Having your dish network showing no signal, especially when you want to watch your favorite program, can be frustrating. Often, the problem occurs due to severe weather, but other reasons can sometimes cause it. In today’s guide, we’ll highlight the possible causes of the dish no signal error and the troubleshooting measures you can undertake to restore a strong signal strength. Hence, join us in this article for insights on optimizing your Dish TV signal reception.
Table of Contents
What Causes the Dish No Signal Error?
DISH customers occasionally experience Dish Network signal loss primarily because of the reasons below.
Bad Weather
Satellite Antenna Dish with Snow.
The cardinal cause for Dish Network TV signal loss is inclement weather. Some of the issues with weather that are likely to hamper the Dish Tv receiver include snowfall and heavy rains. Also, strong winds can change the positioning of the dish receiver, thus affecting the signal quality.
But for bad weather, there are remedies you can undertake to restore the signal, such as regularly cleaning it and using dish covers.
Regular Maintenance from Dish
Engineering team checking satellite dish antennas.
Errors in dish receivers could result from regular maintenance from the service providers. It could be scheduled or unscheduled. The first step in experiencing a network outage is to check if there was planned maintenance.
Service providers often switch off the dish receiver box during routine checks. Therefore, other than bad weather, this could be a critical cause of errors in dish receivers. But the updates are often short-lived and will take, at most, half a day, so it’s something you can handle.
Improper Satellite Dish Positioning
A communication satellite dish.
You also need to check if your Dish Satellite receiver is in the proper position, especially if there are prevailing winds. Improper positioning of the dish antenna will destroy the signal strength. Thus, if you suspect this is the possible cause of the network outage, engage a DISH technician for troubleshooting and resetting.
Another cause of bad positioning could be the corrosion and buildup of rust on the handles. It will weaken them and render them easy to sway by the wind. If the rust covers the critical parts of the dish, the resulting satellite signal will be weak.
Bad Positioning of the UHF Antenna
Antenna Installation.
There may be no problem with your dish to cause the error code you’re receiving on your decoder. Instead, the issue could be with the ultra-high-frequency (UHF) antennas on the satellite from which your dish obtains its signal.
Possible causes of the wrong positioning include weather conditions such as hurricanes, wind, and rainstorms. Consequently, the misalignment of the UHF renders the antenna signal strength weak. In turn, this causes active error codes on your decoder.
Improper Cables Connection
A man with TV Cables.
You don’t always need to contact DISH for a poor or no signal, as the cause can be with a cable connection. Primarily, when you obtain a no signal error, the issue is the connected cables, and thus this should be your first point of checking.
You can easily fix a bad input or source connection problem without requiring the input of a technician, as it’s simple.
Quick Remedies to Dish TV No Signal
TV screen with no signal.
Here are the solutions to Dish network TV errors.
Fix the TV Input
Always ensure that your TV is on the DISH receiver input; otherwise, it will not display the service provider’s channels. Hence, to activate this mode, click the Input button on your DISH remote and select the decoder.
Check Cables Connection
Again, you won’t obtain a signal if you’ve improperly connected receiver-connected cables. Therefore, check HDMI 1 and HDMI 2 connections. Also, remember to check if the component and RCA cables are in their rightful place.
Lastly, it is essential to check if the cables are in good shape, as if there’s a problem with their structure, it can affect the signal strength.
Is the receiver’s green light on or off?
A digital TV decoder with green light.
The receiver is the next area of concern after you’ve confirmed that the above areas are okay. A properly working receiver shows a constant green light without blinking. Hence, if it indicates otherwise, it has signal issues.
Hence, to fix the problem, long press the DISH remote power button to activate the rebooting process.
Standby Mode
Now you need to set the decoder on standby mode. It is simple; you only need to click SAT and then GUIDE on your Dish TV remote. Next, click the receiver’s power button to set it on standby mode.
Noteworthy, the SAT button is not always in front of the remote. You may have it on the back, so it’s imperative to check its location on the dish receiver remote.
Check Receiver-TV Connection
Fixing a TV cable.
Is there a fault in the DISH TV and the receiver? If present, then you will obtain a blank TV screen. Hence, to troubleshoot, dislodge the cable ends and try interchanging them. It will aid us in identifying if the cables are still in good shape to transmit the signal.
Reshuffle the TV Inputs
TV HDMI Cable.
The network problem you’re experiencing could result from an issue with the port you’re using. Interchange the TV ports. For instance, if you formerly used Port 1, shift to Port 2. Also, do the same for the HDMI ports.
Check Default Channels
Consider checking if your saved channels are displaying anything. For instance, check Channel 60 and 73.
Is Your TV Card Activated?
Your TV card must be in the activated mode to allow a connection. So check its connection status; otherwise, you will remain disconnected. You can easily recharge it if it expires by visiting the service provider’s website.
Also, this is a chance to subscribe to a new package if you want to upgrade or downgrade.
Allow the Harsh Weather to Pass.
Stormy weather.
There’s little you can do to fix a connection issue resulting from harsh weather, such as snow or a heavy downpour. Hence, it would be best if you allow it to resume normalcy after the bad weather is no more.
But if it takes too long, you can consult the service provider for recalibration and reconnection even after the storm has subsided.
Reset the Receiver.
If none of the above measures are working, the only option you have left is to reset the receiver. Disconnect it from the power source by unplugging the power supply cable, then connect it again.
Final Resort- Reach Dish Support
Contact support in case the connection issue persists.
Lastly, if rebooting the receiver yields no outcome, it’s time to contact the DISH support services for technical troubleshooting.
FAQs
How do you aim for a Satellite dish?
It would be best if you got the Azimuth adjustment right for a good connection, and the specific alignment will primarily depend on your location. For example, if you’re in UK or Europe in general, you get a signal from Astra 1 satellites which is available at 19.2E. So if you need help aiming the satellite dish, consult the DISH service members or other TV technicians.
My Satellite is Dirty. Any effect on Reception?
Most dishes will be resistant to dust, but an accumulation of dirt will encourage corrosion which may affect the TV reception.
Should you Clean the Satellite Dish?
It’s essential to remove ice and debris, and ice from your TV dish as the presence of these materials affects reception.
Summary
If your DISH TV shows a black screen, various probable causes exist, such as wrong inputs, expired TV cards, and poor dish positioning. We’ve covered all these factors and the means of mitigating them. Thus, if you follow our guide, you can keep the problem of poor TV connection at bay.