DirecTV question.

[Syrinx]

I'm having a problem with my DirecTV. The signal strengths of most of my favorite channels has deteriorated severely lately. It probably has to do with the torrential rainfall down here lately, but I'm not sure. (I know all about rain fade.)

Some of my favorite channels, like MSNBC, Comedy Central, CNN, and USA Network have been totally unwatchable during even the lightest sprinkle of rain.

A summer or two ago, I did some yardwork and got the signal for all the valid transponders to register at least 85, and close to 100 in most cases.

Today, before it started raining again, I looked at the signal strengths on the system. My highest reading was 96. I assume that's the one with my local stations.

Other than the couple of zeros, which I assume are for local channels for other markets, my lowest was 19 on transponder 4. Transponder 23, which I think MSNBC is on, registered 60.

After lopping off a few limbs that I could reach, I got 23 up to 68. And MSNBC looked good most of the night. But when I got ready to watch the late repeat of Ed, the pixels started dancing. And by the time we got half-way to psycho talk, it was completely incomprehensible.

We were having the lightest of rainfall here. It was raining pretty hard twenty or thirty miles to the south.

What exactly is a transponder? Is it merely a frequency? Or is it a separate transmitter that is aimed in a slightly different direction than the others?

I'm wondering why my signal strengths are varying so wildly.

Help? :)

[RubyDuby in GA]

1. You may want to have Directv come out and look at it

During the winter, water was getting into my dad's unit and was freezing up. It was causing problems with his reception. There may be something wrong that they need to look for.

[Syrinx]

3. thanks for the suggestion RubyDuby

I hadn't really considered water, in that sense, as being a problem. But I guess it could cause conductivity issues if it gets into the wiring, or connectors, etc. Thanks!

[Chan790]

2. My one idea.

Has it been windy at all? Even one day?

My parents had DISH Network for years and every time we got one of those big heavy southern New England/lower Berkshires thunderstorms (We live on top of a mountain so we used to get gusts up to 20-40mph even on calm sunny days. There is nothing that high up to act as a wind-break.) that come rolling through in the early spring, the wind would gust and blow the dish out of perfect alignment with the satellite...took us weeks to figure out the first time why we had degraded channels all over the spectrum. So we called the tech and they came out and fixed it...and charged us $50 for 2 minutes worth of work. So...the next time it happened and we had to call the tech, I stood there and watched what he did like an eagle so that the next time I could it myself.

I don't know what the procedure is for aligning a DirecTV dish but the one for a DISH is to have two people, one inside watching the TV set to the diagnostic menu watching the signal strength meter and someone outside moving the dish in 1/16" increments while the person inside yells "hotter" or "colder" until the signal strength improves back to 100 or nearly so. The tech, of course, has a meter to tell him the exact pitch, angle, azimuth, etc. For us plebes, it's trial and error.

[Syrinx]

4. thanks

I was looking at the dish the other day, and it appeared that the elevation of the dish was set perfectly for my location, at least judging by the markings on the dish. It was set at 48.5 degrees, I think, which is correct. I couldn't locate any similar markings for setting the azimuth, though. Nor could I find my antique compass. I guess I'll try adjusting it (minutely) on the next sunny day. If we ever have a sunny day again. I wish I had one of the nifty signal meters the tech guys have. I wonder how much they cost?