E* System No Longer "Sees" My 2nd Dish!

[dashford]

Snow and ice from the big East Coast storm is preventing my second dish (aimed at 61.5) from acquiring a signal -- local channels on that bird cannot be seen. I checked the 61.5 signal strength (it was 40 - no good) and ran through the switch test series to confirm there was no other problem.

But after running the system tests, when I NOW tune in a 61.5 local, I get the generic "You need a second dish to view this channel." screen! My system no longer recognizes I have a second dish. How do I reconfigure the software to get back where I was?

I have a Dish 500 with a second dish, a three-satellite SW21 and a 4900 receiver.

Thanks,

Doug

[Bill R]

Doug,

With all that snow you may have got moisture into your cable connectors. If the snow accumulated on the dish it may have moved it slightly and that is why your signal is low. The first thing that you have to do is get the signal strenght back up where it should be from the 61.5 satellite. After you do, run the switch test and when everything passes you should get all your channels back.

[Mike500]

Yes, Bill is right,

The majority of the service calls that I make have to do with corroded connectors.

I don't have a second dish, but my Dish500 has over an inch of snow on the pan, and it has been there since 8 PM, yesterday. I have never lost signal. My dish is mounted on a ground pole, and I can go out with a broom and sweep it off. But, why bother? It's working fine!

Switches should be in weatherproof boxes or installed inside. I offer all of my customers boxes for an extra $20 installed. I get very few takers. A couple of years later, I may or may not get a service call from these people. They end up paying up to $200 for the switch and the serivce call. They finally opt for the weatherproof box.

[scooper]

I second that - My Dish 500 is up on the roof. NO exposed connectors until my drip-looped connections into the ground blocks - using the O-ring style RG6 connectors from Radio Shack and the rubber booties. Both SW21's are safe and sound in the attic. I've NEVER had issues about cable problems, nor switch problems.

[Mike500]

By Dashford,

"I have a Dish 500 with a second dish, a three-satellite SW21 and a 4900 receiver."

You would have to have an SW64 (not likely) or a legacy twin and an SW21, if you have only one receiver.

It's either the connections or a bad SW21. More likely, the connectors.

[boba]

First thing try brushing the accumulated snow off the dish and LNBF then try running the switch test wet sticky snow could weaken the signal.