Maintaining a Good Satellite TV Signal
By David Johnson
Once you have become a subscriber to Dish Network, you won’t want anything to interrupt the fantastic programming that you will quickly grow accustomed to. Yet, there are several things that you will need to do in order to maintain a clear and adequate signal at all times. If you fail to conduct regular maintenance, you may be in for a rude surprise one day when you find that your images fail to appear on your television screen!
So, what’s involved in maintaining your signal? First and foremost, once your dish has been installed, whether it is on the side of your home or on your roof, you must always make certain that your dish has a clear pathway to the southern horizon. Why? The southern horizon is where the Dish Network satellite is located in the sky. The satellite receives signals from Dish Network, your provider, and resends the signals back down to the earth in an encrypted form. Your receiver then, in turn, decodes the information and displays the images sent on your television for your viewing pleasure. Now, if there is any blockage in front of your dish, this could interrupt the service you receive.
It is imperative that subscribers of Dish Network pay particular attention to their dish. For instance, if tree branches have grown so large that they blow back and forth in front of the dish, the obstruction could interfere with the signal the customer receives. What is the result? Well, if the program is not interrupted entirely, the result could appear like a strangely pixilated picture or the picture can freeze on occasion. Therefore, a Dish Network subscriber should make sure that they regularly prune back any trees growing near or directly in the pathway of their Dish Network dish and the southern horizon.
Once the pruning back of trees has been accomplished, if the subscriber is still experiencing difficulty with their Dish Network reception, it may be necessary to redetect the satellite signal. To accomplish this task, the subscriber will need to access satellite receiver from inside the home. Depressing the MENU button will lead them to a lengthy MENU. Next, they will need to select the SYSTEM SETUP feature. Once the SYSTEM SETUP feature has been selected, it will become necessary to depress the POINT DISH feature. The POINT DISH feature will allow the subscriber to review the current strength of the signal. If the bar along the bottom of the screen is green, then they are getting a signal. Nevertheless, the signal is far better when it is at the strength of 100+. Therefore, if it is below 100, the subscriber should make an effort to get a stronger satellite signal by slightly adjusting the positioning of the satellite dish (this may require two people—one indoors and one outdoors) until they get a stronger signal.
Conversely, if the satellite signal bar at the bottom of the screen is making a ...
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loud sound and the bar is red in color, it means that the subscriber is not getting a clear satellite signal at all. This is when it becomes necessary to look at the various landscapes to determine what may be interrupting the signal. Again, the typical obstruction involves the outcropping of new branches. Once the branches have been pruned back, many subscribers find that their satellite signal immediately returns without further incident. If this is not the case, the subscriber may want to try a different satellite by using the SYSTEM SETUP FEATURE mentioned early and changing to a different transponder. If this fails, it may be required that the subscriber contact Dish Network for a technician’s visit.
Once in a while, a subscriber will attempt to paint their dish. This can be done, but it is not wholeheartedly recommended. For example, certain electronic components of the dish may not function properly when they are painted. In fact, it can prevent the dish from receiving a signal entirely. Therefore, it is far better to leave the dish be than it is to run the risk of painting the wrong component and losing the service in its entirety.
On occasion, Dish Network may also send out new digital cards for receivers. If the new card is not immediately used the subscriber may find that they will not have satellite service working correctly. If you are sent a new card in the mail you will need to insert the card into your receiver and follow the instructions that come with the card. Once you replace the access card you will find that your service will be restored.
Also on occasion, the subscriber will run into an instance where the loss of service is to no fault of the subscriber or to Dish Network. This occurs when there is a serious storm in the area. Unfortunately, because the satellite is located in space, severely heavy cloud cover can temporarily interrupt a subscriber’s service. A subscriber will know this is happening when the channel goes black and a popup window appears stating that the dish is attempting to acquire a signal. Unfortunately, until the storm passes over, there is not much else that the subscriber can do. Once the storm is over, programming will be immediately restored.
As long as the satellite subscriber takes proper care of their Dish Network equipment, few if any problems will arise with their service. Maintaining a clear path to the southern skies and periodically checking on their signal’s strength will ensure that programming remains accessible. Furthermore, keeping the equipment up-to-date, including the access card, is important to maintaining a crystal clear signal. If a subscriber ensures that they maintain their equipment properly and that there are no obstructions between the dish and the sky—service should be smoothly received the majority of the time.
David Johnson is an editor and consultant for several Satellite TV websites. Visit this Dish Network Deals website for more information on Dish Satellite Service and equipment.
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