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Muddypaws · 04-15-2012, 05:10 PM

We had some pretty heavy rain this weekend. At one point we were watching TV via our KVH Satellite and it lost signal and went into seek mode. No more satellite TV until the rain stopped.

When it stopped pouring (hailing too) I turned it back on and it found a good signal again and all was well again.

That night after we went to bed it started raining again so I got up and turned the KVH system off so we wouldn't be disturbed by the servo-motors when it started seeking again.

Next time I turned the TV on I forgot to turn the KVH back on and discovered that the Satellite receiver works just fine with the KVH system powered off, and a temporary loss of signal doesn't make it go into seek mode any more, just a little bit of digital pixilation is all I noticed.

I don't recall seeing anything in the manual about turning the system off after it locks on but I do know there have been several posts about it losing signal etc. when it rains. So give it a try! Maybe I discovered something cool. or maybe I need to re-read the manual?

texnet · 04-15-2012, 06:11 PM

I do not believe it is any manuals. The only thing the power switch turns on/off is the circuits that drive the seek function. I always turn off the KVH power switch once we are stopped and have aquired the signal. For Dish this won't work as Dish uses multiple sats for the signal. AFAIK Directv only uses one sat for SD.

jimbo16720 · 04-15-2012, 06:33 PM

Heavy rain or hail will block any sat system. What determines how bad is how hard it rains or hails. A home satelite does the same thing and returns to normal once it slows down. The only thing I would worry about is lightning, it will fry a system if it gets hit without the arrestors on it.

vito.a · 04-16-2012, 10:26 AM

I clean the KVH dome occasionally and apply car wax. The wax helps in rain storms as it beads water off.

Most Dish Network SD programming is on Sat 119, so I routinely turn the dome off after I'm parked and set up. Mine will occasionally go off into search mode for no apparanet reason and turning it off prevents this.

hamguy · 04-16-2012, 11:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vito.a

I clean the KVH dome occasionally and apply car wax. The wax helps in rain storms as it beads water off.

Most Dish Network SD programming is on Sat 119, so I routinely turn the dome off after I'm parked and set up. Mine will occasionally go off into search mode for no apparanet reason and turning it off prevents this.

As soon as the dish locks, I give it 20-30 seconds to settle and then turn it off. The satellite ain't gonna move and neither are we.

steelheadbluesman · 04-16-2012, 11:50 AM

Same thing happens with my KingDome. Even heavy morning dew will kill the signal. So, I use a portable (tripod) in longer-term tough weather scenarios.

Muddypaws · 04-16-2012, 09:28 PM

I use dish soap on the dome. It works OK but has to be renewed every few weeks. Thinking of trying Rain-X next. Or maybe it's not necessary now that I know the 'trick'.

Tha_Rooster · 04-20-2012, 04:38 PM

I turn mine off when it gets a signal there isn't a need to leave it on if i'm not moving.

John Hilley · 04-20-2012, 04:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Muddypaws

I use dish soap on the dome. It works OK but has to be renewed every few weeks. Thinking of trying Rain-X next. Or maybe it's not necessary now that I know the 'trick'.

Turning it off won't reduce rain fade, so you will have to continue your treatments

sdennislee · 04-21-2012, 10:29 AM

It can be turned off with Dish but you will only receive the channels broadcast by the the satellite (110, 119 or 129) you were locked onto when you shut it off.

wa8yxm · 04-21-2012, 11:06 AM

I can not tell you if you should turn it off or not, I do know the noise of a roof top dome searching for signal can be annoying when you are sleeping so turning it off.. stops that.

I also know that of all the satellite options DOMES have the WORST rain performance, A dish (And the bigger the dish the better) does better.

But Domes may have other advantages..

I prefer (And used when I had sat tv) a dual system, I had both a ground mount and the dome, and a pair of A/B switches (one for each receiver input) A being the dome up Above, and B being the ground Block on the Brake Bell crank Bracket down Below where I hooked up the ground mount.

Today.. (well yesterday) I cranked up the old winegard with wingman, scanned and got 39 "Services" (channels) some are duplicates but with 39 of 'em that's more tv than I can watch, Get ME-TV network, THIS-TV network ABC, NBC, CBS, CW Et-al, Lots of PBS. Who needs sattelite. and rain don't much bother it either.