BAC Forum

General Boards => General Discussion => Topic started by: Larry Dedrick on July 05, 2014, 04:00:37 PM

Title: Satellite and Bugs
Post by: Larry Dedrick on July 05, 2014, 04:00:37 PM
Hi all,
Does anyone know if having a buggy satellite dome will cause issues with the satellite?  We are locked on and everything is working fine but the satellite dish seems to be moving constantly.  We hadn't noticed this before.
Thanks,
Laura
Title: Re: Satellite and Bugs
Post by: Gerald Farris on July 05, 2014, 04:39:28 PM
Laura,
Your satellite dish (dome) can not affect the satellite because it is a receive only antenna and does not have the transmission capability that would be necessary to affect the satellite.

Gerald  
Title: Re: Satellite and Bugs
Post by: Joel Weiss on July 05, 2014, 04:50:51 PM
Gerald:

I think Laura' question was probably whether a dirty dome could interfere with reception, not whether it would actually interfere with the satellite.

The answer is that it could, although it would have to be pretty dirty IMO.  Just like condensation on the dome can reduce signal strength so could a layer of smashed bugs, although that would only be the case if the direction of the satellite was through the dirty part of the dome.

Joel
Title: Re: Satellite and Bugs
Post by: Roy Warren Co-Admin on July 05, 2014, 04:56:52 PM
Laura,
Yes, a dirty dome will affect the reception and can cause lost signals, just as rain does.  On our old dome, I had to constantly keep the bugs off when parked facing south to southwest.
Roy Warren
Title: Re: Satellite and Bugs
Post by: Lee Welbanks on July 05, 2014, 08:41:27 PM
With the Winegard SDi dome I had fog and rain would cause it to lose signal also could only receive one satellite at a time, hence replace with a Winegard traveler, doesn't have in motion but never watched traveling anyway.
Title: Re: Satellite and Bugs
Post by: Joel Ashley on July 05, 2014, 09:01:04 PM
I dunno.  Whenever I indulge a bit too much, go up and clean the bugs off the Kingdome (without falling off - so far so good), and then try to communicate with spacecraft of any sort, I usually have more success.  So I think for once Gerald's advice may be taken as questionable.   ;D

On the other hand, some of those bugs look just like the beings I communicate with.  Hmmm....

Joel
Title: Re: Satellite and Bugs
Post by: Larry Dedrick on July 06, 2014, 12:18:21 AM
Thanks all.  I haven't really been able to tell but from our windshield as we have traveled west I must think it is pretty buggy.  If we hadn't cleaned it at each stop it would thick with bugs!  And they all say Florida is buggy!!  We have gone through parts of SD and MT where it sounded like rain but was bugs....yuck!We had the coach washed in West Yellowstone but they didn't touch the roof.  Just another Larry project to add to his list.  And Joel I'll make sure it's before beer thirty that he does it...lol!
Title: Re: Satellite and Bugs
Post by: Richard And Babs Ames on July 06, 2014, 04:17:57 AM
If you have used dryer sheets, they are good for cleaning off bugs without harming the finish. It mat take several wettings and rubbing to get drier bugs off.
Title: Re: Satellite and Bugs
Post by: Stan Simpson on July 06, 2014, 06:53:25 AM
Turtle Wax bug and tar cleaner does a good job on the glass and the front cap of the coach. Spray it on...wait 2 minutes and wash 90% off without touching anything. The rest, I use a micro fiber cloth and hot water. Good luck.

Safe travels all,

Stan