Losing signal on 1518 daily

[Winegard Tech Help]

jazzzen,

What I'm theorizing here is that the power supply is dropping below an appropriate level to supply the electronics with proper power. This will cause the dish to restart it's search sequence and it will take a brief search to lock back on.

With the antenna unplugged, we have no signal issues, so we know our cabling is good and the LNB is good.

[jazzzen]

Sure - it's a Nature Power model #30058. And as new as the dish, which I purchased in June.

Haven't lost signal yet - day 4 and counting. . .

[jazzzen]

Sorry - thought I replied to this last week, but I apparently didn't push the submit button

Oh look There it is!!

The 12v to 110 converter is a Nature Power model 30058. Shore power is 50amp. I haven't had any surges or outages. All else seems to be working fine.

Day 9 unplugged and haven't lost the signal yet. . .

[jazzzen]

jazzzen,

What I'm theorizing here is that the power supply is dropping below an appropriate level to supply the electronics with proper power. This will cause the dish to restart it's search sequence and it will take a brief search to lock back on.

With the antenna unplugged, we have no signal issues, so we know our cabling is good and the LNB is good.

So given that I haven't had issues with any other appliances or electronics - we're thinking it's the converter?

And I'm not sure the chicken came before the egg. If I'm watching TV, I lose signal, then hear the dish start searching. It would be tough, given how intermittent the loss is and that I'm only one person, to determine which happens first - loss of signal or new search.

I'll try a new converter. I need to move the dish to the roof in the next few days and will plug it back in and leave it plugged in with a new converter.

I'll let you know how it goes!

[Muddkattgowfo]

Hello,
I have the 1518 Carryout as well and have low signal. Meters say in the 60's and 70's. I have the setting of 18' round as it seems to get the best signal. I have tried the nature power as well as just 12v cig liter for power and no change. While this signal works well in the sunshine, if it rains no signal and searching for satelite starts. If I remove the dome I get about a 10 point incresase in signal. This would not be good if it rains to have cover off.

This is the second unit I have had as the first unit did not work at all.

I have changed the coax (using rg6). I have tried another standard DTV convertor. no change

If I hook up a manual 18" round dish and manual point it I get signal in in high nineties. Sitting right next to the carryout antenna.

[Bill Adams]

It is important to understand that a signal in the 60's and 70's for a dome is not low. Dish changed the way they software reads on the scale so no Dish antenna will ever see that 100-125 signal as was possible in the past. The max signal from a regular household antenna (or the Winegard Trav'ler) is around 75-80 so 60-70 for a dome is excellent.
There is a well documented issue with weather and satellite TV (and especially with rain or dew) known as rain fade. It is dramatically worse with a dome and the facts are simply unavoidable that a dome in a rain storm will likely cause a loss of signal.

[Muddkattgowfo]

Bill...I do hear and understand what you are saying about rain fade. That is why you need max signal so you will still get picture. I do not care to sit and watch TV in my RV when the Sun is out. It is for when the rain hits and we are stuck inside. When I bought the unit and in calling Winegard I have been told that it should work. It seems to work in the motorhomes with automatic dishes.

Very fustrated at this point....but at the direction of Winegard tech support it is at a dealer with my convertor so maybe they can figure something out. I'll post up what they find out.

[Bill Adams]

I am sorry to say that you ARE getting the max signal. No one can change that. Domes (from every manufacturer) suffer from rain fade and it cannot be avoided. If you want to watch TV when it is raining you need to setup an open face antenna as these are the only type antennas that allow the weather weakened signal to to reach the LNB during a rain event.

[Winegard Tech Help]

I believe where we're getting confused here is on the provider. In the original post, Muddkatt states that he tried replacing the DTV converter which I'm assuming is a B-Band converter on the back of the receiver.

Two things here: If you are using DirecTV, then you are dealing with marginal signal. You do, however, want to have nothing inline between the receiver and the antenna. You'll want to have straight coax. First, remove that and check your signal strengths.

Alternatively, you may just be in an area with marginal signal. The manual dish most likely has a larger reflector, so it will be more effective in a situation where we're on a borderline signal.

If the antenna is finding the signal, it's doing its job. A degraded signal isn't going to be the fault of the antenna - it's either a partial obstruction or a marginal area.

[quinreitz]

I also experienced this one.