Have you noticed that you get better satellite TV reception when you’re anchored? Sometimes you’ll see a snowy picture on the screen, sometimes you’ll get a message saying you’ve lost satellite signal. You might be thinking it’s your imagination, and I wouldn’t blame you. After all, you can’t affect a satellite in space from your boat, right? There are a couple of simple possibilities that make sense. Let’s take a look.
Possibility 1: RF interference
If you’re seeing snow on the screen when the engine’s running, that’s probably RF interference. It could also be causing bad cell reception if you’re within a few miles of shore. It’s normal for large engines to generate some sort of RF interference. It’s the engine’s electrical system that could be the fault.
If you’re seeing this issue, the real source is probably the cabling on the boat. Often times a weak cable or connector will cause problems. You might want to get 100 feet of RG6 Quad Shielded cable from Solid Signal just as a test. Quad shielded cable is just what it sounds like… it has twice the amount of shielding in the cable as regular dual shielded cable. This kind of cable is recommended for areas where there’s a lot of RF interference. If you can run a temporary cable from the multiswitch to the receiver, you can see if it helps. Generally the cable from the receiver to the TV is not an issue, but if you think it is, you can try a shorter high-speed cable which generally has more shielding.
Possibility 2: Aiming issues
If you’re getting the dreaded “searching for satellite signal” message, it could be that your marine satellite dish isn’t working right. These systems should be re-aiming themselves several times a second. If they’re not responding quickly enough, that could be a sign that some maintenance is needed. Marine satellite systems are very well made, of course. Most of the time they hardly need any maintenance. If you think yours does, we can help you find a local installer to look at it. Call us at 888-233-7563 and we’ll get it all set up.
Possibility 3: out of footprint
If you’re out on the water, you’re on the fringe of what satellite TV is designed to give you. For the most part, you can get 50-100 miles offshore before you begin to lose service. However there are going to be areas where service stops much closer to shore. Also, if you are watching a local channel keep in mind that you’ll lose local channels 50-100 miles from the major city where your locals are. This is normal and unfortunately there’s no way to really change that.
Need help? Call the experts!
The experts at Signal Connect are here for you! We do more marine satellite activations than anyone else on the planet. We can help you find problems, recommend engineers in your area, and even help you manage all of your accounts. Our team redefines “full service.” Because… you deserve it. Living the marine life should be about luxury. We believe that and we take it seriously.
So call the folks who can get it done. The number is 888-233-7563 and we’re here during East Coast business hours. When you call, you’ll get an expert on the line. They’ll give you their direct phone number, too. Most of our team are available on your schedule, day or night. That’s the Signal Connect difference. Call, or if it’s after hours, fill out the form below. We’ll get back to you on your schedule.
