Rain Fade during Tropical Storm Fay

[cwmatthew]

I live in Jacksonville, FL and anytime there is a slight thunderstorm we have rain fade. However, during Tropical Storm Fay and the couple of days of intense rain and wind, we didn't lose the satellite one time. We lost power but never the satellite. My sister called from across the city and she experienced the same thing.

Does anyone have an explanation for this?

[IminMs]

It can be caused by the intensity of the rain clouds and the relation of the clouds to you and the location of the satellite.
Also the intensity of the rain between you and it.
I sometimes lose signal because of the intensity of the clouds when i see no rain(its raining in my path to the satellite).
My signals are all between 95 and 100.

[dswallow]

Unless you were watching 24 hours a day, you don't really know you had no rain fade. ;)

It matters more what's between your satellite dish and the satellites, not necessarily what's coming down on you from overhead at that moment. That's why, for instance, you can have rain and no rain fade, or no rain and rain fade. But just because there's rain clouds in the path of the signal doesn't mean you'll have insufficient signal; you also need the right conditions that can block/absorb enough of the signal to make it unusable to your receiver.

[JimSpence]

The rain fade is a good indication of an approaching storm. :)

I've had rain fade with it being cloud free and sunny. But, 10 minutes later the thunderstorm hits. And sometimes the rain fade has cleared by then. :D

[Cygnet Boy]

All of my SD DirecTiivo units are doing something new since "Fay's" fallout here in Atlanta. Before when there would be rain fade issues, I'd get the standard "Searching for Signal on Sat 1 or 2". Now the things just lock up for no apparent reason and require a power cycle to get them and running. If it was only happening on one of the units I would assume I had a H/W issue, but its happening on all of them so I'm pretty clueless. Any ideas or suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks!
Cyg.

[boiler_man]

I live in Tallahassee and had the same experience. I think it's because most storms we get come from the WSW which is the direction the satellites are. Fay hit us from the east so wouldn't have much effect.

[JimSpence]

All of my SD DirecTiivo units are doing something new since "Fay's" fallout here in Atlanta. Before when there would be rain fade issues, I'd get the standard "Searching for Signal on Sat 1 or 2". Now the things just lock up for no apparent reason and require a power cycle to get them and running. If it was only happening on one of the units I would assume I had a H/W issue, but its happening on all of them so I'm pretty clueless. Any ideas or suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks!
Cyg.Possibly still H/W. Check your connections for moisture. What about the LNB or multiswitch?

[ronsch]

I sure had rain fade and again this afternoon as another feeder band brushed over us at rush hour. Of course, I also have trees and trees+rain is even worse than just rain.