magnitude that only required the very slightest of breeze to clear the dish.
However I do feel that in places like Canada or some of the Northern European countries such a device would in many cases be of interest, if known about! although by its very nature of having elements of a "custom build" attached to it, would in my opinion result in it being classed as being the type of thing that's more in the realms of a kit aimed at being fitted by a keen enthusiast rather than by dish installers, unless that is by request!
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Thursday, 14 February 2013
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Conor12:14 PM
Rt hd is now on freesat 2ahead of poor freeview and more to come this year
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Tuesday, 12 March 2013
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Sheila Rochford8:40 PM
We have had very heavy snowfall and I have had no signal for 2 days which is understandable but I also can't play anything I have recorded - is this normal?
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Wednesday, 13 March 2013
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jb3812:03 AM
Sheila Rochford: If your dish is within reach of a long shafted brush then you should "carefully" brush off any snow lying in the bowl of the dish or any thats seen on the LNB front that faces the bowl, the main point about this operation being not to press heavy on any part of the dish in case you accidentally move it.
By the way, not being able to play back anything previously recorded prior to being cut off by the snow is because that the recording and playback side of the box only unlocks if data is received from the satellite.
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Sunday, 31 March 2013
Hi all,
Since this recent snow fall, We get very disruptive and pixelated signal. The strange thing is, we have a Panasonic Viera set which has built in freeview and freesat, so both a satellite and am aerial are connected, and it affects BOTH feeds??
I've checked the connections, and the TV upstaiers is also affected (aerial only) Surely it can't be a coincidence?
~PS - All the snow has now gone, but the problem persists.
Any ideas before I tear any more hair out?
Paul
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Tuesday, 14 January 2014
J
john3:20 PM
Hove
hi not sure if its my box or not when put back to factory setting it says no signal so will not get any channels when I manually try get signal and get a lot of channels but instead of having bbc as 101 all the channels are in the 5000 and something which is no good for my humax box
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john's: mapJ's Freeview map terrainJ's terrain plot wavesJ's frequency data J's Freeview Detailed Coverage
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