Sat Dish and Wind Speed

[sprehoda]

Are there any recommendations for what wind gust speed requires you to stow your sat dish.

Steve Prehoda

[Gemstone]

I would think that the method of mounting the dish/mast would be the determining factor... Those with an automatic roof mounted system might want to take preemptive action (can't say tho', I've never had one) before someone with a ground mounted system. And further, a ground mounted system, utilizing the concrete block dish/mast mounting method could probably ride all but a massive wind gust. Curious tho' on what others do....

Regards
Gemstone

[Slow Six]

Slightly off topic but I have a problem with mine going out of alignment when windy. I than stow it and restart. Is there any way to tighten the drive mechanism so it stays in alignment?

[Joezilla]

Slightly off topic but I have a problem with mine going out of alignment when windy. I than stow it and restart. Is there any way to tighten the drive mechanism so it stays in alignment?

I have the same problem with mine. It happens only on the HD stuff which is on Sat. 129. It gets a little frustrating to try to watch TV when it happens.

Joe

[hitchup]

Dodge City has lots of wind. When weather says gusts will be up to 50mph, we will stow it.

When the weather says 25-27mph, we let it stay up. Depending on which way the wind is blowing, the mount will stay stable, but the dish will rock and make odd noises.

Since we've been here, I've had to keep the full menu HD/SD up, so I can tape shows on both. HD tends to pixel out or totally lose the signal. Once the wind is over, there's no reason to realign the dish unless we stowed it.

[2 DA WDS]

Hmmm, I've been thinking of getting one of those roof mount dishes but if the wind affects them I should probably stick with my tripod ground mount. It survived when the wind broke my awning arms.

[JOHN EVANS]

We have no problems with ours in high winds

[Mike2338]

I am in the middle of getting mine repaired. I have been getting a "no antenna communication" error when trying to raise or lower. I swapped out the data cable between the control box and the dish to no avail. I called winegard and they said to take it to a service center. They thought a cable may be loose internally and do not recommend customers to start that repair.
Dealer pulled the dish and found the circuit board charred at one location. The data cable tested good and the fuse on the board was also ok.
The dealer is thinking external power surge as from a local lighting strike.
Well, winegard does not sell the circuit board for repair. They insist the unit be sent to them for diagnostics and possible repair. If it cannot be repaired they will sell me a new unit at a discounted price. The unit is currently intransit to them and hopefully I will find out this week what they find.
I have also contacted my insurance company and started that conversation. I have comprehensive coverage but I am wondering if they will deny the claim. Will they also say lighting was the issue or just a faulty board?

[Jack in Alaska]

Winegard hand crank-up sat. dish.........I am on my 3rd one of these and they have all "rattled" in the wind making a terrible racket on the roof.
I have thought about attaching a bungee cord to the top of the dish and setting a slight tension to eliminate the rattling and mal-adjustment in the wind. Has anyone tried that or have a better idea.???

[jcasey]

I once talked with Winegard about wind. I did so because I wondered, if one left the antenna up accidentally, how much wind speed the extended antenna could handle as one drove down the road. My antenna is the automatic called, I think, Winegard Travelor.

I don't remember the exact numbers, but the strength of the antenna could handle much more than I would have guessed. Sorry I don't recall the specific wind speed---but calling Winegard might yield specific information.

On the other hand, I know nothing about how much wind must occur before the antenna needs re-setting when extended and in use. Winegard might be able to address that also.

[Joezilla]

Slightly off topic but I have a problem with mine going out of alignment when windy. I than stow it and restart. Is there any way to tighten the drive mechanism so it stays in alignment?

I have the same problem with mine. It happens only on the HD stuff which is on Sat. 129. It gets a little frustrating to try to watch TV when it happens.

Joe

My problem was solved by having a satellite repairman pay me a visit at our RV park. He went up and found that the dish itself was not loose or out of alignment. He found a coax connector that had come mostly off and was hanging on by a thread (ha). He replaced that connector and my dish is once again receiving HD signals with no pixelations.

Joe